Neutrogena HYDRO BOOST WATER CREAM for combination skin
Hyaluronic Acid
Glycerin
Dimethicone
Cetearyl Olivate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Average
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
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 hydration for your combination skin, as glycerin and hyaluronic acid provide humectant action without feeling heavy, addressing your oily shine.
- The formula is generally safe for your combination skin, with no harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing hyaluronic acid.
- While it provides good hydration, the product does not offer targeted solutions for specific concerns beyond general moisturizing.
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
★4.5Overall rating based on 2.0k+ reviewsBased 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 Hydro Boost Water Cream work for combination skin?
Hydro Boost Water Cream works reasonably well for your combination skin, giving you moderate moisture without feeling heavy or making your oily shine worse. A moisturizer for this skin needs ingredients that provide hydration and brightness while soothing the skin and reducing excess oil without causing irritation.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for combination skin?
Glycerin and hyaluronic acid help make this cream a good fit by providing light moisture that addresses your oily shine without feeling heavy. To fit combination skin even better, a moisturizer needs a well-rounded mix of brightening ingredients, peptides, soothing agents, and antioxidants.
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?
Apply this moisturizer in the morning after your hydrating toner and before your sunscreen, and in the evening as the final step after your treatment. A consistent daily routine with a gentle moisturizer helps improve overall skin hydration and barrier function.
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 by applying the retinol first and following with the moisturizer. This combination helps keep your combination skin soft and comfortable while reducing the dryness that active treatments may cause. Combination skin needs a lightweight moisturizer with glycerin and hyaluronic acid to deliver balanced hydration without feeling heavy or adding oily shine.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this moisturizer twice a day, in the morning and evening, to keep your combination skin hydrated without feeling heavy. Regular daily use helps maintain moisture and supports your skin barrier.
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 for combination skin, as it has a generally safe formula with no harsh ingredients. However, it only provides general moisturizing and lacks targeted solutions for specific concerns, so combination skin often needs a lightweight formula with added oil-balancing ingredients.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizer around the eyes and on the body because its gentle formula and ingredients suit thinner areas of skin well. Hyaluronic acid and glycerin help keep those areas soft and hydrated without feeling heavy.
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
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, 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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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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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
How does it fit your skin?
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