CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Gel for oily skin
High
- HighOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for oily skin; a few moisturizers fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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 as niacinamide helps regulate sebum production and glycerin provides essential hydration without greasiness.
- The inclusion of sodium hyaluronate further enhances moisture retention, plumping the skin and addressing oily shine.
- This formula is safe for your skin, featuring soothing ingredients and no harsh components.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine every day to keep your face fresh.
- Apply this moisturizer after cleansing and toning, but right before your SPF in the morning.
- Gently press a small amount into your skin and let it absorb fully.
- Apply on clean, slightly dry skin to help control that oily shine.
- Avoid the eye area and do a quick patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 3.9k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this gel moisturizer is highly recommended for oily, combination, and acne-prone skin, providing essential hydration without pore clogging or sticky residue. Users frequently note its weightless, refreshing feel and instant absorption, which helps maintain the skin barrier and control shine, especially in humid conditions. Some users find the quantity to be small for the price and insufficient for dry skin types.
Highlights
Extremely lightweight Mostly Mentioned
- “feels like water”
- “weightless on skin”
- “barely there”
- “super thin gel”
Fast absorption Often Mentioned
- “sinks in immediately”
- “dries instantly”
- “no waiting to apply makeup”
- “disappears into skin”
Non-greasy finish Often Mentioned
- “matte finish”
- “no sticky residue”
- “oil-free feel”
- “doesn't look shiny”
Small quantity Often Mentioned
- “tiny tube”
- “finished in 2 weeks”
- “wish it was bigger”
- “travel size amount”
Gentle & non-irritating Sometimes Noted
- “didn't break me out”
- “soothing on sensitive skin”
- “no fragrance irritation”
- “calms redness”
Great for layering Sometimes Noted
- “no pilling under makeup”
- “works well with sunscreen”
- “smooth base for foundation”
- “layers over serums”
Not for dry skin Sometimes Noted
- “not moisturizing enough”
- “skin felt tight later”
- “need a second layer”
- “too light for winter”
Poor value Sometimes Noted
- “expensive for the size”
- “pricey per ounce”
- “not worth the cost”
- “cash grab”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “pump is finicky”
- “hard to get last drops”
- “tube feels half empty”
- “wasteful plastic”
Sources: lovi.care, cerave.com, ulta.com, target.com, walmart.com, dermstore.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Gel a great fit for oily skin?
This moisturizer is a great fit because niacinamide helps control oil production while glycerin gives essential moisture without feeling greasy. Sodium Hyaluronate further locks in moisture to keep your skin smooth and less shiny, and the gentle formula is completely safe.
Which ingredients make this moisturizer a good fit for oily skin?
This moisturizer is a great fit for oily skin because niacinamide helps regulate oil production while glycerin provides essential hydration without feeling greasy. Additionally, sodium hyaluronate helps retain moisture to keep the skin balanced, and ceramides help strengthen the skin barrier safely.
What do Ceramides do for oily skin?
Ceramides help balance and strengthen oily skin by supporting the natural barrier and keeping moisture locked in without feeling heavy. They may also help calm irritation and reduce blemishes when used as part of a regular daily routine.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2004
What does Niacinamide do for oily skin?
Niacinamide helps balance oily skin by significantly reducing excess oil production and shine. It is well tolerated and may improve skin texture without clogging pores.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006Antioxidants, 2021
Where does this moisturizer go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This moisturizer goes in your routine after your hydrating toner and before your SPF in the morning, and as the final step after your treatment at night. It provides essential hydration without greasiness, helping to keep oily skin balanced throughout the day.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can I use this moisturizer with retinol, and in what order?
Yes, you can use this moisturizer with retinol by applying the retinol first and following it with the moisturizer. This routine helps keep your skin calm and comfortable while lowering the chances of irritation.
How often should I use this moisturizer?
You can use this moisturizer daily in both your morning and evening routines. Daily application helps keep oily skin hydrated without extra shine and supports a healthy moisture barrier.
Can this moisturizer clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This moisturizer is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily skin because it provides essential hydration without greasiness. The formula features soothing ingredients and no harsh components to help keep your skin calm and balanced.
Can I use this moisturizer around the eyes or on my body?
You can safely use this lightweight moisturizer on your face and around the eyes, where the skin is thinner, as its gentle formula provides essential hydration without heavy greasiness. Its soothing ingredients and safe profile make it well suited for delicate areas.
Is this moisturizer fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying 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, 2017Topical hyaluronic acid filler serum combined with Botulinum toxin type A lengthened the duration of the toxin's effect in reducing wrinkles compared to Botulinum toxin type A alone.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Niacinamide significantly decreased hyperpigmentation and increased skin lightness compared with vehicle alone after 4 weeks of use in women by inhibiting melanosome transfer.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005Topical 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, 2012Wearing an N95 mask alone compared to using dimethicone cream or hydrocolloid dressing caused more adverse skin reactions among 73 military health care workers, with no significant differences in fit test failure rates between groups.
Military Medicine, 2024Treatment with a moisturizer containing dimethicone and glycerine increased epidermal thickness by 0.019 mm, improved barrier function by decreasing transepidermal water loss by 13%, decreased melanin intensity, and induced keratins 6 and 16 in fifteen women with moderately photoaged forearms.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2007Externally applied substances such as ceramides, hyaluronic acid, licorice extracts, dimethicone, petrolatum, and paraffin wax treat skin disease resulting from damage to the skin barrier.
Clinics in Dermatology, 2012
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Dimethicone, Isononyl Isononanoate, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide Eop, Carbomer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Triethyl Citrate, Silica, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Chlorphenesin, Caprylyl Glycol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Xanthan Gum, Phytosphingosine, Benzoic Acid
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
-

Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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