Water Balm | 5-in-1 Barrier Support Gel-Cream Moisturizer

A pea-sized amount for your entire face and neck.

Seriously. That's it.

The Japanese encapsulation technology means you need less product for better results. A little melts into a thin, even layer that covers your whole face.

If you're using more than that, you're probably applying it to completely dry skin. Try this instead: Apply to skin that's slightly damp (right after cleansing or after spraying with Water Elixir). It spreads more easily and penetrates better.

One 50ml jar lasts 3-4 months with daily morning and night use.

That's $65 for 4 months = about $0.54 per day for pharmaceutical-grade barrier support. Cheaper than your daily coffee, and your skin lasts a lot longer than your caffeine buzz.

Here's how to get maximum hydration:

Step 1: Apply to slightly damp skin (right after cleansing or after using Water Elixir). Damp skin helps the gel-cream spread and penetrate better.

Step 2: Use a pea-sized amount. Warm it between your fingertips for a few seconds — this helps it melt and spread more easily.

Step 3: Press it into your skin rather than rubbing. Use gentle pressing motions working from center of face outward. This helps absorption.

Step 4: Don't forget your neck. The jar is generous enough to include this area, and your neck shows dehydration just as much as your face.

Step 5: Wait 30-60 seconds before applying sunscreen (morning) or next product (night). It absorbs fast, but giving it a minute ensures full penetration.

Pro tip: If you're applying makeup after, wait 2-3 minutes for complete absorption. This prevents any pilling and gives you the smoothest base.

Yes. Water Balm is safe for the entire eye area, including eyelids.

It's formulated to be gentle enough for this delicate skin and is ophthalmologist-tested. Many people use it as their eye cream because it hydrates and helps smooth the appearance of fine lines without causing puffiness or milia.

For best results around eyes:

• Use the tiniest amount (rice grain size for both eyes)
• Pat gently, don't rub
• Avoid getting product directly IN your eyes
• Apply on your orbital bone, not right at the lash line

If you want something specifically designed for eye concerns with additional peptides, try our Wrinkle Smoothing Peptide Eye Gel. But Water Balm absolutely works as a hydrating eye treatment.

Water Balm goes on after serums/treatments, before sunscreen (morning) or as your final step (night).MORNING ROUTINE:

1. Cleanser (optional in AM)
2. Treatment products (vitamin C, niacinamide, etc.)
3. Water Balm ← You are here
4. Sunscreen (wait 1-2 minutes after Water Balm)
5. Makeup (optional, wait 2-3 minutes)

EVENING ROUTINE:

1. Cleanser (we recommend Japanese Cleansing Oil)
2. Actives (retinol, AHA/BHA, prescription treatments)
3. Wait 20-30 minutes for actives to work
4. Water Balm ← You are here
5. Optional: Layer Water Oil or Intense Barrier Cream on top for extra support

Layering with other Sonia Roselli products:

• Water Elixir → Water Balm → Water Oil (complete hydration system)
• Actives → Water Balm → Intense Barrier Cream (overnight barrier repair)
• Water Balm alone (simplified routine)

Yes — Water Balm is excellent for people using retinoids, vitamin C, AHA/BHA, or prescription treatments.

Here's why it works so well with actives:

1. Lightweight texture — Won't pill or interfere with absorption of your treatments

2. Barrier support — The ceramides and amino acids help support your barrier while actives are doing their work, which can sometimes be compromising

3. Non-reactive formula — Doesn't contain ingredients that interact negatively with common actives

Application order matters:

• Apply your active ingredient first (on clean, dry skin)
• Wait 20-30 minutes for it to penetrate and do its work
• Then apply Water Balm to help support hydration and comfort

Many retinol users report being able to increase frequency or strength once they fix their hydration with Water Balm. Dehydrated skin is more sensitive to everything — hydrated skin is more resilient.

Note: If you're using prescription-strength tretinoin or experiencing significant dryness, you might also want to add Water Oil or Intense Barrier Cream on top of Water Balm for additional support.

Yes, Water Balm contains silicones — but not the pore-clogging kind.

The silicones used are breathable mesh polymers (dimethicone crosspolymer, cyclopentasiloxane) that create a soft, blurring finish while allowing air and moisture to pass through. Think of them like a breathable mesh fabric, not plastic wrap.

These specific silicones:

• Don't create a suffocating occlusive layer
• Do create that smooth, soft-focus finish
• Don't trap oil and cause breakouts in most people
• Do help makeup sit beautifully on your skin
• Don't feel heavy or greasy
• Do help prevent trans-epidermal water loss

This is borrowed from advanced Japanese cosmetic science — using silicones that blur and protect your barrier without suffocating it.

If you have truly silicone-sensitive skin (rare, but it happens), this won't be your product. But for the vast majority of people, including those with acne-prone skin, these breathable silicones cause no issues.

Over 200,000 people have used Water Balm, including many with oily and acne-prone skin. The formula is designed to support, not clog.

Water Balm has a light, natural rose scent from Rosa Damascena Flower Water — which is the hydration base of the formula, not added fragrance.

This isn't perfume dumped into a moisturizer for marketing. Rose water (damask rose hydrosol) has been used in skincare for over 1,000 years because it's:

• Anti-inflammatory
• Naturally hydrating
• Soothing for reactive skin
• Functionally beneficial, not just decorative

The scent is subtle and dissipates within a few minutes after application. It's not a strong perfume smell — it's the natural scent of the rose water itself.

If you're extremely sensitive to any scent whatsoever, even natural botanical ones, this may not be for you. But the rose water is part of what makes Water Balm so calming for sensitive and compromised barriers.

Important: There are NO added synthetic fragrances, essential oils, or perfume compounds in this formula. What you smell is the functional ingredient itself.

Water Balm is formulated without common irritants and is safe for sensitive skin, but let's talk about what "clean" actually means.

"Clean beauty" is marketing, not science. There's no legal definition. Some brands call themselves "clean" while using irritating essential oils. Others demonize safe, effective ingredients.

Here's what Water Balm actually IS:

Free from common irritants:

• No essential oils (can irritate sensitive skin)
• No drying alcohols (won't disrupt your barrier)
• No synthetic fragrance compounds (only natural rose water)
• No harsh preservatives (uses gentle preservation system)

Contains ingredients some "clean" brands avoid but are actually safe:

• Silicones (breathable, non-comedogenic, studied for decades)
• Synthetic ingredients (many are safer and less irritating than "natural" alternatives)

The philosophy: We choose ingredients based on safety data and efficacy, not marketing trends. Some synthetic ingredients are gentler than natural ones. Some natural ingredients are irritating.

Bottom line: This formula is designed to help support compromised, reactive, sensitive barriers. If it wasn't safe, it wouldn't work for that purpose.

The timeline depends on what you're measuring:

WITHIN 24-48 HOURS:

• Skin feels less tight and more comfortable
• Hydration lasts longer between applications
• That "thirsty" feeling by afternoon disappears
• Makeup applies more smoothly

WITHIN 1 WEEK:

• Visibly plumper, more supple skin texture
• Fine lines may appear softer (from improved hydration)
• Products absorb better instead of sitting on top
• Less redness or reactivity in sensitive areas

WITHIN 2-3 WEEKS:

• Improved moisture retention as your barrier function is better supported
• Consistent comfort throughout the day without reapplying
• That subtle "glow" from properly hydrated skin (not oil, not highlighter — actual skin luminosity)
• Makeup consistently looks better without special techniques

WITHIN 90 DAYS:

• Long-term barrier support means your skin naturally holds moisture better
• Less dependency on constant product application
• Overall resilience improves (skin reacts less to weather, stress, new products)

This is cumulative improvement, not overnight transformation.

Your skin took time to become dehydrated and barrier-compromised. It takes time to rebuild properly. But unlike quick fixes that give temporary results, this is helping support actual skin function.

Most people feel the difference within days. Most people see the difference within 2 weeks.

Water Balm may help reduce the appearance of fine lines caused by dehydration — which is actually most of what you're seeing, especially around the eyes and on the forehead.

Here's what's happening:

Dehydration wrinkles vs. true wrinkles: When your skin is dehydrated, it loses plumpness. This makes fine lines look deeper and more pronounced. Proper hydration plumps the skin from within, making these lines appear softer.

What Water Balm does:

• Helps your skin bind and hold water more effectively
• The improved hydration creates visible plumpness
• Hydrolyzed silk creates a light-blurring, soft-focus finish
• Fine lines may appear less pronounced because the skin is better hydrated

What Water Balm doesn't do:

• It's not a retinol or peptide treatment that works on collagen
• It won't "erase" deep expression lines or true wrinkles
• It's not formulated to address collagen loss or sun damage specifically

The honest truth: If your fine lines are primarily from dehydration (most common under eyes, forehead, around mouth when you smile), you'll see improvement. If they're deep wrinkles from sun damage, aging, or volume loss, Water Balm will help with hydration but won't dramatically change those lines.

For more comprehensive age-concern support, consider our Ageless Beauty Kit which includes Water Oil (with peptides) and Wrinkle Smoothing Peptide Eye Gel alongside Water Balm.

If Water Balm isn't lasting, here's what might be happening:

1. You have a lipid deficiency, not just dehydration Water Balm addresses water-binding (hydration). If your skin is truly dry (lacking oils), you need lipid replenishment too.

Try: Layer Water Oil on top of Water Balm, especially at night. Or switch to Intense Barrier Cream for richer moisture.

2. You're applying to completely dry skin Water Balm works best on slightly damp skin. The gel-cream needs a bit of moisture to spread and penetrate effectively.

Try: Apply immediately after cleansing while skin is still slightly damp, or mist with Water Elixir first.

3. Your environment is extremely dry Heating, air conditioning, or very low humidity can challenge even the best moisturizer.

Try: Use a humidifier in your space, especially while sleeping. Layer Water Oil over Water Balm for extra protection in harsh climates.

4. Your barrier is severely compromised If your barrier has significant damage (from over-exfoliation, harsh products, medical treatments), it might need more intensive support than Water Balm alone can provide.

Try: Start with Water Elixir underneath, Water Balm in the middle, and Intense Barrier Cream or Water Oil on top for 2-4 weeks. Once your barrier improves, you can simplify back to just Water Balm.

5. You're not using enough While a pea-sized amount is usually right, if you're very dehydrated or have larger surface area (including neck), you might need slightly more.

Try: A small pearl-sized amount and really press it into your skin rather than rubbing.

Still not working after trying these adjustments? Your skin might need the richer formulation of Intense Barrier Cream, or there might be an underlying issue worth discussing with a dermatologist.

Yes. Sonia has rosacea herself and created Water Balm for her own compromised, reactive skin.

Water Balm is formulated to help support the exact issues that come with rosacea:

✓ Compromised barrier function — Ceramides and amino acids help support barrier integrity

✓ Chronic dehydration — Multi-weight hyaluronic acid and moisture-binding ingredients help hold water

✓ Inflammation and sensitivity — Rosa Damascena flower water has natural anti-inflammatory properties

✓ Reactivity to most products — Formulated without common irritants like essential oils, drying alcohols, or harsh preservatives

What makes it rosacea-friendly:

• pH-balanced to match healthy skin (5.5-6.0)
• No ingredients that commonly trigger rosacea flares
• Gentle enough for daily use even when your skin is reactive
• Made in pharmaceutical facilities with strict quality control

That said: Everyone's rosacea triggers are different. What's fine for 99% of people might trigger the 1%. Always patch test, especially if you're in an active flare.

Over 200,000 people have used Water Balm, including many with rosacea and chronic sensitivity. It's specifically designed for this skin type.

Yes — and you might be surprised how much it helps.

Here's what many people don't realize: You can be oily AND dehydrated at the same time.

Your skin produces oil (sebum) to compensate for water deficiency. When your barrier is compromised and losing water, your skin overproduces oil trying to seal the leak. This creates that frustrating "oily but tight" feeling.

How Water Balm helps oily-dehydrated skin:

1. Addresses the actual problem — Helps support water-binding instead of adding more oil

2. Lightweight texture — Gel-cream absorbs quickly without leaving greasy residue

3. Barrier support — As your barrier function improves, oil production can normalize

4. Non-comedogenic silicones — Create smooth finish without clogging pores

Many people with oily skin notice that once they fix their dehydration, their oil production actually calms down. You were overproducing oil because your skin was desperate for moisture.

If you have true acne (not just oily skin), the ceramides and barrier support may actually help — compromised barriers are more prone to bacterial issues and inflammation.

What to watch for: If you're extremely acne-prone and react to any occlusive ingredients, introduce slowly and patch test. But most people with oily or acne-prone skin find Water Balm actually improves their skin.

Water Balm is formulated to help support compromised barriers, which is exactly what eczema-prone skin deals with.

What makes it suitable for highly sensitive skin:

• No common irritants (no essential oils, harsh alcohols, synthetic fragrances)
• Anti-inflammatory base (Rosa Damascena flower water)
• Barrier-supporting ingredients (ceramides, amino acids)
• Pharmaceutical-grade manufacturing (no contamination or impurities)
• pH-balanced to match healthy skin

However — and this is important — everyone's triggers are different.

Some people with eczema are sensitive to rose water (rare but possible). Some react to any silicones (also rare). Some react to specific humectants.

Recommendation:

• Patch test on your inner arm for 24-48 hours first
• If no reaction, try on a small area of your face
• If your eczema is in an active, broken flare, wait until it calms before introducing any new product

Water Balm is designed to help support the barrier dysfunction that underlies eczema-prone skin, but it's not a medical treatment. If you have severe eczema, use this alongside your dermatologist-prescribed treatments, not instead of them.

Water Balm doesn't contain any ingredients that are typically contraindicated during pregnancy or nursing (no retinoids, no salicylic acid, no hydroquinone, etc.).

However, we always recommend checking with your doctor before introducing any new skincare during pregnancy or while nursing. Every pregnancy is different, and your healthcare provider knows your specific situation.

The ingredients in Water Balm are generally considered safe:

• Hyaluronic acid ✓
• Ceramides ✓
• Amino acids ✓
• Rose water ✓
• Silicones ✓

But pregnancy can make your skin more reactive or sensitive to things that never bothered you before. Patch test and introduce slowly.