As a beauty editor, I try a lot of skincare products in order to whittle them down and be able to tell you which is worth your money. But one really basic skincare product that I’m forever being asked about is moisturiser. A must-have in all of our skincare routines (yes, even if you have oily skin), a really great moisturiser not only helps to hydrate your skin and lock in moisture, but it can protect from external aggressors and ensure other layers of skincare are penetrated into our skin’s dermis without escaping from the skin surface. 

For me, the best types of moisturisers are often quite basic. I don’t want tons of fragrance in my face cream and I don’t necessarily need a bunch of active ingredients either (I prefer these in my serums as the absorption is better, generally speaking). When it comes to a moisturiser, I’m looking for a hearty formula that will protect my skin barrier and help to plump up my complexion. 

Which brings me to Dr Sam’s Flawless Moisturiser Intense, £32. This brilliant moisturiser is the best I’ve tried in a long time and really does everything I want a moisturiser to do (and maybe a little bit more also). 

Inspired by the viral flooding and slugging skincare trends, skin expert Dr Sam Bunting wanted to create a product that helped fix the root cause of these trending application techniques: a damaged skin barrier. Flawless Moisturiser Intense was born – negating the need for layering thick, gloopy products on your skin overnight that can n0t only wreak havoc with your pores (hello blemishes) but your pillowcases too. 

While other barrier repair moisturisers often rely on thick occlusive ingredients to protect the surface of the skin, Flawless Moisturiser Intense utilises an ingredient called sunflower shoot extract (SSE) that works to boost levels of NAD+ (a critical energy molecule) and charge up your skin in order for it to kick into action and start to repair itself naturally. 

In addition, centella asiatica helps to soothe inflammation and fight UV damage and pollution while the added probiotic lactobacillus works to bolster the skin’s microbiome. 

The result? Instantly comforted feeling skin that looks healthy, plump and hydrated. The formula isn’t thick or heavy and won’t clog pores, meaning it’s great for all skin types – I’ve been using it for just over a month and I’ve probably recommended it to in excess of 20 people in that time. I’m sold. 

Images: courtesy of brands; Instagram @chloeburcham