The Best Moisturisers for Men, From Spot-Prone to Dry or Oily (2024)

You know you need a moisturiser, but do you know which one is best for your skin? Considering the overwhelming number of options on the shelves, we’d be impressed if you did.

Finding the best men’s moisturiser can involve a lengthy game of trial and error – some can be too greasy, while others are too dense. Then there’s the ‘mattifying’ creams that promise to tackle oily skin (yet many only make things worse).

In short, buying a moisturiser can be a right agg, which is why the Men's Health Lab has stepped in to do the hard graft for you. Here are our new go-tos at a glance, but scroll on for the fuller reviews.

The best men's moisturiser's with SPF for protecting against sun damage

Why Men Should Moisturise

Male skin is 10-20% thicker than female skin and contains more collagen and elastin. However, although the signs of ageing may appear more slowly than on women, male skin tends to be rougher and more oily.

A good moisturiser will prevent skin from getting dull and dry and keep it looking healthy. Your razor can also cause irritation, so it's especially important to condition your skin after shaving. That's why many moisturisers for men contain soothing ingredients, such as aloe vera, to reduce itching and redness.

How To Choose A Moisturiser

The first step to finding your best moisturiser match is to ascertain your skin type.

Normal skin: Choose water-based moisturisers that offer hydration without leaving you feeling too heavy.

Dry skin: Try thicker, oil-based creams with nourishing emollients, such as shea butter.

Oily skin: Opt for matte-finish moisturisers that contain ingredients designed to tackle excess sebum (the oil our skin naturally produces).

Sensitive skin: Seek out calming creams containing chamomile or aloe.

Mature skin: Look for anti-ageing ingredients, such as retinol.

Can Men Use Women's Moisturiser?

You can but it's not going to as targeted. Beyond the obvious differences in design and the range of fragrances on offer, men’s products often contain a higher concentration of active ingredients. That’s because they are specially designed for thicker skin with more oil-producing pores, meaning they can address male-specific skin issues more effectively.

How We Test Moisturisers

We've tried each of these market-leading moisturisers for at least four weeks, assessing how easy they were to apply, how hydrating they were, and their overall effect on skin.

In the Men’s Health Lab, we also used our Multi Skin Test Center device to measure how well the moisturisers hydrated skin, both immediately after application and six hours later.

15 Best Moisturisers For Every Skin Type

Suitable for both the face and body, we found this cream was a saviour for sensitive skin. The texture is pretty thick, so it’s probably better suited to dry skin, rather than oily, but it did ace our lab tests when it came to hydration.

Made from a unique blend of essential oils and plant actives, we found the scent of this moisturiser was like nothing we'd tried before – in the best possible way. It may not be to everyone's taste, but we enjoyed the refreshing combination of basil, frankincense and juniper. It also lived up to its claims of being non-greasy. We found it absorbed quickly and left skin feeling hydrated and soft.

You don't have to spend a fortune to get a good daily moisturiser. We found this formula successfully smoothed skin without leaving any annoying residue behind. Although it wasn’t the most hydrating number on our list, it did absorb quickly.

No skincare routine is complete without some form of sun protection. This daily face moisturiser from The Grey packs SPF 50 for shielding your skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays, while doubling as a daily hydrating cream thanks to the inclusion of hyaluronic acid, which helps prevent moisture loss throughout the day. In terms of texture, it's light, non-greasy, and, importantly, it didn't irritate the skin.

If hydrated skin without a greasy finish is your aim, then look no further than Mancave's Original Moisturiser. Designed to deliver quick hydration with a natural, matte finish, it's infused with borage oil and shea butter, which not only smells great but also helps to leave your skin feeling soft and supple.

We found this cream managed to prevent oily T-zones, while still scoring well in our hydration lab test. With a lightweight texture it left our panel's faces feeling fresh and oil-free, so you can be sure you won't end up looking sweaty before you’ve even set foot in the gym.

Nothing makes it into the Malin + Goetz roster unless it's suitable for the most sensitive of skin types — this cult moisturiser included. Vitamin E protects easily irritated skin, while fatty acids derived from chamomile calm and soothe. It's ideal for post-shaving, and the massive bottle will last you months.

Waking up for early morning gym sessions is nobody's idea of fun, which is why an energising daily moisturiser like this one from Lumin is an essential addition to your wash bag. Popular with Men's Health editors, it helps to deliver long-lasting hydration and fight environmental stressors thanks to Lumin's unique blend of botanical ingredients.

Suffering from scaly dry patches? We found this formula, packed with shea butter and refreshing peppermint, helped soothe and clear up dehydrated skin. The lightweight texture absorbed quickly too, leaving skin feeling instantly softer.

This lightweight moisturiser managed to provide skin with some much-needed hydration, without leaving foreheads looking as greasy as a bowl of chips. Our testers liked the refreshing feel it provided too, leaving skin silky-soft.