RATING 5 NEW MOISTURISERS FOR SPRING

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Today we're doing something just a little different and I have five new moisturiser launches for Spring that I'm going to rate and review to get to my top pick! Let's dive into them...

The first product we're going to talk about is the FaceGym Liftwear Vitamin C + Bioferment Gel-Cream Moisturiser* | £50. This is a lightweight moisturiser formulated with a gentle Vitamin C derivative, niacinamide and microalgae to provide a three-pronged attack against uneven skin tone, alongside providing antioxidant benefits to the skin so it's protected from free radical damage. These actives are supported by hydrolysed jojoba esters, Vitamin E, a prebiotic and moisturising sunflower seed oil. On paper: this is a balanced formula with active ingredients but also moisturisers and hydrators. It's actually a really nice INCI list that brings together superstar ingredients and barrier support. The finished product just wasn't for me!

It pains me to say this because I love the other Facegym moisturiser (reviewed here), but this just wasn’t enough of anything for me. If I’m going for a light moisturiser that’s not super rich and luxurious, I want it to give my skin that dewiness and bounce, and this kind of just did the bare minimum. I guess it moisturised my skin but it didn’t get me excited about the texture or how it made my skin look or feel. If you’re oilier, you might prefer this but I'm normal-to-dry. I feel like I'd prefer to use serums to get the active ingredients in this product and follow that up with a moisturiser that does a bit more for me, so I'm afraid it's two stars from me...

Next we have the Inkey List's Omega Water Cream* | £9.99. I find the Inkey List pretty hit-and-miss when it comes to moisturisers, I have to admit. This latest launch is a melting water-cream formulated with glycerin, niacinamide and omegas. It's basic and fragrance-free: the glycerin is a humectant, drawing water into the skin, niacinamide can do everything from helping with hyperpigmentation to boosting the skin's natural barrier function and omegas are healing and reparative for the skin. I think it's kind of like a daytime-appropriate barrier support cream that's suitable for oily through to normal skin types, though I do personally think the niacinamide is the star of the show rather than the omegas.

Look, this is absolutely fine! I think this is going to work for most people's skin types: assuming this isn't a high concentration of niacinamide (I don't have access to this information) it's very simple and skin-friendly. I think 90% of people could put this on their skin and it would be fine. There's just nothing that wonderful about the texture and feel of this for my skin and I just didn't find it quite enough during the winter, though that could change as we head into the warmer months. All that being said, I'm giving this three stars: it's nothing special but it'll do the job for most people and it's affordable for most people.

Up next we have the Ole Henriksen Peptide Boost Strength Trainer* | £40. this is a bit of a richer take on the gel-cream, which was a pleasant surprise for me. Rather than being a very light gel, it actually has a lovely buttery quality to it and feels deeply moisturising and softening whilst melting effortlessly into the skin. This is the gel-cream for dry skin. It's formulated with ceramides for that skin barrier support, hyaluronic acid, to draw water into the skin and of course the titular peptides which help to plump and hydrate the skin and there's evidence they could also boost up your collagen. Alongside this we have mango seed butter (which I credit the nourishing quality to), Vitamin E and niacinamide.

I love the texture of this moisturiser and I love that it gets peptides and niacinamide into my routine without a dedicated product so I can use a Vitamin C derivative or antioxidant serum underneath, as that's really the focus of my morning routine. It does contain fragrance, just as an FYI, but that doesn't bother me personally. It gives my skin a healthy, plump, fresh appearance, which are really my main goals. Plus it's lovely under makeup, so it gets a four-star rating!

Moving on, let's talk about the Wishful Honey Whip Peptide Moisturiser* | £37. This is a product I use very similarly to the Ole Henriksen and it slips seamlessly into my routine. It's kind of a light, whipped cream that melts into something more water-based, so it's a touch lighter than the Ole Henriksen. It contains moisturising and antibacterial manuka honey, cica to soothe the skin, shea butter for that nourishment, hydrating topical collagen and peptides to actually try to preserve and boost up the collagen within your skin. Then we again have glycerin and niacinamide in here, plus some fermented ingredients to provide added vitamins.

I really enjoyed the texture of this moisturiser and how it melts into my skin but still has a bit of body to it and adds a lovely emollience. I just don't love it quite as much as the Ole which is at a similar price-point and also spotlights peptides, so it's getting 3 stars. A solid moisturiser but it's just a tad less nourishing, so maybe if you're more in the normal / combination category, you'll prefer this because it's not as rich but it does still give that dewy glow and can lock in the hydration.

Last but certainly not least, we have the Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Cream* | £35. This is a more water-based moisturiser but it's a little more substantial than the Watermelon gel from the same line (which I like, but only for summer), but more melting than their Banana cream. It's formulated with antioxidant plant oils that will help seal in hydration and of course the humectant hyaluronic acid (in several forms), squalane, soothing aloe and plant extracts. I often feel as though the market is flooded with hyaluronic acid serums, when the truth is: you can reap all the benefits by having it in your moisturiser, so I love that this gives that plump, hydrated look and feel to my skin without adding an extra step to my routine.

I love this product! It melts down and feels light and breathable on my skin whilst also giving it this gorgeous dewy glow and hydration that lasts all day long! I can see this being a favourite throughout spring and into the summer months because it doesn't feel like a lot on my skin in terms of weight but it really does give it everything it needs. For that reason, it's getting the top score of five stars!