Priming Moisturizer Rich

About Glossier Priming Moisturizer Rich

The original Glossier Priming Moisturizer Rich launched in January 2017 with an identity crisis. It aimed to be a thick, nourishing cream for dry skin, but also used honey and lavender oil to follow natural trends. Dry-skinned users liked the texture, but fragrance-sensitive, vegan, and allergy-prone consumers had to avoid it. It functioned like a restaurant with great food but terrible acoustics—loyal customers tolerated the flaws, but a large audience was excluded.

The circa-2023 reformulation fixed this. Glossier removed the lavender oil, honey, dimethicone, and shea butter. It added dual ceramides (NP and AP), cross-linked hyaluronic acid, and fermented camellia seed oil, bringing K-beauty fermentation science to an American indie formula. The result is a different product under the same name, and these changes are almost entirely positive.

Reality

The ceramide addition is the main feature. Ceramide NP and Ceramide AP are two of the six ceramide types that maintain the skin’s lipid barrier—the microscopic mortar between skin cells that prevents water loss and irritant entry. This addition moves the Priming Moisturizer Rich from a “pleasant rich cream” to actual barrier repair. Combined with squalane, which mirrors skin lipids, the formula now has a lipid profile that supports barrier recovery instead of just surface hydration.

The texture remains the product’s most immediate appeal. It is thick in the jar—the kind of thickness that helps dry skin—but melts quickly on warm skin. Within a minute, the buttery density becomes a dewy, velvety layer that feels protective but not suffocating. This absorption is notable for anyone used to rich creams that sit on the skin like a waxy mask.

The cross-linked hyaluronic acid (sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer) is a smart upgrade over standard HA. The crosspolymer network lasts longer than standard HA molecules, creating a sustained moisture reservoir on the skin surface. It provides sustained-release hydration rather than a single drink of water, so you stay moisturized longer between applications.

The fermented camellia seed oil is the most exotic ingredient. The yeast Pseudozyma epicola ferments camellia japonica seed oil to produce a filtrate with higher bioavailability and extra metabolites. While it lacks extensive independent clinical data, the theory is sound: fermentation breaks large lipid molecules into smaller, more absorbable forms and generates extra skin-conditioning compounds. This is Glossier’s nod to Korean beauty fermentation science.

The fragrance-free reformulation is a major improvement. The original lavender oil was a poor choice for dry, sensitive skin; lavender essential oil contains linalool and linalyl acetate, which are documented sensitizers. Removing it was more than a vegan gesture; it improved the formulation. The current version has no scent, which is rare and welcome in the rich-cream category.

Removing silicone is a lateral move. Dimethicone provided the original formula’s priming smoothness; now, the formula uses olive-derived emulsifiers (cetearyl olivate, sorbitan olivate) for a priming base that feels more natural but less silky. Users who preferred the original’s smooth makeup application may notice this change.

Performance is excellent for dry skin. Daily use for two to three weeks produces visibly plumper, calmer, and less flaky skin. Ceramides work gradually—you won’t see barrier restoration overnight, but by the six-week mark, reactive and chronically dry skin feels more resilient. As a primer, it creates a dewy base for most non-silicone foundations. It may pill under silicone-heavy makeup because the water-based emulsion system does not always work with high-silicone primers or foundations.

The jar packaging is frustrating. This reformulation prioritized clean principles—removing irritants, going vegan, and eliminating fragrance—so the jar feels inconsistent. A pump or tube would protect the ceramides and fermented oils from air oxidation and keep fingers out of the product. The jar looks good on a shelf, but it is not the best container for a barrier-repair cream.

At thirty-five dollars for 1.7 ounces, the value is solid. A fragrance-free, silicone-free, vegan formula with dual ceramides, squalane, cross-linked HA, and fermented botanicals would cost more from a luxury brand and roughly the same from pharmacy brands, most of which are not vegan or cruelty-free. The Leaping Bunny certification adds value for ethical consumers.

The 3.8 average rating on Space NK reflects a double-edged sword: some original customers feel the product changed without their consent, while others—especially those who avoided the original lavender or honey—are rating the new version highly. The reformulation made the product objectively better as a skincare formula while changing its character. If you liked the lavender scent, it is gone. If you wanted ceramides and fragrance-free, you got it.