Face cream is one of the most confusing skincare categories because there are so many options, your head would spin. They all claim they can do amazing things, from getting rid of wrinkles to shrinking pores and eradicating acne. Some options are affordable, while others cost a lot more than you can imagine, making you wonder: do more expensive face creams really work better?
Experts have answered this question, and they say that expensive face creams don't always work better. The price of the product is not what to aim for, the efficacy of it is. What matters even more is having the right ingredients for your specific skin type.
This guide will help you find those specific ingredients, show you how to ignore the hype, and teach you to pick affordable creams that actually work.
Did You Know that Face Cream is About Delivery, Not Miracles
The main thing to understand about any face cream is mainly how it works and how it protects. Its job is to carry active ingredients into your skin and create a protective barrier over your skin to hold in moisture and protect against environmental aggressors.
A study in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science back in 2020 said that how well a product is stabilized and how well it delivers the active ingredients into your skin is way more important than the brand name. So, a cheaper cream with a good concentration of stable Vitamin C or ceramides will do better than any expensive cream with nice-smelling extracts and very few active ingredients.
Creams, Serums, and SPF: Breaking Down the Beauty Buzzwords
- Face Cream vs. Moisturizer: People often use these terms in the same way. But, cream is a kind of moisturizer that's richer and thicker than lotions or gels. A cream is usually in a jar and a good pick for dry skin and can also be great nighttime use.
- Face Cream vs. Serum: Serums are lightweight treatments usually in a drop bottle with lots of strong active ingredients in them, like hyaluronic acid or niacinamide or retinol. These active ingredients usually target a specific skin concern. Here's a tip: Always apply a facial serum on clean, damp skin first to treat it, then use a face cream to moisturize and seal everything in so the treatments can work undisturbed. You need both a face cream and serum, for a full skincare routine.
- Face cream Vs Lotion: These two differ mainly in texture and how much oil they contain in them. Face cream is thicker and richer because it has more oil compared to water. This makes it great for really moisturizing your skin and protecting it from the environmental stressors. Face creams work best for dry skin, mature skin, or if you want to use them at night. Lotion, on the other hand, is lighter and mostly water-based, so it gets absorbed into your skin fast and doesn't feel as heavy. People with oily skin or combination skin usually like lotion, and it’s good to wear during the day underneath makeup.
- Face Cream and Sunscreen: You already know what a face cream is and you already know that sunscreen is a completely non-negotiable step especially in the morning skincare routine. What you need to know is that sometimes you will find face cream with sunscreen. This can make your morning routine shorter. A face cream with SPF is good for daily help. However, if you're in the sun for a long time during the day, use a separate, dedicated broad-spectrum sunscreen as the last step of your morning skincare routine. Just make sure to use sunscreen after face cream.
For Smarter Skincare: Focus on Ingredients
Don't get fooled by fancy marketing that promises you bubbly champagne and caviar. Instead, become a label detective and check the label for ingredients that actually work:
What to look for in a face cream:
- Oily Skin & Large Pores: Find a face cream with niacinamide aka vitamin B3 and product that have oil absorbing ingredients. A good face cream for oily skin is the Plantus Cosmetic SmoothSkin Oil Control Moisturizer. It has niacinamide, plus cyclodextrin to help soak up the excess oil. It also has plant ingredients like Rose Myrtle to help shrink pores, and clarify, leaving your skin clear and shine-free without drying it out.
- Dry skin & Mature Skin: Choose a face cream with ceramides, a face cream with peptides, and face cream with moisturizers like Shea Butter. A good face cream for dry skin is Plantus Cosmetic MoistSkin Daily Care Moisturizer which mixes Shea Butter, seed oils, and Blue Anemone to help repair your skin barrier and keep it hydrated all day.
- Anti-Aging & Skin Brightening: Go for Creams that fade dark spots and smoothen wrinkles. Look for a face cream with retinol or similar ingredients, a face cream with Vitamin C, and a face cream with glycolic acid. These are known to speed up cell turnover and boost collagen.
- Multi-purpose Face Cream: When in doubt go for the all-in-one hydrator. This serves best for a basic but super-hydrating routine, especially if you like slugging. Choose a cream with a pure occlusive like a face cream with vaseline. The Miara Essence Organic Rose Yeast Face Cream uses high-quality vaseline aka pharmaceutical grade petrolatum, Shea Butter, and Olive Oil to seal in moisture. This face cream melts into your skin without feeling sticky, so you wake up with a glow.
Plantus Cosmetic Proposition: Affordable, Targeted Skincare.
If you’re looking for the best face cream for glowing skin in the UAE or top-rated anti-aging face creams, you've probably seen some crazy prices. Plantus Cosmetic is changing that by focusing on using ingredients that work well together. Plant based ingredients and smart science.
These products are sold at Makhzan Limited whose philosophy is to solve common skincare problems. For a deep dive into building your regimen from the ground up, with natural products by Makhzan Limited check out our article about Soaps Unveiled: Guide to Ingredients & Picking the Perfect Bar in UAE.
- So, if you’re still asking, “which moisturizer is best for face in UAE?” here’s your answer. If you have combination skin and have to deal with humidity, Plantus Cosmetic SmoothSkin Oil Control Moisturizer is perfect. It hydrates your skin thanks to Urea and Glycerin but also has ingredients to help keep the shine away.
- If you are wondering "what’s a go-to face cream for dry skin?" Go for the Plantus Cosmetic MoistSkin Daily Care Moisturizer which is packed with nourishing oils from Walnut, Hempine Grass, and Pelargonium. It's one of the best affordable face creams for dry skin in the UAE.
- If you’re still researching “multi-purpose face creams? Are they worth it?” We say these creams do it all, so you don't need a bunch of different products. They hydrate, treat, and prime your skin. Most multipurpose face creams prove you can get high-quality ingredients in affordable face creams without sacrificing quality. It's a smart choice that offers value for your money.
The Bottom Line: Your Skin Care Your Choice
Finding the right face cream that really works isn’t about the fanciest brand but about choosing a product with a smart formula. Focus on the ingredients, know what your skin needs for oily skin types, sensitive skin types, or mature skin types, and remember that a cream should protect and deliver benefits.
In the UAE, brands like Plantus Cosmetic and Miara Essence are popular because they're open about their ingredients, target specific needs, and are easy to get. The real value is in the science that backs up the cream, not just the price tag.
FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions About Face Cream
Do more expensive face creams really work better?
Not necessarily. Cost often goes into things like the fancy packaging, the ads, and the perfume included in the product. What really matters is the kind of cream, concentration of active ingredients, and how stable the key ingredients are, like retinol or Vitamin C. Plenty of cheaper brands put their money right into those ingredients and less on the packaging.
Should I use a different face cream for daytime versus nighttime?
Yes, that would be ideal. Day creams should hydrate, protect skin with antioxidants and have SPF. Night creams can be thicker and include ingredients like peptides or retinol, which help skin repair itself while you sleep.
If I were to only use one face cream for the rest of my life, which would be best and why?
It would be a face cream with SPF 30 or higher every day. It's truly the best way to avoid early aging, dark spots, and extreme UV damage. Think of it as the core of any good, long-term skincare routine.
How does collagen face cream work?
Collagen creams mostly smooth and hydrate on the surface because collagen molecules are too big to sink into the skin. If you want to actually boost collagen, try face creams with peptides, retinol, or Vitamin C. These ingredients can get your skin to produce more collagen.
Can I use face cream after Botox or a facial treatment?
Always stick to your doctor's advice. Your skin will likely be sensitive after these kinds of treatments. It's a good idea to use a basic, soothing, scent-free face cream with hyaluronic acid or ceramides to protect your skin. Stay away from strong ingredients like retinol or acids for a few days.