Cetaphil Redness Relieving Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF 40 for combination skin
Allantoin
Vitamin E
Titanium Dioxide
Zinc Oxide
CaffeineAverage
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for combination skin; other sunscreens fit it better.
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
- International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2000
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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 offers moderate suitability for your combination skin, with glycerin providing hydration and allantoin offering soothing benefits, but it lacks sufficient ingredients for optimal oil control on your oily areas.
- The inclusion of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide provides excellent protection against UV rays, which is a key functional benefit.
- 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
- Apply this moisturizing sunscreen AM daily to protect your skin and control shine. Reapply as needed throughout the day.
- Use it as the final step of your morning routine after applying your moisturizer. It combines hydration and sun protection in one.
- Gently smooth a nickel-sized amount evenly over your face, avoiding harsh rubbing. Let it absorb fully before putting on makeup.
- Apply it directly to clean, dry skin for the best oil-controlling finish. Ensure your face is completely dry so the product sets properly.
- Avoid the immediate eye area during application. Do a patch test before your first use to check for any sensitivity.
People Say
★4.1Overall rating based on 800+ reviewsThe tint is frequently reported to be too dark or orange for very fair complexions, and some users find the finish greasy or shiny.
Highlights
Light coverage Often Mentioned
- “replaces my foundation”
- “natural light coverage”
- “evens out skin tone”
- “good for no-makeup days”
Redness reduction Often Mentioned
- “tones down my redness”
- “neutralizes the appearance of redness”
- “calms my flushed skin”
Tint too dark Often Mentioned
- “turned my face orange”
- “too dark for fair skin”
- “looked like a bad spray tan”
- “oxidized to a dark color”
Mineral sun protection Sometimes Noted
- “love the mineral SPF”
- “great daily sun protection”
- “SPF 40 is a bonus”
- “protects without chemical filters”
Non-irritating formula Sometimes Noted
- “doesn't burn my eyes”
- “great for sensitive skin”
- “no stinging or irritation”
- “gentle on my face”
Difficult to blend Sometimes Noted
- “hard to spread”
- “streaky application”
- “sits on top of skin”
- “requires elbow grease to blend”
Greasy or shiny Sometimes Noted
- “leaves a greasy film”
- “too shiny for oily skin”
- “feels heavy and sticky”
- “makes me look oily”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “clogged my pores”
- “caused cystic acne”
- “broke me out immediately”
- “not for acne-prone skin”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, cetaphil.com, iherb.com, skinsort.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Cetaphil Redness Relieving Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF 40 work for combination skin?
This moisturizer with SPF works moderately well for combination skin because it provides gentle hydration and sun protection, though it may lack enough oil control for your oily areas. To work best for this skin, a product of this type needs to be exceptionally safe with no irritation risk, effectively address oily shine with hydrating and barrier-supporting ingredients, and moisturize without unsuitability.
Which ingredients make this moisturizer a good fit for combination skin?
Glycerin provides hydration and allantoin helps calm the skin, while titanium dioxide and zinc oxide offer sun protection. However, a moisturizing spf for combination skin also needs ingredients that manage oily shine without adding excess oil.
What does Allantoin do for combination skin?
Allantoin helps calm sensitive areas, keep skin smooth, and support healing in combination skin. It works by regulating the skin's response and helping it recover.
What does Vitamin E do for combination skin?
Vitamin E helps balance combination skin by boosting moisture while calming redness and reducing oiliness in shiny areas. It is generally well-tolerated and may help protect the skin barrier, keeping both dry and oily patches comfortable and smooth.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020
Where does this moisturizer go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This moisturizer goes in the morning step of your routine after your hydrating toner and before your sunscreen. It provides gentle hydration and sun protection, though combination skin needs extra ingredients for oil control.
Can I use this moisturizer with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizer with retinol by applying your retinol treatment first, letting it absorb, and then following with this moisturizer. This product is safe to use and unlikely to cause irritation, but to truly fit combination skin when using active ingredients like retinol, it needs added oil-controlling ingredients.
How often should I use this moisturizer?
You can use this moisturizing spf daily in your morning routine, as mineral filters protect against UV rays. A product of this type for combination skin also needs ingredients for oil control on oily areas.
Can this moisturizer clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This moisturizer is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores for your combination skin because it has a safe formula without harsh ingredients, though a few reviewers have experienced breakouts. To better manage shine on your oily areas, a product of this type needs extra oil-controlling ingredients.
Is this moisturizer fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (benzyl alcohol).
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, 2017Microfine titanium dioxide does not penetrate human skin when formulated in an oil-in-water emulsion with the pigment dispersed in the aqueous phase, compared to oily dispersions and liposomal encapsulation which allow deeper skin penetration.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2000Topical sunscreen formulations containing caffeine combined with UV filters increased in vivo anti-UVB protection by approximately 25% and showed higher SPF values compared to caffeine-free sunscreen, while being well tolerated by the skin of healthy subjects.
Frontiers in Physiology, 2019Topical gel containing chitosan, 0.2% chlorhexidine, allantoin and dexpanthenol did not improve postoperative comfort regarding swelling and pain, but improved the wound's aesthetic appearance following impacted lower third molar extraction compared to no gel.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2016A 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, 2020An overnight patch containing Allium cepa extract and allantoin safely promotes scar healing after dermatologic surgery, resulting in significantly greater reductions in observer- and patient-assessed POSAS scores compared to no treatment.
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2018Topical 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, 2024Replacing microsized titanium dioxide and zinc oxide with nanoparticles in sunscreens eliminates opaqueness and alters UV protection balance while inducing (photo)cyto- and genotoxicity and penetrating viable skin layers during long-term exposures.
Nanotechnology, Science and Applications, 2011Microfine zinc oxide and titanium dioxide do not penetrate the stratum corneum of porcine skin in vitro, indicating that their use in sunscreens does not pose a health risk from internal exposure.
Toxicology in Vitro, 2006Hyaluronic acid-grafted titanium dioxide nanoparticles increased SPF from 13.3 to 19.1 while demonstrating low photocatalytic activity, exceptional thermal stability with >95% SPF retention, enhanced moisturization with >80% hydration retention, and minimal cytotoxicity with 88.5% cell viability in HaCaT keratinocytes compared to unmodified nanoparticles.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2025Topical 0.5% hyaluronic-ZnO nanogel applied twice daily reduced inflammatory-lesion counts by 58% at week four in human subjects compared to baseline without causing erythema.
Biomedicines, 2025Nels cream achieved a similar reduction in inflammatory and noninflammatory lesion counts compared to 5% benzoyl peroxide in acne vulgaris patients, but caused significantly fewer side-effects such as peeling and dryness.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2000Topically applied coated and uncoated zinc oxide nanoparticles under flexing and massage are retained in the stratum corneum with no significant penetration into the viable epidermis and no cellular toxicity in human skin.
Nanomedicine, 2016A topical cosmetic slimming product containing tetrahydroxypropyl ethylenediamine, caffeine, carnitine, forskolin and retinol significantly reduced body circumferences and improved skin aspect compared with placebo in 78 women over 12 weeks.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2011Caffeine gel combined with choline geranate showed high skin permeation capacity and superior clinical results in cellulite treatment compared to caffeine gel without ionic liquid.
AAPS PharmSciTech, 2021Caffeine stimulates metabolic activity in hair follicles and acts as an antioxidant through adenosine pathway interactions, showing potential as an effective and safe management option for hair loss despite current study limitations.
Molecules, 2025
Ingredients
Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Allantoin, Benzyl Alcohol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caffeine, Caprylyl Methicone, Cetyl Diglyceryl Tris Trimethylsiloxy Silylethyl Dimethicone, Ci 77288, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Dimethicone, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Iron Oxides, Isohexadecane, Magnesium Sulfate, Methylpropanediol, Silica, Tocopherol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Trisiloxane, Water
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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