🇪🇸Spain

CeraVe Micellar Cleansing Water for oily acne-prone skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

CeraVe Micellar Cleansing Water

Average

  • HighOily Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

Works for oily acne-prone skin; other products 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 suitability for your oily skin, as Glycerin and Niacinamide provide hydration and help regulate oil production, supporting your concerns with acne, blemishes, and breakouts. Ceramides also aid in barrier repair, which is beneficial for oily skin.
  • The cleansing action of Poloxamer 184 effectively removes impurities, contributing to overall skin health.
  • The product is safe for your skin, with no identified risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients.

How to apply

  • Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine. Start using it daily to help manage your oily skin.
  • Apply this micellar water as your first step before your cleanser and the rest of your routine.
  • Pour some micellar water onto a cotton pad and gently wipe it across your face. Avoid harsh rubbing.
  • Apply the micellar water on dry skin to effectively remove excess oil and impurities.
  • Do a patch test before your first use. Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes.

People Say

★4.5Overall rating based on 3.5k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, users with normal to dry and sensitive skin frequently praise this product for its hydrating, non-stripping formula that effectively removes light daily grime without disrupting the skin barrier. A significant number of reviewers report stinging when used around the eyes and note that it struggles to remove waterproof mascara or heavy makeup.

Highlights

  • Gentle and hydrating Often Mentioned
    • “leaves no sticky residue”
    • “instant hydration boost”
    • “doesn't leave face feeling overly dry”
    • “skin feels soft and clean”
  • Safe for sensitive skin Often Mentioned
    • “never broken out using this”
    • “doesn't burn my sensitive skin”
    • “gentle enough for daily use”
  • Stings eyes Often Mentioned
    • “burns my eyes terribly”
    • “stings if it gets near eyes”
    • “caused eye irritation and watering”
    • “cannot use for eye makeup removal”
  • Beneficial ingredients Sometimes Noted
    • “contains essential ceramides and niacinamide”
    • “helps restore skin barrier”
    • “love that it has hyaluronic acid”
    • “great ingredient list for the price”
  • Effective morning cleanse Sometimes Noted
    • “perfect for a light morning cleanse”
    • “great for refreshing after the gym”
    • “good first step in double cleansing”
    • “removes sunscreen well”
  • Weak on makeup Sometimes Noted
    • “struggles with waterproof mascara”
    • “requires scrubbing to get eyeliner off”
    • “doesn't remove heavy makeup completely”
    • “left residue of foundation”
  • Skin reactions Rarely Noted
    • “caused a rash on my cheeks”
    • “started to break me out”
    • “left my skin feeling red”
  • Uses many pads Rarely Noted
    • “have to use a lot of product”
    • “bottle goes fast”
    • “takes 3-4 pads to feel clean”
    • “not as efficient as Bioderma”

Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, walmart.com, target.com, cerave.com, cocooncenter.co.uk, and more

Questions and answers

How well does CeraVe Micellar Cleansing Water work for oily acne-prone skin?

This micellar water works moderately well for oily acne-prone skin, as it cleanses impurities and provides hydration while helping regulate oil and calm breakouts. To get a better fit for this skin, a product needs exceptionally safe, irritation-free formulas with powerful blemish-fighting ingredients and gentle cleansers that control oil and prevent breakouts without stripping.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?

Glycerin, niacinamide, and ceramides make this cleanser a decent fit because they provide hydration, help balance oil, and support your skin barrier without causing irritation. To work best for oily acne-prone skin, this type of product needs targeted oil-control ingredients and powerful blemish-fighting components that clear breakouts while keeping the skin balanced.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

What does Niacinamide do for oily acne-prone skin?

Niacinamide helps balance oil production, calms redness, and is unlikely to irritate oily, acne-prone skin while improving blemishes. Clinical tests show it reduces excess oil and helps clear up both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne breakouts.

Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

What do Ceramides do for oily acne-prone skin?

Ceramides help keep oily acne-prone skin calm and smooth by strengthening the skin barrier and locking in moisture. Since acne-prone skin often has lower levels of these natural lipids, adding ceramides helps reduce irritation, redness, and moisture loss. A product for this skin type needs barrier-supporting ingredients like ceramides and gentle hydrators to prevent dryness and balance oil.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023

Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?

This product goes in the evening routine as a makeup remover, or anytime as a gentle cleanser to lift away impurities. Glycerin and niacinamide help hydrate the skin and manage excess oil, while ceramides support barrier repair without causing irritation. For this skin type, a product of this type needs lightweight hydrators and oil-balancing ingredients like niacinamide and ceramides.

International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this micellar water before retinol, as it gently removes impurities without causing irritation. Oily acne-prone skin typically needs a targeted cleanser with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide and oil-balancing ingredients to better manage breakouts.

Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012

How often should I use it?

You can use this micellar water daily as part of your routine to gently remove impurities and makeup without causing irritation. Oily acne-prone skin needs products with ingredients like niacinamide and glycerin to help balance oil and hydration, alongside barrier-repairing ceramides.

Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?

This micellar water is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores on oily skin because it contains niacinamide and glycerin to help keep oil in check and provide gentle hydration without harsh ingredients. However, to truly thrive, oily acne-prone skin needs products with targeted blemish-fighting ingredients and oil-balancing agents that do more to clear pores and prevent breakouts.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying 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, 2017

  • 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, 2021

  • Topical 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, 2008

  • Topical 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, 2005

  • The 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, 2020

  • Ten 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

  • Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012

Ingredients

Water, Glycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Poloxamer 184, Disodium Cocoamphoacetate, Disodium Edta, Niacinamide, Polyaminopropyl Biguanide, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Bht, Ceramide Np, Phenoxyethanol, Ceramide Ap, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ceramide Eop

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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play

Buy online

Prices checked 12 Oct – 5 Nov 2026

The Lovi Fit is the same in every country; only the stores and prices differ, and the ones here are for Spain.

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play