🇦🇺Australia

The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer for acne-prone skin

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

The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer

Average

  • LowCombination Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • Low RiskSafety

Works for acne-prone skin; other moisturizers fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. 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 excellent moisturizing for your combination skin due to glycerin and shea butter, which hydrate and enhance barrier resilience, but it does not specifically target your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
  • While beneficial for general hydration, the emollient nature of shea butter may be too occlusive for your oily areas, potentially leading to clogged pores.
  • The product is generally safe for your combination skin, with a low risk of irritation from sodium hydroxide.

How to apply

  • Use your moisturizer twice a day in your AM and PM routines. Apply it daily to help keep breakouts under control.
  • Apply after your cleanser and toner, and make sure to use your SPF right after in the morning.
  • Gently spread a small amount of moisturizer over your face using soft motions. Let it absorb into the skin for a minute before getting dressed or applying makeup.
  • Apply on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra moisture. This keeps your combination skin balanced without feeling heavy.
  • Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use. Stop using if you feel any irritation.

People Say

★4.3Overall rating based on 1.8k+ reviews

This moisturizer is widely appreciated by users with combination and sensitive skin for its lightweight, fast-absorbing formula that layers exceptionally well under makeup without pilling. Users with very dry skin often report it provides insufficient hydration on its own. While the airless pump design is praised for hygiene, it is a frequent source of frustration due to mechanical failures and the inability to see how much product remains. This summary is based on a very large amount of data and should definitely be taken into account.

Highlights

  • Lightweight & fast-absorbing Mostly Mentioned
    • “sinks in instantly”
    • “non-greasy finish”
    • “lightweight texture”
    • “glides on smoothly”
    • “absorbs like a dream”
  • Hygienic airless pump Often Mentioned
    • “love the dispenser”
    • “sanitary packaging”
    • “perfect dose pump”
    • “keeps product fresh”
    • “convenient press-top”
  • Pump malfunctions Often Mentioned
    • “pump stopped working”
    • “dispenser broke”
    • “product won't come out”
    • “lid falls off”
    • “faulty mechanism”
  • Gentle & fragrance-free Sometimes Noted
    • “no irritation”
    • “great for sensitive skin”
    • “soothing formula”
    • “no strong scent”
    • “didn't sting”
  • Makeup compatible Sometimes Noted
    • “great under foundation”
    • “doesn't pill”
    • “acts like primer”
    • “smooth base”
    • “makeup sits beautifully”
  • Softens & plumps Sometimes Noted
    • “skin feels plump”
    • “smooths fine lines”
    • “leaves face soft”
    • “improves skin texture”
    • “healthy glow”
  • Insufficient hydration Sometimes Noted
    • “not moisturizing enough”
    • “skin felt tight”
    • “need extra oil”
    • “dry patches remained”
    • “too light for winter”
  • Quantity uncertainty Sometimes Noted
    • “can't see level”
    • “ran out unexpectedly”
    • “opaque bottle”
    • “finished too fast”
    • “hard to gauge amount”
  • Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
    • “caused cystic acne”
    • “broke me out”
    • “clogged my pores”
    • “tiny bumps appeared”
    • “reaction on chin”
  • Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
    • “smells like plastic”
    • “chemical odor”
    • “weird smell”
    • “funky scent”
    • “smells like glue”

Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, cultbeauty.co.uk, boots.com, ulta.com, influenster.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer work for acne-prone skin?

The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer works moderately for acne-prone skin because while its glycerin and shea butter provide good hydration, the heavy shea butter may clog pores in oily areas and does not target breakouts. A moisturizer for this skin needs ingredients that help with blemishes and clear pores without feeling too heavy or greasy.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

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

Glycerin and shea butter help provide great moisture for your skin, but this moisturizer needs ingredients that actively target blemishes and breakouts. To be a better fit for acne-prone skin, it should include soothing extracts and ingredients that clear pores without feeling too heavy on oily areas.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

What do Peptides do for acne-prone skin?

Peptides help calm acne-prone skin by reducing redness and soothing inflammation while supporting the skin barrier. Certain advanced peptide formulas also work to target acne-causing bacteria and help balance oil production.

Biochemical Pharmacology, 2025Bioresources and Bioprocessing, 2026

What does Glycerin do for acne-prone skin?

Glycerin helps keep acne-prone skin hydrated and calm without clogging pores or feeling heavy. It supports the skin barrier so it stays soft and smooth while handling everyday treatments.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008International Journal of Toxicology, 2019

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

This moisturizer goes as the final hydrating step in your morning routine and your evening routine. While it offers good hydration, acne-prone skin needs a moisturizer that also targets blemishes and avoids heavy butters that may clog pores.

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

You can use this moisturizer with retinol, applying it after your retinol treatment to help keep your skin calm and hydrated. While it hydrates well with glycerin and shea butter, acne-prone skin needs a lighter product that targets breakouts and uses non-clogging hydrators.

Cutis, 2006The Journal of Dermatology, 2014

How often should I use this moisturizer?

You can use this moisturizer daily in the morning and evening as part of your routine. This helps keep your skin soft and hydrated, though acne-prone skin needs a lighter product that specifically targets blemishes and avoids clogging pores.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021

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

This moisturizer may clog pores and lead to breakouts on acne-prone skin because the shea butter in it can feel too heavy and blocking for oily areas. To properly care for this skin type, a product needs lightweight hydrators and ingredients that specifically target blemishes and breakouts.

Can I use this moisturizer around the eyes or on my body?

This moisturizer is safe to use on the body and around the eyes, but acne-prone skin needs lightweight hydration and ingredients that clear breakouts without heavy butters.

Is this moisturizer fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (benzyl alcohol). 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, 2017

  • Application of sodium hydroxide on human skin caused dose- and time-dependent increases in skin surface water loss without causing visible reactions or discomfort, and correlated with transepidermal water loss after sodium lauryl sulfate patch application.

    Acta Dermato-venereologica, 1990

  • Sodium lauryl sulfate, cocobetaine, crotonaldehyde with sodium lauryl sulfate, and dimethyl sulfoxide markedly increased water vapour loss in a test panel of 42 subjects, while sodium hydroxide had less effect and phenol and benzalkonium chloride showed no significant influence.

    Dermatosen in Beruf und Umwelt. Occupation and Environment, 1985

  • 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

  • A 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, 2025

  • A 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, 2025

  • 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

  • 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 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

Why other moisturizers fit acne-prone skin better

Ingredients

Water, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Gluconate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phenethyl Alcohol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-37, Maltodextrin, Pentapeptide-48

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 3 Nov 2026

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

How does it fit your skin?

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