Pond's Cold Cream for oily acne-prone skin
Mineral Oil
Beeswax
Cetyl Alcohol
Ceresin
Triethanolamine
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other pre-cleansers 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 makeup removal for your oily skin, as mineral oil and beeswax help dissolve and lift makeup, but lacks targeted ingredients like salicylic acid to address your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- While the formula provides general skincare benefits and emollient action suitable for oily skin, it does not offer sufficient ingredients for effective seboregulation.
- The safety profile is good, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this makeup remover PM as the first step of your evening routine to clear away impurities. Start by using it 3×/week before working up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply this makeup remover before your regular cleanser and toner. Follow it with your usual cleansing steps to ensure all residue is thoroughly washed away.
- Gently press a small amount of the makeup remover onto your face using soft cotton pads. Avoid harsh rubbing to prevent irritating your blemishes and active breakouts.
- Apply the makeup remover on completely dry skin to effectively break down excess oil and makeup. Clean away thoroughly before moving on to the next skincare steps .
- Do a patch test before your first use to ensure your skin reacts well. Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes .
People Say
★4.2Overall rating based on 13.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with dry or sensitive skin frequently praise this product for its ability to melt away stubborn waterproof makeup while leaving the skin feeling deeply moisturized and soft. Users with oily or acne-prone skin often caution that the rich, mineral oil-based formula can leave a greasy residue that requires a second cleanse to prevent clogged pores.
Highlights
Deeply moisturizing Mostly Mentioned
- “Leaves skin baby soft”
- “No tight feeling”
- “Great for dry patches”
Effective makeup remover Mostly Mentioned
- “Melts waterproof mascara”
- “Removes stubborn eyeliner”
- “Dissolves stage makeup”
Great value Often Mentioned
- “Tub lasts forever”
- “Unbeatable price”
- “Budget-friendly staple”
Greasy residue Often Mentioned
- “Leaves oily film”
- “Hard to rinse off”
- “Vision gets blurry”
Gentle on skin Sometimes Noted
- “Doesn't burn eyes”
- “Calms my redness”
- “Safe for sensitive skin”
Strong fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “Smells like grandma”
- “Scent is overpowering”
- “Too much perfume”
Pore clogging Rarely Noted
- “Caused cystic acne”
- “Clogged my pores”
- “Too heavy for me”
Unhygienic packaging Rarely Noted
- “Hate the jar”
- “Breeding ground for bacteria”
- “Need a spatula”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, target.com, influenster.com, byrdie.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Pond's Cold Cream Makeup Remover work for oily acne-prone skin?
Pond's Cold Cream works moderately well to take off makeup on oily skin, but it lacks targeted ingredients like salicylic acid to help with acne and breakouts. A makeup remover for this skin type needs soothing ingredients like aloe or chamomile, oil control to manage excess shine, and lightweight hydration that does not clog pores.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Mineral oil and beeswax make this cream a fit by helping dissolve and lift makeup from oily skin. However, it lacks targeted ingredients like salicylic acid to address breakouts, so a cleanser for this skin type needs oil-clearing ingredients and acne-fighting components.
What does Mineral Oil do for oily acne-prone skin?
Mineral oil helps lock in moisture and calm dry or irritated skin with a very low chance of causing allergies or irritation. Because it sits on top of the skin rather than absorbing deep into pores, it is unlikely to clog them, though oily acne-prone skin generally needs lightweight, non-greasy ingredients that help balance oil production.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2019
What does Beeswax do for oily acne-prone skin?
Beeswax is quite heavy and can trap oil and dirt on oily, acne-prone skin, which is likely to clog pores and trigger breakouts. A product for this skin type needs lightweight, oil-free ingredients that hydrate without feeling heavy or blocking pores.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
Pond's Cold Cream goes as the makeup remover step in the evening routine and weekly routine for oily acne-prone skin. It is unlikely to irritate oily skin, but because it lacks targeted ingredients for breakouts, this skin type needs ingredients like salicylic acid to help address acne and blemishes.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream in the evening before your retinol treatment to help keep your skin comfortable and smooth. Mineral oil and beeswax help dissolve makeup safely without harsh irritation, but this skin type needs targeted ingredients like salicylic acid and oil-controlling elements to properly manage acne and breakouts.
How often should I use it?
You can use this makeup remover in the evening whenever you wear makeup, following your skin routine. It is gentle on your skin, but because it lacks acne-fighting ingredients and oil control, oily acne-prone skin needs products with ingredients like salicylic acid.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
Pond's Cold Cream is unlikely to cause irritation on oily acne-prone skin, but reviewers do report a high amount of greasy residue and low pore clogging. Because it lacks targeted ingredients like salicylic acid for breakouts, an oily acne-prone skin needs a cleanser with blemish-clearing actives and oil control ingredients.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Repeated 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, 2019Topical application of a honey, olive oil, and beeswax mixture three times daily for up to 4 weeks resulted in clinical responses in 86% of patients with pityriasis versicolor, 78% with tinea cruris, and 75% with tinea corporis.
Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2004A prototype body cream containing bee venom, propolis, honey, beeswax, and royal jelly demonstrated stability for 90 days, high antioxidant capacity of 85.45%, lack of cytotoxicity with over 70% cell viability, and no irritation or allergic reaction in dermatological analysis, while improving skin parameters in a panel test.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022MUD1 protected human dermal fibroblasts against AAPH-induced oxidative stress by increasing cell viability, reducing oxidative damage, improving mitochondrial functionality, and enhancing wound healing capacities.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2018A soap-free cleansing lotion containing cetyl alcohol and sodium cocoyl apple amino acids reduced skin surface impurities and improved skin hydration, barrier function, and skin tone in 27 healthy adult subjects over 30 days.
Cureus, 2025Topical 2% tea lotion significantly decreased inflammatory lesions and was superior to 5% zinc sulphate solution in patients with acne vulgaris.
Saudi Medical Journal, 2008Topical 2% tea lotion significantly reduced the mean lesion count of papules and pustules in patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to a control solution over 2 months.
Saudi Medical Journal, 2006
Why other pre-cleansers fit oily acne-prone skin better
Epigallocatechin-3-gallate significantly improved acne in patients compared to the control side during an 8-week clinical trial.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2013Topical application of tocopherol succinate ethosomal gel decreased erythema, melanin, and sebum levels while improving moisture content and skin elasticity in 34 human women.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Ingredients
Mineral Oil, Water, Ceresin, Beeswax, Triethanolamine, Behenic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Ceteth-20, Carbomer, Disodium Edta, Methyl Paraben, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
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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