Found: The Best Summer Moisturisers, Ever
November 13 | 3 minute read
Words by Christie Sinclair
While heavy-duty hydrators are an essential form of protection from indoor heating, chilly winds and long, hot showers, as we enter the warmer months, these can feel a little, well, much, on the skin.
We’ve tested every moisturiser on our shelves and come to this conclusion: the best summer face creams are lightweight, sink in fast and live up to the moisture-locking legacy of your favourite winter formula.
So when it’s hot and sticky and you’re spending your days in and out of the sun, surf and/or air-conditioning, turn to these…
Best for dry skin
Dr.Jart+ Ceramidin™ Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream
Most summer skin qualms centre around oiliness and excess shine, but dryness can also be a major glow killer. If just the thought of applying your thick, rich moisturiser has you breaking a sweat, turn to Dr.Jart+. Leveraging the latest Korean skincare tech, the brand has taken traditionally heavier, barrier-strengthening ingredients panthenol and ceramides and turned them into a lightweight, cushiony cream that sinks in upon contact with the skin but delivers deep, continuous moisture all day. It never fails.
Best for post-sun
Charlotte Tilbury Charlotte’s Magic Water Cream
Even though we know you apply your SPF religiously, sometimes a full day spent in the sun can leave skin feeling tight and thirsty. In this instance, we always turn to Charlotte Tilbury’s hydrating wonder, which, with water-locking fusion technology, delivers an impressive 100 hours of hydration from just one application. In our opinion, it’s the skincare equivalent to an IV drip for parched skin.
Best for a party-season glow
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Afterglow Brightening Vitamin C Cream
This Sunday Riley moisturiser means business when it comes to counteracting the effects of an endless procession of summertime parties and events. One look at the reviews and you’ll find a legion of die-hard fans who love this bouncy gel-cream’s ability to restore radiance to dull, dehydrated skin. It’s the high-strength vitamin C that does the heavy lifting, working to brighten and plump the appearance of fine lines (often exacerbated by late nights, early mornings and time in the sun).
Best for oily skin
Summer Fridays Cloud Dew™ Gel Cream Moisturizer
If you have oily skin, you know that keeping your complexion shine free in all the right places can be a notoriously difficult balancing act, especially in warmer climes. Excess moisture leaves you looking greasy and can lead to breakouts, while over-mattifying can trigger excess sebum production – and suddenly you’re back to square one! It’s time to make friends with Summer Fridays’ Cloud Dew™ Gel Cream Moisturizer. It’s the lightest of light formulas with three kinds of hyaluronic acid to give you the glow you’re chasing, without looking like a disco ball. It’s oil-free, too!
Best for long days in the sun
GOOP Goopglow 72-Hour Hydrating Supercharged Water-Cream
For sunny, sweaty days – and nights – GOOP’s version of the water cream gives skin a glass-like glow for up to 72 hours. In true GOOP fashion it serves multiple purposes; the special ferment helps support the skin’s microbiome, strengthens skin barrier function and defends against free-radical damage. It also plays nice with every skin type, being just matte enough not to slide off your face (and take your makeup and SPF with it).
Best for no-makeup days
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Oil-Free Refillable Moisturizer
If your idea of summer skin is dewy, bouncy and devoid of effort, this viral Glow Recipe moisturiser has your name on it. Formulated with 90 percent watermelon extract and blended with hydrating hyaluronic acid and cactus water, the cooling, jiggly emulsion is like a refreshing juice for skin. Apply after cleansing for a glossy (not shiny), glazed finish that smells like summer and looks like you’ve just visited your facialist.
Best moisturiser under makeup
Glossier Priming Moisturizer Lightweight Buildable Face Cream
One of Glossier’s four debut products, this gel-cream was an immediate cult-favourite and still is to this day. A poster child for the brand’s mantra, ‘Skin first, makeup second’, it was created specifically to prep skin before makeup – and it excels. With glycerine, an anti-redness complex and customised power primers, it gives skin a hydrated, even and smooth canvas so your base melts in effortlessly – and also won’t melt off the moment you step out of air-conditioning.
Best for sensitive skin
MALIN+GOETZ Vitamin E Face Moisturizer
In a word, this is unfussy. It has everything we look for in a summer moisturiser: vitamin E to strengthen skin, a cocktail of emollients to boost moisture, vitamin B5 to enhance moisture retention and a calming chamomile scent – all in an airy lotion that’s as far from sticky as it gets. Suitable for all skin types, but especially great for those with sensitivities; slap it on and get on with your day, never having to worry about whether you’ll upset your complexion.
Best for mature skin
Cosmetics 27 Baume 27 Crème Légère
If your idea of heaven for your skin is the iconic Baume 27, pop it in storage for the summer and try this lighter version. The ingredients and benefits are almost identical to the original formula, but it’s the whipped texture that makes it ideal for warmer weather (and those with skin that can’t tolerate rich creams). There’s Centella asiatica to help plump and soothe, probiotics to support a balanced microbiome, and sesame oil and beetroot extract for intense hydration. Resist the urge to slather your whole body in it if you can – try this instead.
