Of all the skincare products on the market, face moisturizers can be the trickiest to buy.

For starters, there's an astounding number of them to choose from, with new ones launching all the time. And they often promise more than just hydration—benefits like brightening, wrinkle reduction and firming, to name a few.

Yet moisturizers typically have long lists of complex ingredients, and it's hard enough to pronounce their names, let alone know whether they'll help (or harm!) your skin.

That's why I've put together this guide to the face creams I recommend time and time again. Your skin may not need a cream every single day, but it's always a good idea to have one in your arsenal!

Here's a recap of what I look for in a moisturizer, and the best products I've found to date.

What to Look for in a Face Moisturizer

In an ideal world, the best moisturizer would contain:

• Humectants
• Occlusives
• Barrier-repairing ingredients (ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids)
• Insoluble sunscreen filters (optional)
• A preservative system

And it would be free of or low in:

• Fragrance
• Silicones
• Mineral oil
• Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)
• Oleic acid
• Soluble sunscreen filters
• Emulsifiers

You can find out more about these (and why they're important) in my moisturizer ingredients tutorial.

Just keep in mind that a face cream that ticks off ALL of these boxes is hard to find, simply due to the difficulty of formulating this type of product. But the moisturizers below come as close as possible, and you can prioritize which features are most important to you depending on your skin, your goals and your budget.

To help with your decision-making, I've added a quick ingredients reference for each product. While all of them contain humectants and occlusives, I've noted the specific barrier-repairing ingredients present. (And if you're looking for SPF, see this guide.)

Everything here is also cruelty-free!

The Best Face Moisturizers for All Skin Types

Dr Roebuck’s No Worries Hydrating Face Moisturizer

✓Fatty acids ✓Silicone-free ✓Mineral oil-free ✓Low-PUFA ✓Cruelty-free

Dr Roebuck's No Worries Hydrating Face Moisturizer is your classic hydrating cream, but without all the usual silicones and other fillers. Instead, it's high in macadamia oil, glycerin and hyaluronic acid. I love the non-greasy feel, and how it leaves my skin plump and slightly dewy. There's no synthetic fragrance in here, just a small amount of rose and lavender.

OSEA Atmosphere Protection Cream

✓Fatty acids ✓Silicone-free ✓Mineral oil-free ✓Low-PUFA ✓Cruelty-free

OSEA Atmosphere Protection Cream has a fast-absorbing fluid texture, but is way more moisturizing than you think it's going to be. That's because it's high in algae extract, coconut fatty acids and macadamia oil. It also dries down matte, thanks to the little bit of silica, making it ideal to wear under makeup. Plus, it's formulated from all-natural ingredients, and never clogs my pores or feels heavy. 

Augustinus Bader The Cream

✓Ceramides ✓Fatty acids ✓Silicone-free ✓Mineral oil-free ✓Low-PUFA ✓Low-oleic ✓Cruelty-free

Augustinus Bader The Cream gives you lightweight hydration along with anti-aging benefits—it's no wonder so many celebrities sing its praises! Coconut fatty acids, glycols, glycerin and shea butter are doing the moisturizing here, and ceramides heal your skin barrier. Meanwhile, the patented TFC-8 complex of vitamins and amino acids works on repairing collagen and stimulating turnover. If you're looking for a "one and done" moisturizer and anti-aging treatment—and can afford the price!—you won't be disappointed.

Omorovicza Elemental Emulsion

✓Fatty acids ✓Silicone-free ✓Mineral oil-free ✓PUFA-free ✓Oleic acid-free ✓Low in emulsifiers ✓Cruelty-free

Omorovicza Elemental Emulsion is a light, creamy lotion that can be worn alone (if your skin is on the oilier side) or layered under other moisturizers or oils (if your skin tends to be dry). It's an oil-free formulation that is highly spreadable, and sinks in fast for a soft, smooth finish. Note that the fragrance is natural, not synthetic.

Indie Lee Active Oil-Free Moisturizer

✓Fatty acids ✓Silicone-free ✓Mineral oil-free ✓PUFA-free ✓Oleic acid-free ✓Low in emulsifiers ✓Cruelty-free

Indie Lee Active Oil-Free Moisturizer is another oil-free option, but with its creamy, medium-weight texture, you'd never guess. This moisturizer is created from a blend of non-toxic synthetic emollients, polysaccharides and soothing botanicals. Once it absorbs, skin feels velvety soft, with no greasy residue. See my full review of this brand here.

LXMI Crème du Nil Pore-Refining Moisture Veil

✓Fatty acids ✓Silicone-free ✓Mineral oil-free ✓Low-PUFA ✓Cruelty-free

LXMI Crème du Nil Pore-Refining Moisture Veil has the luscious texture of a high-end anti-aging cream, but it's made from all-clean ingredients. The star is a special type of shea butter ("Nilotica Reserve"), which not only hydrates but also helps to blur the look of large pores. Don't be alarmed if it feels super rich, because a little goes a long way! I'm acne-prone, but this product has never broken me out. See my in-depth review here.

Pyunkang Yul Moisture Cream

✓Fatty acids ✓Fragrance-free ✓Silicone-free ✓Mineral oil-free ✓PUFA-free ✓Low-oleic ✓Cruelty-free

Pyunkang Yul Moisture Cream is your K-beauty option, developed by the renowned Pyunkang Oriental Medicine Clinic. The brand is all about traditional Korean ingredients, and formulates without irritants or unnecessary fillers. As such, this cream is fragrance-free, silicone-free, and made with anti-inflammatory Coptis extract and jojoba oil. Although any skin could use it, I think it's especially suitable for sensitive and acne-prone types. Again, you only need a small amount.

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA

✓Fatty acids ✓Fragrance-free ✓Silicone-free ✓Mineral oil-free ✓Low-PUFA ✓Low-oleic ✓Cruelty-free

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA is a super affordable, non-greasy cream that mimics the hydrating compounds that are naturally present in our skin. Think: fatty acids, amino acids, hyaluronic acid, urea, ceramide precursors and more! It has a light texture, absorbs well, and has no fragrance at all. See my full review of this brand here.

Dr. Barbara Sturm Face Cream

✓Fatty acids ✓Fragrance-free ✓Low-silicone ✓Mineral oil-free ✓Low-PUFA ✓Low in emulsifiers ✓Cruelty-free

Dr. Barbara Sturm Face Cream is a celebrity favourite, promising both hydration plus firming and anti-wrinkle benefits. This one features synthetic emollients, glycerin and shea butter, plus skullcap and purslane for skin rejuvenation. I was pleasantly surprised at how light it feels, and that it kept moisture locked in all day long. There is also a Darker Skin Tones version, which has lumicol (an algae extract) to even out skin tone.

Pacifica Coconut Probiotic Water Rehab Cream

✓Fatty acids ✓Silicone-free ✓Mineral oil-free ✓PUFA-free ✓Oleic acid-free ✓Cruelty-free

Pacifica Coconut Probiotic Water Rehab Cream has a light but creamy texture and smells faintly of coconut (there is coconut water and some natural fragrance in here). It also contains aloe, coconut fatty acids, fatty alcohols and hyaluronic acid. This cream gives your skin a semi-dewy finish and works well under makeup... and you can't beat the low price!

Éminence Bright Skin Overnight Correcting Cream

✓Fatty acids ✓Silicone-free ✓Mineral oil-free ✓PUFA-free ✓Low-oleic ✓Cruelty-free

Éminence Bright Skin Overnight Correcting Cream is an all-natural moisturizer spiked with botanicals to brighten your skin tone. They include licorice root, bearberry extract and African potato (which I'm guessing is similar to the Japanese potato Olivia Munn raves about!). Although technically for nighttime, you could wear this in the daytime under SPF, too. The texture is on the thicker side, but it doesn't feel heavy or look shiny on the skin.

Derma E Hydrating Day Cream

✓Fatty acids ✓Low-silicone ✓Mineral oil-free ✓PUFA-free ✓Low-oleic ✓Cruelty-free

Derma E Hydrating Day Cream gives you long-lasting hydration, mostly natural ingredients and an affordable price point. It's a blend of coconut fatty acids, fatty alcohols, glycerin and hyaluronic acid, with trace amounts of vitamins A, B, C and E for extra support and protection. I'm always impressed with the creams from this brand, because the textures feel luxe but aren't greasy!

The Inkey List Vitamin B, C and E Moisturizer

✓Fatty acids ✓Fragrance-free ✓Silicone-free ✓Mineral oil-free ✓Low-PUFA ✓Low-oleic ✓Cruelty-free

The Inkey List Vitamin B, C and E Moisturizer delivers three essential skin vitamins while it hydrates. There's B3 (niacinamide) for targeting excess oil, redness and pigmentation; C (sodium ascorbyl phosphate) for brightening; and E (tocopherol) for soothing skin and fading scars. Glycerin, fatty alcohol and coconut fatty acids keep your face soft and supple.

Peet Rivko Daily Moisturizer

✓Fatty acids ✓Fragrance-free ✓Silicone-free ✓Mineral oil-free ✓PUFA-free ✓Low-oleic ✓Cruelty-free

Peet Rivko Daily Moisturizer was made with sensitive skin in mind—so you won't find any fragrance, essential oils or harsh actives in this simple formula. Instead, it hydrates with plant-derived fatty acids, jojoba oil and aloe vera, and has one of the shortest ingredients lists of any cream. The finish is matte, so it wears beautifully with or without makeup.

Odacité Beautiful Day Moisturizer

✓Fatty acids ✓Silicone-free ✓Mineral oil-free ✓Low-PUFA ✓Low-oleic ✓Cruelty-free

Odacité Beautiful Day Moisturizer is an all-natural, certified organic moisturizer with a lightweight texture. The base is aloe vera, not water, blended with various botanical extracts, coconut oil and jojoba oil. It even has firming benefits, thanks to the MSM and DMAE. As part of the brand's "fresh collection," it's formulated upon order and comes with a "fresh by" date for maximum purity and potency. I keep mine in the fridge!

Glossier Priming Moisturizer

✓Fatty acids ✓Low-silicone ✓Mineral oil-free ✓Low-PUFA ✓Low-oleic ✓Cruelty-free

Glossier Priming Moisturizer acts like both a moisturizer and a primer—so it leaves your skin feeling nourished, with a smooth, semi-matte finish. Unlike the other products on this list, it has a runny, lotion texture, which takes a few moments to absorb. Although it's made from mostly synthetic emollients, it's actually fragrance-free and low in silicone. I was surprised to discover that my normally finicky skin tolerates it well! See my in-depth review here.

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Do you have a favourite face moisturizer?
Have you tried any of these?