Oftentimes, our sunny island’s hot and humid weather makes us feel like applying creams and moisturisers might be redundant (especially if your skin type tends to be on the oilier side!) — but that’s not the case at all.
Moisturisers actually help to hydrate your skin and retain moisture, and not using them will actually cause the skin to overproduce these oils — which results in even oilier skin (yikes). They also play a great part in helping to lock in all the other skincare products that you use in your skincare routine.
So yes, we do need to moisturise our skin even though we don’t experience cold and dry weather here in Singapore! That being said, nothing feels worse than being out and about in the hot sun with a heavy layer of moisturiser sitting on your face — which is why gel moisturisers are a great alternative.
To help you fall in love with moisturising and attain that glowy glass skin that we all love, here are 7 lightweight gel moisturisers perfect for our tropical climate — and they’re all under S$20!
1. Pyunkang Yul Balancing Gel
Clean beauty girlies are probably very familiar with the brand Pyunkang Yul — a Korean skincare brand that incorporates traditional Eastern medicine into their products to solve your skin problems from the roots.
Formulated with very minimal ingredients (seven, to be exact), the Pyunkang Yul Balancing Gel is a lightweight gel moisturiser that helps to not only moisturise but also repair your skin barrier thanks to the barberry root extract.
The honey-like texture of the product also makes it really soothing and addictive to slap onto the skin but do remember, a little bit goes a long way!
Price: S$15.18
Available on Shopee.
2. iUNIK Centella Calming Gel Cream
Acne and redness is a pretty common problem for many Singaporeans (thank you, humid and sweat-inducing weather!) and the iUNIK Centella Calming Gel Cream is a great and affordable solution to calming down those angry splotches (even the name of the product makes me feel cooler already!).
The product contains a substantial amount of centella leaf extract and tea tree leaf water, which are both known for their antibacterial and soothing properties, so lap this on as a moisturiser or even as a sleeping mask before bed to help prep your skin for the next morning!
Price: S$13.90
Available on Shopee.
3. Mizon Snail Recovery Gel Cream
Snail mucin based products have been taking the skincare world by a storm lately, and it’s not difficult to see why thanks to their moisturising, skin repairing as well as collagen boosting properties.
If you’re looking for a lightweight gel moisturiser that uses this ingredient as one of its main components, Mizon’s Snail Recovery Gel Cream is a product that includes not only one but three of the Asian skincare superstar ingredients: snail secretion, centella leaf extract and tea tree leaf extract — perfect for those with a damaged skin barrier and redness in need of some serious help.
It’s also dermatologically tested, so if you have sensitive skin, this product will probably sit well too.
Price: S$9.19
Available on iHerb.
4. Naturie Skin Conditioning Gel
Naturie is known for their super affordable and effective toner (S$10.90 for 500ml), but did you know that they actually have a moisturiser too? Not just that, it’s also equally bang for your buck and comes in a lightweight, moisturising gel form!
The Naturie Skin Conditioning Gel boasts highly-raved skin hydrating properties while still being extremely light and non-sticky (perfect for the weather here!) — plus, it can also be used as a primer before your makeup (and no, it won’t crease or smudge it like many other moisturisers!).
If you’re looking for something to protect your skin before and after you do up your glam, this is definitely a good option to grab at Watsons.
Price: S$10.50
Available at Guardian.
5. Senka Deep Moist Gel Cream
Senka’s facial cleanser took TikTok by a storm during the pandemic and the popularity has since died down — but there’s one gem the brand holds that hasn’t been talked about enough.
Senka’s Deep Moist Gel Cream is a lightweight and watery gel moisturiser that doesn’t only adds moisture to the skin, but also locks in hydration for up to 24 hours, giving you a dewy and healthy supple skin look all day long until your next application.
The product is also developed with Shiseido’s unique technology, so you can be rest assured that you’re only treating your skin to the best.
Price: S$15.30
Available at Guardian.
6. Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream
If you’re looking for a product that’s like a Vitamin C serum as well as a moisturiser in one, check out Some By Mi’s Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream.
The key ingredients in this soothing and cooling lightweight gel moisturiser are yuja extract and niacinamide, which work perfectly together to brighten up your skin as well as keep it moisturised and healthy.
Price: S$14.50
Available on Shopee.
7. Pyunkang Yul Calming Moisture Repair Balm
Here’s a little bonus for those who are looking to experiment and try something a little different — Pyunkang Yul’s Calming Moisture Repair Balm.
While this is a balm instead of a gel, the moisturising properties are still A-plus and the balm feels almost non-existent on your skin as it absorbs really quickly.
You can even use this as a spot treatment for some drier parts on your body like elbows and hands.
Price: S$15.54
Available on iHerb.
Ready to have the bounciest glass skin? Add these soothing gel moisturisers into your skincare routine now! \
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