Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel-Cream Extra-Dry for combination skin
Sodium Hyaluronate
Glycerin
Dimethicone
Cetearyl Olivate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Average
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for combination skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
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
- Offers moderate suitability for your combination skin, as glycerin provides humectant action, but it lacks sufficient ingredients for optimal oil control on your oily areas.
- The product provides excellent moisturizing benefits due to sodium hyaluronate and glycerin, which hydrate and plump your skin.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your combination skin due to the absence of prohibited or 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 18.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this fragrance-free moisturizer is widely celebrated by users with sensitive and dry skin for delivering deep hydration without the heavy, greasy feel of traditional creams. While marketed for "extra-dry" skin, many users describe it as a lightweight gel-hybrid that absorbs instantly, plumps fine lines, and soothes irritation, though some with severely parched skin find they still need a heavier occlusive layer on top.
Highlights
Lightweight, non-greasy Mostly Mentioned
- “Absorbs instantly without leaving a sticky residue.”
- “Feels like water on the skin, not heavy at all.”
- “Perfect under makeup, doesn't make me oily.”
- “Light as air but moisturizes like a thick cream.”
Deeply hydrating, plumping Often Mentioned
- “My skin looks plump and glowing in the morning.”
- “Quenches my dry patches immediately.”
- “Smooths out fine lines caused by dehydration.”
- “Keeps my face soft all day long.”
Fragrance-free, gentle Often Mentioned
- “Finally a moisturizer that doesn't burn my sensitive skin.”
- “Love that it has no scent, unlike the Water Gel version.”
- “No irritation around my eyes or sensitive patches.”
Price vs. quantity Often Mentioned
- “Jar is too small for the price.”
- “I run out of it in two weeks using it twice a day.”
- “Way too expensive for such a tiny amount of product.”
- “Wish it came in a larger pump bottle.”
Smooth texture, application Sometimes Noted
- “Glides on silky smooth.”
- “Cooling sensation when applied.”
- “A little goes a long way if applied to damp skin.”
Not enough for severe dryness Sometimes Noted
- “Not moisturizing enough for winter dryness.”
- “I still feel dry an hour later; need to layer oil on top.”
- “Good for summer, but too light for extra dry skin in winter.”
Occasional pilling Rarely Noted
- “Pills up if I rub my face too much.”
- “Balls up under certain sunscreens.”
- “Doesn't layer well with my silicone primer.”
Packaging concerns Rarely Noted
- “Hate dipping my fingers into a jar.”
- “Unsanitary packaging, wish it had a pump.”
- “Bulky plastic container for very little cream.”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, walmart.com, target.com, ulta.com, neutrogena.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel-Cream Extra-Dry work for combination skin?
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel-Cream Extra-Dry works moderately well for your combination skin because glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide great moisture, but it lacks enough ingredients to control oil on your oily areas. A moisturizer for this skin needs ingredients that reduce oily shine while hydrating and brightening.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for combination skin?
Sodium hyaluronate and glycerin make this cream a good fit by drawing in moisture to keep your skin plump and soft. To work best for combination skin, this type of product also needs ingredients that help control oily shine.
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for combination skin?
Hyaluronic acid is a great fit for combination skin because it quenches dry areas with a boost of hydration while keeping oily zones balanced. Regular use helps smooth out fine lines and makes your skin feel soft and plump without causing irritation.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2021Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011
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
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 step in the evening. It provides hydration through ingredients like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate, but combination skin of this type also needs ingredients for oil control on oily areas.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol, applying it after your retinol treatment to help soothe your skin and keep it soft and comfortable. This type of routine helps minimize dryness and irritation while supporting your skin barrier, though combination skin also needs ingredients for oil control.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this moisturizer daily in your morning and evening routines. Daily application of moisturizers of this type helps keep skin hydrated and improves skin moisture and barrier function.
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 irritation or breakouts on combination skin due to its safe ingredients, but it may not control oil well enough in your oily areas. A product for this skin type needs extra oil-controlling ingredients to keep shine in check.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
This cream is safe to use around the eyes and on the body because it has a very safe formula with no harsh ingredients. However, a moisturizer for this skin needs better oil control on oily areas.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A 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, 2017Topical hyaluronic acid filler serum combined with Botulinum toxin type A lengthened the duration of the toxin's effect in reducing wrinkles compared to Botulinum toxin type A alone.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019The 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, 2007
Ingredients
Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Cetearyl Olivate, Polyacrylamide, Sorbitan Olivate, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Synthetic Beeswax, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Dimethiconol, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Chlorphenesin, Laureth-7, Carbomer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, C12-14 Pareth-12, Sodium Hydroxide
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
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Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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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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