Come the colder months, and suddenly your face is drier than your least favourite aunt’s personality on Christmas Eve (that one). Dry patches start to appear, and what was once bouncy, fresh, glowing skin is now desert-dry and lacklustre. Your usual moisturiser gets soaked in about 1.1 milliseconds, and unless you’re religious about reapplying, you’ll be back to tight, uncomfortable skin in no time.
We know summer has its own melting disasters, but at least your skin isn’t flaking, itchy, or begging for moisture every hour. Winter is relentless, and our face is the first to suffer.
So, now is the right time to give your rich, nourishing face cream its official and very deserving BFF title. To help you choose, we’ve rounded up some of the best creams available right now, from £15 to £200 – depending on how generous your parents were this Christmas (or how much you splurged over NYE).
Our team of beauty writers and editors tested each of these creams for at least two weeks, applying them every morning and evening.
The best rich creams: at a glance
- Best for daytime: Ole Henriksen Strength Peptide Barrier Boost Moisturiser
- Best for night-time repair: Emma Lewisham Supernatural Face Crème Riche
- Best luxury cream: Tata Harper Crème Riche
- Best budget-rich cream: BYOMA Moisturising Rich Cream
- Best for very dry or compromised skin: Dr Barbara Sturm Face Cream Rich
- Best for sensitive or post-procedure skin: Revision Skincare DermProtect Barrier Defense™
- Best barrier-repair cream that still feels wearable:
The best rich creams: the full list
1. Ole Henriksen Strength Peptide Barrier Boost Moisturiser with Hyaluronic Acid and Niacinamide 50ml
Ole Henriksen’s barrier boost moisturiser has a weirdly addictive balm-to-gel texture that glides on like silk but somehow doesn’t leave me looking like a glazed donut. It sinks in fast, layers beautifully under sunscreen or makeup, and leaves my skin feeling plump.
The combination of peptides, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide isn’t just a buzzword salad – it works to leave your barrier stronger and your moisture levels steady, even in a heated office or the freezing outdoors. After a week or so of daily use, I could feel my cheeks less tight and bouncier.
There is some fragrance, so if you’re ultra-sensitive, it might irritate. It’s also not a miracle overnight mask (you can wear it day and night), so extremely dry skin might still need a richer night cream. But for a daily hydrator that leaves my skin feeling instantly plumped, this one’s a keeper.
Price: £42.00
Where to buy: Look Fantastic
2. Antipodes Ceramide Soufflé Fresh Hydration Cream 60ml
The Antipodes Ceramide Soufflé Fresh Hydration Cream arrived in late 2025. True to its name, the texture is satisfyingly light and airy, somewhere between a whipped double cream and a custard. Yet, it melts into the skin without that sticky or occlusive feel you sometimes get from rich ceramide moisturisers. On application it feels cooling and buoyant, which makes it a surprisingly good option under sunscreen or makeup even on warmer days.
Its formula packs next‑generation plant‑derived ceramides, plant hyaluronic acid and Sepilift™ peptides, all aimed at reinforcing your skin’s moisture barrier while supporting hydration and a smoother complexion. Antioxidant‑rich kiwi seed oil and soothing New Zealand harakeke flax gel round out the blend. It does have a natural fragrance but it isn’t too evasive.
Price: £38.00
Where to buy: antipodesnature.com
3. Emma Lewisham Supernatural Face Crème Riche, 50ML
I would say any moisturiser that’s past £50 needs a bit more of an inquisitive look into ingredients and performance. For £90, you want more than just “moisture.” You want powerful ingredients, noticeable performance, and a real sensorial experience.
The Emma Lewisham Supernatural Face Crème Riche is rich and velvety, deeply hydrating, and glides beautifully on the skin. It’s satisfyingly cushiony, so make it ideal for night use.
Ingredients-wise, it combines various plant oils and extracts with multiple forms of hyaluronic acid and saccharide isomerate for long‑lasting hydration, plus bakuchiol (a plant‑derived retinol alternative) – alongside marine extracts and peptides for collagen production and elasticity.
It layered well over heavier serums, and kept my skin quenched through the night.
Price: £90
Where to buy: Space NK
4. Dr Barbara Sturm Face Cream Rich, 50ml
If you want rich, this Dr Barbara Sturm moisturiser will give you rich on a platter. Unlike most creams, it doesn’t immediately vanish into my skin, so it feels like it’s doing some structural work. Yet, it still leaves behind a hydrated, plumped finish.
The formula includes uerm-boosting humectants like glycerin and urea with a suite of oils (shea butter, avocado and grape seed) that offer serious lipid replenishment. Then there are Sturm staples like purslane, panthenol and skullcap extract, which are known to have anti‑inflammatory properties and can help calm irritation and barrier damage.
It’s unapologetically dense, so you need to use it judiciously. £150 isn’t pocket change, but a little does go a long way. If you want a proper barrier repair, replenishing solution, it’s worth the investment.
Price: £150.00
Where to buy: Dr. Barbara Sturm and major beauty retailers
5. Tata Harper Crème Riche, 50ml
At £188, Tata Harper Crème Riche isn’t shy about its green luxury credentials. The texture is sumptuously rich yet somehow weightless. I usually warm some cream between my palms before applying, and it melts into my skin like velvet. My skin feels soft and replenished, like it’s had a big glass of water and a healthy breakfast.
The formula leans on hyaluronic acid, essential fatty acids, and a blend of plant oils and extracts (those with sensitive skin will appreciate that it’s naturally derived).
The farm-to-face brand has various standouts, but this rich cream is up there. If you’re looking for a cream that feels as luxurious as it performs, Tata Harper Crème Riche is totally worth trying. Just brace yourself for the price tag.
Price: £188
Where to buy: Space NK
6. Revision Skincare DermProtect Barrier Defense™, 48g
Yes, yet again, the price might make you do a little double-take. But this isn’t a cream you purchase or slap on without thinking – it’s professional-grade skincare, and that, sadly for us mortals, comes at a cost. Revision Skincare is a US-brand used by dermatology clinics, plastic surgery offices and spas, so you know it has pedigree.
This DermProtect Barrier Defense cream is thick and buttery, but it melts into my skin and layers beautifully over serums without pilling. Importantly, it works wonderfully with sensitive skin, so if you have some extra redness or feel that your skin is more irritated than usual, this cream will soothe it.
The formula contains ceramides and lipids to help reinforce the barrier, hyaluronic acid, and botanical extracts.
Price: £138.00
Where to buy: Revision Skincare
7. Biossance Squalane + Omega Repair Cream, 50ml
Biossance’s Squalane + Omega Repair Cream feels like the skincare equivalent of slipping into a freshly laundered cashmere jumper – plush, comforting, and instantly soothing.
If you’re new to Biossance, the clinical feel to it isn’t accidental: the range of products is centred around biotech‑born squalane: a sustainable, plant‑derived version of a molecule that’s identical to what your skin naturally produces.
The texture of this cream is rich but not ultra-thick, so you can apply it easily and not risk any patches. Thanks to the combo of squalane and omega fatty acids, it’s one of those rare creams that actually feels like it’s repairing your moisture barrier, instead of just slapping on a glossed‑up illusion of hydration. It made my skin noticeably less tight and angry.
Price: £46
Where to buy: Space NK
8. Liz Earle Skin Repair™ Rich Cream, 50ml
Liz Earle’s Skin Repair Rich Cream is a heavyweight for winter-stripped skin, but it’s surprisingly nimble. The texture is dense and emollient, yet it glides over my skin without dragging or leaving a greasy film. My dry patches feel immediately replenished, and the tension that makes my face feel tight and irritated eases within minutes.
It packs shea butter, avocado oil, and borage seed oil for intense nourishment, with plant-based hyaluronic acid drawing in moisture and echinacea and hops extract reducing redness and sensitivity. The effect is substantial hydration that does actually seem to last. It layers cleanly under SPF and makeup, and you only need a small blob to cover your face and neck. Given the reasonable price tag, this is a keeper.
Price: £28.00
Where to buy: Lizearle.com
9. BYOMA Moisturising Rich Cream,50ml
At just £14 for 50 ml, this is the most budget-friendly rich cream in our line-up, but is far from a watered-down budget throwaway.
The texture is rich enough to feel comforting but easy to smooth across the face without any greasiness or sticky finish. It melts into the skin and leaves behind a soft, supple feel that lasts – you can actually notice the difference for a few hours.
The formulation revolves around a Tri-Ceramide Complex (ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids) that’s designed to mimic and replenish the lipids in your skin’s barrier, helping keep moisture locked in rather than just sitting on the surface. It’s also boosted with shea extract for cushioning hydration and bakuchiol, (a gentler, natural alternative to retinol).
Price: £14.00
Where to buy: Space NK
10. PERS Rich Intense Repair Cream, 50ml
If your skin craves seriously thick, protective nourishment, PERS Rich Intense Repair Cream delivers. Thick enough to feel like a generous layer of mascarpone you’d spread onto a cake, PERS Rich Intense Repair Cream needs to be properly spread before it slowly melts into the skin. It leaves a protective, plumped, deeply nourishing layer, making it perfect for night-time use.
It’s packed with peptides (6.5%) to support elasticity and cell regeneration, panthenol and allantoin to soothe irritation, plus nourishing plant oils and squalene to replenish the skin barrier. Texture aside, it feels genuinely restorative.
The elegant packaging is a plus – you’ll want to store this bottle conspicuously in your bathroom cabinet. Much like the other PERS products, it does have a signature lightly floral fragrance, which I think adds to the luxe experience (though those with sensitive skin might disagree).
Price: £90
Where to buy: Harrods
Why is our skin drier in winter?
Cold air outside and dry, heated air indoors both strip the skin of its natural moisture, leaving it vulnerable and dehydrated. At the same time, our bodies produce less oil in the colder months, so the protective barrier that normally keeps water locked in becomes weaker. The result? Skin that feels dry, flaky, and sometimes irritated.
Adding to the problem, simple habits we lean on to stay warm can make dryness worse. Long, hot showers feel comforting in winter, but they wash away the very oils that keep skin supple. The wind and chilly temperatures outside also tug at the skin, removing moisture and sometimes causing redness or chapping. Even the clothes we wear, like wool scarves or tight jackets, can rub against the skin and worsen irritation.
Why do rich moisturisers help?
You need a rich moisturiser in winter because it actively restores and protects your skin when the environment is harsh. In cold, dry conditions, your skin loses moisture faster than usual, and a lightweight lotion often isn’t enough to stop that water from evaporating. A rich moisturiser contains thicker emollients and occlusive ingredients like shea butter, ceramides, or oils that form a protective barrier on your skin.
This barrier locks in water and prevents it from escaping, keeping your skin soft and hydrated for longer. Winter also slows down your skin’s natural oil production, which normally helps trap moisture. Without enough oils, your skin can become rough, tight, or even crack. A rich moisturiser essentially replaces the oils your skin is missing, reinforcing its natural defenses. It’s particularly important for areas prone to dryness, like hands, elbows, knees, and the face, where the skin barrier is thinner and loses water more quickly.
Think of a rich moisturiser as a cosy winter coat for your face – it shields, nourishes, and keeps it comfortable until the weather warms up again.
See also:
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Here are the under-eye patches you need to revive tired, post-festive season eyes