No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Night Cream for acne-prone skin

Average
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for acne-prone skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
- Colloids and Surfaces. B, Biointerfaces, 2011
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 suitability for your combination skin, as sodium hyaluronate and retinyl palmitate provide excellent moisturizing and anti-aging benefits by hydrating and minimizing fine lines. Glycerin and butylene glycol offer general hydration supportive for acne-prone skin, but lack targeted ingredients for active breakouts.
- The formula is safe for your combination skin with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients.
- While beneficial for hydration and anti-aging, the product does not specifically address your primary concerns of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
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 600+ reviewsUsers consistently praise this night cream for its rich, non-greasy texture that provides immediate and lasting hydration, making it highly effective for dry and mature skin. While many report waking up to smoother, glowing skin with visibly reduced fine lines after a few weeks, results regarding deep wrinkles vary, and the strong fragrance is a polarizing feature.
Highlights
Pleasant texture Mostly Mentioned
- “rich but not heavy”
- “absorbs quickly”
- “silky smooth application”
Deep hydration Often Mentioned
- “dryness eradicated immediately”
- “skin feels plump”
- “moisture lasts all night”
Non-irritating Sometimes Noted
- “sensitive skin”
- “gentle”
- “no breakouts”
Visible skin improvement Sometimes Noted
- “waking up glowing”
- “smoother skin texture”
- “fine lines softened”
Strong fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “overpowering”
- “too perfumed”
- “lingers too long”
Heavy feel Rarely Noted
- “too thick”
- “waxy”
- “rubs off on pillows”
Jar packaging Rarely Noted
- “unhygienic tub”
- “prefer a pump dispenser”
- “contamination”
Lack of anti-aging results Rarely Noted
- “no difference in wrinkles”
- “lines remained deep”
- “only moisturized, didn't firm”
Sources: lovi.care, boots.com, walgreens.com, target.com, ulta.com, goodhousekeeping.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Night Cream work for acne-prone skin?
This cream works moderately well for acne-prone skin, as it hydrates and smooths fine lines without causing irritation, though it lacks ingredients that target active breakouts. To work best for acne-prone skin, a moisturizing treatment needs targeted ingredients for blemishes and breakouts alongside soothing extracts and hydration.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2013
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Sodium hyaluronate, glycerin, and butylene glycol help make this cream a good fit by offering supportive hydration for acne-prone skin, though a product of this type also needs targeted ingredients for active breakouts, soothing extracts, and agents that manage blemishes.
What do Collagen Peptides do for acne-prone skin?
Collagen peptides are generally safe for acne-prone skin, though they do not directly treat active breakouts. Instead, this type of product focuses on improving skin hydration and elasticity, so acne-prone skin needs added ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to help clear blemishes and control oil.
What does Retinyl Palmitate do for acne-prone skin?
Retinyl palmitate helps clear up acne-prone skin by reducing acne bumps and blemish counts. It is unlikely to cause heavy irritation, making it much gentler on the skin than stronger treatments.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This moisturizing treatment goes at the end of your evening routine, after cleansing and applying your treatment serum. It is safe for acne-prone skin and helps hydrate, but a product for this skin needs targeted ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to help manage active breakouts.
Can I use this cream with niacinamide, and in what order?
You can use this cream with niacinamide by applying niacinamide first and following with this moisturizer. This combination is generally safe and helps keep your skin soft and hydrated while supporting your anti-aging routine.
How often should I use this cream?
This cream works well for your acne-prone skin when you use it daily to keep your face soft and hydrated. Because it focuses on moisture and anti-aging rather than breakouts, this type of product for acne-prone skin needs added ingredients that target blemishes.
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 irritation for your acne-prone skin, but it does not target active breakouts or blemishes. A cream for this skin needs ingredients that help clear blemishes and control oil.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
This cream works fine on the body, but the thin skin around the eyes needs products specifically designed for that delicate area to avoid irritation.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol denat).
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, 2017Retinyl palmitate-loaded non-ionic lamellar liquid crystalline systems provided a significant reduction of orbicular wrinkles in human volunteers compared to systems without retinyl palmitate.
Colloids and Surfaces. B, Biointerfaces, 2011A vitamin A palmitate and antioxidant-containing oil-based moisturizer improved fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation, tone, texture, dryness, firmness, and clarity across various body sites compared to a no-treatment group over 12 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2013Retinyl palmitate ethosomal hydrogel reduced non-inflammatory and total acne lesion counts significantly better than marketed tretinoin while improving tolerability with minimal skin irritation in patients with acne vulgaris.
International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2021Topical 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, 2022A liquid formulation containing hydrolyzed collagen demonstrated structural stability, peptide mass distribution between 0.5 and 19.5 kDa, and faded forehead wrinkles in five volunteers while proving to be non-irritating and hypoallergenic.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Exposure to collagen peptides increased the expression of COL1A1, ELN, and VCAN genes and collagen protein levels in cultured human dermal fibroblasts compared to untreated controls.
Frontiers in Medicine, 2024Salmo salar and Tilapia nilotica skin collagen peptides accelerate wound healing in a rat murine wound model by reducing proinflammatory cytokines, upregulating BD14, NOD2, IL-10, VEGF, and beta-FGF, and favorably altering wound microflora colonization compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2020Over-the-counter retinol products provided only weak evidence for a mild ameliorating effect on fine facial skin wrinkle lines in randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled trials, and major methodological flaws call the validity of positive results into question.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2021A cosmetic niacinamide/peptide/retinyl propionate regimen significantly improved periorbital wrinkle appearance relative to a 0.02% tretinoin regimen at 8 weeks with comparable benefits at 24 weeks, while demonstrating significantly better tolerability in 196 women.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010A novel triple-active cosmetic formulation containing 4-hexylresorcinol, retinyl propionate, and niacinamide improved the visual appearance of photoageing similarly to 0.02% tretinoin and reversed a consensus gene signature associated with ageing in female adults while causing less skin irritation.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024Topical 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, 2019A 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, 2025Rice 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, 2020
Why other moisturizers fit 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 panthenol-enriched mask improved skin hydration, regulated sebum, and reduced redness and TEWL across dry sensitive, oily sensitive, and oily acne skin subgroups with excellent tolerance and no adverse reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024A 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, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Sorbitan Stearate, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Polyacrylamide, Butylene Glycol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Alcohol Denat, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethiconol, Tribehenin, Dipropylene Glycol, Sucrose Cocoate, Methylparaben, Carbomer, Laureth-7, Propylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Ethylparaben, Retinyl Palmitate, Xanthan Gum, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Tetrasodium Edta, Sorbitan Laurate, Potassium Hydroxide, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol, Medicago Sativa Extract, Polysorbate 20, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Morus Alba Leaf Extract, Lindera Strychnifolia Root Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
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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