Provided are water-based skin care compositions, especially water-based skin care lotions. It has been found that water-based moisturizing compositions exhibiting improved moisturizing properties can be produced by including a small but suitable amount of a water-soluble shellac or analog in the composition. In particular, it has been found that water-based moisturizing compositions which contain a small but suitable amount of a water-soluble shellac or analog dissolved in the aqueous phase of the composition exhibit significantly improved barrier film properties, as determined by conventional electroconductivity and transdermal water loss tests.
