Skincare sets make a delightful gift and can be a great way to test out a brand's products. But finding a suitable one for your oily, dry, sensitive, or acne-prone skin can be a challenge. Sites like Amazon, John Lewis and Boots have a wide range to choose from, ranging from anti-ageing, moisturising, cleansing, and more; but which one is the best?
To help you pick an effective set, we've put together a simple buying guide which should make your decision-making process easier. Plus, we researched the best skincare sets by popular drugstore and high-end brands such as The Ordinary, No7, and Garnier to find you a selection of high-rated products that we're sure you'll love.
Quick List - Top Skincare Sets
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There are tons of skincare sets out there, each one of them with different products aimed at specific concerns. What do you need to look for in a skincare set? You can choose from toners, cleansers, vitamins, or serums, and that's not even scratching the surface. Have a read of what makes up a great skincare set.
The great thing about sets is that they usually showcase several products that all target the same concerns, and will be marketed as such. With this in mind, what are the main issues you're looking to solve? This won't always be dependent on skin type, but stay tuned for more information on that later!
If you're noticing fine lines or wrinkles and you'd like to find a way to reduce their appearance, you can choose a skincare set that targets anti-ageing. This means that the products are full of antioxidants, vitamins, and exfoliating acids that are formulated to plump, brighten, and rejuvenate your skin.
Often, skincare sets which are aimed towards anti-ageing include intense moisturisers and hyaluronic acid serums to brighten your complexion and prolong the skin's elasticity. This helps to keep it feeling young and firm.
If you're under or over the age of 45, don't be afraid to try an anti-ageing set for an extra boost of hydration – you'll appreciate how it prevents any risk of tired skin and prolongs its elasticity!
Build-ups of oil and dirt can clog your pores, creating a greasy residue and a risk of spotty outbreaks. While it's completely normal, spots can swell and become quite uncomfortable so it's best to prevent it as much as you can.
To reduce your vulnerability to outbreaks, skincare sets for acne can help tone down your symptoms, while soothing any painful areas at the same time.
A skincare routine for someone who has acne usually consists of an effective stripping cleanser, a mild toner and other oil-free products.
Hydration might just be the most important element of skincare; whether you have dry or oily skin, a little bit of H2O will do no harm. All skincare sets will have some element of hydration in them for this reason.
In a hydrating skincare set, you'll see heavily-moisturising ingredients that bring moisture molecules to the surface and seal them into the skin, allowing them to soften and smooth your complexion.
Hydrating sets usually contain serums and overnight products to ensure an intense and effective treatment, not forgetting that they use mild formulas such as micellar water that can't irritate the skin.
Some skincare sets use ingredients to help maintain your skin according to its type, so getting the wrong one could do more harm than good. To make sure that you have everything you need to soothe, moisturise, or even dry out your skin, look for those containing products that aid your skin type.
Dry skin is a common condition where the skin can look scaly and feel itchy. Not only is it uncomfortable, but it can worsen depending on different factors such as age, the weather, medical history, or a change in fragrances and makeup.
When you have dry skin, it's important to keep your skin hydrated to prevent any itch cycles that you may go through throughout the year. To avoid any outbreaks of dryness and flakiness, only choose a skincare set that's made for people with dry skin as that way, you can be sure that the ingredients will not risk any further dryness.
Oily skin is the result of when the sebaceous glands in the skin make too much sebum, or as we know it, that greasy, waxy oil that sometimes rises to the surface. While sebum is crucial for maintaining healthy skin, too much of it can create an oily complexion that puts you at risk of clogged pores and acne.
Skincare sets that help to reduce the appearance of sebum on the skin's surface can help to tackle oily patches, especially on the forehead, cheeks, and around the nose. The main goal is to dry out the skin in order to return it to its usual complexion which should be a natural balance between dry and oily.
If you have oily skin, it's best to avoid overly-hydrating skincare sets and opt for an acne care set to avoid any heavy, moisture-trapping ingredients that could block the pores.
If your skin is a mixture of dry and oily, you may find that you're OK to use almost any skincare set. To be more precise, your skin can appear as either dry or oily in certain areas. For example, you may notice that your T-zone (nose, chin, forehead) can look oily, while your cheeks are dry and dehydrated.
You may also notice your skin has a tendency to produce more blackheads. This is often just an excess build up of dirt, but it can also be a result of the wrong type of skin care (which is understandable because it's hard to keep up with one type, let alone two!).
If you have sensitive skin, finding the right skin care can be a nightmare, especially when you have eczema or allergies. It's common for everyone to have flare-ups every now and then when trying new products, but those who constantly face bad reactions to cosmetics are known as having sensitive skin.
These bad reactions can trigger dermatitis reappearances, psoriasis, or just very dry, irritated skin. To avoid this, you can buy products that have mild ingredients in.
If your GP or dermatologist has told you to be careful with what you put on your face, check our specification tables to find out which sets are best suited to sensitive skin.
The time that you apply your skincare products can often have an impact on their effectivity. For example, applying your cleanser, toner, and so on in the morning can be a gentle way to refresh yourself and wake up for the day.
On the other hand, some people prefer to treat the skin in the evening so there's more time for the products to soak into the skin without applying makeup or facing any outdoor pollution.
While it's important to bear in mind that, due to risk of sunburn, there are certain skincare products that must be used at night, you can use most of the sets on our list at any time of day.
Skin care can be expensive and buying a set can offer great value for money, so it's important that you understand how to get the best one. You can take a moment to think about the factors that we have mentioned above in order to help you decide.
Perhaps you're looking for a whole new skincare regime, for which you would need everything from cleanser to eye cream. Or, maybe you've got most of what you need but you're looking to try out a new brand, or you'd like a smaller set of only deep cleansing products, for example.
Look at our tables to see which products are available in each set and consider how they can benefit your routine.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Origins Cleanse, Shroom, Moisturise Set | ![]() | Morning or Night, Say Goodbye to Oily and Dry Patches | |
2 | Garnier Organic Nourish and Glow Kit | ![]() | Sweet, Floral, and Fragrant for a Natural Glow | |
3 | Simple Water Boost Regime | ![]() | A Fairly-Priced Set Offering Intense Hydration | |
4 | Avène Cleanance Anti-Blemish Kit | ![]() | An Anti-Blemish, Oil-Reducing Kit | |
5 | Origins Power Detox Set | ![]() | A Detoxing Set for Oily Skin | |
6 | Nip+Fab Vitamin C Regime Bundle | ![]() | Bold, Beautiful, and Full of Nutrients | |
7 | Ole Henriksen Pre-Makeup Babies™ Skincare Prep Set | ![]() | Treat Your Skin Right With These Mini Must-Haves | |
8 | The Ordinary 5 Piece Everyday Essentials | ![]() | The Ultimate Anti-Ageing Set | |
9 | This Works Evening Detox Skin Solutions Set | ![]() | This Works - It Really Does! | |
10 | No7 Lift & Luminate Triple Action Complete Retinol Regime | ![]() | A Reliable and Rejuvenating Bargain |
To walk you through each step of this amazing set: the cleanser is a frothy face wash which balances out any oily and dry patches, then, the lotion is used to boost hydration and calm down any angry spot-prone areas. Lastly, the ginseng-enriched moisturiser is oil-free, energy-enhancing, and delivers 72 hours of hydration.
Ideal for partly-dry skin with excess oil production, this three-step care set can give your skin the treatment that it needs, using gorgeous plant-based ingredients and careful formulas.
This beautiful flowery box is full of nourishing anti-ageing products by Garnier. To keep your healthy glow lasting all day, use this kit in the morning and make sure to use it every day. Enriched with natural ingredients like lavendin oil and cornflower, these products are perfect for rejuvenating and refreshing your skin, whilst smelling sweet and floral at the same time.
In addition, all of the products are created using vegan, organic formulas, making it a wise option overall for both yourself and the planet.
The clue is in the name: this skincare set is simple yet effective. Created for people who suffer from dry skin, this set features products that have copious amounts of nourishing plant extracts, minerals and vitamins. The sleeping cream can be applied in the evening to let it soak into your skin overnight, leaving you feeling super-hydrated come morning.
The silky formula of each product is lightweight and extremely moisturising in order to make your skin feel super soft, keeping you feeling fresh and healthy. As a well-known drugstore brand, the price is also quite reasonable for a 4-product set.
With consistent use, this cleansing kit can save blemish-prone skin. As a daily ritual for both morning and evening, apply the cleanser, mattifying toner, and the blackhead-targeting formula and you'll start to see your skin slowly dry out to a normal tone.
A study conducted on 38 people showed that after applying the set twice a day for six weeks, there was a 49% reduction in whiteheads. This proves that in addition to reducing the oily complexion, this skincare set will also clear up your skin from any spots and blemishes.
Dissolving unnecessary oils on the surface of your skin, this skincare set includes a speedy spot treatment, a detox charcoal mask, and a bubbling face wash to really get into those pores and bring out any impurities.
These products can draw out the dirt from clogged up pores and tone down the sebum production to stop the shininess. Helping you to detoxify, these skincare must-haves will have you feeling fresh and replenished in no time.
This collection of Nip+Fab products is exclusive to Amazon, sold to revitalise and retexture the skin. For a brighter complexion, this bundle of serum, tonic, and brightening pads will help you to refresh your face both morning and night. The pads are a convenient, mess-free way to apply the formula and they come in a handy air-sealed tub.
We love that these products contain plentiful doses of vitamin C and fatty acids, which help to even out the skin tone and promote healthy cell growth. To hydrate, nourish, and radiate the appearance of your skin, this could be the product for you.
Before applying your makeup, take a moment to treat your skin to this magical selection of mini skincare favourites. Firstly, there's a glow-inducing face mask that you can use once or twice a week. Then, the Glow2OH™ Dark Spot Toner can be used each night to brighten the skin and smooth out wrinkles.
Next is the banana eye cream, which illuminates the skin around the eyes and lastly, the banana primer, used to prep your face for the rest of the day. Once you've found yourself addicted to these illuminating products, you'll soon find yourself having to buy more as this set only includes travel-sized versions!
The Ordinary is a brand which has recently taken over the market with its natural, authentic products. Representing the scientific side of skin care, these bottles and tubes are rich in ingredients like matrixyl 3000, hyaluronic acid, and ferulic acid.
As the products contain plumping agents such as vitamin A, they're great for flushing away toxins and hiding the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This set is a little pricey in comparison to others on the list, although, as it's such a reputable brand with notoriously-effective products, you might want to give it a go.
This dreamy brand is known for its effective products, and you've probably heard of them through their popular pillow spray. This evening skincare set helps you to wind down whilst washing away makeup residue, decongesting clogged pores, and minimising their visibility.
Determined to protect your skin from the pollution of day-to-day life, this set consists of a detox cleansing water which is suitable for sensitive skin, a spray-on exfoliant which is not suitable for sensitive skin, and a purifying clay mask. Sadly, we thought this was a rather small amount for a product in this price range!
This collection from faithful British brand No7 includes a nighttime concentrate, a triple-action illuminating day cream with SPF, a lifting night cream, an eye cream, and a serum, all of which are suitable for sensitive skin.
When used together, these products are proven to reduce the visibility of fine lines in the skin, offering an effect that can only be described as age-defying. While you may be disappointed to see that this is the most expensive set on our list, you are actually saving £57 from the original price of the products!
Stepping up your skin care or planning a pampering night? Check out the links below for a few more affordable indulgences to treat yourself or a lucky loved one to!
When testing out your skincare set for the first time, don't forget that you should always do a patch test on your arm or wrist to ensure that you're not allergic or sensitive. We hope that you found this buying guide useful and that you already have an idea of your favourite product in your head. (And maybe your basket, too!)
Author: Annie Speight
No. 1: Origins|Cleanse, Shroom, Moisturise Set
No. 2: Garnier|Organic Nourish and Glow Kit
No. 3: Simple|Water Boost Regime
No. 4: Avène|Cleanance Anti-Blemish Kit
No. 5: Origins|Power Detox Set
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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