Epaderm Cream for acne-prone skin
Yellow Soft Paraffin Bp
Liquid Paraffin Ph.Eur
Cetostearyl Alcohol
Glycerin
Water Ep
Caution
- CautionCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A poor match for acne-prone skin; the moisturizers alongside 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
- Low suitability for combination skin as yellow soft paraffin and liquid paraffin provide emollient and occlusive actions that are more beneficial for dry skin, potentially clogging pores for acne-prone complexions.
- While the formula offers moderate moisturizing benefits for the skin barrier, these benefits are largely irrelevant to your primary concerns of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
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 600+ reviewsIt is frequently appreciated for its fast absorption and non-greasy feel, and many find its dual use as a cleanser and moisturizer convenient. Some users note a clinical scent and a minority experience stinging during severe flare-ups or find it insufficient for very dry skin.
Highlights
Absorbs quickly Often Mentioned
- “Very soft and easy to absorb, really fantastic product.”
- “Absorbs quickly without greasiness to support hydration.”
- “It has a smooth texture and doesn't feel greasy.”
- “Lightweight, non-greasy and fast-absorbing, perfect for daily use.”
Convenient pump Sometimes Noted
- “I love its container being in pump pack that make it easy to use.”
- “The push pump is good for those with Arthritis.”
- “Convenient application of the cream using a pump.”
- “Can use pump 1 handed which means able to quickly get the job of moisturising over and done.”
Doubles as cleanser Sometimes Noted
- “I use this for washing and moisturising my body and face.”
- “My daughter-in-law uses it in the shower instead of soap.”
- “I use Epaderm cream as a face wash.”
- “Serves as a soap replacement for moisturising skin.”
Unpleasant smell Sometimes Noted
- “Has an off putting unpleasant smell which is very strong.”
- “Does have a medical smell.”
- “Some users have reported experiencing... a strange smell.”
- “Sadly this discourages me from using it.”
Not for severe dryness Rarely Noted
- “Does very little for flare ups, so I have to use something else.”
- “Emollient cream isn't sufficient for me and wasn't in childhood either.”
Slightly sticky Rarely Noted
- “It kind of sat on my face all day long.”
- “A little bit sticky, maybe but I don't mind it.”
- “I put it on without cleansing beforehand and it trapped bacteria under the heavy emollients.”
- “Might get absorbed by the skin and clothes a bit.”
Stings flare-ups Rarely Noted
- “She hates having it applied, says it stings and gets upset.”
- “It doesn't matter what cream I use, even emollient, it stings like buggery!”
- “Symptoms such as burning, stinging, itchiness, or redness may occur.”
- “Some individuals may experience allergic or sensitivity reactions.”
Sources: lovi.care, productreview.com.au, epaderm.co.uk, hollandandbarrett.com, boots.ie, independenceaustralia.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise caution with Epaderm Cream for acne-prone skin?
Lovi advises caution because the heavy heavy oils in this cream can clog pores on acne-prone complexions. A moisturizer for this skin needs ingredients that clear blemishes and hydrate without clogging pores.
Which ingredients make this cream a poor fit for acne-prone skin?
Yellow soft paraffin and liquid paraffin make this cream a poor fit because they lock in moisture in a way that is better suited for dry skin and may clog pores for acne-prone complexions. Acne-prone skin needs a product of this type that contains soothing extracts, calming ingredients, or peptides to hydrate and repair without clogging pores or causing irritation.
What does Yellow Soft Paraffin do for acne-prone skin?
Yellow Soft Paraffin is unlikely to clog pores and helps protect dry or irritated areas on acne-prone skin, though acne-prone skin generally needs lightweight, oil-free hydrators with ingredients that clear pores and balance oil rather than heavy sealants.
What does Liquid Paraffin do for acne-prone skin?
Liquid paraffin helps keep dry skin soft and smooth by locking in moisture, but it does not treat acne. For acne-prone skin, a product of this type needs added ingredients that target breakouts and control oil.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2012Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2019
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This heavy cream is a poor match for acne-prone skin because its heavy oils may clog pores and trigger breakouts. When using a product of this type on breakout-prone skin, it needs lightweight hydrators and pore-clearing ingredients that balance moisture without blocking pores.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
This cream is a poor match for acne-prone skin because heavy ingredients like yellow soft paraffin and liquid paraffin can clog pores and cause breakouts. Acne-prone skin needs lightweight, non-clogging moisturizers with ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid that hydrate without blocking pores.
How often should I use this cream?
This heavy cream is a poor match for acne-prone skin, as its heavy waxes and oils may clog pores and trigger breakouts. Acne-prone complexions instead need lightweight, oil-free moisturizers with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin that soften skin without blocking pores.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This cream may clog pores and cause breakouts on acne-prone skin because its heavy paraffin ingredients trap oil and are better suited for very dry skin. To properly care for acne-prone skin, a moisturizer needs light, non-pore-clogging hydrators like glycerin and hyaluronic acid that balance moisture without causing congestion.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
This cream is suitable for use on the body, but it is important to consider that the skin around the eyes is much thinner than the skin on the back and other body areas. While the formula provides moderate moisturizing benefits, acne-prone skin needs lightweight hydration and ingredients that do not clog pores.
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, 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, 2020Topical treatment with skin-identical lipids in a petrolatum-rich cream base showed no superiority over pure petrolatum in promoting normalization of barrier recovery and inflammation in detergent- and tape-stripped-perturbed human skin over 14 days.
Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2000Topically applied extra virgin olive oil and petrolatum both significantly improved skin barrier function and microtopographic features in 54 healthy adult volunteers, with petrolatum exerting stronger occlusive effects and extra virgin olive oil uniquely promoting epidermal renewal.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2025Repeated application of concentrated water-in-oil emulsions over four weeks caused no skin irritation, positively affected skin properties, and delivered almost 50% of the applied fluorescein sodium, with isopropyl myristate showing superior penetration performance compared to liquid paraffin in healthy volunteers.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2019Ten 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, 2001Niacinamide/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, 2012Topical application of 1,3-propanediol at various concentrations, alone or combined with butylene glycol and/or glycerol, increased skin hydration and reduced trans epidermal water loss in 30 healthy female subjects over an 8-hour period, with the 15% concentration and the addition of glycerol providing greater benefits.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024A hydrogen water mask pack increased skin density by 18.41% compared to 9.93% for a commercial sample in participants after 4 weeks.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2020Topical application of magnetized saline water serum improved skin hydration, reduced transepidermal water loss, sebum content, melanin index, and erythema index, and activated autophagy by increasing Beclin-1 and decreasing mTOR in females wanting to enhance facial and neck skin appearance.
Cureus, 2023Reconstruction of human skin equivalents under reduced relative humidity of 40% increased pyrrolidone carboxylic acid levels to match native tissue, but stratum corneum hydration levels remained lower unless water was topically applied.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008
Ingredients
Yellow Soft Paraffin Bp, Liquid Paraffin Ph.Eur, Cetomacrogol Emulsifying Bp Wax Contains Cetostearyl Alcohol And Macrogol Cetostearyl Ether 22 Wax, Glycerin, Water Ep, Chlorocresol
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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