We are all guilty of being stuck in a rut in all aspects of life. From wearing the same old threadbare pyjamas for nearly five years to having the same thing for dinner every Monday evening, there’s always room for a shake-up. The same can be said for our skincare routines. When you find a product you like, it’s a great feeling, and so you end up repeat buying month after month. However, seasons change, as do our skin’s needs, so it’s always worth making swaps in a bid to revive your routine.
We’re not saying that you need to throw out your existing products, but this roundup of the incredible cleansers, serums and night creams should inspire some smart and considered beauty shopping. From cleansers that go beyond expectations to night creams that you’ll wonder you ever went without, the Fashion’s Digest UK Skin Awards judges deemed these the ultimate routine refreshers.
The skin-spiration doesn’t stop here, be sure to take a look at our other categories: Best In Body, Skintellectuals, Targeted Treatments and Skin Enhancers.
How were the entries tested and judged?
Earlier this year, we sent every judge on the Fashion’s Digest UK Skin Awards panel a selection of incredible skincare products with a strict set of instructions. Each product must be judged on its efficacy, innovation and packaging. Some of the UK’s best dermatologists, doctors, skin experts and journalists spent time rigorously testing and scoring their products so that we could deliver a list of the very best on the market.
Best Micellar Water
Angelina George Skincare
Micellar Toner Cleanser
This micellar water is now a two-time winner in this category, and with good reason. The judges praised it for its go-beyond approach to make-up removal. Formulated with vitamin C and niacinamide, it supports the skin’s moisture barrier, whilst brightening too.
Best Eye Make-Up Remover
Optase Life
Sensitive Eye Makeup Remover
Dermatologists and make-up artists alike will tell you that no matter what you are applying to your eyes, be it eye cream or concealer, you must be wary, as the skin here is so much more delicate than the rest of your face. And the same must be said at the end of the day when you are cleansing that area. Whilst some might find a regular cleanser does the trick, this super-gentle patented ionized water removes even the most stubborn eye make-up gently.
Best Cleansing Balm
Sarah Chapman
Skinesis Ultimate Cleanse
Look into any beauty editor’s bathroom cabinet and you are sure to find this sitting happily on a shelf. And we predict you’ll find it in Judge and Content Creator Ola Awosika‘s too from now on. “I thoroughly enjoyed everything about this cleanser,” he says. “From the packaging to the scent, texture and formulation. It feels like a luxurious spa treatment in the comfort of your home, while effectively removing SPF and/or makeup. It’s especially great for those with dry skin, as it cleanses without feeling stripping or tight.”
Best Cream Cleanser
Simple
Repair+ Cream Cleanser
If you’re in the market for a hardworking, but mild hydrating cleanser then the Fashion’s Digest UK Skin Awards judging panel would tell you to add this to your basket immediately. Enhanced with ceramides for barrier support, this is the perfect choice for winter or for those with dry or sensitive skin. Sherrille Riley, a beauty expert, praised the cleanser for leaving her skin feeling so nourished afterwards, “the creamy texture is really comforting.”
Best Gel Cleanser
Dr Sam’s
Flawless Cleanser
Created by Harley Street dermatologist Dr Sam Bunting, this gel cleanser is one of the brand’s bestsellers. Why? It’s results-driven and results-achieved. Whilst all skin types can use it, those with combination and blemish-prone skin are the ones who will really see the difference. It’s non-comedogenic, fragrance-free and created using the same gentle, non-irritating ingredients used in baby products. Judge and Skin Expert, Fiona Brackenbury, only had good things to say: “Dr Sam’s Flawless Cleanser is one of the gentlest yet most effective cleansers, two qualities rarely found together when describing skincare. This intelligently formulated cleanser removes impurities without ever compromising the skin barrier, leaving the skin feeling instantly soft, never stripped, and thoroughly clean. A cleanser that truly respects the skin.”
Best Oil Cleanser
Lisa Eldridge
Skin Enhancing Treatment Cleanser
The key to a really brilliant oil cleanser is the slip and Celebrity Facialist, Michaella Bolder, noted how well Lisa Eldridge’s Skin Enhancing Treatment Cleanser worked with her facial massage techniques. Which is just one of the intended uses of this clever product. It can, as you would imagine, be used to cleanse the skin or as a nourishing mask when left on the skin for twenty minutes or so.
Best Purse-Friendly Cleanser
Dr.Althea
Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm
Trust a K-Beauty skincare brand to launch such a clever cleanser as this. Yes, it’s a cleansing balm, but not as you know it. “The soft, whipped texture melts dirt and grime fast,” explains Ola Owasika. “The innovation lies in the grinding dispenser: hygienic, satisfying, and precise, it dispenses the perfect amount every time and adds a dash of fun to your routine.” Oh, and you get all of that for under £20. Bravo.
Best Exfoliating Cleanser
RAAIE
Golden Nectar Mānuka Honey Enzyme Cleanser
This exfoliating cleanser was a knockout with the judges. “RAAIE Golden Nectar Mānuka Honey Enzyme Cleanser has me completely hooked,” declares Fiona Brackenbury. “The blend of Mānuka honey, PHAs, and fruit enzymes leaves the complexion beautifully glowing, incredibly soft, and smooth and after just one use. I love the versatility of this cleanser.” Fashion’s Digest’s Junior Shopping Editor, Amelia Yeomans, fell equally head over heels for it. “This cleanser is sooo beautiful, it’s like an art piece,” she says. “I used it both as a cleanser and mask, and its multi-use makes it well worth the price.”
Best Physical Face Scrub
Dermalogica
Daily Microfoliant Enzyme Powder
Despite other products launching and advancements in innovation, this cult exfoliator remains an industry and consumer favourite. Winning this year’s award for best physical face scrub, Dermalogica’s Daily Microfoliant Enzyme Powder is a radiance-revealing marvel. Simply add water to the rice powder to activate its exfoliating ingredients. The formula works to even out pigmentation, get rid of complexion-dulling dead skin cells and leaves skin feeling super smooth.
Best Chemical Exfoliator
Paula’s Choice
Skin Perfecting 2% Bha Liquid Exfoliant
What did the skincare world do before this chemical exfoliator existed? Ask anyone with blemish-prone and/ or oily skin about their number one product, and this will surely feature heavily. Aesthetic Doctor and Judge, Dr Sophie Shotter calls it a “standout leave-on exfoliant that balances high efficacy with gentle formulation.” She praised its pared-back formula with few irritants, no fragrance and a well-controlled pH, which makes it well tolerated.
Best Essence
Haruharu Wonder
Black Rice Probiotics Barrier Essence
As beauty experts, we are often asked if essences are a necessary extra skincare step. This ceramide and fatty acid-rich formula, from Korean brand Hauhau Wonder, proves just how effective they can be. Glass skin is super desirable, and it’s all down to hydration and dewiness, which this lightweight and milky essence delivers by the bucketful. Not one of the judges regretted this as an extra step in their routines.
Best Toner
Thank You Farmer
Rice Pure Milky Hydrating Essential Toner
In K-Beauty we trust. This toner is yet another example of skincare done very, very well. Incorporating this into your routine means daily boosts of hydration and a barrier that is robust and able to perform to the best of it’s ability. That’s thanks, in part, to the high-performing nutrients found in a rice extract sourced from Gyodong Island in South Korea. Think of this as the supercharger for the products that follow. Dermatologist Dr Derrick Phillips loved using it, “It feels richly hydrating from the first application and leaves my skin soft, smooth, and slightly bouncy to the touch. It layers beautifully under serums and moisturiser, giving my skin that fresh, well-rested look.”
Best Face Mist
Chanel
N°1 De Chanel Red Camellia Serum-In-Mist
There are face mists and then there are Chanel face mists. We know which one we want to find under our Christmas list this year. “Pure luxury in a bottle,” says Ola Owosika. “The scented mist is feather-light; it kisses the skin and leaves a soft layer of hydration. I love using it after cleansing, and the mini size makes it perfect for keeping in your bag for reapplication throughout the day.”
Best Hydrating Serum
Tursian
Ultimate Hydration Serum Concentrate
This vibrant potion is teeming with hardworking active ingredients. Yes, as you would expect from the winner of the Best Hydrating Serum, it quenches dehydrated skin beautifully, but its peptide-powered formula means that it also helps with redness, protects skin against oxidation and stimulates the skin’s natural repair processes. “This is just fabulous,” exclaims Alice Hart-Davis, skin expert and founder of The Tweakments Guide. “I know, I know, it looks like another very expensive hydrating serum, but my goodness, the complexity of the formula and the quality of the ingredients. This serum is my absolute favourite because it makes my skin feel seriously good. I know the usefulness of the ingredients that are crammed in there, and it has become a favoured resident in my bathroom.” High praise indeed.
Best Vitamin C Serum
Skinceuticals
C E Ferulic Vitamin C Serum
This serum celebrated its 20th birthday this year, and it’s still entering and continuing to win skincare awards. People love and trust the formula; it feels good on the skin and absorbs quickly. This one is ideal for drier skin types, but if you have oily or blemish-prone skin, the brand has one called Phloretin CF just for you. Dr Ash Soni, a plastic surgeon, rates it highly, “CE Ferulic is a solid go-to antioxidant serum.”
Best Purse-Friendly Serum
L’Oréal Paris
Revitalift Laser Tri-Peptides Age-Correcting Serum
Skincare can be rather expensive, and a lot of that is down to the research and development. However, brands like L’Oréal Paris ensure that effective and innovative skincare is for everyone. This multitasking serum is proof. Powdered by a hyaluronic acid, tri-peptides and vitamin C, it targets the main skin ageing concerns like fine lines, loss of firmness, uneven tone and dullness. Alice Hart-Davis was seriously impressed with this affordable formula.
Best Retinol Serum
Lancôme
Rénergie C.R.x. Triple Serum Retinol
Lancôme’s Rénergie C.R.x. Triple Serum Retinol serves as a triple threat within your routine. It utilises the brightening and evening effects of vitamin C, the firming and skin smoothing effects of peptides and the line reducing effects of retinol.
Best Face Oil
Kama Ayurveda
Kumkumadi Facial Oil
This luxury face oil harnesses its power from saffron found in the Himalayas. What does that mean for the skin? Kashmiri Saffron has been used for centuries because it works wonders at brightening the skin, as it’s packed full of antioxidants, as well as vitamins A, B, and C. Michaella Bolder, was very pleased after applying it one evening before bed. “I woke up to my skin feeling plumped and radiant,” she said.
Best Face Mask
Best Night Cream
RéVive Skincare
Moisturizing Renewal Cream
The dream scenario with a night cream is that you wake up in the morning and it’s made a real difference to your skin. Well, that happened to Judge and Cosmetic Biochemist Nausheen Qureshi. “The combination of night cream actives with exfoliating acid actives is quite innovative, and I found my skin looked clearer and smoother in the morning.” She also found that the results got better with continued use. Top praise for our winner of the best night cream award.
Best Moisturiser With SPF
Lancôme
Rénergie H.P.N. UVMUNE SPF 50 Cream
“I adore a high-SPF moisturiser that delivers deep hydration while protecting against environmental stressors,” says Ola Awosika. And he found it in this Lancôme day cream. “This blends seamlessly into the skin with no greasiness, and the packaging is classic Lancôme elegance.”
Best SPF For Face
Augustinus Bader
The Sunscreen SPF 50
Arguably the most anticipated SPF launch in a very long time. The Augustinus Bader sunscreen was four years in the making, so you know that the formula is good. It combines sun care with skincare seamlessly; it protects the skin, whilst also targeting redness, fine lines and hydration with the patented TFC8 healing tech. And what a treat it is for the skin—lightweight, absorbs quickly, super nourishing, works on all skin tones and sits wonderfully under make-up.
Best SPF For Lips
Skincycles
Lasting Lips Tint SFP 15
“They say that a really good facial sunscreen is one that you enjoy using,” says Fashion’s Digest UK’s Senior Beauty Editor, Katie Thomas. “But no one talks about lip SPFs in the same way. However, the same approach applies. In order to protect our lips, we need a product that cocoons them in nourishment, and if it adds a beautiful tint as well, all the better. Skincycles Lasting Lips Tint SFP 15 does exactly that. Brilliant.”
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