CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser for oily acne-prone skin
3 Essential Ceramides
Sodium Hyaluronate
Glycerin
Cholesterol
Phytosphingosine
High
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for oily acne-prone skin; a few cleansers fit it even better.
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
- International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2007
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers high compatibility with your oily skin as glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide excellent humectant action, while ceramides and cholesterol support your skin barrier function. These ingredients hydrate and cleanse without exacerbating oiliness or causing irritation.
- The formula effectively cleanses and hydrates your oily skin, addressing general skin health and barrier support.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this cleanser as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using it daily to help clear your breakouts.
- Apply this cleanser as the first step in the morning and right after your pre-cleanser in the evening. Follow it with your toner and moisturizer.
- Gently massage a small amount of the cleanser onto your face using circular motions. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and pat dry.
- Apply the cleanser on slightly damp skin to help clean deeply and remove excess oil. This works best for oily skin types.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 85.0k+ reviewsHowever, users with oily skin or those who wear heavy makeup may find it insufficient for thorough cleansing or removing stubborn residue.
Highlights
Gentle and non-stripping Mostly Mentioned
- “doesn't leave face tight”
- “feels like lotion”
- “skin feels soft not squeaky”
Hydrating formula Often Mentioned
- “helped my dry patches”
- “leaves a moisturizing film”
- “saved my winter skin”
Safe for sensitive skin Often Mentioned
- “no redness after washing”
Poor makeup removal Often Mentioned
- “doesn't take off mascara”
- “need a second cleanse”
- “leaves residue behind”
Fragrance-free Sometimes Noted
- “no strong smell”
- “doesn't irritate my nose”
- “great for allergy sufferers”
Restores skin barrier Sometimes Noted
- “healed my damaged barrier”
- “helped with retinol dryness”
- “skin feels healthier”
Slimy/Non-foaming texture Sometimes Noted
- “feels like washing with conditioner”
- “miss the bubbles”
- “doesn't feel like it's cleaning”
Burning sensation Rarely Noted
- “burns my damaged skin”
- “stung upon application”
- “caused heat on raw areas”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “gave me closed comedones”
- “too heavy for my pores”
- “caused small whiteheads”
Pump packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “pump arrived broken”
- “stopped working halfway”
- “hard to unlock”
Sources: lovi.care, cerave.com, ulta.com, walmart.com, target.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser a great fit for oily acne-prone skin?
CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser is a great fit because glycerin and sodium hyaluronate draw in moisture while ceramides and cholesterol support your skin barrier without making you oily. It cleanses and hydrates safely, and is unlikely to cause irritation.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is a great fit because glycerin and sodium hyaluronate hydrate your oily skin without adding extra oil, while ceramides, cholesterol, and phytosphingosine help calm your skin and support your skin barrier. These ingredients clean effectively while keeping your skin feeling soft and comfortable without causing irritation.
What do Ceramides do for oily acne-prone skin?
For oily acne-prone skin, ceramides help repair the skin barrier and improve moisture to reduce redness and acne-related irritation. Because acne-prone skin often lacks these essential lipids, adding them back supports a stronger barrier and helps keep the skin calm and smooth.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for oily acne-prone skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps calm oily acne-prone skin by reducing sebum production and lipid synthesis in sebaceous glands. It also supports skin barrier function and improves hydration while helping deliver treatments without causing irritation.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2017Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser fits right at the start of your morning and evening routine to wash your face. It gently cleanses and hydrates your oily skin without making it greasy or irritated, helping keep your skin barrier healthy.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol by applying the cleanser first on damp skin, rinsing it off, and then following with your retinol treatment once your face is dry. Using a gentle cleanser helps wash your face without causing irritation or stripping your skin while you use strong acne or anti-aging treatments.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine, because it cleanses and hydrates without making oily skin heavier or causing irritation. Using a mild cleanser daily is very unlikely to cause any harsh side effects, as it has an excellent safety profile.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily acne-prone skin because it features a very safe formula without harsh ingredients that could irritate your skin. It gently cleanses while supporting your skin barrier, though individual reactions can still vary.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
Yes, you can use this cleanser around the eyes and on your body because its gentle formula cleanses and hydrates safely. The skin around the eyes is quite thin, but the absence of harsh ingredients helps ensure it is unlikely to cause irritation.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.
What the research says
A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Phytosphingosine demonstrates anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory activity with excellent clinical results in acne vulgaris.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2007A lipid mixture enriched by ceramide NP with fatty acids of diverse chain lengths significantly improved skin barrier recovery rate, stratum corneum integrity, and hydration compared to a vehicle cream in healthy adult male volunteers with corticosteroid-impaired skin.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2022Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012Botulinum toxin-A encapsulated in phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol nanoliposomes delivered transdermally achieved a diffusion depth of 380 μm and showed a nonsignificant advantage in relieving post-acne scarring compared to hyaluronic acid hydrogel treatment in 12 facial patients.
Journal of Materials Science. Materials in Medicine, 2024Topical application of cholesterol sulfate increases stratum corneum thickness and inhibits protease-induced cell dissociation by competitively inhibiting serine proteases in mice and human stratum corneum.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 1998Topical lovastatin treatment impairs the recovery of cutaneous permeability barrier function and stratum corneum cholesterol levels after acetone disruption in mice, an effect normalized by simultaneous treatment with mevalonate or cholesterol.
The Journal of Clinical Investigation, 1990Topical application of an emulsion containing a complete mixture of ceramides III, IIIB, VI, phytosphingosine, cholesterol, and linoleic acid significantly accelerated barrier recovery after SLS damage and improved skin hydration after acetone treatment in human volunteers compared to an emulsion containing only two types of ceramides.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2002Phytosphingosine increased filaggrin metabolism and skin hydration in human skin by stimulating filaggrin biosynthesis and degradation leading to natural moisturizing factor formation.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2017Phytosphingosine inhibits melanin synthesis in cultured melan-a cells and a reconstructed human skin model by modulating MITF through suppression of gene expression and induction of protein degradation.
Journal of Dermatological Science, 2017
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide Eop, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cholesterol, Peg-40 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 20, Potassium Phosphate, Dipotassium Phosphate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Disodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Carbomer
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
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