Cetaphil Moisturising Cream for dry skin
Glycerin
Petrolatum
DimethiconeAverage
- HighDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for dry skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. 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 moisturizing for your dry skin, as glycerin and petrolatum provide hydration and enhance barrier resilience. Panthenol further supports skin barrier function and hydration.
- This formula is highly suitable for dry skin due to the humectant and occlusive actions of glycerin and petrolatum, which combat dryness effectively.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your dry skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and work your way up to daily use.
- Apply your moisturizer after your toner and before your sunscreen in the morning. At night, use it as the final step after your serum.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin. Avoid rubbing to keep your dry skin happy.
- Apply the moisturizer on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra hydration. This is great for soothing dry and flaky areas .
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a patch test before your first use .
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 4.5k+ reviewsHighlights
Long-lasting hydration Mostly Mentioned
- “healed my dry patches”
- “keeps skin soft all day”
- “hydration lasts 24 hours”
- “saved my winter skin”
Gentle, non-irritating Often Mentioned
- “great for sensitive skin”
- “fragrance-free”
- “doesn't burn cracked skin”
Tub packaging Often Mentioned
- “hate dipping fingers in”
- “needs a pump”
- “sanitary concerns”
- “gets under fingernails”
Non-greasy absorption Sometimes Noted
- “absorbs surprisingly fast”
- “doesn't feel sticky”
- “matte finish”
- “soaks in completely”
Versatile use Sometimes Noted
- “use it head to toe”
- “great under makeup”
- “works for face and body”
- “safe for whole family”
Heavy texture Sometimes Noted
- “too thick for face”
- “takes effort to rub in”
- “feels heavy in summer”
- “leaves a film”
Clogs pores Rarely Noted
- “caused small bumps”
- “too rich for acne-prone areas”
- “triggered breakout on forehead”
- “greasy on T-zone”
Unpleasant smell Rarely Noted
- “smells like plastic”
- “weird chemical scent”
- “smells like glue”
- “medicinal odor”
Sources: lovi.care, influenster.com, walmart.com, target.com, ulta.com, totalbeauty.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Cetaphil Moisturising Cream work for dry skin?
Cetaphil Moisturising Cream works moderately well for dry skin, using glycerin and petrolatum to provide hydration and support the skin barrier. It is gentle and safe for daily use, but dry skin often needs richer nourishing ingredients, hyaluronic acid, and allergen-free formulas for maximum hydration and comfort.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for dry skin?
Glycerin and petrolatum make this cream a good fit by adding moisture and strengthening your skin barrier, while panthenol further supports hydration. A moisturizer for this dry skin needs highly effective, soothing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and rich nourishers that provide deep hydration and support the skin barrier without irritation.
What does Glycerin do for dry skin?
Glycerin helps dry skin by drawing in moisture and keeping it locked in, which makes the skin feel much softer and smoother. It also supports your natural skin barrier to stop water from escaping easily. A product for dry skin needs extra ingredients like hyaluronic acid and soothing plant extracts to truly calm and hydrate dry patches.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008
What does Petrolatum do for dry skin?
Petrolatum helps dry skin by locking in moisture and protecting the skin barrier, which makes rough areas feel much softer and smoother. It is very good at stopping water from evaporating out of the skin, and it helps the skin heal itself quickly when it is dry or irritated.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2025The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2016
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This cream goes toward the end of your morning and evening skincare routines, right before sunscreen in the morning. Using a daily moisturizer helps keep dry skin soft and hydrated while protecting its barrier.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizer with retinol by applying the retinol first, letting it dry, and then following with the cream to keep your skin soft. Using a moisturizing cream with retinol helps reduce dryness and irritation while supporting your skin barrier. This type of skin needs ingredients like ceramides, nourishing plant oils, and extra barrier-repairing agents to lock in hydration effectively.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this moisturizing cream twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine to keep your dry skin hydrated and comfortable. Daily application helps maintain skin barrier function and is unlikely to cause irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
It is unlikely to clog pores for dry skin, as complaints about clogged pores are low. A moisturizer for dry skin needs nourishing ingredients like glycerin and ceramides to keep skin soft without feeling heavy.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cream on your body and around the eyes to help keep skin soft and hydrated. Dry skin of this type needs rich moisturizers with ingredients like glycerin and petrolatum to lock in moisture and support the skin barrier.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (benzyl alcohol).
What the research says
A new topical panthenol-containing emollient significantly improved transepidermal water loss reduction, stratum corneum hydration, and intercellular lipid lamellae length compared with control in healthy subjects without negatively impacting bacterial viability.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002A 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, 2017The 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 treatment with skin-identical lipids in a petrolatum-rich cream base showed no superiority over pure petrolatum in promoting normalization of barrier recovery and inflammation in detergent- and tape-stripped-perturbed human skin over 14 days.
Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2000Topically applied extra virgin olive oil and petrolatum both significantly improved skin barrier function and microtopographic features in 54 healthy adult volunteers, with petrolatum exerting stronger occlusive effects and extra virgin olive oil uniquely promoting epidermal renewal.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2025Wearing 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, 2024A dimethicone skin protectant lotion significantly decreased visual scoring and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control and SLS-only treated sites in 12 healthy humans exposed to sodium lauryl sulfate.
Skin Research and Technology, 2000Treatment 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, 2007
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Dicaprylyl Ether, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-30 Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol
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
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