Being a person whose skin (before k-beauty, that is) frequently resembled a 2000-year-old sheet of parchment, my biggest skin problem has always been the same: Dry, dry, dry.

One of the reasons I was drawn to k-beauty years ago was because everything I read, from 10-step routines to reviews of products, seemed to have a heavy focus on moisture. I was always puzzled when putting moisturizer on the night before and waking up with dry patches under my nostrils — Why was it doing that? I had JUST put moisturizer on it!

This was way before I knew anything about the skin’s moisture barrier. Now that I do (and a more thorough explanation of that is coming in a future post), I understand that no amount of moisturizer could have fixed my problem at the time. I was washing my face with highly drying products and it was causing an overall state that left my face vulnerable to hormonal acne, sun damage, and of course mega-dryness. My skin’s moisture barrier was very sad.

I’m sorry, skin.

Goodal’s Moisture Barrier Liquid has the words in the name, so you can bet it’s geared to help repair this part of your skin. It’s a multifunctional product intended to replace your toner, essence, and emulsion, so if you are the type that cannot stand having a routine with a ton of steps, this will be for you.

Now for the SCIENCE

The liquid boasts mistletoe as a key ingredient, which I have not seen nor used in any other skin care product. There are some studies out there that support evidence that it is a powerful antioxidant, as Goodal claims. Fun fact: It’s also used in cancer treatments. But will it help your skin get healthy?

For me, it has helped mine tremendously. But before I get into that, let’s look at what’s in this product. CosDNA has the full ingredient list (but I will also list below), with one potential irritant for some users: SD alcohol. I typically try to keep alcohol off my face, and it can be severely irritating for some, so I would not recommend this product if you have any issues with it. I let this ingredient slide specifically because of a few others I liked seeing together.

What’s in it: Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Diglycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Niacinamide, Neopentyl glycol diheptanoate, Alcohol Denat, Pentylene Glycol, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Chondros Crispus Extract, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Octyldodeceth-16, Dimethiconol, Acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, Fragrance, Tromethamine, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Turmeric Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Allantoin, Viscum Album Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Squalane, Urea, Sodium, PCA/ Propolis Extract, Polydecene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated lecithin, Viscum Album Fruit Extract, Ceramide 3.

The ingredients that jumped out at me when I read up on this product were Niacinamide and Ceramide 3, both which play nicely with my skin and are in several other products that are a success for me.

Niacinamide (also known as vitamin B3!) is proven to increase skin’s moisture, reduce hyperpigmentation, and fight back against the signs of aging. It’s also excellent in helping to repair your moisture barrier!

Ceramides are a type of lipid (fats) that are also naturally produced in the body and can be found in the epidermis’ top layer. They also are moisture barrier powerhouses, so if you are working to repair damage or simply want to be preventative, these are terrific.

The texture of this product is viscous and will stick to your fingers a bit, as illustrated in the photo below. However, the moment it gets to my face, I can feel all that moisture absorbing, and my skin feels better almost immediately. Now that I have a regular regime with this stuff, all dryness has vanished completely. While the rest of my skincare regime is likely related to that result, I’ve seen powerful results adding this product to the mix.

A little goes a long way as well. I use about a quarter size on my face and neck daily. This is a terrific product for winter months, but on temperate days where the cold isn’t intense, I don’t always use it. I tend to vary out my routine depending on the weather, but winter was always the worst for me in terms of trying to keep my skin in decent shape.

The Moisture Barrier Liquid line from Goodal also has an eye cream and a moisturizer. I am using the eye cream and really enjoy it, but I did not go for the moisturizer as I had too many at home. When I deplete those, I think I will give them a try as I really have enjoyed this product. I don’t see a ton of press about Goodal’s products in the k-beauty world, but people are missing out by not giving them a try.

Another point about this line is that it is really well-priced. This product is $26 full price and currently on sale thanks to the shopping frenzy of Black Friday weekend. At roughly $60 on sale or $75 full price, you can grab an entire line of excellent products. I’m not one to shirk away from a product with a high price if it does the job, but if you can get one like this that gives skin the healthy glow, why shell out three times as much?

The Goodal products I have tried made me an instant fan. Could I recommend this for oily skin? Certainly not. It’s a treasure for dry, but if oily or combination is your issue, Goodal does have some other lines that are tailored for that. If you’re a super dry, sensitive, pale gal looking for some solutions, however, you’re in the right place with this product.

Product checklist:

-Goodal Moisture Barrier Liquid/$18.20 SALE @ Club Clio