Cream

The right cream depends less on your skin type than on what your skin is doing right now. Skin that is oily in August is often dry in January, and using the same cream year-round is why people conclude that moisturisers do not work for them.

Choosing a cream
Oily and combination skin — a gel-cream. It absorbs to nothing and sits under sunscreen without pilling. Skipping moisturiser on oily skin backfires: a stripped barrier produces more oil, not less.

Dry skin — look for ceramides. Dry skin is short of lipids, not just water, and adding hydration without replacing the lipids that hold it means it leaves again. Shea butter and squalane do the same job with a richer feel.

Sensitive and reactive skin — centella asiatica and panthenol, with a short ingredient list. The fewer things in the jar, the fewer things to react to. Dr. Althea's 147 Barrier Cream and SKIN1004's Probio-Cica are both built for this.

Mature skin — peptides and collagen work on how firmly skin holds its shape. Both are slow: two to three months before you can judge them fairly.

How much, and when
A pea-sized amount is enough for the face. Apply it to skin that is still slightly damp from your previous step — a cream applied to bone-dry skin has less to seal in.

Morning and evening both. In the morning, sunscreen goes on after it.

Frequently asked
My skin is oily. Do I really need a cream?
Yes. Oily skin is frequently dehydrated, and the oil is often the skin compensating. Use a gel-cream rather than skipping the step.

Can I use my face cream around my eyes?
Usually yes, unless it contains retinol or a strong acid. Eye creams exist because eye skin is thinner, but a gentle face cream will not hurt it.

Should I use a different cream in winter?
Most people should. Cold air and indoor heating both pull moisture from skin, and the cream that suited you in July often stops being enough by December.

How long does a 50ml jar last?
Roughly two to three months at twice daily use on the face alone.