The 3 Extra Thick Moisturisers I’m Reaching For This Winter

Winter is coming… actually, between the single-digit evenings and the frosty early mornings, it very much feels like Winter is already here. And although I’m a big fan of layering additional moisture into skincare during the colder months with a mist or nourishing essence, there is definitely a place in my heart (and my skincare routine) for thick and occlusive creams during the chilly, Winter months.

MURAD INTENSE RECOVERY CREAM:
Whoever decided to call this a cream needs a talking too, it’s about as solid as a balm can be, but I love it nonetheless. It’s a gorgeous pale blue colour that contains Shea Butter and Macadamia Oil to nourish and comfort, Microalgae to calm signs of stress in the skin and Mirabilis Jalapa Plant Extract to reduce redness and irritation. This is a perfect option for windswept skin after a day spent outside, it’s calming, and soothing and helps reduce redness and other visible signs of skin stress – in short, I wake up to skin that looks happier and healthier than it did the night before. It’s deeply hydrating and has the most beautiful scent from all the botanical extracts including Apple Fruit Extract, Basil Leaf Extract, Spearmint Leaf Oil, Lemon Peel Oil, Turmeric Root Extract and Aloe Vera Flower Extract. I won’t be able to do the scent justice here, but imagine the most incredible herbaceous, coastal, fresh fragrance and you’ll be getting close to what this smells like. I scrape out about a pea-sized amount and warm it between my fingertips before pressing it into my face as the final step of my routine in the evening. Full review here.

RODIAL DRAGON’S BLOOD VELVET CREAM:
Let’s begin with an obvious, but nonetheless humourous, disclaimer that no dragons were harmed in the making of this cream… Dad jokes aside, you might be interested to know that this thick and buttery cream gets its name from the sap of a Croton Lechleri tree (native to South America) rather than a mythical reptile. It’s rich, creamy and feels so indulgent, but not greasy and absorbs really quickly. Despite the thick buttery-ness, it applies nicely over and under other products and doesn’t pill or ball. I first bought this overseas during a cold snap that I was ill-prepared for, and I’m so glad I did because I probably wouldn’t have picked this up without a sales assistant strongly suggesting it. It’s got impractical packaging for travelling, and I typically don’t love gimmicky or ‘clickbaity’ product names, but oh my goodness, this stuff is good. It’s since been repackaged but the ingredient list remains unchanged thankfully. Its rich and velvety texture feels like a conditioning blanket on the skin, it’s what I slather on when my skin when it’s feeling dehydrated, and it works wonders while I’m using Vitamin A and my skin is craving an extra layer of moisture before bed. It even works well for me on irritated skin, but as it is heavily fragranced (think tropical fruity vibes) I’m guessing it wouldn’t work quite as well on skin that is sensitive to scent. Full review here.

CHARLOTTE TILBURY MAGIC NIGHT CREAM:
This is another overseas purchase, and not something I would have purchased without having tried first because it is *really* spendy, but I’m so glad I did because it’s a goodie. This is the evening partner to Charlotte Tilbury’s bestselling Magic Cream, which is a beautiful daytime cream that is as perfect under makeup and as it is when worn alone, but the nighttime version is very different. It’s so thick and occlusive. It feels like the skincare equivalent of grease, albeit really, really fancy grease, that isn’t actually oily, but it has a deliciously unctuous texture that is best warmed up between your fingers and pressed or lightly rubbed into your skin. This gives the skin a true protective layer; containing Vitamin E for soothing and repairing, CoQ10 for smoothing and Red Algae for strengthening the skin. This is too thick for me to use every night, but as a once or twice per week treat after an especially dehydrating day (like when I’ve spent all day sitting under a heater for example) this is a fantastic option.

I mentioned earlier how thick and creamy moisturisers are just one aspect of my multi-prong approach to hydration in Winter and that my mists and essences get quite the workout at this time of year too. As well as a really great hydrating serum (Jordan Samuel Hydrate Serum has been my gold standard for a long time) I thought I should mention two of the other Winter MVPs in my routine.

Pixi Milky Tonic:
I don’t think this product gets nearly enough kudos online for just how helpful it is. It contains Jojoba Seed Oil and Oat Extract to nourish and hydrate and Chamomile which is renowned for its skin-soothing properties. The tall bottle of cloudy, white liquid also contains Green Tea and Citrus Extracts (Orange, Lemon and Mandarin) and a helpful hit Glycerin which helps to alleviate dryness and maintain the skin’s moisture levels, which is why this is such a Winter staple for me. It absorbs almost instantly and it works perfectly with anything I apply after it. I also love dousing my dry hands with this pre-hand cream application at night – think of it as a hydrating serum for your hands before applying a moisturiser.

Jordan Samuel Mist:
The other product I like to keep handy in the cooler months is a mist. In Summer I love the refreshing, coolness of an afternoon spritz but in Winter (after an afternoon near the fire or after sitting directly under a heater at the office for the entire morning) a quick mist with this water spiked with Glycerin, Hyaluronic Acid, Panthenol and Cucumber Fruit Extract is exactly what my parched skin is craving.

What are your favourite Winter moisturisers? Do you still reach for the lighter lotions or do you love the indulgence of a thick and buttery cream?