I Used Only Waterless Skin Care For a Month. Here’s Everything You Need To Know.

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If you follow me here, then you know I love skincare. At the risk of sounding devastatingly lame, it’s my #1 hobby. (Everything else is work, writing, and parenting. Is exercise a hobby?) Always on a quest to help myself and others spend their hard-earned money wisely, I was excited to dive into the world of waterless beauty.

Waterless skincare products are simply those that use a primary base other than water in their formulations. If you’ve ever looked at an ingredient list, also called INCI (please, God, tell me you have), then you’d know that most of the time the first ingredient is water. In fact, the majority of skincare out there contains 60–80% water. 

So what are waterless skincare brands using in place of water? According to Dr. Leanne King, Cosmetic Chemist and Founder at Beauty Favours, it depends on the desired performance, texture, and sourcing, but the most common water replacements include:

• Botanical oils such as jojoba, rosehip, olive, and squalane — ideal for nourishment and barrier support
• Plant butters like shea, mango, or cocoa — for richer textures and deep moisturization
• Hydrosols or aloe vera juice — for lighter, more hydrating formulations
• Powders and clays — often used in dry cleansers or masks that you activate with water at home

“Each offers a different sensorial experience, but they all share the same goal: potency without dilution,” says Dr. King. This doesn’t mean waterless is better – there are too many good reasons why your favorite skincare brands use particular formulations. But it does mean that waterless skincare is something to consider, especially because of its sustainability practices. It’s estimated that the global beauty industry uses 120 billion liters of water a year. If that is egregiously upsetting to you (valid), maybe you’d want to give waterless beauty a try.

I went waterless for one month and found that my skin was never dry or stripped of moisture. It was brighter, and in addition to a few health choices, like minimizing sugar, my skin (finally!) cleared up after months of unusual breakouts. Here Dr. King gives me the details on this buzzworthy genre of skincare – and I’ve shared some of my favorites below.

What Are the Benefits of Waterless Skincare?

“Waterless skincare is all about concentration and performance,” says Dr. King. “When you remove water from a formula, you make space for more actives and nourishing botanicals, so every drop or swipe delivers more impact. Bases such as oils, butters, and waxes tend to feel richer and more comforting on the skin, helping to strengthen the barrier and lock in long-lasting moisture.” Sounds like a pretty good deal, right?

From a sustainability point of view, she says it’s an equally smart choice. “By removing water from formulations, this helps to reduce the overall water footprint of production. Waterless products are also typically more compact, requiring less packaging and lighter shipping — all of which contribute to a smaller environmental impact.”

I’d also heard that waterless formulas may require fewer preservatives, but I was confused. How would water affect preservatives? Dr. King explained, “Microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast and mold need free water to grow, so without it, the risk of contamination is much lower. This means formulators can often use milder, fewer, or no preservatives.” She does note, however, that oils and butters can still oxidize over time, so antioxidants such as vitamin E or rosemary extract may be added to maintain freshness and stability.

What to Look for in Waterless Beauty Formulas‍

Like any good skincare sleuth, I suggest you do your research – and Dr. King agrees. “Transparency is key. Check the ingredient list to confirm that the formula truly contains no water/aqua.” If sustainability is part of your motivation to go waterless, she suggests looking for brands that explain their sourcing and packaging choices and prioritize recyclable or refillable formats. 

“The quality of the oils and butters used also makes a big difference; cold-pressed, unrefined ingredients tend to retain more beneficial compounds for the skin,” she says. “Be wary of formulas that rely heavily on inexpensive filler oils or waxes just to carry the ‘waterless’ label – they won’t deliver the same benefits.

Oliveda, one of my favorite waterless brands (despite some heated MLM Reddit threads), uses organic ingredients, their hero being hydroxytyrosol, a powerful antioxidant derived from olive oil and olive leaves. Some of their INCIs do list acqua, so I did some digging. They feature this disclaimer on site to explain: 

“Water may appear lower in the OLIVEDA product label INCIs because it is simply a breakdown from other ingredients, beyond the emulsion base. For example, after harvest, the olive leaves are washed and pressed to extract the active ingredients. After washing some water may remain.” That’s waterless enough for me. Plus, their site is chock full of information on their sourcing, as well as an ingredient library, which I appreciate.

What’s the Best Format for Waterless Skincare?

“Every format has its strengths,” says Dr. King. “Powders are brilliant for travel and freshness since they’re activated on demand. Balms and solid moisturizers offer concentrated nourishment with minimal packaging.” Though she calls out that those with oily or acne-prone skin may want to avoid very heavy butters and instead reach for lighter options such as squalane or jojoba, which better mimic the skin’s natural sebum.

I, personally, prefer balms or waterless serums. Dr. King says she likes to use well-formulated shampoo bars and antioxidant-rich face oils that leave the skin glowing and resilient. “I also love multi-use balms — the kind that work as a lip conditioner, dry patch rescue, or even a subtle dewy highlighter,” she says. “They’re simple, concentrated, and sustainable — exactly what modern skincare should be.”

Ready to Take the Waterless Plunge?

This is not to say that you should toss all your current skincare to go full waterless, but I, myself, will definitely be adopting a few new mainstays. So many of the formulas felt indulgent with their rich textures, which feels especially nice in the winter. If you’re bristling at the price tag of some of these picks, Dr. King points out that waterless skincare products are more concentrated, so they may be more expensive than what you’re accustomed to. But, she notes, they may last longer, which could be an overall cost savings.

If nothing else, using waterless beauty is taking one small step toward minimizing negative effects on the environment. I don’t know about you, but I often feel like everything in the world  is out of my control, but this is at least one step in the right direction – and it can give you gorgeous skin in the process. Win/Win.

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