I’m a spot-prone beauty editor in my mid-30s, and this £21 moisturiser has replaced all of my others

Despite spending most of my teenage years avoiding moisturiser like the plague as I was scared that it would exacerbate my acne (a total myth, by the way, as oily skin can be dehydrated too) I have become somewhat fanatical about moisturiser over the last decade. While it wouldn’t be too much of an issue in my early 20s if I skipped my daily slathering of face cream, these days my face feels tight and dry post-cleansing if I don’t follow up immediately with a face serum and moisturiser—so it’s pretty much a non-negotiable. And while I’ve spent many years testing and trialling the best moisturisers for oily skin, now that I’m 35 I’m beginning to notice that my skin’s needs are changing.

Sure, I still deal with spots on a regular basis, particularly when my period is due (incidentally I rely on acne patches at this point) but these days it’s much more prone to dehydration, the skin itself is starting to feel less plump and firm, and the less said about how tired it looks the better. Thankfully, though, I’ve found a moisturiser that targets every single one of my concerns and I’m crediting it with keeping my skin in the best condition it’s ever been. In fact, it’s so good that my other moisturisers are currently gathering dust. Enter: the Naturium Multi-Peptide Moisturizer.

Still a relative newbie to the beauty sector, Naturium launched in 2020 aiming to offer efficacious, high-quality skincare innovations at an affordable price point. For me, they’ve been one of the standout launches of the last few years with basically every product that I’ve tried delivering on its promises. And I’m not alone in my adoration—basically all of my beauty editor pals have at least one Naturium product in its collection that they can’t stop raving about. For me, though, it’s the Multi-Peptide Moisturizer that is one of the most impressive offerings in its lineup. So much so that I’ve repurchased it twice myself (a true seal of approval as a beauty editor when I always have a stash of skincare newness that is waiting to be tried).

First impressions

Before we get into the specifics of the formulation, I want to take a moment to wax lyrical about the packaging of this product. See, as someone with spot-prone skin I am fanatical about keeping my skincare as hygienic as possible—I use a clean muslin every morning and night to wash my face with and hands have to be scrupulously clean before they come anywhere near a pot of moisturiser. So when I saw that this product had a pump dispenser I basically heard angels singing. And on top of that, the bottle itself is a squeezy tube so that you can really make sure that you’re eeking out every millilitre of moisturiser. Packaging aside, it’s the stuff inside that makes the Naturium Multi-Peptide Moisturizer really special.

The formula

Formulated with peptides, encapsulated ethylated vitamin C and panthenol, Naturium describes this moisturiser as being “nutrient-dense”, and it’s clear from the ingredients list that it’s all about nourishing skin and improving its overall appearance. The star of the show is, as the name suggests, its multi-peptide blend—and peptides are pretty clever ingredients when it comes to supporting skin health by strengthening the skin barrier, encouraging collagen and elastin production and easing inflammation. By combining this technology with a stabilised form of vitamin C to brighten and protect, and panthenol to help skin retain water and prevent dehydration, this moisturiser takes a multi-pronged approach to moisturising—which is made even more impressive by its £21 price tag.

The results

The main aims of the Naturium Multi-Peptide Moisturizer are to moisturise (tick!), improve the appearance of texture for smoother skin (tick, tick!) and leave the skin feeling deeply nourished and conditioned (it’s a full house!). And I have to say that it was love at first use for me and this product. It glides onto skin and sinks effortlessly in, leaving it feeling quenched and juicy—but never, ever, greasy. Interestingly, it works brilliantly both morning and night too. During the day, it layers beautifully beneath makeup—doubling up as the perfect hydrating primer—and at night it offers all of the hydration that skin needs while repairing overnight.

As someone with oily, spot-prone skin, that is definitely beginning to age (a privilege, of course, but I’m keen to hold onto some of that radiance from my younger years) I have been so impressed with the way that the Naturium Multi-Peptide Moisturizer hydrates, brightens firms and basically just leaves my skin looking incredibly good. And while ultra-dry skin types might find that they want a formula that feels slightly more cosseting, I think that combination, mature, sensitive and acne-prone skin types will all get on board with this as a great daily moisturiser.