5 Multitasking Moisturisers I’m Loving For Glowy, Hydrated Skin

Let's get one thing straight: we're all chasing that elusive radiant, lit-from-within glow.

The kind of skin that looks like it’s just returned from a relaxing European summer vacation, even if it's the dead of winter.

In our quest for perpetual radiance, we've tried our hand at a slew of TikTok beauty trends—dewy dumplings, glazed donuts, dolphin skin; you name it. If perfect-skinned Hailey Bieber does it, you best believe we're taking notes.

But all of these trends have one thing in common: healthy, hydrated skin.

With a whole host of ‘glow-getting’ products on the market, it's easy to underestimate the humble moisturiser.

However, as the weather starts warming up (hallelujah!), it might just be the perfect time to rethink yours.

You see, part and parcel of gloriously sunny days is increased dehydration and, let’s not forget, sweat.

Translation: excessive oil production, breakouts, texture and just generally irritated skin. Yikes.

But fret not, my friends. Being a dry skin girlie, I like to keep a rotation of moisturisers on hand–one for each of my (and my skin’s) personalities.

Below, I’ve assembled five I’m loving for that enviable glow that says “I drink two litres of water a day”.

1. Aspect Phytostat 9

What: Aspect Phytostat 9

Ideal for: deep hydration and age management.

Fast facts:

• Intensely hydrating anti-ageing cream for dry, dehydrated and mature skin.

• Helps address ageing concerns including pigmentation, fine lines, wrinkles and age spots.

• Packed with antioxidants, including olive leaf extract and ginkgo biloba, for skin nourishment and protection.

My mini Aspect Phytostat 9 review:

Kicking things off with my holy grail moisturiser, the Aspect Phytostat 9.

I count myself lucky to have stumbled upon this beauty a while back for Beauty IQ and have been slathering it all over my face ever since.

Aspect Phytostat 9 makes its mark with its sumptuous, silky texture that sinks into the skin, adapting to deliver the exact amount of moisture your skin needs.

It's enriched with a slew of skin-loving ingredients, including vitamin E, an antioxidant that nourishes and protects, as well as a lineup of natural emollients including shea butter, sunflower seed oil, sweet almond oil and macadamia oil that feel deeply hydrating.

It also tackles age management concerns with its inclusion of ChroNOline™, a peptide that helps smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, resulting in firmer-feeling skin that’s stronger over time.

In other words, she’s a serious ~multitasker~, making her slightly exxy price tag more digestible.

2. Clinique Even Better Clinical Brightening Moisturizer.

What: Clinique Even Better Clinical Brightening Moisturizer 50ml

Ideal for: sensitive skins seeking radiance.

Fast facts:

• Deeply hydrates for soft, smooth, plump skin.

• Targets dark spots, dullness, discolouration and redness.

• Oil-free formula that’s fragrance-free and non-comedogenic.

My mini Clinique Even Better Brightening Moisturiser review:

Having grown up on the East Coast with zero concept of sun damage and subsequent need for SPF, I have a fair share of pigmentation I’m desperately trying to shift off my face.

Which is why I've been loving this new cream by Clinique.

It’s formulated using Clinique’s unique CL302 Brightening Complex™ which combines the skin-clearing capabilities of salicylic acid (a BHA) with vitamin C and a few other “brightening” ingredients to resurface the skin and boost its radiance.

And it does so while keeping your skin feeling hydrated and happy, thanks to its inclusion of hyaluronic acid and green tea, a natural antioxidant that helps quell irritation.

Besides its winning formula, it has a rich, fluffy texture that practically melts into the skin, leaving it feeling soft, supple and oh-so glowy, even under makeup.

3. Murad Essential-C Firming Radiance Day Cream.

What: Murad Essential-C Firming Radiance Day Cream 50ML

Ideal for: uneven skin tone, age management and natural ingredient lovers.

Fast facts:

• Multi-action day cream combining vitamin C, ceramides and antioxidants.

• Revitalises and hydrates the skin, leaving it looking refreshed and vibrant.

• Brightens the appearance of skin tone and texture for more evenly-toned, radiant skin.

My mini Murad Essential-C Day Cream review:

Another vitamin C moisturiser, but with an anti-ageing twist.

Its star ingredient bacillus fermenta—a probiotic peptide and enzymatic fruit—gently exfoliates the skin while increasing its elasticity for a more youthful-looking appearance.

It also lends itself to a subtle firming effect when applied, and a texture that’s slightly waxier than the Clinique cream, but just as lightweight and hydrating.

Additionally, plant-based ceramides and phytol work together to correct uneven skin tone and boost radiance while maintaining essential moisture.

The final point worth mentioning is its airless pump which distributes the perfect amount. So if digging into skincare tubs isn't your thing, this moisturiser very well may be.

4. Weleda Skin Food Nourishing Day Cream.

What: Weleda Skin Food Nourishing Day Cream, 40ml

Ideal for: Weleda lovers and those who favour vegan skincare.

Fast facts:

• Provides instant and lasting moisture.

• Enhances skin's radiance while hydrating deeply.

• Blend of antioxidant-rich, certified natural ingredients.

• Comprises 100% natural essential oils for a refreshing sweet citrus and lavender scent.

My mini Weleda Skin Food Day Cream review:

If you’re a Weleda Skin Food loyalist, I’d like you to meet their new day cream.

You may be wondering “How is it any different to its predecessors?”, so allow me to explain.

As its name suggests, the new nourishing day cream is designed for daily face use.

Where the OG Skin Food is quite thick and intensely moisturising for the entire body, the new cream has a lighter, non-greasy texture that absorbs faster and sits nicely under makeup.

It’s also made without lanolin, the star ingredient of the original formula, making it 100% vegan.

The rest of the ingredients list reads fairly similar (rosemary, chamomile, sunflower and calendula oils), except for olive-leaf extract (an antioxidant) and squalene which have been added to soothe and protect the skin.

5. SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream.

What: SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream 80g

Ideal for: a spendy splurge for age management.

Fast facts:

• Enhances skin's firmness and radiance.

• Leaves skin feeling softer and plumper.

• Offers protection against daily external stressors.

• Helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

• Hero ingredient PITERA™ contains 50 micronutrients, including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and acids to nurture the skin's natural functions.

My mini SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream review:

Truthfully, I had no intention of adding this cream to my star-studded lineup, but I’ve been road-testing it for the past week or so and loving its velvety goodness so thought I’d throw it in for our bougie beauty enthusiasts.

SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream has recently undergone a renovation to improve its texture, scent and efficacy.

I didn’t get a chance to try the previous version (although we did review it in a past Beauty IQ here) so I can’t comment first-on on how the new formula feels different, but it does hydrate my skin and make it look super glowy.

SK-II’s signature ingredient PITERA™ remains at the core of the cream’s formula, alongside kinren and white peony extracts to protect the skin from daily aggressors that cause ageing (referred to by the brand as Aging Trigger Factor or AT-0) while simultaneously stimulating the regenerating of new skin for enhanced firmness, radiance and hydration.

It’s too soon to comment on its BIG promise of skin that looks 10 years younger in four weeks, but the sceptic in me will continue road-testing to determine if this is fact or fluff… watch this space.

Here are some other skincare Beauty IQs to read next:

• Why These Anti-Ageing Eye Products Should Have a Spot in Your Skincare Routine

• A Dermal Therapist Shares 5 of the Best Cleansers for Oily Skin

• The Iconic Clarins Products That Gave These Different Skin Types Glowier Skin