Supermarkets have become one of the most convenient places to pick up everyday skincare, making it easier than ever to throw one into your weekly shop. And it’s no longer just the familiar names on offer. As own-brand beauty continues to grow, ingredients once reserved for premium skincare – like ceramides, peptides and hyaluronic acid – are now appearing in supermarket own-label creams at a fraction of the price.
As someone who tests and recommends beauty products for a living, I wanted to know whether supermarket moisturisers have genuinely caught up with premium brands, or if you might still be better off spending more.
Over several weeks, I tried out a selection of supermarket and budget options, paying attention to texture, how well they hydrated, whether they sat under makeup, whether they left my skin feeling congested, dry or shiny and how comfortable they felt throughout the day. These are some of my favourites.
British couple on honeymoon killed in helicopter crash in Greece
Greek police believe a mechanical fault may have caused a helicopter to crash before it was due to land on the island of Sifnos.
The crash on Monday evening killed a British couple on honeymoon and the pilot.
What we know so far
- London-based couple Marie Ebert, 30, and Alexander Cromie, 31, died in the incident. They were celebrating their honeymoon.
- The pilot, Giorgos Raikos, 53, was a former air force officer and was “extremely experienced”. He also died in the crash.
- “The focus of the inquiry is now on the helicopter and possible engine failure. What has happened is nothing short of a tragedy,” a source told The Guardian.
How the crash unfolded
The private helicopter crashed just metres from a landing pad. CCTV footage showed the aircraft spinning out of control before plummeting to the ground and igniting a fireball. A thick plume of dark smoke was seen billowing into the sky from the site of the crash.
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A closer look at what may have gone wrong
People in the area have testified hearing the helicopter making a noise, a strange noise, probably a mechanical fault in the air and because the propeller was doing something strange.
Manolis Fountolakis, deputy mayor of Sifnos
Tribute paid to couple
- Asset management firm Blackstone, where Cromie worked, said it was “shocked” by the couple’s death.
- “We are shocked by the tragic passing of three people including our colleague Alex Cromie and his wife Marie Ebert, who were celebrating their honeymoon,” the firm said.
- “Alex was beloved by everyone who knew and worked with him at Blackstone, and our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones.”
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Meta goes on federal trial for social media addiction
Dozens of states are seeking damages worth as much as $1.4trn in the federal trial kicking off in the US.
It is the biggest case of its kind to reach the courts.
What do we know so far
- Meta is accused of designing features which it knew would make children addicted to its social media platforms.
- The lawsuit alleges the tech giant illegally collects data on child users under 13 without parental consent.
- The trial will take place in front of a jury in Oakland, California
- CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify in the unprecedented trial.
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What does each side say?
Rob Bonta, California’s attorney general said: “Meta designed a dangerous product for young users, knew it to be dangerous, and then lied to children, families and the community about how dangerous it was.”
Meta denies any wrongdoing. It said it was “proud of our record in protecting teens on our platforms and the amount of effort that we’ve put into developing protections over the years”.
The flaws in Reform’s plan to scrap PIP and slash £50bn from benefits bill
Reform Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick said it would stop some claimants “taking everyone else for mugs” by slashing personal independence payments, banning foreign nationals from receiving benefits and forcing long-term claimants to do community work.
What is in the plan?
- Under the plans, foreign nationals would be excluded from most benefits – including EU nationals with settled status in the UK.
- It would also shake up disability benefits through a new system of “Return to Work Cover”.
- Lastly, people on universal credit for more than 12 months who are fit to work would be required to provide 20 hours a week of community work.
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Renegotiating with the EU
Reform’s ban on foreign nationals receiving benefits would require a renegotiation of the Brexit withdrawal agreement.
However, it is not clear that Brussels would want to rewrite the agreement, and the bloc would probably respond with countermeasures such as stripping British expats of benefits.
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Making employers pay
Making employers liable for sick employees for two years could have unintended consequences. It is not clear whether Jenrick’s promise that cutting 0.2 per cent to employer national insurance contributions would be enough to make up for the extra costs employers would be incurring.
It could also create a perverse incentive for employers to not hire people with disabilities or previous experiences of ill-health.
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Voter backlash
- The Institute for Fiscal Studies said the new disability needs assessment plans are vague and savings could fall significantly short of expectations.
- This policy may not be very popular in many of Reform’s top target seats which have large PIP caseloads. It could also open up a vulnerable new flank for Andy Burnham’s resurgent Labour Party.
Less than half know how to stop someone from choking
St John Ambulance has warned too many people are choking to death because bystanders “do not have the knowledge or confidence to intervene”.
What the survey tells us
- Around 300 people die in England every year due to choking.
- A poll has revealed only 42 per cent know how to stop someone choking, by giving back blows and abdominal thrusts.
- 32 per cent did not know choking can become life-threatening in minutes without first aid.
- Jordan Davison from St John Ambulance said: “Choking is often dismissed as a minor incident.”
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‘Everyone should have first aid training’
Marine engineer Calum Glen was enjoying dinner when he noticed a woman at a neighbouring table choking. Following first aid training at work, he gave the woman five back blows before moving on to abdominal thrusts, when her airway was cleared.
“I hope I never have to use those skills again, but you never know when someone’s life could depend on you knowing what to do,” Calum said.
What to do if someone is choking
- 1Cough it out. Encourage them to cough and remove any obvious obstruction from their mouth.
- 2Hit it out. If coughing fails, you need to give five sharp back blows between their shoulder blades.
- 3Squeeze it out. If back blows fail, give five abdominal thrusts. Stand behind them with your hands just above their waist.
- 4If the blockage has not cleared, for emergency help straight away. Repeat steps until help arrives.
Russia and Ukraine trade more deadly strikes – the latest
Mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, said Ukraine sent 620 drones towards the city overnight, with 180 downed by Russian defence systems.
Ukraine faces drone attacks
Ukraine was also hit as the warring countries traded blows overnight. The state emergency service said a 59-year-old woman was injured in the Russian attacks.
Pictures posted on Telegram show firefighters battling blazes in two outbuildings hit by a drone in the northern Chernihiv Oblast.
Major e-commerce giant hit
- Yet another Wildberries warehouse was struck near Moscow.
- It is the latest in Kyiv’s campaign to take out Russia’s equivalent of Amazon, which it accuses of supplying Vladimir Putin’s war machine.
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go deeper on this topic
Putin’s fury at the UK could escalate his sabotage campaign
The news that Ukraine is using British-made drones in its deep strike campaign has prompted scornful words from Russia and talk of potential retaliation.
How AI can reveal invisible patterns in breast tumours
Scientists have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) platform that can reveal patterns inside breast cancer tumours that were previously invisible.
Researchers believe the technology could help doctors predict how the disease might progress and pave the way for more personalised treatments.
What are these patterns?
- The patterns are caused by centrosomes – tiny structures that help divide DNA. Studying them has been “extremely challenging” because they are tiny and multiply regularly, which is what drives the disease.
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Distinct abnormalities discovered
The AI platform, known as CenSegNet, was developed to analyse hundreds of thousands of cells in tumour samples.
In doing so, it has uncovered two distinct abnormalities which had previously been thought to be the same process – one involved cells acquiring too many centrosomes while the other had abnormally enlarged centrosomes.
Defects behaving differently
Researchers found these defects behaved independently and could occupy different areas of a tumour.
The platform also helped discover that tumours with high levels of enlarged centrosomes were more aggressive, and patients whose cells had lower levels had a better chance of survival.
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The expert view
For more than a century, centrosome abnormalities have been recognised as a hallmark of , but studying them patient tissues has been extremely challenging. CenSegNet allows us to uncover that were impossible to see.
dr pauline swift, the charity chair of blood pressure uk
The fastest home-selling hotspots in Britain revealed
Your house could sell up to seven times faster in some parts of the country, property site Zoopla has found.
It comes as around half of local authority areas record longer times to sell than a year earlier.
What you need to know
While the average time to sell remains at 42 days in the year to July, houses in some areas take significantly longer.
For example, properties in Melton in the East Midlands took 76 days on average to sell – a 21-day increase compared with July 2025.
Sitting in stark contrast is Falkirk in Scotland, where the average selling time is around seven times faster at just 11 days – one day less for the area than a year earlier.
Is your home in a selling hotspot?
Zoopla said 180 of the 363 local authorities it analysed had seen an increase in the average number of days taken to sell a property in the past year.
Here are the fastest-selling hotspots in July:
- Falkirk, with 11 days
- Renfrewshire, with 13 days
- Stirling, with 15 days
- Clackmannanshire, with 16 days
The Scottish lure
Many of the faster markets are in Scotland, according to Zoopla, due to the Scottish sales market working differently to the rest of Britain, and homes generally being relatively affordable.
Homes in Scotland are typically marketed as “offers over” a price, with homes having a valuation and home survey available, Zoopla added.
Locations with sluggish sales
It comes as house prices fall, according to figures published by Rightmove yesterday, with homeowners struggling to flog their bricks and mortar.
According to Zoopla, these are the slowest-selling local areas in July:
- Melton, with 76 days
- Westminister, with 63 days
- Teignbridge, with 63 days
- Torridge, with 61 days
- Isle of Wight, with 60 days
- Thanet, with 60 days
- Elmbridge, with 58 days
The kitchen gadgets under £25
Victorinox paring knife
It’s comfortable to hold, with a point sharp enough for scoring pastry.
ProCook cast iron pan
For unbeatable searing and heat-retention, cast iron is the top choice.
Tesco chopping board
Priced at just £22, I’ve yet to find another board that matches it for sheer value and quality.
The kitchen gadgets under £25
Pyrex jug
It is the perfect vessel for blending smooth sauces, melting butter, or warming stock. It won’t stain like plastic and the red measurements never fade.
Salter scales
“I’ve had my slim little set of Salter Disc Scales for over a decade, and I’m delighted to see they are still made to exactly the same reliable design today.”
Microplane grater
It uses photo-etched stainless steel teeth that stay razor-sharp for a decade, something the lookalike copycats simply can’t match.
Braun hand-held blender
It’s an essential for everything from making velvety soup to getting the lumps out of white sauce.
Bodum cafetiere
As well as delivering great results, cafetieres are easy to clean and there’s no ongoing filter paper costs or pod recycling to deal with.
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The kitchen gadgets under £25
Oxo peeler
What truly sets it apart is the chunky, rubberised handle that absorbs pressure and stays completely non-slip, even if your hands are wet. It is inexpensive and incredibly durable.
Falcon pie dish
Made by fusing porcelain onto heavy-gauge steel for smooth durability, it is dishwasher, freezer, hob, air-fryer and oven-safe.
Tesco Kind & Pure Vitamin C Radiant Skin Moisturiser
Tesco, £2.70
Vitamin C is an antioxidant ingredient to look out for if you want brighter-looking skin, which this product does deliver, over more intensive hydration. The lightweight cream sinks in quickly and leaves a healthy glow without feeling sticky.
I’d usually prefer my vitamin C in a serum as they tend to have higher concentration and more targeted delivery deeper into the skin, so don’t expect dramatic changes with a moisturiser, but the formula does make skin look fresher immediately.
It’s quite light, so on oily skin it performs well during warmer weather, but drier complexions or more mature skin like mine might prefer something a bit richer.
2.5/5
Best for: Combination skin and daytime wear
Ah, the all-rounder skin favourite that has maintained its status for decades (and not without good reason).
Nivea Soft is still one of the best all-purpose moisturisers there is. It feels instantly nourishing, but it sinks in quickly and manages to thoroughly moisturise without feeling too rich.
This one may not be packed with buzzy actives, but I think that’s part of its appeal. It’s a no-nonsense, uncomplicated option, reliable and nostalgic, and is an all-over multi-tasker, working just as well on your face as your hands or body.
If I had to mark it down, I’d say very dry skin may need extra hydration in winter months, and you’re not getting any skin frills, but it’s an excellent bathroom-cabinet must-have.
4/5
Best for: Normal skin and families
Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda, Boots, Superdrug, £7.99
This is arguably the cleverest product of the lot because it combines moisturiser and SPF50 and skin-loving, barrier-strengthening peptides in one step.
I’d say this is a legitimate competitor to some of the much higher-end skincare favourites I have in my usual arsenal. It’s a moisturiser first – the texture is lighter and more hydrating than most facial sunscreens and, crucially, it leaves no white cast. But it’s packed full of additional skincare benefits – the peptides are included to support and strengthen the skin, while antioxidants help protect against environmental damage.
Most importantly, it doesn’t feel like wearing sunscreen, which means you’re much more likely to apply it every morning.
If you’re only buying one daytime moisturiser, this would be my pick.
5/5
Best for: Daily use
Aldi Lacura Rejuvenate Night Cream
Aldi, £3.85
Aldi has built an entire reputation around skincare “dupes”, and this anti-ageing cream does indeed feel more expensive than it is.
The texture is richer than many of the others I tested, which I find makes it really comfortable, especially on more mature or dry skin. It leaves a soft, moisturised finish, so my skin felt like it was getting a proper “drink” before bed. This one is also packed with actives – a pro-retinol that works on smoothing fine lines and is very hydrating. Plus, a texture-smoothing silicone that works to “fill” bumps and irregularities, but I feel that is unnecessary (and potentially pore-clogging) in an overnight cream that you wash off when you wake.
Those with oily skin may find it slightly heavy during summer, but it’s a solid option for more mature skin types.
Asda Glow Theory Cream Moisturiser
If you prefer your moisturiser to feel light rather than rich, this is a great new everyday option. It absorbs really quickly, plus it sits well under makeup and left my skin looking fresh and, yes, glowy, rather than shiny. Ingredients including all-round hero niacinamide and vitamin C are both aimed at boosting radiance over time, plus glycerin, which provides plenty of hydration, so it packs a punch.
All in all, it’s an impressively elegant formula for the price, and one I’d be happy to recommend for “normal” skin to wear every day.
2/5
Best for: Normal to combination skin and daytime wear
Sainsbury’s The Edit Hydrate Hyaluronic Acid Moisturiser
Hyaluronic acid is a non-negotiable in my personal skin repertoire; it’s amazing for hydration because it attracts water into the upper layers of the skin, and whilst I usually prefer it in a serum, I’m happy to double up and layer more on!
This gel-cream texture feels really fresh and lightweight, so it is especially welcome during hotter weather. It disappears almost immediately and doesn’t leave skin looking greasy at all.
I do think it benefits from extra skincare boosting with targeted serums underneath – it’s not going to provide enough nourishment for drier skin overnight, for instance, but it’s an excellent daytime moisturiser for combination or oily skin types.
3.5/5
Best for: Summer and oily skin
Lidl, £1.79
Lidl’s anti-ageing cream is undeniably good value and contains coenzyme Q10, an antioxidant that’s long been associated with anti-ageing skincare.
The cream itself feels quite “traditional”. It’s rich and the scent is slightly more old-fashioned than some of the newer formulas in this test. It leaves a bit of a sheen, which dry skin may enjoy but combination and oily skin types could find a little much.
The SPF15 is a good addition but no longer high enough to rely on for daily sun protection, so you’d still need a separate SPF30 or SPF50 over the top.
2/5
Best for: Dry skin on a budget
M&S Fresh Elements Hydrating Rich Moisturiser
M&S £12.50
Firstly, I love the branding on this; it looks the furthest from a supermarket own brand, and it feels like a step up from a basic moisturiser. The easily absorbed cream combines hyaluronic acid, urea and squalane to seriously hydrate and support the skin barrier, leaving skin soft and comfortable without feeling overly heavy.
But my favourite part is that, by sticking to these gentle, effective ingredients that focus on hydration, barrier support and keeping skin balanced- which is exactly what most younger skin actually needs- it’s perfectly formulated for tweens and teens (as well as their parents!). An all-round winner for me.
4/5
Best for: Younger skin, no complicated routines
Boots Ingredients Ceramide Barrier Support Moisturiser
Boots, £4.80
Ceramides have become one of skincare’s biggest buzzwords for good reason. They’re lipids naturally found in the skin that help keep the moisture barrier intact, making them particularly useful if your skin feels dry, tight or irritated, as mine tends to in the colder months or in air conditioning.
Boots’ own version does hit well above its price point. The cream feels rich but crucially, not greasy. It absorbs quickly and left my skin comfortably hydrated for most of the day. It also layers really nicely beneath makeup, with none of the pilling that some richer barrier creams can cause.
This feels particularly well suited to autumn and winter when central heating and cold weather can leave skin dehydrated.
5/5
Best for: Dry, sensitive or compromised skin