Meet the Balancing, Bouncy, Dewy Milk Moisturizer—How Is It Different from The Water Cream and Which Is Ideal for You?

Hydrating, balancing, and plumping—descriptions that could fit both the classic Water Cream and the new Dewy Milk Moisturizer. However, the two formulas possess distinct qualities. We explore which moisturizer is right for you and the differences between the two hydrators.

It’s an honor to take care of your skin (and one we do not take lightly). At Tatcha, we are passionate about all skincare products, but our moisturizers seem to be especially beloved and resonate with users. Rather than rest on our laurels, we’re always innovating, coming up with new formulations, which is why we’re thrilled to introduce our newest addition to the moisturizer category: The Dewy Milk Moisturizer. This lightweight, milky moisturizer deeply hydrates while balancing excess oil and boosting radiance for bouncy, supple skin with a lasting dewy glow.

Lightweight…balancing…radiance boosting…wait, that sounds a lot like the award-winning Water Cream. While they have similarities, they are different in many ways, too. To help understand what makes each formula special, we’re here to break down what’s different between The Dewy Milk Moisturizer and The Water Cream. From the texture to the ingredients, here is the difference between The Dewy Milk Moisturizer vs. The Water Cream.

Why We Love The Dewy Milk Moisturizer

The Dewy Milk Moisturizer is special and quite unique (allow us to count the ways). The Dewy Milk Moisturizer will help you achieve dewy skin, while delivering long-lasting hydration, balancing excess oil, and enhancing the skin’s natural radiance. In clinical studies*, the lightweight moisturizer instantly delivered twice the skin bounce, imparted a lasting dewy glow, and balanced excess oil for an all-day, breathable feel. 

*Based on a clinical study of 30 participants.

Ingredients 

The Dewy Milk Moisturizer contains a clever blend of groundbreaking science and tried-and-true Japanese botanicals for a moisturizer that supports and repairs the skin barrier.

Zinc Hyaluronate

A blend of zinc and hyaluronic acid, this ingredient minimizes water loss, helps strengthen the skin barrier, and works together to balance excess oil while delivering balanced hydration.

Prebiotic Green Tea 

This powerful antioxidant, extracted from green tea, works as a prebiotic, helping to boost the skin’s natural glow and supporting a healthy microbiome.

Japanese Purple Rice 

The nourishing grain contains a powerful antioxidant that helps protect the skin from free radicals and improves skin hydration, resulting in healthier skin over time.

Texture

The Dewy Milk Moisturizer comes in a lightweight creamy fluid in a pump package for ease of use (and reapplication). It’s ideal for many skin types, but those with combination to oily skin will especially love the lightweight feel and balancing capabilities.

Why We Love The Water Cream 

A balancing, hydrating (but not too much) option for supporting oily and acne-prone skin, The Water Cream has some pretty impressive clinical results to back up its claims. After just a single week, users showed an improvement in clogged and enlarged pores, skin smoothness, and texture.** And after two weeks, 97 percent of panelists saw an improvement in soothing redness** and a 27 percent improvement in the skin barrier function.***

**Based on an expert-graded study of 36 panelists.

***Based on a bio-instrumentation study of 27 panelists.

Ingredients

Packed with pore-minimizing, skin-smoothing ingredients, The Water Cream is made possible with a handful of multitasking must-haves. 

BHA Alternative

Visibly reduce pores and smooth skin with a BHA alternative, which mimics the power of beta-hydroxy acids, but without the potential irritation. Plus, Tatcha’s proprietary Hadasei-3 complex is present to help hydrate and resurface skin. 

Multi-Weight Glycerin

Glycerin is an incredible ingredient, but if formulated in a large molecular size, it can just sit on the skin’s surface. We use multiple weights of the hydrator to ensure it soaks in and also sits at the surface to shield and protect against water loss. 

Wild Rose + Heart leaf

Potent botanicals wild rose and heartleaf work to visibly tighten pores, while still soothing and calming the skin from redness and irritation.

Texture

The Water Cream has a refreshing water-burst texture and a natural matte finish. Much like The Dewy Milk Moisturizer, this lightweight cream is made for combination, oily, and acne-prone skin, acting as an effective moisturizing solution for these hard-to-hydrate skin types.

The Dewy Milk Moisturizer vs. The Water Cream

Both formulas are lightweight and balance excessive oil, but the main difference being texture and benefits. The Water Cream has a refreshing gel-cream texture, while The Dewy Milk Moisturizer has a lightweight creamy fluid feel (in a convenient pump package). The Water Cream smoothes skin texture and soothes redness, while The Dewy Milk Moisturizer hydrates and instantly leaves skin with a more bouncy appearance. The Water Cream also has a natural matte finish, while The Dewy Milk Moisturizer, as the name suggests, leaves behind a dewy glow.

Choose The Dewy Milk Moisturizer If…

If you’re looking for a lighter feel and oil balancing, reach for The Dewy Milk Moisturizer. This might be year-round for those with more oily skin, or just a warmer weather requirement for others.

Choose The Water Cream If…

If you’re looking to balance skin while also soothing redness. If clogged pores are a focus, too, The Water Cream is clinically proven to refine and minimize.

Choose Both If…

You enjoy switching up your moisturizer finish. Perhaps some days you prefer a matte finish (hello, The Water Cream) and others you enjoy showing off your naturally radiant, dewy glow (The Dewy Milk Moisturizer’s specialty).