FIND THE BEST FACE MOISTURISER FOR YOUR SKIN TYPE

What does a moisturiser do for your skin?

Moisturisers are oil or water-based liquids that can have a thick or lightweight feel on the skin. Common moisturiser textures include creams, gels, butters, and lotions.

Think of moisturiser as a shield that locks in serums and keeps skin plump, supple, and hydrated. Moisturiser helps:

• Lock in moisture and mitigate dry, flaky patches
• Fortify the skin moisture barrier, your skin’s outermost layer
• Protect against environmental stressors that trigger skin sensitivity and sensitisation
• Improve the texture, tone, and resilience of your skin

Overall, moisturisers have an important role to play in maintaining your skin’s natural sebum levels. While moisturising tends to be associated with dry skin, hydration is a universal need for all skin types – so you’ll still need a moisturiser for oily skin, too.

How to choose the right moisturiser for your skin type

The first step is identifying your skin type: oily, dry, combination, sensitive, or normal.

If you’re not sure which skin type you have, you can use the ‘bare-faced method’ to examine how your skin behaves after it’s freshly cleansed. You can also consider the main skin concerns you want to address – like blemishes or visible signs of ageing.

To help you find the right moisturiser for your skin goals, we’ve broken down each skin type – along with two common skin concerns – and the ingredients that provide optimal results. 

Moisturiser for dry skin

Dry skin types are lacking in natural moisture: which leads to tight, dull, and dehydrated skin.

If you have dry skin, you might notice that your skin feels tight and dry to the touch shortly after cleansing. Seasonal changes and inclement weather can also impact dry skin types, so you might find that you have to adjust your skincare regime to take care of dry skin in winter.

Applying a moisturiser for dry skin can play an integral role in supplementing lost moisture on the skin surface. This promotes bounce and brightness, while minimising transepidermal water loss (TEWL). When searching for a moisturiser for dry skin, prioritise formulas with humectants (water-attracting ingredients) and emollients (moisture-preserving ingredients).

For this, we recommend the Ultra Facial Cream:  our best-selling moisturiser. Infused with a hydrating trifecta of squalane, glycerin, and Antarcticine®, it’s formulated to reduce TEWL and nourish parched skin. This blend of efficacious emollients and humectants work together to keep the skin smooth, supple, and hydrated for up to 24 hours.

Moisturiser for sensitive skin

Sensitive skin can manifest in different ways: including redness, rightness, dryness, flakiness, and general feelings of discomfort.

Skin sensitivity can happen as a result of contact with external stimuli that this skin perceives as a ‘stressor’. While triggers vary from person to person, there are common culprits: such as soaps, detergents, scented products, potent skincare ingredients, environmental pollutants, and extreme temperatures. These triggers can weaken the skin moisture barrier and cause TEWL – which can exacerbate skin discomfort.

A moisturiser for sensitive skin has the important role of shielding your skin from stressors and minimising moisture loss. For this, we recommend the Ultra Facial Moisturizer. Developed with two of Kiehl’s signature hydrators – squalane and glycerin – this daily moisturiser for sensitive skin provides 24-hour hydration and absorbs easily into the skin.

Moisturiser for combination skin

When skin experiences dry or oily areas, this is typically a skin of combination skin.

Often, oiliness occurs on the T-zone – forehead, nose, and chin – while dryness is common on the cheeks. It’s important to address this imbalance with a lightweight moisturiser that absorbs excess oil and rehydrates skin.

Here, opt for our Calendula Serum-Infused Water Cream. Harnessing the calming, re-balancing benefits of calendula, this water cream imparts antioxidants to the skin, which improves skin radiance and vitality – making it the ideal moisturiser for combination skin.

Moisturiser for normal skin

Generally considered the rarest of skin types, normal skin  is neither oily nor dry, with very limited skin sensitivity. If you’re lucky enough to fall into the normal skin range, skincare takes on more of a preventive role, ensuring that the skin maintains its usual balance.

You can ultimately have your pick of moisturisers for normal skin, but for a touch of botanical luxury, we suggest the Midnight Recovery Omega Rich Cloud Cream. Cloud-like and lightweight, this ultra-luxe moisturiser helps you wake with supple, plump, and radiant skin.

Moisturiser for blemish-prone skin

Blemish-prone skin is a skin concern, rather than a skin type.

This common skin concern is often the result of overactive sebaceous glands, so it tends to be conflated with oily skin. However, any skin type can produce excess oil, so breakouts can affect almost anyone. Factors like hormonal changes, stress, genetics, and external pollutants can all contribute to blemishes, too.

An effective moisturiser for blemish-prone skin should include targeted anti-blemish ingredients alongside hydrating ingredients that support the skin moisture barrier. Enriched with 1.2% salicylic acid and 2% niacinamide, lactobacillus ferment, and glycerin, our Expertly Clear Blemish-Targeting & Preventing Lotion helps exfoliate clogged pores while ensuring your skin stays balanced and hydrated. Non-greasy and lightweight, this moisturiser for blemish-prone skin can also be used daily – and on all skin types.