Lightweight Moisturisers for Dry Skin

Frequently asked questions

Look for hyaluronic acid to attract water and a light emollient to keep it in, in a gel-cream or lotion texture. Trilogy Hyaluronic Acid+ Water Cream combines three forms of hyaluronic acid with ceramide NP in a weightless water cream. It sinks in quickly, so it sits well under sunscreen and makeup.

For most dry skin, yes, as long as it contains both humectants and emollients. If your skin still feels tight an hour after applying, add a second layer: two to three drops of rosehip oil pressed over your moisturiser at night. For very dry skin, step up to a richer cream such as Ultra Hydrating Face Cream.

Dry skin is short on oil (lipids). Dehydrated skin is short on water, and any skin type can be dehydrated, including oily skin. Many people are both. Hyaluronic acid helps with water, and plant oils such as rosehip help with lipids. That's why a light water cream followed by a few drops of oil suits both.

Yes. Most face oils feel heavy only when you use too much. Two to three drops of rosehip oil, warmed between your fingertips and pressed over a light moisturiser, absorbs into a soft, non-greasy finish. Use it at night first, then in the morning too if your skin likes it.

Yes. In Australia, apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen as the last step every morning, over your moisturiser. Trilogy moisturisers do not contain SPF. A lightweight moisturiser helps here, because it layers under sunscreen without pilling or feeling heavy.

Apply it to damp skin, within a minute of cleansing or after a hydrating mist. Humectants such as hyaluronic acid have more water to hold onto when skin is slightly damp. Use about a five-cent-piece amount, press it in rather than rubbing, and take it down your neck. Give it a minute to settle before sunscreen or makeup.

Yes, but it works best with a partner. Hyaluronic acid draws water into the skin's surface, and in low humidity, such as a heated or air-conditioned office, that water can evaporate faster. A light emollient or a few drops of plant oil over the top helps hold it in. That's why Hyaluronic Acid+ Water Cream pairs hyaluronic acid with ceramide NP.

Yes. A lightweight moisturiser is often the best fit for combination skin, because it hydrates dry areas without feeling heavy on an oilier T-zone. Apply it all over, then add a second thin layer, or a drop of rosehip oil, only where skin feels tight, usually the cheeks and around the nose. Spot-layering like this keeps skin comfortable without overloading oilier areas.

It comes down to the balance of water and oil. A lotion is the most fluid and suits normal to slightly dry skin. A water cream has a gel-cream feel, high in water and humectants, and absorbs quickly. A rich cream contains more oils and butters, for very dry skin or cooler months. Many people use a lighter texture by day and a richer one at night.

Often, yes. In warmer, more humid months, a lightweight water cream or lotion is usually enough for dry skin. In winter, colder air and indoor heating draw more moisture from the skin, so it may need extra support. Keep your lightweight moisturiser and add rosehip oil at night, or switch to a richer cream such as Ultra Hydrating Face Cream on the driest days.