e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Daily Moisturizer for oily acne-prone skin
Hyaluronic Acid
Jojoba Seed Oil
Vitamin E
Niacinamide
Shea ButterAverage
- SuperiorOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
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
- Offers excellent hydration for your oily skin due to the presence of niacinamide for seboregulation and hyaluronic acid for humectant action, though its benefits are mostly supportive rather than directly addressing your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The inclusion of oat milk and allantoin provides soothing effects, which are beneficial for general skin comfort.
- The product is safe for your oily skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components.
How to apply
- Use this AM and PM routine every day to help clear your skin. Always remember to finish with SPF in the morning.
- Apply the moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your SPF during the day.
- Gently press a small amount into your skin and avoid rubbing to keep pores clear.
- Apply on clean, slightly damp skin to help the product absorb better and control oil.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a simple patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 2.8k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this moisturizer is highly regarded for its lightweight, fast-absorbing texture that effectively hydrates dry and sensitive skin, leaving it smooth and plump. It also performs well under makeup and is praised for its affordability. Some users with very oily or acne-prone skin find it too heavy or greasy, and a few mention a tacky finish or potential for clogged pores.
Highlights
Deeply hydrating Mostly Mentioned
- “Keeps skin plump and hydrated all day.”
- “Helped my tight, flaky patches.”
- “Skin feels soft, smooth, and hydrated for hours.”
- “Provides long-lasting moisture.”
Lightweight, absorbs fast Mostly Mentioned
- “Absorbs quickly and is lightweight.”
- “Sinks in fast, feels non-greasy.”
- “Lightweight formula absorbs quickly.”
- “Doesn't feel heavy or slick.”
Great under makeup Often Mentioned
- “Works great under makeup.”
- “Layers seamlessly under makeup.”
- “Smooth, soft base that lasts all day.”
- “Makeup stays nice all day.”
Highly affordable Often Mentioned
- “Unbeatable for such a quality product.”
- “Excellent value without breaking the bank.”
- “Affordable price compared to higher-end creams.”
Gentle on sensitive Sometimes Noted
- “Fragrance-free version is a win for sensitive skin.”
- “Non-irritating formulation.”
- “Gentle yet effective for sensitive skin.”
- “No fragrance too which is also great for my sensitive skin.”
Heavy for oily Sometimes Noted
- “Left my face feeling greasy rather than smooth.”
- “The texture felt heavy on my skin.”
- “It felt too thick and greasy.”
May clog pores Rarely Noted
- “Tend to clog my pores and cause irritation.”
- “Not ideal for my specific facial skin type.”
- “Interferes with oily zones.”
Tacky residue Rarely Noted
- “Skin felt tacky and weighed down.”
- “Sticky after-feel.”
- “I can feel this sitting on my face.”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, ulta.com, walmart.com, elfcosmetics.com, lemon8-app.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does e.l.f. Holy Hydration! work for oily acne-prone skin?
This moisturizer works reasonably well for oily acne-prone skin by offering good hydration and soothing comfort, though its benefits are mostly supportive rather than directly tackling breakouts. A product of this type needs lightweight ingredients that help control oil and target acne without clogging pores or adding excess grease.
Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020
Which ingredients make this moisturizer a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
This moisturizer works for oily acne-prone skin because niacinamide helps balance oil, hyaluronic acid brings deep moisture, and oat milk and allantoin keep skin calm and comfortable. While it offers good basic care, a moisturizer for this skin type needs powerful ingredients that directly target breakouts and blemishes without adding excess oil.
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for oily acne-prone skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps calm oily acne-prone skin by reducing sebum production and lipid synthesis in sebaceous glands. It also supports skin barrier function and improves hydration while helping deliver treatments without causing irritation.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2017Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
What does Jojoba Seed Oil do for oily acne-prone skin?
Jojoba seed oil helps calm oily, acne-prone skin and may reduce blemishes when used regularly as part of your routine. Studies show it helps lower skin inflammation and supports a clear, balanced complexion.
Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024
Where does this moisturizer go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This moisturizer goes after your hydrating toner in the morning and after your treatment step at night. It is safe for oily skin and helps keep it comfortable, though oily acne-prone skin also needs targeted ingredients that directly address breakouts.
Can I use this moisturizer with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizer with retinol by applying it after your retinol treatment to help soothe your skin and keep it comfortable. This type of skin needs a moisturizer that provides barrier support and ingredients like ceramides and niacinamide to keep acne-prone skin balanced and calm during retinol use.
How often should I use this moisturizer?
You can use this moisturizer twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine. It gives your oily skin good hydration and comfort, though an oily acne-prone skin needs a moisturizer with targeted blemish-fighting ingredients to directly manage breakouts.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this moisturizer clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This moisturizer is unlikely to cause irritation on oily skin, but some reviewers find it a bit heavy and there is a low chance it may clog pores. It helps keep your skin hydrated and calm, though a product for this skin needs lighter, oil-free hydrators and ingredients that directly target blemishes and breakouts.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012
Can I use this moisturizer around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizer around the eyes and on the body because it has a gentle formula with soothing ingredients that are safe for these areas. The thin skin around the eyes and the skin on the body need mild hydration and comfort without heavy or harsh additives.
Is this moisturizer 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 topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020Topical 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, 2024Clay jojoba oil facial masks reduced total skin lesions by a mean of 54% after 6 weeks in 133 participants with acne-prone, lesioned skin and mild acne compared to baseline.
Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012Topical 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, 2019Topical application of jojoba wax reduced LPS-induced secretion of IL-6, IL-8, and TNFα by approximately 30% and increased the synthesis of pro-collagen III and hyaluronic acid compared to untreated skin in an ex-vivo human skin organ culture model.
Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024Topical jojoba oil application in male mice decreased exercise-induced pro-inflammatory gene expression (Il-1b and Il-6 in soleus, Il-1b in gastrocnemius) compared to untreated exercised mice.
Biomolecules, 2025Nanolipidgel formulations with argan or jojoba oil and humectants demonstrate good sensory attributes, instrumental properties, and moisturizing efficacy for cosmetic application.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2014Topical 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, 2024Topical 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, 2005A 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, 2025
Why other moisturizers fit oily acne-prone skin better
Co-delivery of paeonol and madecassoside via nanoemulsions improved transdermal delivery, promoted barrier repair proteins, inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in cellular and 3D models, and reduced transepidermal water loss and acne in human facial skin compared to free components.
Molecules, 2023A facial serum containing snail secretion filtrate, Calendula officinalis, and Glycyrrhiza glabra root extract significantly reduced inflammatory acne lesions compared to placebo in 66 participants with mild-to-moderate maskne over 12 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hyaluronic Acid, Jojoba Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate Vitamin E, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Oat Milk, Ceramides, Stearic Acid, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, 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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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?
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