Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Rich Barrier Moisturizer for acne-prone skin
Hyaluronic Acid Complex
Hydrafence
Squalane
Glycerin
Dimethicone
Average
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for acne-prone skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. 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 excellent moisturizing for your combination skin due to sodium hyaluronate and polyglutamic acid, which hydrate and plump effectively, though it lacks specialized ingredients to directly target your acne and breakouts.
- Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide humectant action suitable for combination skin, but the formula may not offer sufficient oil control for your oilier areas.
- The product is safe for your combination skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use your moisturizer twice a day in your AM and PM routines. Apply it daily to help keep breakouts under control.
- Apply after your cleanser and toner, and make sure to use your SPF right after in the morning.
- Gently spread a small amount of moisturizer over your face using soft motions. Let it absorb into the skin for a minute before getting dressed or applying makeup.
- Apply on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra moisture. This keeps your combination skin balanced without feeling heavy.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use. Stop using if you feel any irritation.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 500+ reviewsThis moisturizer is widely praised for its ability to deliver deep, lasting hydration that leaves skin feeling plump, soft, and healthy, making it a favorite for those with dry, sensitive, or "tretinoin-stressed" skin. While most users love its lightweight, fast-absorbing texture, a small minority of users with specific preferences or skin types find it either not moisturizing enough or prefer a thicker consistency.
Highlights
Intense hydration Mostly Mentioned
- “Hydrates skin well”
- “drenches skin”
- “120 hours of hydration”
Fast absorption Often Mentioned
- “Absorbs super fast”
- “melts into skin”
- “no greasy feeling”
Lightweight texture Often Mentioned
- “Feels like silk”
- “not heavy”
- “light and airy”
Refreshing feel Sometimes Noted
- “Feels cooling”
- “refreshing on face”
- “soothing”
Skin barrier support Sometimes Noted
- “Strengthens skin barrier”
- “helped my skin barrier”
- “great for tretinoin users”
Insufficient moisture Rarely Noted
- “Not moisturized enough”
- “need something thicker”
- “not for very dry skin”
Potential breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Broke me out”
- “caused irritation”
- “sensitive skin reaction”
Texture preference Rarely Noted
- “Prefer something thicker”
- “too thin for me”
Sources: lovi.care, peterthomasroth.com, dermstore.com, lovelyskin.com, ulta.com, skinsort.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Rich Barrier Moisturizer work for acne-prone skin?
This moisturizer works reasonably well for acne-prone skin by offering deep hydration through hyaluronic acid and glycerin, though it may not provide enough oil control or directly target breakouts. A product of this type needs specialized ingredients that address blemishes and help keep oily areas balanced.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Sodium hyaluronate and polyglutamic acid make this cream a good fit by providing effective hydration for your skin. However, since this product is only an average fit, acne-prone skin needs a moisturizing treatment that also includes ingredients to directly target blemishes and control oil in oilier areas.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2025Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for acne-prone skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps smooth out deep acne scars and delivers targeted treatments directly to pores when combined with active ingredients. It is generally well tolerated on acne-prone skin, though injected treatments should be performed by a professional.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2013Dermatologic Surgery, 2018
What does Hydrafence do for acne-prone skin?
Hydrafence is not an ideal fit for acne-prone skin because it may feel too heavy and clog pores. Skin that is prone to breakouts needs lightweight, oil-free ingredients like niacinamide to help keep pores clear and calm without causing extra oiliness.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This moisturizer goes as the last step in your morning routine before sunscreen, and after your evening treatment and cleanser at night. While it hydrates and plumps your skin well, acne-prone skin needs a product of this type that also includes ingredients to target breakouts and help control excess oil.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizing treatment with retinol by applying the cream after your retinol to help keep your skin soft and reduce irritation. Using a barrier-supporting moisturizer helps your skin adjust to retinol and lowers the likelihood of dryness or peeling.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this moisturizing treatment twice daily to keep your skin hydrated and smooth. Regular daily application helps improve moisture retention and supports your skin barrier without causing irritation. To properly care for acne-prone skin, this type of product also needs specialized ingredients that directly target breakouts and provide oil control.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This cream is unlikely to cause breakouts for acne-prone skin, as it is safe and free of harsh ingredients, though reviewers report a negligible risk of potential breakouts. Because it lacks specialized ingredients to directly target acne and oilier areas, acne-prone skin needs lightweight formulas with oil-controlling ingredients and targeted blemish treatments.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizing treatment around your eyes and on your body because it is very safe and well-tolerated. However, because the skin around the eyes is exceptionally thin while the back and other body areas are much thicker, you may want to focus it where you need the most hydration.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Poly-gamma-glutamic acid derived from a novel Bacillus subtilis strain dose-dependently increased skin barrier markers, hyaluronic acid synthesis, and aquaporin 3 expression in keratinocytes, and elevated filaggrin, involucrin, CD44, and aquaporin 3 expression in a reconstructed skin model compared to the control.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2025Topical 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, 2022A 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 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, 2019An amylopectin and carboxymethyl chitosan composite hydrogel loaded with isochlorogenic acid A/Fe3+ nanoparticles exerted nearly 100% bacteriostatic activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in vitro, and achieved an 86.5% wound healing rate at day 7 in vivo.
Gels, 2026Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Plant-derived squalane protected human dermal fibroblasts against UVA-induced damage by counteracting ROS formation, suppressing apoptosis-related proteins p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP, and restoring the pro-survival p-Akt/mTOR pathway.
Antioxidants, 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, 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
Why other moisturizers fit acne-prone skin better
Co-delivery of paeonol and madecassoside via nanoemulsions improved transdermal delivery, promoted barrier repair proteins, inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in cellular and 3D models, and reduced transepidermal water loss and acne in human facial skin compared to free components.
Molecules, 2023A 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, 2024A facial serum containing snail secretion filtrate, Calendula officinalis, and Glycyrrhiza glabra root extract significantly reduced inflammatory acne lesions compared to placebo in 66 participants with mild-to-moderate maskne over 12 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Ingredients
Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Dimethiconol, Dipropylene Glycol, Yeast Extract, Squalane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract, Gluconolactone, Calcium Gluconate, Polyglutamic Acid, Amylopectin, Lactic Acid, Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract, Hydrolyzed Silk, Tocopherol, Sodium Pca, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Chloride, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lauryl Peg-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Dimethicone Peg-10 15 Crosspolymer, Disodium Edta, Mica, Phenoxyethanol
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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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
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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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