🇦🇪United Arab Emirates

Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion for oily skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

Estée Lauder Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion

Average

  • HighOily Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

Works for oily skin; other toners fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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

  • This product offers moderate hydration for your oily skin, with sodium hyaluronate and trehalose providing moisturizing effects, while caffeine and acetyl hexapeptide-8 help with seboregulation and collagen stimulation.
  • While it provides general skincare benefits, it lacks targeted ingredients for significant oil control, which is your main concern.
  • The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract.

How to apply

  • Use your hydrating toner in your AM and PM routine every day to keep skin fresh.
  • Apply this product after cleansing and before your moisturizer or SPF.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the hydrating toner into your skin and let it absorb.
  • Apply the hydrating toner on slightly damp skin to help it absorb better.
  • Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your very first use.

People Say

★4.7Overall rating based on 800+ reviews

This essence is highly praised for its ability to deeply hydrate and strengthen the skin barrier, leading to a radiant glow and refined texture. It is also effective at soothing redness and calming irritation. A significant number of users find its lightweight consistency absorbs quickly. However, some users with sensitive or acne-prone skin have experienced breakouts, and a minority found the results too subtle or the price point too high.

Highlights

  • Deep hydration Mostly Mentioned
    • “skin stays perfectly hydrated”
    • “lightest delightful moisturizing liquid”
    • “intensifies deep moisture”
    • “plumps up fine lines”
  • Absorption Often Mentioned
    • “absorbs 10 times quicker”
    • “penetrates fairly quickly”
    • “not sticky”
    • “light watery consistency”
  • Radiance and glow Often Mentioned
    • “angelic glow from within”
    • “skin is glowing”
    • “emanated a translucent glow”
    • “brightens dull complexion”
  • Refined texture Often Mentioned
    • “skin felt soft and supple”
    • “refined texture”
    • “smooths dry pores”
    • “silky to the touch”
  • High price Often Mentioned
    • “premium price may be a drawback”
    • “expensive”
    • “hard to justify the cost”
    • “pricey but worth it”
  • Soothing and calming Sometimes Noted
    • “calms and soothes”
    • “reduces redness around nose”
    • “skin feels calmer”
  • Ineffective results Sometimes Noted
    • “like spiked water”
    • “didn't notice a difference”
    • “did absolutely nothing”
    • “results too subtle”
  • Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
    • “broke me out”
    • “developed cysts”
    • “caused allergic reaction”
    • “not for sensitive skin”
  • Scent Rarely Noted
    • “smells like vitamins”
    • “unpleasant scent”
    • “barely notice a scent”
    • “fragrance-free but has a smell”
  • Sticky residue Rarely Noted
    • “slightly sticky feeling”
    • “leaves a residue”
    • “tackiness does go away”
    • “felt more oily than watery”

Sources: lovi.care, macys.com, walmart.com, sephora.sg, sephora.co.uk, cozycot.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does Estée Lauder Micro Essence work for oily skin?

This hydrating toner works decently for oily skin by providing moderate moisture with sodium hyaluronate and trehalose, but it lacks targeted ingredients for significant oil control. It has a very safe formula with soothing chamomile extract that is unlikely to cause irritation. Oily skin needs a product of this type that is safe, controls shine well, and includes specific oil-balancing and skin-repairing ingredients to keep skin clear and properly balanced.

Skin Research and Technology, 2024Annals of Dermatology, 2019

Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for oily skin?

Sodium hyaluronate and trehalose provide moisture while caffeine and acetyl hexapeptide-8 help manage oil and smooth the skin. Because it lacks targeted ingredients for significant oil control, an oily skin type needs a toner that balances moisture with strong oil-controlling and skin-repairing ingredients to keep excess shine in check.

Skin Research and Technology, 2024American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2013

What does Bifida Ferment Lysate do for oily skin?

Bifida Ferment Lysate helps strengthen the outer skin layer and calm redness, making it a good fit for oily skin that gets easily irritated. It also provides antioxidant support and helps keep skin defenses balanced.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023Experimental Dermatology, 2010

What does Argireline do for oily skin?

Argireline is generally safe for oily skin, but it is primarily used for anti-aging and smoothing wrinkles rather than controlling oil. To properly care for oily skin while targeting signs of aging, this type of product needs a lightweight, oil-free formula that hydrates without feeling heavy.

Where does this toner go in a skincare routine for oily skin?

This toner goes right after cleansing in your morning and weekly routines. It is very unlikely to irritate oily skin, but to truly manage excess oil, this skin type needs targeted oil-controlling and balancing ingredients.

Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this toner with retinol by applying the toner first to damp skin and following with your retinol once it absorbs. This product is unlikely to cause irritation due to its soothing ingredients, though oily skin ultimately needs targeted oil control and mattifying agents.

How often should I use this toner?

You can use this hydrating toner in your morning routine after cleansing and before moisturizing. Oily skin benefits most from this type of product when it includes oil-controlling ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide.

Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?

This toner is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily skin, as it has a very safe formula with soothing chamomile and no harsh ingredients. Reviewers rarely report breakouts, though some mention a slightly sticky residue.

Is this toner fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

What the research says

  • Sodium trehalose sulfate decreased transepidermal water loss and increased stratum corneum water content in participants with low stratum corneum water content when applied for 4 weeks compared to placebo.

    Skin Research and Technology, 2024

  • Argireline treatment twice daily for 4 weeks produced a significant anti-wrinkle effect with 48.9% total efficacy and decreased skin roughness in Chinese subjects compared with 0% efficacy and no decrease in roughness in the placebo group.

    American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2013

  • Treatment with cross-linked hyaluronic acid-based microneedle patches combined with acetyl hexapeptide-8 or epidermal growth factor significantly improved wrinkles and skin hydration compared to the patch alone in Korean females over 29 days.

    Annals of Dermatology, 2019

  • Topical application of Bifida Ferment Lysate strengthens the skin barrier function by upregulating barrier and antimicrobial peptide genes, exhibiting strong antioxidant properties, and decreasing inflammatory cytokine secretion in vitro.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023

  • Acetyl hexapeptide-3 and tripeptide-10 citrulline demonstrated antiwrinkle efficacy and decreased transepidermal water loss in twenty-four healthy volunteers compared to control groups, though synergistic effects between the two peptides remained unclear.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2017

  • Daily topical acetyl hexapeptide-8 showed a trend toward a longer time until return to baseline Jankovic Blepharospasm Rating Scale scores compared to placebo (3.7 months vs. 3.0 months) in 24 patients with blepharospasm receiving botulinum toxin therapy.

    European Journal of Neurology, 2013

  • Argireline applied twice daily for 4 weeks achieved a total anti-wrinkle efficiency of 48.9% and notably reduced wrinkle depth compared to placebo in Chinese subjects.

    Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2013

  • Topical 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, 2011

  • Topical 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, 2022

  • Treatment 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, 2019

  • Topical 2% N-acetyl glucosamine reduced facial hyperpigmentation in an 8-week split-face clinical test, with an even greater effect observed when combined with 4% niacinamide.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2007

  • N-acetyl-glucosamine-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers successfully delivered the hydrophilic agent through the skin and reduced melanin distribution in healthy volunteers.

    Advanced Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 2016

  • Topical cosmetic products containing hyaluronic acid, N-acetyl glucosamine, and gamma-amino butyric acid improved skin hydration by 24.28% to 33.60%, elasticity by 11.98%, and skin lightening by 5.26% over 2 months in 20 female participants.

    Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2019

  • Topical chloramphenicol-betamethasone combined with sodium hyaluronate/trehalose/carbomer gel compared to chloramphenicol-betamethasone alone reduced most subjective symptoms at 1 week but increased blurred vision at 4 weeks following strabismus surgery in 31 patients, with no significant differences in conjunctival inflammation between treatments.

    Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 2019

  • Topical treatment with Thealoz Duo significantly improved dry eye disease symptoms, tear break-up time, and restored tear lipid layer functionality by reducing inflammatory response proteins in moderate to severe dry eye patients over 56 days.

    Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2025

  • An injectable product combining different molecular weights of hyaluronic acid and trehalose reduced CML formation by 45% at baseline and 30% under methylglyoxal-induced stress while preserving cell viability in human skin explants compared to untreated controls.

    International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2025

Why other toners fit oily skin better

  • A panthenol-enriched mask improved skin hydration, regulated sebum, and reduced redness and TEWL across dry sensitive, oily sensitive, and oily acne skin subgroups with excellent tolerance and no adverse reactions.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

Ingredients

Water, Bifida Lysate Ferment, Peg-75, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Betaine, Pentylene Glycol, Lactobacillus Ferment, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Acetyl Glucosamine, Trehalose, Caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract Chamomile Flower Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Ppg-5-Ceteth-20, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Citrate, Tromethamine, Disodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol

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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

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Prices checked 28 Oct – 31 Oct 2026

The Lovi Fit is the same in every country; only the stores and prices differ, and the ones here are for the United Arab Emirates.

How does it fit your skin?

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