CeraVe Moisturising Lotion for acne-prone skin
Ceramide Np
Ceramide Ap
Sodium Hyaluronate
Phytosphingosine
Cholesterol
Average
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for acne-prone skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
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 moisturizing for your combination skin, as glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide hydration and plumping without being overly heavy. These ingredients offer general hydration benefits but are not specialized for addressing your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The formula is well-suited for combination skin by providing humectant action, though it lacks stronger ingredients specifically for oil control.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your acne-prone skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components like glycerin and hyaluronate.
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
★4.6Overall rating based on 11.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users consistently praise this lotion as a holy grail staple for its lightweight, non-greasy formula that effectively hydrates without clogging pores.
Highlights
Lightweight non-greasy Mostly Mentioned
- “Absorbs instantly”
- “Doesn't feel sticky”
- “Perfect under makeup”
- “Skin drinks it up”
Gentle fragrance-free Often Mentioned
- “No irritation”
- “Great for sensitive skin”
- “Safe for acne-prone skin”
Value for money Often Mentioned
- “Huge bottle lasts forever”
- “Affordable staple”
- “Better than expensive brands”
- “Great price point”
Effective barrier repair Sometimes Noted
- “Helped my damaged barrier”
- “Reduced redness”
- “Smoothed rough patches”
- “Skin feels stronger”
Versatile face body Sometimes Noted
- “Use it head to toe”
- “Great hand cream”
- “One bottle for everything”
- “Good for back acne”
Too thin for dry Sometimes Noted
- “Need the cream instead”
- “Not enough for winter”
- “Skin felt dry an hour later”
- “Too watery”
Basic experience Rarely Noted
- “No luxury feel”
- “Just a basic lotion”
- “Nothing special”
- “Dull packaging”
Packaging pump issues Rarely Noted
- “Pump arrived broken”
- “Hard to get last bit out”
- “Pump stops working”
- “Spilled in transit”
Pilling texture Rarely Noted
- “Pills under sunscreen”
- “Balls up if rubbed”
- “Doesn't layer well”
- “Left white residue”
Rare stinging Rarely Noted
- “Burned my face”
- “Stung on application”
- “Caused redness”
Sources: lovi.care, cerave.com, amazon.com, ulta.com, boots.com, superdrug.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does CeraVe Moisturising Lotion work for acne-prone skin?
CeraVe Moisturising Lotion works reasonably well for acne-prone skin by offering moderate hydration and soothing comfort without feeling overly heavy or causing irritation. However, because it lacks specialized ingredients for oil control and blemishes, an acne-prone skin type needs a moisturizer with targeted blemish-fighting active ingredients and oil-balancing agents for a better fit.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate make this cream a good fit by providing light hydration without feeling heavy, while soothing components help keep irritation unlikely. However, because it lacks specialized ingredients for oil control and blemishes, a moisturizer for acne-prone skin also needs targeted blemish-fighting ingredients and oil-balancing agents.
What do Ceramides do for acne-prone skin?
Ceramides help acne-prone skin by restoring a weak water barrier, which is often damaged and low in these protective lipids in people with acne. Using them helps reduce dryness, redness, and irritation caused by acne treatments while keeping the skin calm and smooth.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023Archives of Dermatological Research, 1995
What does Ceramide AP do for acne-prone skin?
Ceramide AP helps restore the skin barrier, which is often weakened by acne treatments, and reduces dryness, redness, and flaking. Using it alongside your acne routine may also lower inflammatory breakouts and make your skin feel more calm and smooth.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023
Where does it go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
CeraVe Moisturising Lotion goes near the end of your morning routine after your toner, and as the final step in your evening routine. It provides light hydration with glycerin and sodium hyaluronate, but acne-prone skin also needs specialized ingredients for oil control and blemishes.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
Yes, you can use this moisturizer with retinol by applying it after your retinol treatment to help keep your skin calm and hydrated. Using a barrier-supporting moisturizer alongside retinoids is unlikely to cause irritation and may help reduce dryness while supporting your skin.
How often should I use it?
You can use CeraVe Moisturising Lotion twice a day, morning and night, to keep your skin hydrated without feeling overly heavy. Regular daily use helps improve skin moisture and supports the skin barrier with a low likelihood of irritation.
Health Science Reports, 2021Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This cream is unlikely to cause breakouts or irritation for your acne-prone skin because it has a very safe formula with soothing components like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate, though it lacks specialized ingredients for oil control. A product for this skin needs oil-controlling and blemish-targeting ingredients to help keep pores clear.
Can I use it around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizer around your eyes and on your body, as its safe formula with glycerin and sodium hyaluronate is gentle on delicate skin and helps keep it soft and hydrated.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol and cetyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.
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, 2017Emulsions containing ceramides 1 and 3 improved skin hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss in sodium lauryl sulfate-irritated skin of fifteen healthy Asian women compared to a control emulsion.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2008Topical 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, 2019Topical application of an emulsion containing a complete mixture of ceramides III, IIIB, VI, phytosphingosine, cholesterol, and linoleic acid significantly accelerated barrier recovery after SLS damage and improved skin hydration after acetone treatment in human volunteers compared to an emulsion containing only two types of ceramides.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2002Phytosphingosine demonstrates anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory activity with excellent clinical results in acne vulgaris.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2007Phytosphingosine increased filaggrin metabolism and skin hydration in human skin by stimulating filaggrin biosynthesis and degradation leading to natural moisturizing factor formation.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2017Botulinum toxin-A encapsulated in phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol nanoliposomes delivered transdermally achieved a diffusion depth of 380 μm and showed a nonsignificant advantage in relieving post-acne scarring compared to hyaluronic acid hydrogel treatment in 12 facial patients.
Journal of Materials Science. Materials in Medicine, 2024Topical application of cholesterol sulfate increases stratum corneum thickness and inhibits protease-induced cell dissociation by competitively inhibiting serine proteases in mice and human stratum corneum.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 1998Topical lovastatin treatment impairs the recovery of cutaneous permeability barrier function and stratum corneum cholesterol levels after acetone disruption in mice, an effect normalized by simultaneous treatment with mevalonate or cholesterol.
The Journal of Clinical Investigation, 1990
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, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 20, Ceteareth-20, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Phosphate, Disodium Edta, Dipotassium Phosphate, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, 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.
-
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-
Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-
Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-
Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-
Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.