I Swapped This Viral $69 Moisturizer for a $14 Target Option That Leaves My Skin Just as Dewy

As someone with sensitive skin, I’m hesitant to try new products, so when I find a staple, I often stick with it. I’ve been using Tatcha’s The Water Cream Moisturizer for over four years and have been known to recommend it to everyone I know. While my skin loves the viral and TikTok-loved moisturizer, sometimes my wallet doesn’t, considering its $69 price tag — which is where the Byoma Moisturizing Gel Cream comes in.

A friend briefly mentioned the Byoma moisturizer had a similar glowy effect as my oft-lauded Tatcha option. This, I had to investigate. Could it be? A cheaper alternative available at my local Target? I immediately bought it, of course, and have been using it over the past few months. I wasn’t looking to fall in love, but found myself infatuated. The cooling gel consistency absorbs quickly and hydrates my skin with its ceramides complex, while also helping to balance my finicky, sensitive skin thanks to niacinamide. 

Shop now: $14; target.com

Reviews seem to agree that the moisturizer is great at hydrating and improving skin texture. One shopper noted that it helped clear up their dry spots, writing that their skin appeared “all around smoother.” Another person noted that the moisturizer “balanced [their] skin without making it greasy or uncomfortable,” and raved that it “glides on without build [up] and works great with foundation.”

 While Tatcha’s Water Cream has a more luxe formulation, including the brand’s signature Hadasei-3 Complex, both moisturizers are lightweight and provide similar results, in my opinion. They do have two overlapping ingredients — glycerin and camellia sinensis leaf extract (a green tea plant) — which could be why Byoma’s Moisturizing Gel Cream provides a similar glow factor. It’s important to note that I don’t one moisturizer is not “better” than the other — when I apply Byoma’s cream, my skin feels hydrated and plump, as it does when using Tatcha’s cream. This is not a comparison game; simply put, both moisturizers help to soothe, nourish, and protect my skin barrier. It’s the price difference that changes it all.

Byoma’s cream has become my go-to whenever I run out of my Tatcha moisturizer and simply don’t have the budget to splurge. If you’re in the market for a lower-cost, hydrating, everyday moisturizer, I couldn’t recommend the Byoma Moisturizing Gel Cream enough.