Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream for combination skin
Glycerin
Dimethicone
Saccharide Isomerate
Caprylic Capric Triglyceride
Tocopheryl Acetate
Average
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for combination skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
- The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2025
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Moderate hydration is offered due to glycerin and saccharide isomerate, which provide humectant action suitable for your combination skin. Dimethicone also contributes emollient benefits, though these ingredients do not directly address your primary concern of oily shine.
- The formula provides general skincare benefits, but the concentrations of glycerin and dimethicone are more supportive than targeted for managing excess oil.
- The product is safe for your combination skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this moisturizer in your AM and PM routine every day to control shine. Always pair with SPF in the morning.
- Apply this moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your morning SPF.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin and avoid harsh rubbing. Let it ⏳absorb for a minute.
- Apply the moisturizer on slightly damp skin to help it lock in moisture better. This keeps your combination skin balanced.
- Avoid the eye area when applying the moisturizer. Do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 900+ reviewsUsers with dehydrated, oily, or combination skin frequently praise this gel cream for providing instant hydration without clogging pores, leaving skin feeling dewy and plump. Some users with very dry skin or compromised barriers find the lightweight formula insufficient on its own, sometimes requiring additional moisture.
Highlights
Lightweight and absorbs fast Mostly Mentioned
- “sinks in instantly”
- “feels like water on the skin”
- “zero greasy residue”
- “perfect for hot weather”
- “doesn't suffocate my pores”
Hydrates dehydrated skin Often Mentioned
- “cleared up my dry patches”
- “skin looks plump and bouncy”
- “gives a healthy dewy glow”
- “stopped my forehead from producing excess oil”
- “instantly quenched my thirsty skin”
Gentle for sensitive skin Sometimes Noted
- “no stinging or redness”
- “fragrance-free is a lifesaver”
- “soothing on sensitive areas”
- “great simple ingredient list”
Good makeup base Sometimes Noted
- “foundation sits beautifully on top”
- “acts like a hydrating primer”
- “doesn't pill under sunscreen”
- “makeup looks less cakey”
- “smooths texture before application”
Not enough moisture Sometimes Noted
- “skin felt tight after an hour”
- “need to apply multiple layers”
- “not enough for winter months”
- “too watery for true dry skin”
- “had to follow up with a thicker cream”
Availability issues Rarely Noted
- “hard to find in stores”
- “price has gone up online”
- “can only find it on eBay”
- “wish it was still at Target”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “caused tiny bumps on my forehead”
- “woke up with whiteheads”
- “clogged my pores despite being light”
- “gave me cystic acne”
- “texture became rough after a week”
Caused stinging Rarely Noted
- “burned upon application”
- “stung my cheeks”
- “face turned bright red”
- “felt hot and itchy”
- “irritated my eyes”
Sources: lovi.care, boots.com, influenster.com, superdrug.com, amazon.com, target.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream work for combination skin?
Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream works for your combination skin by offering moderate hydration and a safe profile without irritation, though it does not directly target oily shine. Combination skin needs products with effective brightening and moisturizing ingredients, soothing agents, and antioxidants that reduce oily shine while providing balanced hydration.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2025Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for combination skin?
Glycerin and saccharide isomerate make this cream a fit by drawing in moisture, while dimethicone smooths the skin without irritation. However, combination skin also needs ingredients that reduce oily shine and brighten the skin.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2025Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What does Glycerin do for combination skin?
Glycerin helps keep combination skin soft and smooth by pulling moisture in and keeping it there. It improves hydration and supports your skin barrier, which is unlikely to cause irritation.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What does Dimethicone do for combination skin?
Dimethicone helps protect combination skin by forming a light barrier that smooths the surface without feeling heavy or greasy. It may keep skin soft and comfortable, though it is unlikely to deeply moisturize dry areas or control excess oil on its own.
Military Medicine, 2024Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2014
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This moisturizer goes after your hydrating toner in the morning and after your treatment in the evening. Combination skin needs a lightweight moisturizer with glycerin and dimethicone to deliver mild hydration while managing excess oil.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol by applying the retinol first, letting it absorb, and then following with the moisturizer. This routine helps keep your combination skin comfortable while it adjusts to the retinoid, though combination skin also needs ingredients that directly target and manage oily shine.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this moisturizer twice daily as part of your morning and evening routine. Regular daily application helps keep your skin comfortable and hydrated while maintaining a safe profile for combination skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This cream is unlikely to cause breakouts or stinging on combination skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients. However, a product for this skin needs ingredients that actively help manage oily shine while providing moderate moisture.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can safely use this cream around your eyes and on your body, as its gentle formula has a very good safety profile and is unlikely to cause irritation. However, because combination skin needs more targeted care for oily shine, a product for this skin type also needs oil-balancing and mattifying ingredients.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A novel moisturizer containing saccharide isomerate accelerates skin barrier recovery, improves hydration, reduces erythema, and alleviates discomfort compared to a control moisturizer following intense pulsed light treatment in subjects with skin aging.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2025A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017A combination cream of stimu-tex AS and saccharide isomerate reduced erythema, increased skin capacitance, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to placebo in 20 subjects after fractional CO2 laser procedure without causing serious adverse events.
Lasers in Medical Science, 2025Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012Wearing an N95 mask alone compared to using dimethicone cream or hydrocolloid dressing caused more adverse skin reactions among 73 military health care workers, with no significant differences in fit test failure rates between groups.
Military Medicine, 2024A dimethicone skin protectant lotion significantly decreased visual scoring and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control and SLS-only treated sites in 12 healthy humans exposed to sodium lauryl sulfate.
Skin Research and Technology, 2000Treatment with a moisturizer containing dimethicone and glycerine increased epidermal thickness by 0.019 mm, improved barrier function by decreasing transepidermal water loss by 13%, decreased melanin intensity, and induced keratins 6 and 16 in fifteen women with moderately photoaged forearms.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2007Formulations containing saccharide isomerate significantly improved transepidermal water loss, sebum secretion, and scalp flaking compared to a placebo formulation in an adult Chinese population affected by dandruff scalp.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023Topical application of an emollient emulsion containing 15.0% caprylic/capric triglyceride doubled the amount of urocanic acid isomers and increased skin hydration with reduced transepidermal water loss in healthy subjects, though it did not prevent ultraviolet-induced urocanic acid isomerization.
Life, 2023Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024A topical antioxidant serum significantly reduced air pollution-induced skin pigmentation and proinflammatory gene expression ex vivo, and improved skin aging signs in 40 healthy adult females after 90 days of daily use.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Isohexadecane, Propylene Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Vp Copolymer, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrogenated Poly C6-14 Olefin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Linoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Stearic Acid, Bht, Disodium Edta, Sodium Pca, Saccharide Isomerate, T-Butyl Alcohol, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Benzoate, Lactic Acid
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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