🇸🇬Singapore

Neutrogena HYDRO BOOST WATER CREAM for oily skin

Neutrogena HYDRO BOOST WATER CREAM

Average

  • HighOily Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

Works for oily skin; other moisturizers fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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 hydration for your oily skin, as dimethicone and hyaluronic acid provide emollient and humectant benefits without increasing oiliness.
  • While the formula is safe and hydrating, its benefits are mostly supportive and do not directly address your primary concern of oily shine.
  • The product is safe for your oily skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients.

How to apply

  • Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine every day to keep your face fresh.
  • Apply this moisturizer after cleansing and toning, but right before your SPF in the morning.
  • Gently press a small amount into your skin and let it absorb fully.
  • Apply on clean, slightly dry skin to help control that oily shine.
  • Avoid the eye area and do a quick patch test before your first use.

People Say

★4.5Overall rating based on 2.0k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, this fragrance-free moisturizer is highly recommended by users with dry and sensitive skin for its lightweight, non-greasy texture that provides deep hydration and leaves skin plump and dewy. A significant number of recent reviews express disappointment due to a formula change, with some long-time users reporting new issues with irritation or texture differences compared to the original.

Highlights

  • Intense hydration Mostly Mentioned
    • “Skin looked plumper and radiant”
    • “Flooded my skin with moisture”
    • “Leaves face feeling refreshed and bouncy”
  • Lightweight texture Often Mentioned
    • “Absorbs quickly into the skin”
    • “No greasy residue”
    • “Melts into water upon application”
  • Formula change Often Mentioned
    • “Formula change ruined it”
    • “Bring back the original”
    • “Not as good as the old Gel-Cream”
  • Fragrance-free Sometimes Noted
    • “Perfect for sensitive skin”
    • “No scent is a huge plus”
  • Makeup compatibility Sometimes Noted
    • “Works well under makeup”
    • “Creates a smooth base”
    • “Foundation lays better on top”
  • Price vs. quantity Sometimes Noted
    • “Runs out quickly”
    • “Too expensive for the amount”
    • “Jar was half empty”
  • Skin irritation Sometimes Noted
    • “Made my face very red”
    • “Stung my skin immediately”
    • “Caused a burning sensation”
  • Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
    • “Broke me out in cysts”
    • “Caused tiny red bumps”
    • “Not safe for acne-prone skin anymore”

Sources: lovi.care, neutrogena.com, ulta.com, amazon.com, skinsort.com, youtube.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Cream work for oily skin?

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Cream offers moderate hydration for your oily skin without increasing oiliness, though it does not directly address oily shine. An oily skin moisturizer needs peptides, soothing extracts, and light hydrating ingredients that manage shine and maintain a lightweight, non-greasy texture.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for oily skin?

Dimethicone and hyaluronic acid make this cream a good fit for oily skin by giving it light moisture without adding oiliness or clogging pores. Oily skin of this type needs a lightweight moisturizer with peptides and soothing extracts that manage shine while keeping the skin barrier healthy.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

What does Hyaluronic Acid do for oily skin?

Hyaluronic acid helps oily skin by reducing extra oil and sebum production without causing irritation. Clinical studies show it successfully balances oil levels while keeping the skin comfortable.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2017

What does Glycerin do for oily skin?

Glycerin helps keep oily skin hydrated without feeling heavy and supports the skin barrier. Because this product is a weak fit for your skin, an ideal product of this type needs lightweight hydrators and ingredients that balance oil while protecting the skin.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008International Journal of Toxicology, 2019

Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily skin?

This moisturizer goes after your toner in the morning and after your treatment step at night. It provides moderate hydration without increasing oiliness, though oily skin often benefits more from ingredients like niacinamide that help control shine.

Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this moisturizer with retinol by applying your retinol treatment first, letting it absorb, and then smoothing this cream over it. This safe formula helps keep your skin comfortable without adding extra shine. Oily skin used with retinol needs a lightweight, oil-free moisturizer with ingredients like niacinamide or salicylic acid to help control excess oil while keeping the skin soft.

How often should I use this cream?

You can use this moisturizer twice a day, morning and night, to keep your skin hydrated without increasing oiliness. Daily application helps support your skin barrier and improves overall moisture levels safely.

Health Science Reports, 2021Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?

This cream is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on your oily skin because it lacks harsh ingredients and uses light hydrators like dimethicone and hyaluronic acid. However, some reviewers do report occasional breakouts, so you may want to test it on a small area first.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?

Yes, you can safely use this cream around the eyes and on the body because it has a gentle formula that is well-tolerated by thin skin. However, since oily skin needs extra help to control shine and balance oil, this type of product works best when it also includes ingredients like niacinamide or oil-absorbing powders.

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002

Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.

What the research says

  • Topical 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, 2022
  • Wearing 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, 2024
  • 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, 2017
  • Topical 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, 2011
  • Topical 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, 2022
  • Treatment 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, 2019
  • The 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, 2020
  • Ten 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, 2001
  • Niacinamide/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, 2012
  • Treatment 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
  • Externally 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, 2012
  • Vehicle additives such as silicates, dimethicone, and glycerin reduce skin irritation associated with benzoyl peroxide 5%/clindamycin 1% gel and topical retinoid combination therapy by maintaining barrier integrity.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2006

Why other moisturizers fit oily 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, 2024

Ingredients

Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Dimethicone Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Carbomer, Hyaluronic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, C12-14 Pareth-12, Sodium Hydroxide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Chlorphenesin

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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Prices checked 5 Nov 2026

The Lovi Fit is the same in every country; only the stores and prices differ, and the ones here are for Singapore.

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