The 10 Best Face Moisturisers as of July 2026

How we ranked these face moisturisers

Each pick earns a score out of 10 from weighted criteria:

Performance (35%) — how well each face moisturiser does its core job.
Value (25%) — quality and features for the price.
Build & reliability (20%) — materials, longevity and warranty.
Features (20%) — meaningful extras that improve the experience.

We also weigh real-world owner reviews — star ratings and how many people left them — and whether each product has the features you'd expect in its class.

At a glance: top 10 compared

Swipe across to see all columns, including Amazon links →

#	Face Moisturisers	Score	Best for	Skin type	Approx. Price	Amazon links
1	CeraVe Moisturising Cream	9.0	Best overall	All / dry	£13	View Price
2	La Roche-Posay Toleriane Sensitive	8.8	Best for sensitive skin	Sensitive	£15	View Price
3	The Ordinary Natural Moisturising Factors	8.7	Best budget	All	£6	View Price
4	Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel	8.6	Best gel	Normal / oily	£13	View Price
5	CeraVe Facial Lotion SPF25	8.6	Best with SPF	All	£13	View Price
6	Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion	8.5	Best lightweight	Normal / combination	£11	View Price
7	Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream	8.5	Best anti-ageing	Mature / dry	£25	View Price
8	Simple Kind to Skin Moisturiser	8.3	Best gentle budget	Sensitive	£4	View Price
9	Nivea Soft Moisturiser	8.3	Best value all-rounder	All	£4	View Price
10	E45 Face Cream	8.2	Best for very dry skin	Very dry	£6	View Price

The full ranking

Best overall

CeraVe Moisturising Cream

9.0Our number one pick.

CeraVe's Moisturising Cream pairs three essential ceramides with hyaluronic acid to deeply hydrate and repair the skin barrier, suiting dry and sensitive skin. It is rich, so oily skin may prefer the lotion, but the hydration and value are excellent.

Hydration: 9.4Absorption: 8.8Suitability: 9.2Value: 9.0

Pros

Ceramides plus hyaluronic acid
Repairs the skin barrier
Fragrance free

Cons

Rich for oily skin
Tub packaging less hygienic

Check price on Amazon≈ £13

Best for sensitive skin

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Sensitive

8.8A superb runner-up.

La Roche-Posay's Toleriane Sensitive is a soothing, prebiotic moisturiser formulated to calm and strengthen reactive, sensitive skin. It is lightly hydrating rather than rich, but the soothing quality is excellent.

Hydration: 8.8Absorption: 9.0Suitability: 9.4Value: 8.6

Pros

Soothing for sensitive skin
Prebiotic formula
Fragrance free

Cons

Light for very dry skin
Mid price

Check price on Amazon≈ £15

Best budget

The Ordinary Natural Moisturising Factors

8.7Rounds out our top three.

The Ordinary's NMF + HA is a no-frills, affordable moisturiser with skin-identical ingredients that hydrate effectively, superb value. It is basic and unscented, but the ingredients and value are excellent.

Hydration: 8.8Absorption: 8.8Suitability: 9.0Value: 9.4

Pros

Skin-identical ingredients
Very affordable
Non-greasy

Cons

Basic packaging
Light for very dry skin

Check price on Amazon≈ £6

Best gel

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel

8.6A standout in the upper half.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost is a refreshing water-gel that delivers lightweight hydration with hyaluronic acid, ideal for normal to oily skin. It is less rich for very dry skin, but the light feel and hydration are excellent.

Hydration: 8.8Absorption: 9.4Suitability: 8.8Value: 8.8

Pros

Refreshing gel texture
Fast-absorbing
Great for oily skin

Cons

Light for very dry skin
Contains fragrance

Check price on Amazon≈ £13

Best with SPF

CeraVe Facial Lotion SPF25

8.6A well-rounded mid-table pick.

This CeraVe facial lotion combines ceramide hydration with daily SPF25 sun protection in one lightweight step. SPF25 is lower than dedicated sunscreen, but the two-in-one convenience and value are excellent.

Hydration: 8.8Absorption: 8.8Suitability: 9.0Value: 9.0

Pros

Moisture plus daily SPF
Ceramide formula
Lightweight

Cons

SPF25 not 50
Reapply SPF if outdoors long

Check price on Amazon≈ £13

Best lightweight

Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion

8.5Great value in the middle of the pack.

Cetaphil's Daily Hydrating Lotion offers gentle, lightweight hydration with hyaluronic acid that suits normal and combination skin for everyday use. It is light rather than nourishing, but the gentleness and value are excellent.

Hydration: 8.6Absorption: 9.0Suitability: 9.0Value: 8.8

Pros

Gentle and lightweight
Fast-absorbing
Good for daily use

Cons

Light for dry skin
Simple formula

Check price on Amazon≈ £11

Best anti-ageing

Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream

8.5A dependable pick if the price is right.

Olay Regenerist is a rich anti-ageing cream with niacinamide and peptides that hydrates while targeting fine lines. It is pricier and richer, but the firming hydration and results are excellent.

Hydration: 9.0Absorption: 8.6Suitability: 8.6Value: 8.4

Pros

Niacinamide and peptides
Rich hydration
Targets fine lines

Cons

Pricier
Fragranced

Check price on Amazon≈ £25

Best gentle budget

Simple Kind to Skin Moisturiser

8.3Solid, if outshone by pricier rivals.

Simple's Kind to Skin moisturiser is a gentle, fragrance-free everyday cream at a very low price, a dependable budget choice for sensitive skin. It is basic, but the gentleness and value are good.

Hydration: 8.4Absorption: 8.6Suitability: 9.0Value: 9.2

Pros

Gentle and fragrance-free
Very affordable
Good for sensitive skin

Cons

Basic hydration
Not for very dry skin

Check price on Amazon≈ £4

Best value all-rounder

Nivea Soft Moisturiser

8.3A budget-friendly option worth a look.

Nivea Soft is a light, versatile cream with jojoba oil and vitamin E that works on face and body at a bargain price. It is fragranced and basic, but the versatility and value are good.

Hydration: 8.6Absorption: 8.6Suitability: 8.4Value: 9.2

Pros

Face and body use
Light and refreshing
Very affordable

Cons

Contains fragrance
Basic formula

Check price on Amazon≈ £4

Best for very dry skin

E45 Face Cream

8.2Rounds out our top ten.

E45's rich cream provides intensive moisture for very dry, flaky or itchy skin, a trusted staple for problem dryness. It is heavy and plain, but the dry-skin relief and value are good.

Hydration: 9.0Absorption: 8.0Suitability: 8.6Value: 9.0

Pros

Intensive dry-skin relief
Trusted and gentle
Affordable

Cons

Heavy texture
Slow to absorb

Check price on Amazon≈ £6

Frequently asked questions

What's the best of the face moisturisers in 2026?

Our top overall pick is the CeraVe Moisturising Cream, which leads on our combined score for performance, value and features. The La Roche-Posay Toleriane Sensitive and The Ordinary Natural Moisturising Factors are excellent alternatives depending on budget and needs.

How did we choose these?

We weight performance, value, build quality and features, drawing on hands-on use and independent testing. See the methodology box above for the full breakdown.

Are these prices accurate?

Prices are approximate UK figures at the time of writing and change frequently. Click through to Amazon for the current price.

The bottom line

If you just want the best face moisturisers without overthinking it, the CeraVe Moisturising Cream is our top recommendation — it earns the highest overall score for performance, value and features. Have a look at the current price and see what you think.

Check price on Amazon ≈ £13

Our top picks at a glance

CeraVe Moisturising Cream

The Ordinary Natural Moisturising Factors

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Sensitive

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How we ranked these face moisturisers

At a glance: top 10 compared

The full ranking

CeraVe Moisturising Cream

Pros

Cons

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Sensitive

Pros

Cons

The Ordinary Natural Moisturising Factors

Pros

Cons

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel

Pros

Cons

CeraVe Facial Lotion SPF25

Pros

Cons

Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion

Pros

Cons

Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream

Pros

Cons

Simple Kind to Skin Moisturiser

Pros

Cons

Nivea Soft Moisturiser

Pros

Cons

E45 Face Cream

Pros

Cons

Frequently asked questions

The bottom line

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