EltaMD PM Restore Moisturizer for acne-prone skin
Niacinamide
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Sodium Hyaluronate
Linoleic Acid
Peptides
Average
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
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 moderate benefits for your acne, blemishes, and breakouts due to the presence of niacinamide and linoleic acid, which support skin barrier function and reduce inflammation, making it suitable for combination skin by balancing oil production.
- The product provides excellent moisturizing with sodium hyaluronate and linoleic acid, enhancing barrier resilience and hydration.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your combination skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
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
★4.4Overall rating based on 1.6k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this moisturizer is highly regarded for its lightweight, non-greasy texture that effectively hydrates and repairs the skin barrier overnight. Some users noted issues with packaging visibility and a few found it insufficient for very dry skin, with occasional comments about formula changes or the price point.
Highlights
Lightweight, non-greasy Mostly Mentioned
- “Absorbs quickly”
- “not oily”
- “feels weightless”
Effective hydration Often Mentioned
- “Skin feels soft”
- “supple in morning”
- “deeply moisturizing”
Soothing for sensitive Often Mentioned
- “Calms redness”
- “non-irritating”
- “great for sensitive skin”
Fragrance-free formula Sometimes Noted
- “No noticeable smell”
- “no irritation”
- “clean scent”
Packaging visibility Sometimes Noted
- “Cannot see remaining product”
- “runs out unexpectedly”
Formula changes Rarely Noted
- “Not the same as old”
- “caused breakouts”
- “texture changed”
Insufficient hydration Rarely Noted
- “Not hydrating enough”
- “need something heavier”
- “felt dry”
Price point Rarely Noted
- “Expensive for size”
- “value varies”
- “pricey”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, bluemercury.com, lovelyskin.com, trustpilot.com, whatsinmyjar.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does EltaMD PM Restore work for acne-prone skin?
EltaMD PM Restore Moisturizer works moderately well for acne-prone skin, helping balance oil and calm breakouts with niacinamide and linoleic acid. It is unlikely to cause irritation, but acne-prone skin typically needs products with higher suitability that deliver more targeted benefits for blemishes while maintaining a balanced texture.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Niacinamide and linoleic acid make this cream a good fit for acne-prone skin by supporting your skin barrier, reducing inflammation, and balancing oil production. Moisturizing treatments that fit this skin better need soothing extracts, calming agents, and ingredients that provide hydration and repair without causing irritation.
What does Niacinamide do for acne-prone skin?
Niacinamide helps acne-prone skin by reducing both inflamed and uninflamed breakouts and calming redness. It is also very helpful for keeping oily skin balanced by cutting down on excess oil production, and it is well tolerated by most people.
What does Hydrolyzed Rice Protein do for acne-prone skin?
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein helps calm and moisturize acne-prone skin while reducing irritation. Rice-derived ingredients are known to soothe redness and support a smooth, healthy feel.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This moisturizer goes in the morning routine after a hydrating toner, and in the evening routine as the final step after your treatment. It provides great hydration and is unlikely to cause irritation on acne-prone skin, though this skin type generally does better with products that include oil-balancing ingredients and blemish-fighting actives.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol by applying it before your retinol to help calm your skin and lower the chances of irritation. Using a moisturizer alongside treatments like retinol helps keep your skin comfortable and supports your skin barrier. Acne-prone skin of this type needs lightweight hydrators and soothing ingredients like niacinamide and linoleic acid to balance oil without clogging pores.
How often should I use it?
You can use this moisturizing treatment twice daily as part of your morning and evening routine. Regular daily application helps keep skin hydrated and balanced, though acne-prone skin needs a product that also features lightweight, non-clogging hydrators and blemish-clearing ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This cream is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores for acne-prone skin because it has a very safe formula with no harsh or irritating ingredients. It helps balance oil and calm redness with niacinamide and linoleic acid, though acne-prone skin sometimes needs a lighter or more targeted formula to get the best results.
Can I use it around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizing treatment around the eyes and on the body since it has a very safe formula with no harsh ingredients. This type of product works best for acne-prone skin when it includes soothing ingredients like niacinamide and linoleic acid to keep the skin calm and balanced.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Topical 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, 2005Rice protein hydrolysate and its characteristic peptides Leu-Leu-Lys, Leu-Pro-Lys, and pyroGlu-Lys reduced melanin content, tyrosinase activity, and ROS production in UVB-induced human epidermal melanocyte PIG1 cells by regulating the JNK/Β-Trcp/NFΗB-p65/MITF signaling pathway and lowering TRP-1 and TRP-2 expression.
Food & Function, 2020Topical 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 linoleic acid achieved an almost 25% reduction in the overall size of follicular casts and microcomedones over a 1-month treatment period in patients with mild acne compared to no change at placebo-treated sites.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 1998A lotion containing triethyl citrate and ethyl linoleate reduced Leeds grading, total, inflammatory, and noninflammatory lesion counts, and sebum production compared with a placebo in patients with mild to moderate acne.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2007Liposomal formulation of linoleic acid significantly enhances its skin whitening effect compared to non-liposomal forms in UV-stimulated guinea pig and human skin.
Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 2004
Ingredients
Water, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, C10-30 Cholesterol Lanosterol Esters, Glycereth-26, Phenoxyethanol, Linoleic Acid, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Oleic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Disodium Edta, Thioctic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Sodium Bisulfite, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phosphoric Acid, Tetrasodium 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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