Face Moisturizers Price Comparison
Compare 269 face moisturisers from Clinique, Clarins, Estée Lauder and more — find the best price across top UK retailers in one place.
Face Moisturizers price comparison UK
Clinique dominates this category with 43 products and some of the most competitive prices on the market — their Moisture Surge range consistently sits well below the category average, making it the go-to for shoppers who want a trusted formula without the premium price tag. Clarins follows closely, and together these two brands account for nearly a third of the 269 moisturisers we track. That concentration tells you something: the mid-range is fiercely competitive, and there's genuine value to be found between 7 £ and 25 £.
What strikes us most when looking at the data is the sheer spread at the top end. The average price sits at 48 £, but the market stretches all the way to 267 £ — driven largely by Sisley and Sensai, whose average prices hover around £150–£167 per product. Whether those figures translate to meaningfully better skin is a question worth asking before you commit. Our honest take: for most skin types, the sweet spot sits firmly in the mid-range, where brands like Dermalogica and L'Occitane deliver well-formulated products with proven active ingredients.
Formulation matters more than price. A gel moisturiser from Clinique and a rich ceramide cream from Dermalogica can both be excellent — but they're designed for completely different skin types. If you're navigating oily or combination skin, a lightweight face gel may serve you better than a traditional cream. Conversely, if dryness is your concern, pairing a moisturiser with a face oil underneath can dramatically improve barrier repair overnight.
SPF-integrated moisturisers are worth a mention too — several products in this catalogue, including options from Clinique and Elizabeth Arden, include SPF 15 to SPF 30. Dermatologists consistently rank daily SPF as the single most effective anti-ageing step, so if you're only buying one product, a moisturiser with built-in sun protection is a smart consolidation. For a broader routine, face day and night creams offer dedicated formulations for each part of your day. Compare prices across retailers — John Lewis, Boots, and Amazon.co.uk often price the same product differently, and the gap can be surprisingly wide.
How to Choose the Right Face Moisturiser for Your Skin
With prices ranging from 7 £ to 267 £ and formulations designed for every skin type imaginable, picking a face moisturiser is less about budget and more about matching the product to your skin's actual needs. Get the formulation wrong and even an expensive cream can cause breakouts or leave skin feeling tight. Here's what to look at before you buy.
Formulation type for your skin
This is the single most important decision. Gels (like Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel) are water-based and absorb quickly — ideal for oily or acne-prone skin that congests easily. Creams are richer and more occlusive, better suited to dry or mature skin that needs a stronger barrier. Balms sit at the heaviest end and are best reserved for very dry or compromised skin, or as an overnight treatment. If you're unsure, a serum-cream hybrid or emulsion offers a middle ground that works for most combination skin types without feeling heavy.
Built-in SPF — daily protection or separate step?
Several moisturisers in this category include SPF 15, SPF 25, or SPF 30 — notably from Clinique and Elizabeth Arden. If you're not already using a dedicated sunscreen, a moisturiser with SPF is a practical shortcut. That said, SPF 15 is the bare minimum for meaningful daily protection; SPF 30 is preferable. One caveat: SPF formulations can feel slightly heavier or leave a faint white cast on deeper skin tones, so it's worth testing before committing to a full-size product.
Active ingredients beyond basic hydration
Many moisturisers in this range go beyond simple hydration. Niacinamide addresses uneven tone and enlarged pores. Peptides support collagen synthesis — relevant if fine lines are a concern. Vitamin C brightens but requires stable, opaque packaging to stay effective. Clinique's Even Better Clinical Brightening Moisturiser and Estée Lauder's Revitalizing Supreme both lean into this territory. If you're targeting a specific concern, check the ingredient list rather than relying on marketing claims — actives need to appear in the first half of the INCI list to be present at meaningful concentrations.
Ceramide and lipid content for barrier repair
Ceramides are the structural lipids that hold your skin barrier together. If your skin feels tight, reactive, or prone to redness, a ceramide-rich formula is more useful than a high-end fragrance-heavy cream. Dermalogica's Intensive Moisture Balance is a good example of a product built around barrier repair rather than sensory appeal. Brands like Weleda also use plant-based lipids (jojoba, shea) as functional occlusives. Avoid products with a long fragrance ingredient list if your skin is sensitive — fragrance is one of the most common contact allergens in skincare.
Packaging and shelf life
This is underrated. A vitamin C or retinol moisturiser in a jar degrades faster than the same formula in an airless pump — exposure to air and light accelerates oxidation. If you're spending over 37 £ on a product with active ingredients, check that the packaging protects the formula. Larger sizes (100ml+) offer better value per ml but only make sense if you'll use the product within 6–12 months of opening. Travel sizes (30ml) are a sensible way to trial a product before committing to a full-size purchase.
- Budget-friendly picks (From 7 £ to 15 £) : This tier includes Weleda's plant-based options, Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour Cream, and smaller sizes of Clinique's Moisture Surge. Don't dismiss this range — Weleda averages around £18 and delivers solid barrier support. Clinique's 30ml Moisture Surge sits here too, making it a smart trial size before upgrading. Best for: students, skincare beginners, or anyone testing a new routine.
- The sweet spot (From 15 £ to 25 £) : Where most of the action is. Clinique's full Moisture Surge range, Clarins Beauty Flash Balm, NUXE, and Dermalogica's Skin Smoothing Cream all land here. These are well-formulated products from established brands with genuine retail competition — meaning prices vary meaningfully between Boots, John Lewis, and Amazon. Worth comparing before you buy.
- Mid-premium territory (From 25 £ to 37 £) : Estée Lauder, Dermalogica's larger sizes, and L'Occitane feature here. You're paying for more sophisticated active ingredient combinations — peptides, multi-weight hyaluronic acid, targeted brightening. Clinique's Smart Clinical Repair SPF 30 sits in this range. Genuinely useful if your skin has specific concerns; less justified if you just need basic hydration.
- Luxury and specialist formulations (Over 37 £) : Sisley and Sensai dominate this tier, with average prices well above the category mean. These are prestige products with complex formulations and premium packaging. Sisley's plant-based approach and Sensai's silk-derived ingredients have loyal followings, but the efficacy gap versus mid-range products is rarely proportional to the price gap. Buy here if brand experience matters to you — or if you've tried everything else and want something different.
Top products
- Clinique Moisture Surge Intense 72H Lipid-Replenishing Hydrator, 50ml (Clinique) : The most-compared product in this category for good reason — lipid-replenishing formula suits dry and dehydrated skin, and the price is hard to beat for a 50ml from a brand this established. A genuine best-buy.
- Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel (Clinique) : The classic lightweight option for oily and combination skin. One of the lowest price points in the top 15 — excellent for first-time Clinique buyers or anyone who finds richer creams too heavy. Not the choice if you need serious barrier repair.
- Clarins Beauty Flash Balm face moisturizer Women 50 ml (Clarins) : More of a radiance-boosting treatment than a traditional moisturiser — works brilliantly as a primer or quick-fix before an event. Less suited as a standalone daily hydrator for dry skin. Prices vary noticeably across retailers, so comparing is worthwhile.
- Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance face moisturizer Women 100 ml Cream (Dermalogica) : The standout pick for compromised or dry skin — 100ml size offers strong value per ml, and the barrier-focused formulation is genuinely functional rather than just fragrant. Pricier than the Clinique options but justified for its ingredient quality.
- Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Daily Moisturizing For Face SPF15 50ml (Elizabeth Arden) : A cult product with decades of loyal users — the SPF 15 inclusion makes it a convenient one-step morning routine. That said, SPF 15 is the bare minimum for meaningful protection, and the texture is too rich for oily skin. Best for dry skin types who want simplicity.
Related categories
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between a face moisturiser and a day cream?
A face moisturiser is a broad category that includes gels, balms, emulsions, and creams, while a day cream is specifically formulated for morning use — often with SPF and lighter textures. In practice, many products marketed as moisturisers can be used day or night, whereas dedicated day and night creams are optimised for different skin repair cycles. If a product doesn't specify, check whether it contains SPF (daytime) or heavier occlusives like shea butter (better suited to night use).
Is a more expensive moisturiser actually better for your skin?
Not necessarily — and the data here makes that clear. Clinique's Moisture Surge, one of the most-compared products in this category, sits well below the category average yet consistently outperforms products at three times the price in independent tests. Price often reflects brand positioning, packaging, and fragrance rather than active ingredient concentration. That said, specialist formulations from Dermalogica or Estée Lauder do contain more sophisticated ingredient combinations that justify a higher spend for specific skin concerns like barrier damage or visible ageing.
Should I choose a gel or a cream moisturiser?
Choose a gel if your skin is oily, combination, or prone to congestion — gel formulations are water-based, absorb quickly, and won't block pores. Choose a cream if your skin is dry, mature, or feels tight after cleansing — creams contain occlusive agents that seal moisture in and repair the lipid barrier. If you're unsure, a lightweight emulsion or serum-cream hybrid is a safe middle ground. Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel is a reliable entry point for oily skin; Dermalogica's Intensive Moisture Balance suits drier types.
Do I need a separate SPF if my moisturiser already contains it?
For everyday urban use, a moisturiser with SPF 30 is sufficient protection. However, if you're spending extended time outdoors, SPF 30 in a moisturiser alone is unlikely to provide adequate coverage — most people don't apply enough product to reach the stated SPF. In that case, layer a dedicated SPF 50 sunscreen on top. For a daily commute or office environment, the SPF in products like Clinique Moisture Surge SPF 25 or Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream SPF 15 provides a meaningful baseline.
Are fragrance-free moisturisers worth paying more for?
If you have sensitive, reactive, or rosacea-prone skin, yes — fragrance is one of the most common contact allergens in skincare, and switching to a fragrance-free formula can make a noticeable difference. For normal skin, fragrance is largely a sensory preference rather than a functional concern. Dermalogica's range is notably fragrance-conscious. Be aware that "unscented" is not the same as "fragrance-free" — unscented products can still contain masking fragrances that trigger reactions.
What traps should I avoid when buying a face moisturiser online?
The biggest pitfall is buying based on marketing claims rather than the ingredient list. Terms like "clinically proven", "dermatologist-tested", and "boosts collagen" are largely unregulated and tell you very little about efficacy. Also watch out for jar packaging on vitamin C or retinol products — these actives degrade rapidly once exposed to air, making the product significantly less effective within weeks of opening. Finally, check whether the price you're seeing is for a 30ml or 50ml size — several brands list both, and the per-ml cost can differ dramatically.
Which face moisturiser brands offer the best value in 2026?
Clinique offers the strongest value in this category — 43 products with an average price well below the category mean, and consistent performance across independent reviews. Clarins is a close second, particularly for combination and mature skin types. For those prioritising natural formulations on a tighter budget, Weleda delivers solid barrier support at the lowest average price point of any brand we track here. Sisley and Sensai are genuinely excellent but priced for a very specific buyer — the value proposition only holds if you've exhausted the mid-range options.