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COSRX Aloe Soothing Sun Cream for oily acne-prone skin

High

  • HighOily Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

One of the best sunscreens for oily acne-prone skin.

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

  • Highly suitable for your oily skin, this product offers excellent moisturizing and sun protection with glycerin and broad-spectrum UV filters like bis-ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine, while alcohol and silica provide mild astringent and mattifying effects.
  • Aloe Arborescens Leaf Extract and dipotassium glycyrrhizate offer supportive hydration and soothing benefits for your acne, blemishes, and breakouts, though more targeted ingredients could enhance efficacy.
  • 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 components.

How to apply

  • Use your moisturizing sunscreen every morning. Reapply throughout the day if you are outside.
  • Apply this moisturizing sunscreen as the final step of your morning routine after your moisturizer.
  • Gently smooth a nickel-sized amount over your face and neck, avoiding harsh rubbing to keep oily areas calm.
  • Apply this moisturizing sunscreen on clean, dry skin to ensure even coverage and protection.
  • Avoid getting the product into your eyes and do a patch test before your first use.

People Say

★4.6Overall rating based on 5.0k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, users with dry to combination skin frequently praise this sunscreen for its moisturizing properties and lack of white cast, often noting it doubles as a daily moisturizer. A moderate number of users find it soothing and good for use under makeup, with a pleasant scent. Some users with oily or sensitive skin report a greasy finish, and a low number of users mention issues with strong fragrance, eye stinging, pilling, or the presence of alcohol.

Highlights

  • No White Cast Mostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs quickly without leaving any white cast”
    • “no white cast blends perfectly”
    • “didn't leave a recognisable cast on him either”
    • “goes on clear even on deeper skin tones”
  • Good Under Makeup Often Mentioned
    • “sits perfectly under makeup”
    • “doesn't make my foundation look patchy”
    • “perfect for daily use under makeup”
    • “perfect canvas for your make-up”
  • Moisturizing/Hydrating Often Mentioned
    • “feels like a moisturizer and very lightweight”
    • “hydrating without being heavy”
    • “skip moisturizer and use this over serums”
    • “leaves my skin feeling healthy and looking healthy”
  • Pleasant Scent Sometimes Noted
    • “fresh aloe scent which I found pleasant”
    • “soft scent of aloe”
    • “smell is like a normal sunscreen smell... with a hint of Aloe Vera”
    • “scent is rlly nice”
  • Soothing/Calming Sometimes Noted
    • “feels like a hug for my skin”
    • “helps soothe the skin”
    • “calming formula”
    • “never caused irritation, visible or otherwise”
  • Greasy/Shiny Finish Sometimes Noted
    • “can look a tad bit greasy if you're somebody with oily skin”
    • “gets a bit greasy after some time”
    • “leaves a shiny finish”
    • “mid-day oil slicks”
  • Contains Alcohol Rarely Noted
    • “contains alcohol... might irritate eyes”
    • “avoid anything yang ada alcohol”
    • “alcohol would irritate my eyes”
    • “presence of alcohol... give this one a patch test”
  • Eye Stinging Rarely Noted
    • “stung my eyes super bad”
    • “stings eyes unbearably... once it gets into them”
    • “causes eye stinging”
    • “sweat in my eyes... stinging”
  • Pilling Rarely Noted
    • “pills like crazy”
    • “white flakes all over my finger”
    • “reapplies with cakey white marks”
    • “pilling around my jawline”
  • Strong Fragrance Rarely Noted
    • “smell is overpowering for them”
    • “smells like heavy perfume”
    • “unhappy with the existence of fragrance”
    • “can still smell this on my skin”

Sources: lovi.care, iherb.com, yesstyle.com, amazon.com, reddit.com, kbeautynotes.com, and more

Questions and answers

What makes COSRX Aloe Soothing Sun Cream a great fit for oily acne-prone skin?

This product is a great fit because it provides lightweight moisture and sun protection using glycerin and UV filters, while alcohol and silica help keep your skin matte and calm. Aloe and dipotassium glycyrrhizate also offer soothing benefits to help manage breakouts and blemishes with a very low risk of irritation.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Clinical Pharmacology, 2018

Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?

Glycerin, broad-spectrum UV filters, alcohol, and silica make this cream a great fit by offering hydration, sun protection, and mattifying effects for oily skin. Additionally, aloe and dipotassium glycyrrhizate provide supportive hydration and soothing benefits to help calm breakouts.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Clinical Pharmacology, 2018

What does Aloe Vera Extract do for oily acne-prone skin?

Aloe vera extract helps calm oily, acne-prone skin by reducing redness, managing breakouts, and fighting blemish-causing microbes. It is unlikely to irritate, making it a soothing addition to your routine to keep skin clear and comfortable.

Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Journal de Mycologie Medicale, 2026

What does Octinoxate do for oily acne-prone skin?

Octinoxate helps protect oily, acne-prone skin from sun damage without disrupting normal skin bacteria or worsening breakouts. However, because sunscreens of this type can feel heavy, acne-prone skin needs lightweight, oil-free formulas with non-clogging ingredients that control shine and keep pores clear.

International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2013Archives of Dermatological Research, 2024

Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?

This cream is used in the morning as the final step before your sunscreen, keeping your skin moisturized while controlling shine. It is unlikely to cause irritation and helps calm breakouts.

Clinical Pharmacology, 2018

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

You can use this cream with retinol by applying the sunscreen in the morning step of your routine and your retinol at night. This product helps keep your skin comfortable and is unlikely to cause irritation when combined with active treatments.

How often should I use this cream?

You can use this moisturizing spf every morning as the final step of your daytime routine. Its formula provides reliable sun protection and light hydration without clogging pores or feeling heavy on oily skin.

Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?

This cream is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on your oily acne-prone skin, as it has a very safe formula with soothing ingredients and tocopheryl acetate. It does not contain harsh components that typically cause irritation or purging for this skin type.

Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021

Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol).

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, 2017
  • A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.

    Clinical Pharmacology, 2018
  • Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.

    Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021
  • Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.

    Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018
  • Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.

    Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010
  • Formulations containing 0.10%, 0.25%, and 0.50% freeze-dried Aloe vera extract increased stratum corneum water content compared with the vehicle in 20 female subjects, while transepidermal water loss was not modified.

    Skin Research and Technology, 2006
  • Replacing 20% of the chemical UV filter octyl methoxycinnamate with urucum oil in solid lipid nanoparticles maintained the skin protection factor without inducing toxic responses or significant skin penetration in human volunteers.

    Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2018
  • Liposomal encapsulation of octyl methoxycinnamate increases its safety, skin affinity, and in vivo solar photoprotection factor while slowing its release and enhancing retention in the stratum corneum compared to a conventional formulation.

    International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2013
  • Encapsulation of ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate and butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane in lipid microparticles significantly reduced their in vivo human skin penetration compared to nonencapsulated filters.

    Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2011
  • The 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, 2020
  • Ten 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, 2001
  • Niacinamide/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, 2012
  • Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025
  • Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
  • A topical antioxidant serum significantly reduced air pollution-induced skin pigmentation and proinflammatory gene expression ex vivo, and improved skin aging signs in 40 healthy adult females after 90 days of daily use.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
  • Combining 755 nm alexandrite laser with topical licorice gel significantly reduces terminal hair counts compared to alexandrite laser with placebo in women with idiopathic hirsutism.

    Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015
  • Licochalcone A activated Nrf2 signaling, elevated cytoprotective enzymes, increased the reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio, and decreased reactive oxygen species in human fibroblasts and neutrophils, while a LicA-rich licorice extract lowered UVA-induced oxidative processes in vivo.

    Experimental Dermatology, 2015
  • Bioactive glycyrrhizic acid and oxymatrine ionic liquid self-assembled nanomicelles significantly promoted the transdermal permeation, subcutaneous retention, and anti-photoaging efficacy of palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 in cellular and animal models compared to unformulated peptide.

    Advanced Science, 2025

Ingredients

Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Isoamyl P-Methoxycinnamate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Alcohol, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide, C14-22 Alcohols, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Aloe Arborescens Leaf Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Peg-100 Stearate, Silica, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Dimethicone Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Triethanolamine, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium Edta

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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