Good Molecules Squalane Oil for oily acne-prone skin
Squalane
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
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 moderate moisturizing for your oily skin, as squalane provides emollient action to enhance barrier resilience without exacerbating oiliness.
- While beneficial for general hydration, the formula lacks targeted ingredients to address your primary concerns of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The product is safe for your oily skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh or prohibited ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this AM and PM routine every day to help clear your skin. Always remember to finish with SPF in the morning.
- Apply the moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your SPF during the day.
- Gently press a small amount into your skin and avoid rubbing to keep pores clear.
- Apply on clean, slightly damp skin to help the product absorb better and control oil.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a simple patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 800+ reviewsThis product is highly praised for its lightweight, fast-absorbing hydration that benefits dry, dehydrated, and sensitive skin without clogging pores or feeling greasy. Users with fungal acne and compromised skin barriers also report significant improvements, though a few note the small bottle size and potential for closed comedones with overuse.
Highlights
Deeply hydrating Mostly Mentioned
- “Provides great moisture overall”
- “Deep hydration without a greasy finish”
- “give my skin some much needed hydration”
- “leaves my skin soft and supple”
Lightweight, fast-absorbing Mostly Mentioned
- “ultra light-weight texture sinks straight into my skin”
- “absorbed surprisingly fast, leaving no greasy residue”
- “really light, nourishing and doesn't make my skin feel greasy”
- “absorbs quickly, it's not sticky”
Very affordable price Often Mentioned
- “Great product for a great price!”
- “This is a great affordable face oil!”
- “cheapest option here”
- “high performing and affordable, why pay more?”
Safe for sensitive skin Sometimes Noted
- “suffer from fungal acne... squalene oil has reinvented my skin”
- “not even one tiny pimple popping up in reaction to it”
Small bottle size Sometimes Noted
- “disappointed by its size—it's compact to the point where I had to ration it”
- “bottle is indeed small, containing only 13ml”
- “bottle and dropper is tiny”
- “so small it's like playing with a doll toy”
Causes closed comedones Rarely Noted
- “too much use lead to some closed comedones”
- “since it still is an oil... lead to some closed comedones”
- “wouldn't use this everyday as I felt like too much use lead to some closed comedones”
- “lead to some closed comedones for me”
Hard to use dropper Rarely Noted
- “really hard to open and hold the itty bitty child size dropper”
- “bottle and dropper is tiny”
- “hard to open and hold”
- “itty bitty child size dropper”
Sources: lovi.care, goodmolecules.com, ulta.com, reddit.com, skinsort.com, pureambeauty.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Good Molecules Squalane Oil work for oily acne-prone skin?
Good Molecules Squalane Oil works moderately well for your oily acne-prone skin, as it hydrates without making you too oily and is unlikely to cause irritation. However, because it lacks targeted ingredients for breakouts, an ideal moisturizer for this skin needs blemish-clearing ingredients, soothing extracts, and lightweight hydrating agents that do not clog pores.
Which ingredients make this oil a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Good Molecules Squalane Oil works for your oily acne-prone skin because squalane helps keep your skin soft without making it too oily, though a moisturizer for this skin also needs targeted ingredients for breakouts and blemishes along with lightweight hydrating agents.
What does Squalane do for oily acne-prone skin?
Squalane may help keep oily skin soft and smooth, but oxidized squalene can trigger inflammation in acne-prone skin. Because of this, oily acne-prone skin needs lightweight, non-greasy ingredients that balance moisture without clogging pores.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This moisturizer goes after your hydrating toner in the morning, and after your treatment step at night. It is safe for your oily skin and helps keep it soft, but this skin type needs a moisturizer with ingredients that target acne and breakouts.
Can I use this oil with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this oil with retinol by applying the oil after your retinol treatment to help lock in moisture and keep your skin soft without making it too oily. This type of routine needs a moisturizer that combines barrier-protecting ingredients with targeted breakout-fighters to properly care for acne-prone skin.
How often should I use it?
You can use this moisturizer daily, as it hydrates your oily skin without adding extra oiliness or causing irritation. A product for this skin type also needs targeted ingredients to help with acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
Can this oil clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This oil is unlikely to irritate your skin, but because it lacks targeted ingredients for blemishes, an acne-prone skin type needs a formula with acne-fighting additions to keep pores clear.
Can I use it around the eyes or on my body?
Yes, you can use Good Molecules Squalane Oil safely around your eyes and on your body because it is gentle and unlikely to cause irritation. The skin around the eyes is among the thinnest on the body, making gentle moisturizers a good choice for keeping that area soft and comfortable.
What the research says
Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Topical application of a vitamin C-squalene bioconjugate significantly increased epidermal thickness, type III collagen production, and glycosaminoglycans production in human skin explants compared to free vitamin C and vitamin C-palmitate.
Scientific Reports, 2020Application of squalene/phosphotungstate calcium nanowires (Sql/PWC) oleogel on UVB-irradiated skin decreased epidermal thickness, increased dermal thickness, and promoted the expression of elastin, collagen, and skin barrier markers through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.
Journal of Nanobiotechnology, 2025Plant-derived squalane protected human dermal fibroblasts against UVA-induced damage by counteracting ROS formation, suppressing apoptosis-related proteins p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP, and restoring the pro-survival p-Akt/mTOR pathway.
Antioxidants, 2025
Why other moisturizers fit oily acne-prone skin better
Co-delivery of paeonol and madecassoside via nanoemulsions improved transdermal delivery, promoted barrier repair proteins, inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in cellular and 3D models, and reduced transepidermal water loss and acne in human facial skin compared to free components.
Molecules, 2023A 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, 2024A facial serum containing snail secretion filtrate, Calendula officinalis, and Glycyrrhiza glabra root extract significantly reduced inflammatory acne lesions compared to placebo in 66 participants with mild-to-moderate maskne over 12 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Ingredients
Squalane, Squalane Oil
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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