Rated 4.6 out of 5 from 1,127 reviews
Best Moisturisers UK
A moisturiser has one core job: slow the rate at which water leaves the skin. It does that with three kinds of ingredient — humectants that attract water, emollients that smooth the surface, and occlusives that seal it in. Nearly every product in this category is some ratio of those three, which is why texture is a more useful signal than marketing language. A light gel is humectant-heavy and suits oily skin; a rich balm is occlusive-heavy and suits dry or compromised skin. The picks below are moisturisers available on Amazon UK, ranked by customer rating weighted against review volume. This is one of the categories where budget options genuinely compete: several dermatologist-favourite creams here cost under £15.
24 productsFrom £2.00 to £23.19
Top picks
8 products
- Rated 4.6 out of 5 from 1,552 reviews
cruelty-free
- cruelty-free
- travel-size
- Rated 4.6 out of 5 from 155 reviews
cruelty-free
- cruelty-free
- Rated 4.3 out of 5 from 436 reviews
- Rated 4.3 out of 5 from 92 reviews
- Rated 4 out of 5 from 417 reviews
vegan
- vegan
- cruelty-free
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Best Moisturisers UK
16 products
£5.14View on Amazon UKWas £6.22Price checked 6 September 2026
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£9.99View on Amazon UKWas £12.52Price checked 6 September 2026
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£2.75View on Amazon UKWas £5.89Price checked 6 September 2026
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£13.60View on Amazon UKWas £21.60Price checked 6 September 2026
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£19.49View on Amazon UKWas £22.03Price checked 6 September 2026
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£14.00View on Amazon UKWas £18.16Price checked 6 September 2026
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£3.91View on Amazon UKWas £9.58Price checked 6 September 2026
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£20.82View on Amazon UKWas £23.07Price checked 6 September 2026
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£13.60View on Amazon UKWas £18.36Price checked 6 September 2026
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£19.55View on Amazon UKWas £21.78Price checked 6 September 2026
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How we picked these
We compare every product in this category on customer rating, review volume, price and listed ingredients. We do not accept payment for placement, and we do not test products ourselves — the ranking reflects what Amazon UK shoppers actually rated.
Prices and availability are accurate as of the date shown and are subject to change on Amazon.
What to look for
Texture tells you more than the label
Gel, lotion, cream, balm — in that order, from lightest to richest. Match to how much your skin loses water, not to the season alone. Many people need a lighter product in summer and a richer one in winter.
Ceramides for a compromised barrier
If skin stings when you apply things, flakes despite moisturising, or reacts easily, look for ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids. Those rebuild the barrier rather than just covering it.
SPF in a day cream is a partial answer
A moisturiser with SPF is better than none, but people apply far less moisturiser than the amount used in SPF testing. If sun protection matters to you, a separate sunscreen applied properly does the job more reliably.
Oily skin still needs moisturiser
Skipping it often makes oiliness worse, because the skin compensates. A light, non-comedogenic gel usually settles that cycle rather than feeding it.
Jars versus pumps
Jars expose the formula to air and fingers on every use, which matters for products containing retinol or vitamin C. For a plain moisturiser it is a minor issue; for an active-containing cream, a pump or tube is a better format.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a separate day and night moisturiser?
- Not necessarily. The practical differences are that day creams often include SPF and sit lighter under makeup, while night creams tend to be richer. One good moisturiser plus a separate sunscreen covers most needs.
- What is non-comedogenic and does it matter?
- It means the formula is designed not to block pores. The term is not tightly regulated, so it is a useful signal rather than a guarantee — but on acne-prone skin it is still worth preferring.
- How much should I use?
- Roughly a fingertip's worth for the face. Using far less than that is the most common reason a moisturiser seems not to work.
- Can I use body moisturiser on my face?
- You can, but body formulas are usually richer and more heavily fragranced, which makes them more likely to block pores or irritate facial skin. For occasional use it is unlikely to cause harm.
- What's the difference between a lotion and a cream moisturiser?
- Texture reflects the ratio of humectants, emollients and occlusives in the formula — lotions are thinner and humectant-heavy, suited to oily or combination skin, while creams are thicker and carry more emollients and occlusives, suited to normal or dry skin. Neither is objectively better; the right one depends on how much water your skin tends to lose.
- Can a moisturiser with SPF replace a separate sunscreen?
- Not reliably. People generally apply far less moisturiser than the amount used to test its SPF rating, so real-world protection from an SPF moisturiser tends to fall short of the number on the label. A separate sunscreen, applied at the tested amount, gives more consistent protection.
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Last updated 6 September 2026