The Best Moisturisers for Every Type of Men's Skin

A good moisturiser can't turn back time (despite what the packaging promises) but it can pause it. Find a good one, and it'll be your defence against not only the elements, but also the years. Start early, deploy daily, and you'll outflank wrinkles and fine lines before they even start to appear.

If they already have, well, a top moisturiser is still the best way to slow their progress. All you need to do is pick the right option – and, truthfully, it probably isn't that special-offer tube you snatched off the supermarket shelf last weekend.

To find the best, we put the top brands to the test in the Esquire lab with our panel of 212 men. The Esquire editors have also selected their top picks, so you're bound to find one that works for you.

Esquire Lab Picks

• Best all-round moisturiser:La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo+ Moistursier
• Best moisturiser for oily skin: Aesop Mandarin Facial Hydrating Cream
• Best moisturiser for sensitive skin: CeraVe Moisturising Cream
• Best moisturiser for shine control: Clinique For Men Oil Free Moisturiser
• Best luxe moisturiser: Sisley Sisleyum For Men Anti-Age Global Revitalizer
• Best post-shave moisturiser: Malin + Goetz Vitamin E Face Moisturiser
• Best vegan moisturiser: Elemis Superfood Day Cream
• Best hydrating moisturiser: Health Moisturiser

Esquire Editors' Picks

• Best for all skin types: Bioeffect Hydrating Cream
• Best for easily congested skin: Baxter of California Oil Free Moisturiser
• Best for dull skin and rough texture: RéVive Moisturizing Renewal Cream Supreme
• Best for combination skin: Kiehl’s Facial Fuel
• Best for city skin: Medik8 C-Tetra Cream
• Best for SPF: Clinique For Men Super Energizer SPF 40
• Best for dry skin: Shiseido Men Skin Empowering Cream

Really, the best moisturiser for you depends on the results you're hoping to achieve. If you're simply after a one-and-done softening solution, head straight for a simple yet effective emollient cream, such as Malin + Goetz's suits-all salve. For skin that's feeling dry and rough, a cream containing exfoliating acids will resurface without the need for scrubbing (which is very 2014, by the way). For dark spots and pigmentation, vitamin C is your fast-track to brighter skin, and for oily or breakout-prone types, there will always be the skincare security blanket of La Roche-Posay.

Whether you're looking to fill wrinkles, buff away fine lines or get a just-back-from-the-beach glow, these are the moisturisers that have your back.

How we test

We asked 212 men to try a range of moisturisers and report back on how well they hydrated skin. They made a note of how easy each one was to apply too, as well as how hydrated skin felt immediately and six hours after application.

In the Esquire lab, we also used a multi-skin test machine to see how hydrating each moisturiser really was. Find the results below.

The best moisturisers for men