Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream for combination skin
Retinol
Sodium Hyaluronate
Ascorbic Acid
Glycerin
BhtAverage
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for combination skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
- International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
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
- Offers moderate moisturizing and anti-aging benefits for your combination skin due to glycerin and retinol, which hydrate and minimize fine lines, but it does not directly address your oily shine concerns.
- While glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide general hydration, they are not targeted for managing excess oil on your combination skin.
- The product is safe for your combination skin, as it lacks prohibited or harsh ingredients that could cause irritation.
How to apply
- Use this moisturizer in your AM and PM routine every day to control shine. Always pair with SPF in the morning.
- Apply this moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your morning SPF.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin and avoid harsh rubbing. Let it ⏳absorb for a minute.
- Apply the moisturizer on slightly damp skin to help it lock in moisture better. This keeps your combination skin balanced.
- Avoid the eye area when applying the moisturizer. Do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.2Overall rating based on 8.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with mature and sun-damaged skin frequently report noticeable improvements in texture and tone, citing smoother skin and diminished fine lines as primary outcomes. While many praise the "plumping" effect and fading of dark spots, a significant minority experience the "retinol uglies," including redness, burning, and peeling, particularly during the first weeks of use.
Highlights
Improves skin texture Mostly Mentioned
- “Skin is looking smoother”
- “feels soft and luxurious”
- “glowing and plumper”
Fast absorption Often Mentioned
- “Absorbs quickly”
- “no greasy residue”
- “lightweight and silky”
Reduces fine lines Often Mentioned
- “Deep lines have softened”
- “forehead wrinkles visibly faded”
- “diminished fine lines”
Fades dark spots Sometimes Noted
- “Spots have definitely lightened”
- “fading acne scars”
- “evening out skin tones”
Fragrance-free option Sometimes Noted
- “Love that it's fragrance-free”
- “no irritation with unscented”
- “great for sensitive skin”
Skin irritation Sometimes Noted
- “Burning sensation”
- “redness similar to sunburn”
- “face dry and peel”
Strong scent Sometimes Noted
- “Scent is so off-putting”
- “smell is way too strong”
- “gave me a headache”
Breakouts/purging Rarely Noted
- “Weird bumps aren't going away”
- “caused breakouts”
- “flare of acne”
Jar packaging Rarely Noted
- “Find it unsanitary”
- “jar packaging is disappointing”
- “prefer a pump”
Lack of immediate results Rarely Noted
- “Did nothing for wrinkles”
- “haven't seen any results”
- “takes time to work”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, target.com, neutrogena.com, ulta.com, samsclub.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair work for combination skin?
Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream is an average fit for combination skin, offering moderate hydration and anti-aging benefits while leaving oily shine unaddressed. Combination skin needs products with effective brightening and moisturizing ingredients that reduce oily shine without risk of irritation.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for combination skin?
Glycerin and retinol make this cream work for your combination skin by keeping it soft and smoothing out fine lines. To be a top fit for this skin type, a moisturizing treatment needs ingredients that reduce oily shine while providing balanced hydration without irritation.
What does Retinol do for combination skin?
Retinol helps smooth fine lines, even out skin tone, and improve firmness in combination skin. It works by encouraging faster skin renewal and boosting collagen, though it may occasionally cause mild dryness or scaling while your skin adjusts.
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for combination skin?
Hyaluronic acid is a great fit for combination skin because it quenches dry areas with a boost of hydration while keeping oily zones balanced. Regular use helps smooth out fine lines and makes your skin feel soft and plump without causing irritation.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2021Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing. Combination skin of this type needs lightweight hydrators and oil-controlling ingredients like niacinamide or salicylic acid to help manage excess shine.
Can I use this cream with niacinamide, and in what order?
You can use this cream with niacinamide by applying niacinamide first and following with this treatment once it absorbs, or alternating nights to prevent irritation. This product needs ingredients that control oil and balance moisture without clogging pores to properly manage your combination skin.
How often should I use this cream?
This cream works well for your combination skin when used as an evening treatment, though other products may fit it better. To give your combination skin the best results, a product of this type needs ingredients that balance moisture while helping to control oily shine.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2015
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This cream may cause breakouts or purging for combination skin, as reviewers report this as a low risk and it contains retinol which speeds up skin renewal. A product of this type needs balancing ingredients like niacinamide or lightweight hydrators to help manage oily shine while smoothing the skin.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cream on the body and around the eyes, as it is safe for the skin there. Because the skin around the eyes and in certain body regions is very thin, a gentle formula with nourishing ingredients like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate is helpful for keeping these areas soft and smooth.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Stearyl alcohol and cetearyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Topical 0.4% retinol significantly increased epidermal thickness, dermal vascularity, and extracellular matrix production by stimulating keratinocyte proliferation, endothelial cell proliferation, and fibroblast activation in naturally aged human skin compared to vehicle.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017A 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, 2017Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) is safe as used in cosmetic formulations at concentrations ranging from 0.0002% to 0.5% due to low dermal penetration and systemic exposure compared to oral administration.
International Journal of Toxicology, 2002Topical bakuchiol 0.5% applied twice daily compared with retinol 0.5% applied daily significantly decreased wrinkle surface area and hyperpigmentation with no statistical difference between the compounds in 44 patients over 12 weeks, while retinol users reported more facial skin scaling and stinging.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019Silicone particles encapsulating retinol increased its half-life by 9-fold and yielded 12-23% lower skin irritation in human subjects compared to Microsponge particles while maintaining biological activity.
Journal of Controlled Release, 2018Topical stabilized retinol treatment induced HAS gene expression and increased hyaluronic acid production in human skin in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo compared to vehicle.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2017Topical 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 5% vitamin C cream significantly improved global clinical scores, increased skin microrelief density, and induced elastic tissue repair in photoaged skin compared to excipient control in healthy female volunteers.
Experimental Dermatology, 2003Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.
Journal of Periodontology, 2009Topical application of VC-IP cream twice daily for 8 weeks reduces periorbital wrinkles in female subjects compared to a placebo cream.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022The 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, 2020Ten 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, 2012
Ingredients
Water, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Ppg-15 Stearyl Ether, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Behenate, Ceteareth-20, Isohexadecane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cellulose, Sodium Polyacrylate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Vp Crosspolymer, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Chlorphenesin, Polysorbate 20, Hydrolyzed Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract, Retinol, Bht, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium Edta, Sodium Hydroxide, Laureth-7, Ascorbic Acid
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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