In this day and age, thankfully, there’s no need to struggle through the tough-skin times that previous generations may have faced. We’ve got important things like economic crises and wide-scale political upheaval to contend with; the last thing we need is an unsupple T-zone.
Here are our picks for the best moisturisers around, no matter what your skin type, including the winner of this year’s Readers’ Choice Award from the 2017 ShortList Grooming Awards.
FOR OILY SKIN
Anti Shine Moisturiser by Recipe For Men
For those on the oily side, try this energising gel with a matte finish (thanks to its ultra-fine powderiness), which helps cut down on skin shininess, meaning you can now go out in sunlight without being a reflective danger to oncoming traffic.
£30 for 75ml; mankind.co.uk
Oil Eliminator 24 Hour by Kiehl’s
Oil-free, paraben-free, sulfate-free, and in lovely green, green grass packaging, the Oil Eliminator is ultra-light and absorbs sweat and surface oil as it hydrates your face.
£32 for 75ml; kiehls.co.uk
All Purpose Facial Moisturiser by Anthony
Jam packed with vitamins (with your buddies A, C, and E all present) and wheat protein for smoothing, Anthony (named after founder Anthony Sosnick, real-estate developer-turned-skincare-and-grooming honcho) have found a winning formula for nourishing skin with oily boys in mind.
£18 for 80ml; mrmclaren.com
FOR DRY SKIN
Hydra Beauty Micro Creme by Chanel
Oh, look! It’s for women… and yet we are telling men to use it. Who the hell would’ve thought us such rebels? Turns out both men and women have skin and being hamstrung by gendered cream is just cutting off your un-moisturised nose to spite your flaky face. This creme leaves your skin intensely hydrated and replenished, and also stronger and healthier, thanks to a shit load of smart antioxidant stuff going on.
£66 for 50ml; houseoffraser.co.uk
Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture by Murad
Rich, hydrating, nourished, refreshed - all words that give our dry skin a little excitement at the prospect of it being less prone to dustiness. This one’s the most hydrating Murad have ever produced but is non-greasy, with a formula that contains avocado, sunflower, olive fruit and a lil’ bit of collagen support complex (no idea) to help plump dehydrated skin. But not in a TOWIE way. Just in a “Ooh, you’ve been sleeping well, haven’t you?” way.
£55 for 50ml; murad.co.uk
Maximum Hydrator Activated Water-Gel Concentrate by Clinique For Men
You know it’s a men’s moisturiser because they make it sound like it’s only used by astronauts. Refreshingly free of the kind of skin-irritants that can often be pumped into male-focused products, this fresh, fragrance-free gel has a great blend of hydration and skin-replenishment, plus it looks really nice. A bit like something from Men In Black.
£34 for 48ml; clinique.co.uk
FOR COMBINATION SKIN
Effaclar K by La Roche Posay
Hypoallergenic, this slimline offering from La Roche-Posay (they're French, so you know they're good) is perfect for unclogging pores and reducing shine while also leaving you fresh and hydrated in the especially Sahara-y bits.
£14.90 for 30ml; laroche-posay.co.uk
Skin Repair Moisturiser (Normal/Combination) by Liz Earle
See? It’s normal to have combination skin. Totally annoying, but still normal. Skin Repair is designed to return your skin to a lovely balance: softening; smoothing; intensely hydrating you without the oiliness that can often come with it. Plus it's got hops in it, so – if your masculinity is especially fragile that day – you can just pretend you're rubbing your face with beer.
£19.50 for 50ml; uk.lizearle.com
Hydra-Matte Lotion by Clarins
Admittedly more of a lotion than a moisturiser, if we're being picky, but if you've got combo skin you can't afford to split hairs: this one has “green algae, ginseng, linden, horse chestnut, white dead nettle and vitamin B6” – all of which are good for you, I guess. As you might guess from the name, this one leaves your skin Hydra (hydrated) and Matte (uh… matte).
£27 for 50ml; houseoffraser.co.uk
BONUS: THE ONE WITH AN ESPECIALLY NICE LOOKING BOTTLE
MAX LS Power V Lifting Lotion by Lab Series Skincare for Men
Catchy name! A chrome body! A serum that boosts moisture levels in your skin and increases natural firmness and elasticity because none of us are getting any younger, are we, just look at you, in that silver, reflective bottle, with your lines, lines from the knowledge that death comes for us all and that nobody, nobody, is exempt but you might as well just enjoy what little time you have left with really, really nice-looking skin!
£56 for 50ml; labseries.co.uk
THE READERS’ CHOICE AWARD
Hydra Power Refreshing Moisturiser by L’Oreal Paris Men Expert
For this one – the winner of this year’s Grooming Awards – we pass you to Adrian:
“The quick absorption, refreshing texture and instantly gratifying results, which separate this gel formula from your standard moisturiser, secured its win as the favourite ‘must-own’ across all grooming categories by a landslide with our readers.” - Adrian Clark, ShortList Style Director
Thanks, Adrian.
£9.99 for 50ml; loreal-paris.co.uk
THE SHORTLIST GROOMING AWARDS WINNER: BEST MOISTURISER
Hydro Master Gel
£30 for 75ml by SHISEIDO MEN;
The big one.
Over to you, Adrian:
“I’m on board with any product that is able to adapt to a man’s skin at any given period. After all, who wants an armory of moisturisers, when one multipurpose will combat all?” – Adrian Clark
