Is Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Cream worth it?

Yes. All 7 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 87%.

What is Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Cream's Guru Score?

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Cream holds a Guru Score of 87%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 7 independent expert reviewers we have collected. It is also Guru Certified, our mark for products that hold broad approval across many expert reviewers.

Neutrogena

Hydro Boost Water Cream.

Moisturizers

About this product

A lightweight water-based moisturizer cream formulated with hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and natural moisturizing factors to hydrate and support the skin barrier.

Type

MoisturizersCream

Key actives

Hyaluronic acidCeramides

Formula notes

Fragrance-freeNo drying alcohol

Full ingredients

Water, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Serine, Glycine, Alanine, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Lysine Hcl, Glutamic Acid, Sodium PCA, Pca, Sodium Lactate, Urea, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Betaine, Allantoin, Fructose, Maltose, Trehalose, Glucose, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tropolone, Sodium Hydroxide

Guru Score

87%

Approved

7 experts · Strong agreement

Guru Certified

Broad expert consensus

7Gurus

7Approved

0Mixed

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What the gurus are saying

Gurus unanimously praise this as an affordable, fragrance-free workhorse for all skin types. The reformulation earned particular acclaim for adding ceramides and natural moisturizing factors, with reviewers noting it hydrates effectively while staying lightweight enough for layering sunscreen or using on oily skin. Consensus strengths are its simplicity, non-comedogenic formula, and ability to temporarily smooth fine lines through moisture; the only caveat is that very dry or barrier-compromised skin may need something richer at night.

Synthesized from 7 expert reviews · most recent take June 2026

Where to buy

Find it at Amazon → Compare prices on Google Shopping → Find it at iHerb →

How it works Independent by design. Every take comes from a creator we have no relationship with. We do not ask anyone to review, and affiliate links never move a score.

Every take, in full

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Approved takes Critical takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

Dr. Daniel Sugai

718k subs

✓Approved

"Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Cream or the water gel are very plumping because they are filled with hyaluronic acid. If you apply that to damp skin, it's going to help plump up your skin and temporarily hide those fine lines and wrinkles very well. That's one of my wife's favorite moisturizers."

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"If you want something lightweight, Neutrogena Hydro Boost is a very popular option. This is their water cream. My wife and my daughter love this one. If you have very oily skin, the Hydro Boost is a great option."

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"My wife's favorite is the Hydro Boost line by Neutrogena. This is her water cream. No fragrance, very lightweight, plumping, full of hyaluronic acid, and definitely helps hide fine lines and wrinkles. A great compliment to your retinol."

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"Recently the water Cream came out which is a nice compromise no fragrance but very nice and hydrating moisturizer not breaking the bank"

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Dr. Mamina

279k subs

✓Approved

"I love their Hydroboost line, especially their water cream and the Hydroboost gel cream. So good."

All 2 takes from Dr. Mamina

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"I love their Hydroboost line, especially their water cream and the Hydroboost gel cream. So good."

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"I would transition from heavier creams or ointments to lighter gel cream creams or lotions. Some of my favorite summer moisturizers are the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Cream."

Dr Dray

2.67M subs

✓Approved

"I'm a big fan of this body gel cream. It's a great value. I even use it on my face. The water cream has natural moisturizing factors and ceramides. If you're sensitive to niacinamide, check these out because they don't have niacinamide."

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"This is the fragrance-free Hydro Boost Water Cream with hyaluronic acid and natural moisturizing factors. It also has ceramides which are good for the moisture barrier."

*NEW* Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Cream And Water Gel Review

"It smooths out little fine lines around the eyes and I also find that it helps to just boost overall radiance through the improved moisture content. Good news for those of you who are sensitive to niacinamide and cannot seem to escape it in your skincare: neither of these products has niacinamide. I personally think these are an upgrade in comparison to the old formula. I actually prefer the consistencies of both, the textures of both. I think they're a little bit more elegant. You definitely can see that they tweaked it a bit to improve upon not only the ingredient profile and the performance of the product but also the aesthetics and the texture. Just like the old water cream, you get 1.7 ounces of product, although the newer jars look a lot smaller. It's a glass jar whereas the older one was like this kind of thicker plastic. If you have more mature skin, dry skin, atopic dermatitis, eczema, problem with the barrier, you might find that you want something a little bit richer, in which case you might want to try the water cream."

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"I'm currently using the water cream. One of my favorite moisturizers they discontinued and they came out with a cream and a gel in its place and I like both of them but the cream has natural moisturizing factors, it has ceramide, it has urea as a natural moisturizing factor so it's new and improved for sure in terms of the ingredients. The consistency is a lot richer in comparison to the older formula. I really like it, I really enjoy it. The gel is a lot more lightweight in comparison to the new cream but also really good and it has natural moisturizing factors like arginine, proline, it has urea, does not have ceramide in it but really good. They're both great. This is a lot more lightweight like this would be a good one to use in the morning because it is more lightweight so when you put your sunscreen on over it it's less likely to peel. I've been using this at night and I'm really enjoying it."

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"I like this cream though because it has the natural moisturizing factors whereas the Hydro Boost gel cream did not. The texture is kind of interesting in comparison to the old Hydro Boost. Neutrogena used to have the Hydro Boost extra dry that I loved so much, it was fragrance-free and they discontinued it, which is a bummer, but in its place they came out with the water cream and the water gel both of which are fragrance free, which as a side note Neutrogena has been doing a lot more fragrance-free, which I greatly appreciate. I really like it."

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"I'm almost done with this Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Cream as my face moisturizer."

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"This is the new reformulation of the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Cream that I used to rave about. They have this new one and it has ceramide in it, which is a new addition. This really does offer nice sustained hydration. It's great around the eyes too. I have found it as a moisturizer for temporarily smoothing the look of fine lines through moisture retention, which at the end of the day is the name of the game when it comes to the bulk of what skincare products do for you."

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"I am currently using the Hydro Boost Water Cream a lot and I really like it. It's got natural moisturizing factors, lipids, and hyaluronic acid, so it's really good for dry skin, winter skin, but it's nice and lightweight too."

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"Currently I'm using and loving the new Hydro Boost Water Cream um this is let me know if you've tried this what you think I kind of adore this"

Dr. Aleksandra Brown

133k subs

✓Approved

"Neutrogena Hydro Boost, I prefer the water cream versus the gel version for this. I find the water cream to be appropriate for all skin types, whether you're dry, combination, or oily. It's so thin it really allows me to layer sunscreen on top without anything rolling off or peeling."

Top Pick: versatile over the counter moisturizer

Dr. Jenny Liu

318k subs

✓Approved

"This moisturizer is fragrance-free so great to use on everyone even if you have sensitive skin. It contains a wonderful blend of ingredients including hyaluronic acid, ceramides, natural moisturizing factors and amino acids that really helps to plump and hydrate the skin and keep your skin hydrated throughout the day. With the water cream texture it's lightweight and fast absorbing. I think it's definitely better suited for the wintertime for those with more oily and combination skin. It's also non-comedogenic so definitely suitable for acne prone skin as well. If you're more like me that's on the drier side or live in somewhere that's super dry and cold I think you can definitely try this out for the morning. For me personally in the evening I like something a little bit more creamy, more nourishing, but definitely this formula I loved using in the summertime as my morning and evening moisturizer."

Tea with MD

109k subs

✓Approved

"I love recommending the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Cream to patients because it's affordable, it's very simple to use, it's no fuss, it's fragrance-free, it's great for those with acne, it's super hydrating without feeling very heavy or greasy on the skin so you can use this morning or night. It's a really hydrating and rich cream that contains hyaluronic acid, natural moisturizing factors, tons of amino acids, electrolytes, essential lipids, and ceramides as well."

Nipun Kapur

402k subs

✓Approved

"Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Cream has ceramide, it's a water gel, a light gel, a watery cream, some beautiful moisturizer for the morning so you can basically use that and use your sunscreen. This morning routine is giving you anti-aging benefits with peptides, which are chains of amino acids proteins, niacinamide, a fabulous ingredient, antioxidant that protects against environmental aggressors like heat, pollution, and sunshine."