I've Been Testing Moisturisers All Winter—These Are The Ones That Saved My Dry Skin

As the weather gets colder and the central heating gets ramped up, moisturising rises to the very top of our skincare agendas. And of course, if you’ve got dry skin, then a good hydrating moisturiser is probably already the most important part of your skincare routine.

The thing is, not all moisturisers will cut it when you’re up against a combination of dry skin, central heating, harsh winds, and icy temperatures. In my experience—and having spent the winter testing and trying as many moisturisers I could get my hands on—the best hydrating moisturisers for dry skin are often the most basic ones. That’s right, ignore the bells and whistles, leave the brightening and boosting to your serums, and look for the face creams that focus primarily on one thing and one thing only—hydration.

Dry skin develops when your skin loses water too quickly and becomes dehydrated—so to remedy this, it’s important to not only add moisture back into skin, but to ensure that it’s sealed in and can’t escape. For this reason, dry skin will respond better to thick creams, which add hydration in via ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin, but seal it in with the likes of squalane and ceramides.

What should you look out for in moisturisers for dry skin?