Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Face Cream for combination skin
Moisture Refining Complex
Sodium Hyaluronate
Glycerin
Shea Butter
Vitamin E
Average
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for combination skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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 combination skin, as glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide humectant benefits to plump and moisturize without feeling heavy. Squalane further supports skin balance by offering emollient properties.
- While beneficial for general skin health and hydration, the formula does not specifically target concerns like oily shine.
- The product is safe for your combination skin, containing no harsh or prohibited ingredients that would cause irritation.
How to apply
- Use this moisturizer in your AM and PM routine every day to control shine. Always pair with SPF in the morning.
- Apply this moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your morning SPF.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin and avoid harsh rubbing. Let it ⏳absorb for a minute.
- Apply the moisturizer on slightly damp skin to help it lock in moisture better. This keeps your combination skin balanced.
- Avoid the eye area when applying the moisturizer. Do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 6.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this product is highly regarded for its intense hydration, which is particularly beneficial for dry, mature, and dehydrated skin. Users frequently observe improvements in skin texture and softness, along with a reduction in fine lines. Some users find the formula too heavy for oily skin, and a moderate number of reviews mention an unappealing, strong scent.
Highlights
Intense hydration Mostly Mentioned
- “made my skin so incredibly moisturized”
- “gave me the softest skin although my face was exposed in minus degrees”
- “skin feels soft, hydrated, and comfortable after using it”
- “provides intense moisture, ensuring skin feels soft and supple”
Smoother texture Often Mentioned
- “skin looks smoother, brighter and feels moisturised”
- “smooths and refines skin texture”
- “improves skin texture and softness”
- “leaves the texture looking smooth and dewy”
Quick absorption Sometimes Noted
- “glides on, absorbs easily without pilling”
- “soft and non greasy”
- “absorbs to ease that tight feeling”
- “lightweight, non-greasy texture that absorbs easily”
Reduces lines Sometimes Noted
- “diminish the appearance of fine lines”
- “fine lines are better and frown lines less pronounced”
- “does seem to soften wrinkles”
- “fine lines around my eyes and mouth appeared to soften”
Strong scent Sometimes Noted
- “smells like a really nice smelling public toilet”
- “scent is very strong”
- “don't like the strong and quite unpleasant fragrance”
- “not a fan of the very perfume smell”
Heavy/Greasy feel Rarely Noted
- “find it a little too heavy for day time use”
- “is quite greasy and some foundations don't stick to it”
- “too heavy for oily skin types”
- “too much my face can be slightly puffy”
High price Rarely Noted
- “it's an expensive product”
- “price might be a bit higher than what some would expect”
- “not sure I liked it enough for £30”
- “cosmetics have become so expensive”
Outdated ingredients Rarely Noted
- “contains beeswax and also contains mineral oil”
- “heavy fragrance, parabens, and merely-decorative retinyl palmitate”
- “lacks modern actives”
- “an old, simple formula”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, walmart.com, macys.com, elizabetharden.com, boots.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference work for combination skin?
This moisturizer works moderately well for combination skin, offering balanced hydration through ingredients like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate without feeling heavy. However, it does not specifically target oily shine. A product for this skin needs effective brightening and moisturizing ingredients that reduce shine while maintaining hydration and balance.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for combination skin?
Glycerin, sodium hyaluronate, and squalane make this cream a moderate fit by providing hydration and balance without feeling heavy. However, because combination skin also needs help with oily shine, products of this type for this skin need effective brightening ingredients and oil-balancing agents alongside hydration.
What does Moisture Refining Complex do for combination skin?
Moisture Refining Complex helps balance combination skin by delivering lightweight hydration where it is needed without feeling heavy or greasy. This type of skin needs non-clogging hydrators and gentle barrier-repair ingredients like ceramides or light plant oils to keep dry patches soft and oily areas calm.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2018Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for combination skin?
Hyaluronic acid is a great fit for combination skin because it quenches dry areas with a boost of hydration while keeping oily zones balanced. Regular use helps smooth out fine lines and makes your skin feel soft and plump without causing irritation.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2021Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This cream goes in the morning and evening routine right after your hydrating toner, right before your sunscreen or any evening treatments. A daily moisturizer like this helps keep your skin soft and balanced without feeling heavy.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol by applying your retinol first and following with the moisturizer. Using a moisturizing cream alongside your retinol helps keep skin comfortable, and barrier-supporting care may make it easier for your skin to get used to retinol treatments.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this cream daily in both your morning and evening routines to keep your skin hydrated. Regular twice-daily application helps maintain moisture and smooth texture while remaining safe for your skin type.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This cream is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on combination skin, as it has a safe profile with no harsh ingredients. However, because it does not target oily shine, combination skin needs a formula with oil-controlling ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to keep pores clear.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cream on your body, and on the skin around your eyes if it tolerates rich facial moisturizers well. Because the skin in the eye area is very thin, a product of this type needs a lightweight texture and gentle hydrating ingredients like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate to keep it soft without feeling heavy.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum). Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, 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 application of tocopherol succinate ethosomal gel decreased erythema, melanin, and sebum levels while improving moisture content and skin elasticity in 34 human women.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical 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, 2012A combination cream of stimu-tex AS and saccharide isomerate reduced erythema, increased skin capacitance, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to placebo in 20 subjects after fractional CO2 laser procedure without causing serious adverse events.
Lasers in Medical Science, 2025A skin barrier restoring cream with shea butter, silkflo, and vitamin E increased type I procollagen synthesis, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, decreased reactive oxygen species generation, and promoted hyaluronic acid production in H2O2-stimulated human keratinocyte cells compared to untreated cells.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025Topical 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, 2025Dermatological 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, 2021Topical 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
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate Vitamin E, Retinyl Palmitate Vitamin A, Panthenol Vitamin B5, Allantoin, Sodium Pca, Squalane, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum
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?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.