The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA for oily acne-prone skin
Moisturizing Factors
Sodium Hyaluronate
Glycerin
Allantoin
Urea
Average
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
- The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2012
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 hydration for your oily skin, as Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate provide humectant action without exacerbating oiliness. While beneficial for general skin health, these ingredients do not specifically target your concerns of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The inclusion of Allantoin and Urea supports skin barrier function and offers soothing benefits, which is advantageous for maintaining overall skin comfort.
- The product is safe for your oily skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components.
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
★4.3Overall rating based on 8.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this moisturizer is highly favored by users with oily, combination, and sensitive skin for its hydrating properties without causing greasiness or breakouts. It is also frequently praised for its affordability and gentle, fragrance-free formula. The packaging size is also a common point of complaint.
Highlights
Non-greasy finish Mostly Mentioned
- “Sinks in immediately”
- “leaves a natural matte finish”
- “perfect for my oily t-zone”
- “zero greasy residue”
Unbeatable price Mostly Mentioned
- “Insanely affordable”
- “can't beat the price tag”
- “great budget staple”
- “bang for your buck”
Fragrance-free, gentle Often Mentioned
- “No irritation at all”
- “doesn't sting my sensitive skin”
- “completely scent-free”
- “didn't break me out”
Insufficient moisture Often Mentioned
- “Skin felt tight an hour later”
- “not enough for dry patches”
- “need to apply two layers”
- “too lightweight for winter”
Makeup compatibility Sometimes Noted
- “Makeup sits beautifully on top”
- “acts like a gripping primer”
- “no pilling under foundation”
- “smooth base for concealer”
Small packaging Sometimes Noted
- “Wish it came in a pump”
- “tube is too small”
- “finished it in two weeks”
- “hard to squeeze the last bit out”
Thick texture Sometimes Noted
- “Hard to spread”
- “feels like a thick paste”
- “stiff consistency”
- “requires warming up in hands”
White cast Sometimes Noted
- “Leaves white streaks at first”
- “takes work to rub in”
- “looks white until fully absorbed”
- “ghostly cast if you use too much”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, ulta.com, influenster.com, spacenk.com, theordinary.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA work for oily acne-prone skin?
This moisturizer works well to provide moderate hydration for oily skin without adding extra oiliness, though it does not actively target acne or breakouts. An oily acne-prone skin needs a product that includes powerful ingredients to clear blemishes and address acne while keeping a lightweight texture.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate make this cream a good fit for oily skin because they provide light moisture without adding extra oil. To work best for oily acne-prone skin, a moisturizer of this type also needs ingredients that actively target breakouts and clear blemishes.
What do Natural Moisturizing Factors do for oily acne-prone skin?
Natural Moisturizing Factors help keep oily acne-prone skin hydrated without adding heavy oils or clogging pores. A product for this skin type needs lightweight hydrating ingredients that balance moisture while keeping the surface feeling fresh and clear.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2024Dermatologic Therapy, 2004
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 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 in the evening. Because your skin is oily and prone to breakouts, a product of this type needs ingredients that target blemishes alongside lightweight hydration.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizer with retinol by applying the retinol first, letting it absorb, and then following with the cream to keep your skin calm and comfortable. Using a barrier-supporting moisturizer alongside retinoids helps reduce dryness and irritation while improving your skin's tolerance to the treatment.
How often should I use it?
You can use this moisturizer daily in the morning and evening as part of your routine. This product type needs ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to specifically target blemishes and breakouts on oily acne-prone skin.
Health Science Reports, 2021Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This moisturizer is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on oily skin, as it avoids harsh ingredients and features soothing components like allantoin and urea. However, because it does not actively treat breakouts or blemishes, oily and acne-prone skin needs products with targeted acne-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can safely use this moisturizer around the eyes and on your body, as its gentle formula provides good hydration and comfort for delicate and varied skin areas. It is unlikely to cause irritation, though skin on the body and around the eyes may need targeted ingredients for specific concerns like aging or extreme dryness.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetyl 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, 2017Topical oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions containing glyceryl glucoside, natural moisturizing factors, and ceramide significantly improved skin hydration and barrier function while reducing visible dryness and tactile roughness in subjects with very dry skin compared to untreated sites and vehicles.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2012Topical application of a formulation containing natural moisturizing factor components increased strongly bound water, decreased weakly bound water at 30-40% stratum corneum depth, and prevented intercellular lipids disorganization compared to placebo in 12 volunteers.
Molecules, 2021Topical 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, 2012Topical gel containing chitosan, 0.2% chlorhexidine, allantoin and dexpanthenol did not improve postoperative comfort regarding swelling and pain, but improved the wound's aesthetic appearance following impacted lower third molar extraction compared to no gel.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2016A topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020An overnight patch containing Allium cepa extract and allantoin safely promotes scar healing after dermatologic surgery, resulting in significantly greater reductions in observer- and patient-assessed POSAS scores compared to no treatment.
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2018Topical 40% urea cream achieved improvement in less time and showed superiority over 12% ammonium lactate lotion in skin roughness, fissure reduction, thickness, and dryness at day 14 in patients treated for moderate to severe xerosis.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002Topical treatment with K101 achieved a significantly higher mycological cure rate compared to placebo in patients with ≤50% nail involvement (27.2% vs 10.4%), while showing early visible improvements in nail appearance and no safety issues.
Mycoses, 2012
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
Water, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Glucose, Maltose, Fructose, Trehalose, Sodium Pca, Pca, Sodium Lactate, Urea, Allantoin, Linoleic Acid, Oleic Acid, Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Lecithin, Trioleic Acid, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Isoceteth-20, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Pentylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
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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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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How does it fit your skin?
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