If you’ve ever turned over a lotion bottle and seen “water (aqua)” as the very first ingredient, you’re not alone. It’s one of the most common components in skincare—and also one of the most misleading.
At Tau Tau Skin, we don’t use water in any of our products. Not even a drop. That’s a conscious choice rooted in performance, purity, and your skin’s long-term health.
Here’s why.
1. Water-Based Products Are Diluted Products
Most traditional lotions and creams are made up of 60% to 80% water. That means the bulk of what you’re paying for evaporates the second it hits your skin.
Water feels hydrating at first—but it doesn’t last. Your skin dries out just as quickly as it absorbs it. To counteract that, companies add synthetic humectants, stabilizers, and emulsifiers to create a “moisturizing” effect that’s largely surface-level.
Our approach is different: we formulate with whole, nutrient-dense ingredients only—no fillers, no shortcuts.
2. Water Requires Preservatives (We Don’t Use Those Either)
Where there’s water, there’s risk of bacteria. That’s why water-based skincare requires preservatives—often synthetic, and many of them known irritants or endocrine disruptors.
Think parabens, phenoxyethanol, or formaldehyde-releasing agents. Even the “natural” preservatives can throw sensitive skin off balance.
By removing water, we eliminate the need for preservatives entirely. That means our products are:
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Safe for pregnancy and postpartum
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Non-toxic and gentle enough for babies
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Better tolerated by sensitive, allergy-prone skin
3. Water Doesn’t Repair Your Skin Barrier—Fat Does
Dryness, flaking, redness, sensitivity—all signs of a compromised skin barrier. And your barrier needs lipids, not water, to heal.
That’s why we use tallow, beeswax, jojoba, and olive oil—ingredients rich in fat-soluble vitamins and skin-repairing fatty acids. These mimic your skin’s own oils, seal in moisture, and restore your barrier from the inside out.
You get long-lasting hydration, not just a temporary “hydrated” feeling.
4. A Little Goes a Long Way
Water-based creams require a lot of product because most of it disappears on contact.
Our water-free balms and butters are ultra-concentrated. You only need a pea-sized amount. That makes each jar last longer, deliver more value, and offer more consistent results over time.
Less waste. More performance.
5. No Water = No Dilution of Results
We don’t believe in fluffy formulas or watered-down marketing. What you get in every jar is 100% active skincare—every ingredient chosen for a reason, every benefit backed by intention.
That’s the difference between just using skincare and seeing a visible transformation.
The Bottom Line
We keep water out of our formulas so we can keep the good stuff in. That means more nourishment, fewer reactions, and products that actually do what your skin needs: restore, protect, and heal.
If you're tired of reapplying moisturizer every few hours or wondering why your “hydrating” cream never really works—this is your invitation to try skincare that respects your skin’s biology and gives you more with less.