Rich cream or light moisturiser?
How to choose by how your skin feels, when to switch with the seasons, and why many people end up using both.
The most useful thing to know about your moisturiser is its texture, and it is the thing labels tell you least. "Hydrating", "nourishing" and "for all skin types" don't help you choose. How your skin feels a few hours after washing does.
This guide helps you decide between a rich cream and a light moisturiser. We make one of each, both fragrance-free: our Fragrance-Free Rich Cream and our Fragrance-Free Sensitive Skin Moisturiser. The advice below applies to any brand.
01Dry or dehydrated?
Dry skin is short of oil. It feels tight, can look dull and flaky, and rarely looks shiny. Dehydrated skin is short of water, and it can happen to any skin type, including oily skin: it feels tight after washing and may look shiny and tired at the same time. Our guide to ceramides or hyaluronic acid? goes deeper into the difference.
A rich cream, full of oils, butters and waxes, is aimed at dry skin: it replaces oil and slows water loss. A light moisturiser, built on humectants such as glycerin and aloe, is aimed at dehydrated skin: it draws water in without adding much oil.
02A quick test
Wash your face with a mild cleanser, pat it dry and put nothing on it. After about an hour, notice how it feels and looks.
| After an hour | What it suggests | Start with |
|---|---|---|
| Tight, rough or flaky, no shine | Dry skin | A rich cream |
| Tight, with shine on the nose and forehead | Dehydrated or combination skin | A light moisturiser |
| Comfortable, a little shine by midday | Normal skin | A light moisturiser, richer in winter |
| Shiny all over, not tight | Oily skin | A light moisturiser, or none on oily areas |
| Stinging or itching | Reactive skin | A fragrance-free light moisturiser, patch tested first |
03Does the choice of moisturiser matter?
Moisturisers in general
Evidence: Cochrane review of 77 trials- van Zuuren E.J., Fedorowicz Z., Christensen R., Lavrijsen A., Arents B.W.M. Emollients and moisturisers for eczema. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2:CD012119, 2017. Read the source
That is freeing. It means the texture you like, and will use every day, is a better guide than any single ingredient on the label.
04If you break out easily
Rich creams have a reputation for blocking pores. The truth is less clear-cut: a small study found that finished products made with ingredients that have a "comedogenic" reputation weren't necessarily comedogenic. Your own skin is the only reliable test.
- Draelos Z.D., DiNardo J.C. A re-evaluation of the comedogenicity concept. J Am Acad Dermatol 54(3):507–512, 2006. Read the source
If you are prone to breakouts, start with a light moisturiser. If some areas are dry, add a rich cream only there, and watch for a couple of weeks.
05Seasons, day and night
Skin often changes with the weather. Cold air and indoor heating in winter draw water out of the skin, and many people who use a light moisturiser in summer need something richer from November to March. At night, a rich cream is easier to wear, because nothing needs to sit under make-up or sunscreen. Our guide to day cream or night cream? covers this in more detail.
06Using both
- Light by day, rich at night. The most common combination for normal to dry skin.
- Light all over, rich on dry patches. Useful for combination skin: rich cream on the cheeks, light moisturiser on the T-zone.
- Light in summer, rich in winter. Switch when your skin starts to feel tight by mid-morning.
- Layered. On very dry days, light moisturiser first, then a thin layer of rich cream on top.
07Our two, side by side
| Fragrance-Free Rich Cream | Fragrance-Free Sensitive Skin Moisturiser | |
|---|---|---|
| Texture | Rich, waxy ● ● ● | Light, sinks in fast ● ○ ○ |
| Built on | Sunflower oil, cocoa and shea butters, argan oil | Organic aloe juice, glycerin, jojoba, sodium PCA |
| Best for | Dry, very dry or tight skin | Normal, combination, dehydrated, reactive skin |
| Fragrance | None, 0 declared allergens | None, 0 declared allergens |
| Certification | COSMOS Natural, 99% natural origin | COSMOS Organic, 100% natural origin |
| Check first if | Nut allergy; reactions to poison ivy or mango; oily skin | Very dry skin, which may want more |
Read more about each: the research behind the rich cream and the research behind the moisturiser. Both are fragrance-free by the strict definition explained in what "fragrance-free" really means.
08Your questions, answered
How do I know if my skin needs a rich cream?
If it feels tight, rough or flaky an hour after washing and doesn't look shiny, it is probably dry and will like a rich cream.
Can oily skin be dehydrated?
Yes. It can feel tight and look shiny at once. A light, humectant-based moisturiser usually suits it.
Can I use a rich cream in the morning?
Yes. Let it settle for a few minutes before sunscreen or make-up.
Is it fine to use two moisturisers?
Yes. Many people use a light one by day and a rich one at night, or a rich one only on dry areas.
Should I change moisturiser in winter?
If your skin feels tighter in cold weather, a richer cream from late autumn to early spring often helps.
This article is for general information and isn't medical advice. Cosmetic products: all claims describe the appearance and feel of skin.
