What are the best moisturisers for combination skin? The thick creams that beautifully moisturise your dry areas make your oilier ones break out. And the lightweight gels that keep your t-zone shine-free aren’t a match for your dry patches.
How do you treat skin when you’re dealing with both issues? The trick is to stick to lighter moisturisers that hit that perfect spot: moisturising without being greasy.
“Combination skin is generally shiny around the t-zone but dehydrated elsewhere, so a light, water-based moisturizer is important to restore balance within the complexion,” says esthetician and skin expert, Melanie Grant. “I tend to recommend fluids, gels, and lotions as these provide the skin with essential hydration without stimulating excess shine.”
Don’t worry, I won’t let you hunt them down on your own. Here are the best moisturisers for combination skin:
- What To Look For In A Moisturizer For Combination Skin
- Best Moisturisers For Combination Skin
- The Inkey List Multi-Biotic Face Moisturiser ($12.99)
- IT Cosmetics Confidence In A Gel Moisturiser ($45.00)
- Paula’s Choice Resist Anti-Aging Skin Hydrator ($37.00)
- Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream ($68.00)
- Paula’s Choice Defense Essential Glow Moisturiser SPF 30 ($33.00)
- Tula Dew Your Thing Moisturizing Gel Cream ($48.00)
- Bioderma Sebium Mattifying Moisturiser (£16.00)
- Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream ($88.00)
- Final Verdict
What To Look For In A Moisturizer For Combination Skin
A great moisturiser for combination skin – one that moisturises your skin without clogging your pores – fits two criteria:
- It’s loaded with humectants: Humectants are actives that draw moisture from the air into your skin and bind it there. This extra moisture hydrates skin, plumps it up, and makes it glow. All without clogging pores and getting acne. The most common humectants found in moisturisers are hyaluronic acid, glycerin, urea, and panthenol. Instead, stay away from heavy oils that may clog pore and aggravate acne.
- Light texture: Look for lightweight gels and fluid formulas that sink into your skin immediately and pack a hydrating punch. Rich balms and butters can clog pores, so they’re a big no-no for combination skin.
FAQ ABOUT MOISTURIZERS FOR COMBINATION SKIN
What can moisturisers for combination skin do?
Moisturisers are designed to repair your skin’s protective barrier, moisturise skin, and plump up fine lines and wrinkles. Some moisturisers can also soothe irritations and prevent/treat wrinkles.
What can’t moisturisers for combination skin do?
Moisturisers can’t unsag skin. Once skin sags, it sags. Period. They can’t purify your skin and pores either. Removing toxins is a job for your liver, not your skin.
How often should you use moisturisers for combination skin?
You should use a moisturiser for combination skin twice a day, both in the morning and at night.
How do you use a moisturiser for combination skin?
In the morning, apply it after serum but before sunscreen. At night, it’s the last step of your skincare routine.
What ingredients should you avoid in a moisturiser for combination skin?
Natural oils and butters are a no-no for combination skin. They clog pores and cause/aggravate acne. The only exception is if they’re at the bottom of the ingredient list. In low doses, they won’t do your skin any harm.
Best Moisturisers For Combination Skin
The Inkey List Multi-Biotic Face Moisturiser ($12.99)
The Inkey List Multi-Bionic Face Moisturiser gets its name from its biotic ingredients (pre-, pro-, and postbiotics) that strengthen the skin’s protective barrier and help it maintain a normal pH (click here to find out what happens when your skin’s pH is out of whack). The lightweight texture – infused with a mix of squalane, oils, and hyaluronic acid – quickly sinks into your skin, keeping it soft and moisturised for hours without any greasiness whatsoever.
Available at: Cult Beauty and The Inkey List
Active ingredients: Squalane, pre-, pro-, and Postbiotics, and hyaluronic acid.
Benefits: Moisturising and soothing.
Cons: Basic formula, doesn’t have anti-aging properties.
Skin type: Combination.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Related: The Truth About Probiotics In Skincare: Do They Really Work?
Don’t know how to layer your skincare products and which ingredients you shouldn’t use together? Download your FREE “How To Combine Actives Like A Pro” cheatsheet and never do skincare wrong again:
IT Cosmetics Confidence In A Gel Moisturiser ($45.00)
IT Cosmetics Confidence In A Gel Moisturiser is the most lightweight moisturiser on this list, but it still packs a little hydrating patch. It’s not moisturising enough if you have flaky patches. But if your skin is more on the oily side of combination, you’ll love the plumpness and dewy finish it leaves behind. No greasiness, either! Its secret? A mix of hydrating hyaluronic acid, soothing aloe vera, and skin-smoothing silicones!
Available at: Boots, Cult Beauty, IT Cosmetics, Selfridges, Sephora, and SpaceNK
Active ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and aloe vera.
Benefits: Moisturising.
Cons: Basic formula, doesn’t have anti-aging properties.
Skin type: Combination and oily.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Related: Are Silicones In Skincare Bad For You?
Paula’s Choice Resist Anti-Aging Skin Hydrator ($37.00)
One of the most lightweight lotions I’ve ever tried, it has a silky texture that spreads easily and sinks in quickly – no greasy residue left behind. The silicones base creates a protective barrier on them skin (that doesn’t suffocate it!) and plumps up fine lines and wrinkles so they look smaller to the naked eye. Plus, it’s enriched with a bunch of antioxidants that help prevent premature aging and wrinkles. Like all Paula’s Choice products, it’s fragrance-free and suitable even for sensitive skin.
Available at: Cult Beauty, Paula’s Choice, Sephora, and SpaceNK
Active ingredients: Silicones and antioxidants.
Benefits: Moisturises skin and prevents premature wrinkles.
Cons: If your skin is on the drier side of combination, or you don’t like silicones, this isn’t for you.
Skin type: Combination, oily, and sensitive.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream ($68.00)
Let’s be clear: peptides aren’t the anti-aging miracles brands make them out to be. And they surely can’t replace retinol. But if you want to add them to your skincare routine, Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream is the best way to do it. A hybrid between a gel and a cream, the refreshing texture absorbs quickly, leaving skin moisturised, plumped, and dewy. I also dig the packaging: it’s an airless jar that’s both pretty and practical. You press down the cap and the cream oozes out. No chance of it getting contaminated with bacteria! You can check out my full review here.
Available at: Cult Beauty, Sephora and SpaceNK
Active ingredients: Peptides and hyaluronic acid.
Benefits: Moisturising and plumping.
Cons: Peptides aren’t the anti-aging miracle workers they’re cracked out to be.
Skin type: All skin types, including combination.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Related: The Truth About Peptides In Skincare: Do They Really Work?
Paula’s Choice Defense Essential Glow Moisturiser SPF 30 ($33.00)
First things first: you can use a moisturiser with SPF as sunscreen only if you use it as sunscreen. You need 1/4 of a teaspoon for the face alone and 1/3 for your face and neck. Apply any less than that and you won’t get adequate sun protection. All clear? Great. Paula’s Choice Defense Essential Glow Moisturiser SPF 30 uses thick mineral filters to provide broad-spectrum protection, yet the texture is lightweight and fast-absorbing. It leaves no greasy residue behind – just a lovely, dewy finish. Unless your skin is very dry or very oily, this’ll give you all the moisture you need – together with plenty of antioxidants to keep those pesky wrinkles at bay.
Available at: Cult Beauty, Dermstore, Harrods, Paula’s Choice, Selfridges, and SpaceNK
Active ingredients: Zinc Oxide (6.125%), Titanium Dioxide (5.25%), and antioxidants.
Benefits: Moisturises skin, provides broad-spectrum sun protection, and prevents wrinkles.
Cons: You need to apply it like a sunscreen to get the SPF on the bottle, and that may be too much for some people.
Skin type: All skin types, including combination.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Related: How Much Sunscreen Do You Really Need?
Tula Dew Your Thing Moisturizing Gel Cream ($48.00)
The weightless gel texture of this moisturiser packs a hydrating punch. Oil-free, the cream uses a bunch of humectants, including hyaluronic acid, to attract and bind up to 1000 times its weight in water. All that moisture makes your skin softer to the touch, brighter to the naked eye, and plumper so fine lines and wrinkles look smaller. Plus, the moisturiser is enriched with probiotics to soothe irritations and antioxidants to prevent premature wrinkles. Result? Dewy skin that looks younger to the naked eye.
Available at: Dermstore, Nordstrom, Tula and Ulta
Active ingredients: Probiotics and hyaluronic acid.
Benefits: Moisturising, soothing, and wrinkle-fighting.
Cons: Not moisturising enough if your combination skin is more on the dry side.
Skin type: Combination.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
Bioderma Sebium Mattifying Moisturiser (£16.00)
Looking for a moisturiser that can keep your skin matte all day long? Bioderma Sebium Mattifying Moisturiser contains zinc, an active that regulates oil production, helping to keep breakouts at bay. The lightweight formula uses a mix of glycerin and sugars with humectant properties to draw moisture from the air into your skin, helping to keep it hydrated all day long. The result? Soft, hydrated, and matte-looking skin.
Available at: Sephora
Active ingredients: Glycerin, sugars, and zinc.
Benefits: Moisturises and mattifies skin.
Cons: If your skin isn’t very oily, this may be too drying for you.
Skin type: Combination, oily, and acne-prone.
Fragrance-free: No.
Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream ($88.00)
Pretty much every moisturiser out there promises to fight wrinkles. But only those that contain retinol, like Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream, have what it takes to do the job. A form of Vitamin A, retinol neutralises free radicals before they give you wrinkles and boost collagen production to reduce the fine lines you already have. The catch? Retinol can be drying and cause redness and flaky patches when you first start using it. This lightweight cream is loaded with hydrating humectants that counteract the side effects of retinol. For best results, use it only 3 nights a week (too much retinol can irritate skin).
Available at: Cult Beauty, Murad, Sephora, SpaceNK, and Ulta
Active ingredients: Retinol and hyaluronic acid.
Benefits: Moisturises skin and treats wrinkles.
Cons: Retinol can be drying and irritating.
Skin type: All skin types, including combination.
Fragrance-free: No.
Final Verdict
The best moisturisers for combination skin are loaded with humectants that attract and bind moisture to the skin and low in pore-clogging oils. Look for lightweight gel and lotion textures that hydrate skin without giving you acne.
