Sulwhasoo The Ultimate S Cream for oily acne-prone skin
Hydrolyzed Ginseng Saponins
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter
Squalane
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
TocopherolAverage
- AverageOily 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 moderate hydration and smoothing for your oily skin, with Hydrolyzed Ginseng Saponins and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 providing beneficial effects for fine lines and overall skin health. Squalane and shea butter offer emollient properties, though they do not strongly address oil regulation for your oily skin.
- The formula includes soothing ingredients like honey and tocopherol, ensuring a gentle experience without irritation for your oily skin.
- The product is safe for your skin, containing no harsh or prohibited ingredients and featuring a composition that supports general skin health.
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
★4.7Overall rating based on 300+ reviewsThis ultra-luxurious anti-aging cream is widely praised by users with dry and mature skin for its ability to deeply hydrate and visibly plump the complexion. While many report a subtle lifting effect and improved elasticity over time, the extremely high price point and rich texture make it a "splurge" product best reserved for those seeking a premium, sensory skincare ritual.
Highlights
Luxurious texture Mostly Mentioned
- “whipped butter consistency”
- “melts into skin”
- “rich but not heavy”
- “silky finish”
Extremely expensive Mostly Mentioned
- “hard to justify price”
- “way too pricey”
- “wallet hurts”
- “luxury splurge only”
Deep hydration Often Mentioned
- “skin feels plump”
- “instant glow”
- “erased dry patches”
- “moisturized all day”
Elegant packaging Sometimes Noted
- “beautiful moon jar”
- “looks like art”
- “stunning on vanity”
- “heavy and high-quality”
Firming effects Sometimes Noted
- “jawline looks sharper”
- “skin feels bouncier”
- “helped with sagging”
- “lines look softened”
Strong scent Sometimes Noted
- “smells like dirt”
- “overpowering herbal scent”
- “medicinal fragrance”
- “too strong for me”
Heavy for oily skin Rarely Noted
- “caused breakouts”
- “too greasy for day”
- “sat on top of skin”
- “clogged my pores”
Jar packaging Rarely Noted
- “unhygienic dipping”
- “wish it had a pump”
- “messy without spatula”
- “air exposure concerns”
Sources: lovi.care, sulwhasoo.com, nordstrom.com, bloomingdales.com, reddit.com, influenster.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Sulwhasoo The Ultimate S Cream work for oily acne-prone skin?
Sulwhasoo The Ultimate S Cream works reasonably well for oily acne-prone skin, providing moderate moisture and smoothing without causing irritation. However, because it contains richer softening ingredients like squalane and shea butter, it does not actively control excess oil. A product for this skin type needs lightweight, oil-free hydration and ingredients that clear pores while balancing oil production.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2013Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2013
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Hydrolyzed ginseng saponins and acetyl hexapeptide-8 make this cream a good fit for your oily skin by helping with fine lines and overall skin health, while honey and tocopherol provide a gentle, soothing experience. An oily acne-prone skin type needs a moisturizing treatment that provides lightweight hydration, balances oil, and supports skin clarity without clogging pores.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2013Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2013
What do Ginseng Saponins do for oily acne-prone skin?
Ginseng saponins help calm red, irritated skin and may reduce excess oil to improve acne symptoms. They work by soothing angry breakouts and keeping your skin balanced without feeling heavy or greasy.
What does Butyrospermum Parkii Butter do for oily acne-prone skin?
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter helps protect the skin barrier, but because it is quite heavy, it may feel too rich for oily acne-prone skin. Skin of this type usually needs lighter, balancing ingredients like natural plant oils with a higher linoleic acid to oleic acid ratio that help keep pores clear and smooth.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This moisturizing treatment goes after your hydrating toner and before your sunscreen in the morning, and as the final step in the evening. For this oily skin, a product of this type needs lightweight hydrators and oil-regulating ingredients that balance moisture without feeling heavy.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream alongside retinol by applying the retinol first, letting it absorb, and then following with the cream to help keep your skin comfortable and smooth. Oily acne-prone skin works best with lighter, oil-controlling moisturizers containing niacinamide or salicylic acid rather than heavy butter-based creams.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this moisturizing treatment twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine. Regular daily application helps improve skin hydration, smoothness, and fine lines while keeping your skin calm.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cream is unlikely to cause purging or breakouts, as it contains no harsh ingredients and features soothing components that ensure a gentle experience for your oily acne-prone skin. However, because it includes richer ingredients like shea butter and squalane that do not actively control oil, an oily skin type needs lightweight, oil-balancing ingredients and non-clogging hydrators to keep pores clear.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
This moisturizing treatment can be safely used on the body and around the eyes, as its gentle composition with honey and tocopherol works well on different body regions. However, because skin thickness varies across the body from very thin in the eye area to thicker regions elsewhere, a product of this type needs lightweight hydration and targeted smoothing ingredients to suit these areas effectively.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum, benzyl salicylate, limonene, and linalool). Cetearyl alcohol and behenyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Argireline treatment twice daily for 4 weeks produced a significant anti-wrinkle effect with 48.9% total efficacy and decreased skin roughness in Chinese subjects compared with 0% efficacy and no decrease in roughness in the placebo group.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2013Argireline applied twice daily for 4 weeks achieved a total anti-wrinkle efficiency of 48.9% and notably reduced wrinkle depth compared to placebo in Chinese subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2013Treatment with cross-linked hyaluronic acid-based microneedle patches combined with acetyl hexapeptide-8 or epidermal growth factor significantly improved wrinkles and skin hydration compared to the patch alone in Korean females over 29 days.
Annals of Dermatology, 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 topical serum containing vitamin C, vitamin E, and raspberry leaf cell culture extract improved skin color, elasticity, radiance, smoothness, scaliness, and wrinkles compared to the untreated contralateral side in fifty female volunteers.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Enzyme-modified ginseng extract cream significantly reduced the global photo-damage score and various roughness measures including total roughness, smoothness depth, and arithmetic roughness average compared to placebo in 23 human subjects.
Rejuvenation Research, 2015A red ginseng hydrogel formulation with 1,2-hexanediol promoted selective growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis and decreased Cutibacterium acnes in 20 female subjects.
Journal of Ginseng Research, 2022A 1% fermented black ginseng cream significantly reduced eye wrinkles and brightened skin color in twenty-three human subjects compared to control cream and baseline.
Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. Part A, 2020A 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, 2025Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Plant-derived squalane protected human dermal fibroblasts against UVA-induced damage by counteracting ROS formation, suppressing apoptosis-related proteins p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP, and restoring the pro-survival p-Akt/mTOR pathway.
Antioxidants, 2025Acetyl hexapeptide-3 and tripeptide-10 citrulline demonstrated antiwrinkle efficacy and decreased transepidermal water loss in twenty-four healthy volunteers compared to control groups, though synergistic effects between the two peptides remained unclear.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2017Daily topical acetyl hexapeptide-8 showed a trend toward a longer time until return to baseline Jankovic Blepharospasm Rating Scale scores compared to placebo (3.7 months vs. 3.0 months) in 24 patients with blepharospasm receiving botulinum toxin therapy.
European Journal of Neurology, 2013Dissolving microneedles loaded with 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid and acetyl hexapeptide-8 achieved higher cumulative transdermal delivery than aqueous solutions and significantly reduced photoaging signs while restoring oxidative balance in a UV/D-galactose-induced mouse model.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2026Topical 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, 2024
Why other moisturizers fit oily acne-prone skin better
A 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, 2024Co-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, 2023
Ingredients
Water, Butylene Glycol, Triethylhexanoin, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Squalane, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Trisiloxane, 2-Hexanediol, Diisostearyl Malate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Polyglycerin-3, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Parfum, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Vp Copolymer, Hydroxypropyl Phosphate Starch, Hydrolyzed Ginseng Saponins Enzyme-Treated Red Ginseng Saponins, Glyceryl Caprylate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium Edta, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Propanediol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polysorbate 60, Methoxy Peg-114 Polyepsilon Caprolactone, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract Carrot Root Extract, Benzyl Salicylate, Bioflavonoids, Hydrolyzed Proanthocyanidin, Honey, Miel, Limonene, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Polygonatum Odoratum Extract Rhizome, Linalool, Panax Ginseng Extract Berry, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Beta-Carotene, Tocopherol, Phytosphingosine, Sodium Polyaspartate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate, Acetyl Heptapeptide-4, Citric Acid, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sodium Hydroxide, Acetyl Octapeptide-3
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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