Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream for sensitive skin
Glycerin
Dimethicone
Saccharide Isomerate
Caprylic Capric Triglyceride
Tocopheryl Acetate
Average
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for sensitive 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 sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. 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
- Suitable for normal skin, this product offers moderate hydration due to glycerin and saccharide isomerate, which act as humectants to moisturize your skin.
- While it provides general skincare benefits, it lacks specialized ingredients like niacinamide or centella asiatica to effectively target your redness and irritation.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your sensitive skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components.
How to apply
- Use this soothing AM and PM routine every day to keep your normal skin calm. Always remember to apply SPF in the morning after your moisturizer.
- Apply your moisturizer after your toner in the morning, and after your serum in the evening. This step locks in hydration and protects your skin.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer evenly across your face. Avoid rubbing to keep your sensitive skin happy and calm.
- You can apply this gentle formula on dry or slightly damp skin for the best comfort. It works wonderfully on clean skin to soothe redness and irritation.
- Do a patch test before your very first use to check your skin's reaction. Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes .
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”
- “discontinued in the US”
- “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 sensitive skin?
This moisturizer is an average fit for your sensitive skin because, while it provides safe and gentle hydration, it lacks specialized soothing ingredients to effectively target redness and irritation. To fit this skin type well, a moisturizer needs calming and barrier-strengthening ingredients like fermented centella asiatica, cica ceramide, and nourishing oils.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for sensitive skin?
Glycerin and saccharide isomerate make this cream a good fit by pulling in moisture to help keep your skin hydrated, while dimethicone helps protect the skin barrier. It also has a safe formula with soothing components that are unlikely to cause irritation. However, a moisturizer for sensitive skin also needs specialized ingredients like fermented centella asiatica, cica ceramide, and nourishing oils to effectively target redness and irritation.
What does Glycerin do for sensitive skin?
Glycerin helps keep sensitive skin soft and deeply hydrated while supporting the skin barrier. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may protect against dryness and roughness.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Acta Dermato-venereologica, 1999
What does Dimethicone do for sensitive skin?
Dimethicone helps protect sensitive skin against irritants and can keep it feeling calm and comfortable. It is generally well tolerated and unlikely to cause adverse reactions on delicate or reactive skin.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This moisturizer goes in the evening routine after your cleanser, toner, and treatment. It is unlikely to cause irritation on sensitive skin due to its soothing components and lack of harsh ingredients, but a product for this skin needs specialized ingredients like niacinamide or centella asiatica to effectively target redness and irritation.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream alongside retinol by applying the retinol first, letting it absorb, and then following with the moisturizer. This routine helps keep your skin comfortable and supports your skin barrier while you use retinoids.
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 is unlikely to cause irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This cream is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for your sensitive skin because its safety profile is excellent and harsh ingredients are absent. To better care for sensitive skin, a moisturizer of this type needs soothing and calming ingredients like niacinamide or centella asiatica to target redness and irritation.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cream on your body or around your eyes, though these areas require gentle care because the skin there is very thin. It is unlikely to cause irritation since it lacks harsh ingredients, but to truly care for and calm sensitive skin, it needs specialized soothing components like centella asiatica and niacinamide.
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, 2025The 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, 2024Treatment 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, 2007Externally applied substances such as ceramides, hyaluronic acid, licorice extracts, dimethicone, petrolatum, and paraffin wax treat skin disease resulting from damage to the skin barrier.
Clinics in Dermatology, 2012Formulations 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, 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, 2021Topical 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, 2024
Why other moisturizers fit sensitive skin better
A panthenol-enriched mask improved skin hydration, regulated sebum, and reduced redness and TEWL across dry sensitive, oily sensitive, and oily acne skin subgroups with excellent tolerance and no adverse reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002A dexpanthenol-containing cream accelerated skin barrier repair, increased stratum corneum hydration, reduced skin roughness, and decreased skin redness compared to vehicle and untreated controls in sodium lauryl sulphate-irritated skin.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2002
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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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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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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