21 of the Best Moisturisers for Hydrated and Glowing Skin, According to Experts

Trying to nail the perfect, natural-looking glow is certainly no mean feat. Trust me. I’ve been trying to suss it out for years. It seems some people are just born with a radiant complexion that oozes luminosity and health. In a bid to replicate this glow, I have tried virtually every single highlighting makeup product under the sun, and I am yet to find a formula that doesn’t give the game away somehow. Whether it’s chunky bits of glitter or my lack of ability to apply it to the most natural-looking places, I have been forced to admit defeat when it comes to highlighter.

So with highlighters out of the question, I have had to think outside of the box when it comes to upping my glow game. From primers to serums and cleansers to foundations, I have searched high and low for any product that can deliver a glowing radiance that might trick people into thinking it’s actually real. And finally, after many years of searching, I can say that I have found exactly what I have been looking for.

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(Image credit: @tylynnnguyen)

While glow-promising cleansers only seemed to cause breakouts and illuminating foundations left me looking sweaty after just a few minutes, one product has really proved its glow-giving abilities in a way no other has been able to. A new kind of moisturiser has found its way into my routine.

What I call "glowing moisturisers” are predominantly skincare products that possess radiance-boosting properties. For example, some might be slightly tinted while others contain light-reflecting particles or brightening ingredients. As well as obvious brightening ingredients like vitamin C, dermatologist Sonia Khorana recommends looking out for the likes of glycerin and hyaluronic acid which will give skin a fresh, dewy finish. "Glycerin is a humectant, so it holds moisture and plays a role in skin barrier repair and preventing moisture loss," she explains. "While hyaluronic acid is a humectant, meaning it pulls moisture to itself and hydrates without pore clogging. It's also great for all skin types."

Simply slap them on either as part of or after your skincare routine, leave skin bare or apply makeup over the top, and you’ll be glowing all day long with absolutely zero fuss.

Keep scrolling for the glow-inducing moisturisers that guarantee effortless luminosity all day long.

See the Top 10 Best Brightening Moisturisers:

  1. Lumene Glow Moisturiser
  2. Templespa Skin Truffle Brightening & Rejuvenating Face Cream
  3. L'Oréal Paris Bright Reveal Dark Spot Hydrating Cream SPF 50 with Niacinamide
  4. Elemis Superfood Glow Priming Moisturiser
  5. Origins Ginzing Glow Radiance-Boosting Gel Moisturiser

1. Lumene Glow Moisturiser

2. Templespa Skin Truffle Brightening & Rejuvenating Face Cream

3. L'Oréal Paris Bright Reveal Dark Spot Hydrating Cream SPF 50 with Niacinamide

4. Elemis Superfood Glow Priming Moisturiser

5. Origins Ginzing Glow Radiance-Boosting Gel Moisturiser

6. Ole Henriksen C-Rush Brightening Gel Crème

7. Glossier Futuredew

8. Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Cream

9. The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow-Boosting Moisturiser

10. Decléor Green Mandarin Sun-Kissed Cream

11. Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream

12. Erborian Glow Crème Illuminating Face Cream

13. Kora Organics Turmeric Glow Moisturizer

14. Bobbi Brown Extra Illuminating Balm

15. Victoria Beckham Beauty by Augustinus Bader Golden Cell Rejuvenating Priming Moisturizer

16. Sunday Riley CEO Afterglow Brightening Vitamin C Cream

17. Paula's Choice C5 Super Boost Moisturiser

18. The Inkey List Omega Water Cream

19. Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Moisturiser

20. Merit Great Skin Priming Moisturizer

21. TATCHA The Dewy Cream

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Freelance Beauty Editor

Shannon Lawlor is the beauty director at Who What Wear UK. With over ten years of experience working for some of the beauty industry’s most esteemed titles, including Marie Claire, Glamour UK, Stylist and Refinery29, Shannon’s aim is to make the conversation around beauty as open, relatable and honest as possible. As a self-confessed lazy girl, Shannon has an affinity for hard-working perfumes, fool-proof makeup products and does-it-all skincare.

With contributions from