Sulwhasoo Essential Firming Cream EX for oily skin
Glycerin
Cyclopentasiloxane
Warning
- CautionOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A poor match for oily skin; the moisturizers alongside fit it 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
- This product is unsuitable for your oily skin due to occlusive ingredients like dimethicone and squalane, which can exacerbate oiliness and pore congestion, while humectants such as glycerin and betaine are more beneficial for dry skin types.
- While it offers moderate moisturizing and contains soothing agents like Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract and Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, these benefits are largely irrelevant to your primary concern of oily shine.
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 300+ reviewsThis rich cream is highly praised by users with dry and mature skin for its deep hydration and plumping effects, often resulting in a healthy glow. While many enjoy the luxurious, velvety texture and calming herbal scent, some find the fragrance overpowering or the cream too rich and heavy, occasionally leading to greasiness or breakouts, particularly for those with oily skin.
Highlights
Deeply hydrating Mostly Mentioned
- “hydration lasted for hours”
- “skin felt plump and hydrated”
- “wake up with plump, revitalized skin”
- “my skin drinks this up”
Luxurious texture Often Mentioned
- “rich, velvety texture”
- “melts beautifully into the skin”
- “whipped cream texture very soft”
- “absorbs nicely without feeling heavy”
High price point Often Mentioned
- “price is a bit steep”
- “on the pricier side”
- “wish it were a bit more affordable”
- “expensive for just a moisturizer”
Calming scent Sometimes Noted
- “herbal ginseng scent which I enjoy”
- “scent... find to be calming”
- “fresh, subtle scent that feels special”
- “smells like a herbal perfume”
Visibly firms skin Sometimes Noted
- “notice a subtle but real firming effect”
- “complexion appear firmer”
- “visibly firms and smooths”
- “improves skin elasticity”
Scent too strong Sometimes Noted
- “scent slightly overpowering”
- “strong ginger menthol scent”
- “fragrance is a bit strong”
- “scent used to bother me”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “broke out in stubborn blemishes”
- “pores started feeling congested”
- “noticed inflammation developing”
- “caused blemishes”
Too heavy / greasy Rarely Noted
- “too rich for warmer days”
- “feels sticky and greasy”
- “bit too oily for those with oily skin”
- “leaves a bit of a streak”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, influenster.com, yesstyle.com, nordstrom.com, hwahae.co.kr, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise against Sulwhasoo Essential Firming Cream EX for oily skin?
Lovi advises against this moisturizing treatment because it contains heavy ingredients like dimethicone and squalane, which may make oily skin even shinier and clog pores. Oily skin needs a product with peptides and lightweight hydrating ingredients that provide moisture without any heavy oils or breakout risks.
Which ingredients make this cream a poor fit for oily skin?
This cream is a poor fit for oily skin because it contains heavy oils like dimethicone and squalane, which tend to clog pores and worsen shine. A moisturizing treatment for oily skin needs light hydrating ingredients and peptides that manage moisture without heavy oils or pore-clogging risks.
What does Water do for oily skin?
Water helps keep oily skin hydrated without adding grease or clogging pores. Keeping oily skin properly hydrated may also help balance oil production and reduce unwanted shine.
What does Glycerin do for oily skin?
Glycerin helps keep oily skin hydrated without feeling heavy and supports the skin barrier. Because this product is a weak fit for your skin, an ideal product of this type needs lightweight hydrators and ingredients that balance oil while protecting the skin.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008International Journal of Toxicology, 2019
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This cream is a poor match for oily skin because heavy ingredients like dimethicone and squalane can worsen shine and clog pores, so a moisturizer for this skin type needs lighter humectants like glycerin instead.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
This cream is a poor match for your oily skin because it contains heavy sealing ingredients that may increase oiliness and clog pores, so oily skin needs light hydrators instead.
How often should I use this cream?
This cream is a poor match for your oily skin because heavy ingredients like dimethicone and squalane tend to trap oil and clog pores, making it better to avoid this product altogether. Oily skin instead needs lightweight hydrators like glycerin and betaine that provide moisture without adding shine.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This cream is a poor match for oily skin because ingredients like dimethicone and squalane can clog pores and make oily shine worse. Oily skin needs lightweight humectants like glycerin and betaine instead.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
This moisturizing treatment is generally not ideal for your oily skin, but you can use it on the thin skin around your eyes and on your body since skin thickness varies greatly across body regions. A product of this type needs lightweight ingredients like glycerin to hydrate without clogging pores.
Is this cream 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
Peroxidated squalene induces an early activation of NF-kappaB, an increase in PPARalpha levels, and an upregulation of IL-6 production in HaCaT keratinocytes, which is subsequently counteracted by PPARalpha activation.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2006A combination of Aloe barbadensis leaf extract and trimethylglycine in a 1:1 mass ratio synergistically increased aquaporin 3 expression by up to 380% in keratinocytes and safely improved skin hydration in healthy volunteers.
Molecules, 2024A 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, 2001
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Poly C6-14 Olefin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Betaine, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Dimethicone Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Peg-10 Dimethicone, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Disodium Edta, Ethylhexylglycerin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Polygonatum Officinale Root Extract Rhizome, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Honey, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil Apricot Kernel Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Squalane, Tocopherol
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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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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