Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Moisturiser for oily skin
Sodium Hyaluronate
Glycerin
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Caprylyl Glycol
Tocopherol
Average
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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 hydration for your oily skin due to glycerin and hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, which provide humectant action without adding excess oil. Sodium PCA also supports hydration, though it does not directly address concerns about oily shine.
- This formulation is highly suitable for oily skin, as the humectant ingredients hydrate effectively without contributing to greasiness.
- The product is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine every day to keep your face fresh.
- Apply this moisturizer after cleansing and toning, but right before your SPF in the morning.
- Gently press a small amount into your skin and let it absorb fully.
- Apply on clean, slightly dry skin to help control that oily shine.
- Avoid the eye area and do a quick patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 2.4k+ reviewsThis moisturizer is highly regarded by users with oily, combination, and sensitive skin for its lightweight, oil-free formula that hydrates without causing breakouts or irritation. Based on a very large amount of data, this should be definitely taken into account.
Highlights
Lightweight and fast Mostly Mentioned
- “sinks in seconds”
- “feels like water”
- “disappears instantly”
Gentle and non-irritating Often Mentioned
- “no stinging”
- “calmed my redness”
- “safe for acne-prone skin”
Non-greasy finish Often Mentioned
- “no sticky residue”
- “matte finish”
- “doesn't look oily”
Good makeup base Sometimes Noted
- “foundation sits perfectly”
- “no pilling under makeup”
- “great primer substitute”
Not enough moisture Sometimes Noted
- “skin felt tight again”
- “need to reapply often”
- “not enough for winter”
Poor pump design Sometimes Noted
- “hard to get last bit”
- “pump stopped working”
- “wasteful packaging”
Small bottle size Rarely Noted
- “finished in 2 weeks”
- “expensive for amount”
- “tiny bottle”
Watery consistency Rarely Noted
- “too runny”
- “spills easily”
- “feels like a serum”
Sources: lovi.care, hollandandbarrett.com, lookfantastic.com, superdrug.com, cetaphil.com, amazon.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Moisturiser work for oily skin?
Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Moisturiser works decently for oily skin, though other products fit it better because they manage shine more effectively. This moisturiser uses glycerin and hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid to provide hydration without adding extra oil, but oily skin of this type needs lightweight options with peptides and barrier-supporting ingredients that control shine and breakouts.
Which ingredients make this moisturizer a good fit for oily skin?
Glycerin, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, and sodium PCA make this moisturizer a good fit by providing hydration without adding excess oil. To work even better for oily skin, a moisturizer of this type needs peptides, lightweight soothing extracts, and ingredients that support the skin barrier without heavy oils.
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for oily skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps oily skin by reducing extra oil and sebum production without causing irritation. Clinical studies show it successfully balances oil levels while keeping the skin comfortable.
What does Glycerin do for oily skin?
Glycerin helps keep oily skin hydrated without feeling heavy and supports the skin barrier. Because this product is a weak fit for your skin, an ideal product of this type needs lightweight hydrators and ingredients that balance oil while protecting the skin.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008International Journal of Toxicology, 2019
Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
Apply this moisturizer in the morning after your hydrating toner, and in the evening as the last step before bed. Daily use of a moisturizer helps keep skin hydrated without adding excess oil, though oily skin also benefits from ingredients that control shine.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can I use this moisturizer with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizer with retinol by applying it before your retinol treatment at night to help reduce irritation. This product is unlikely to irritate your skin, and using a barrier-enhancing moisturizer alongside retinol supports skin comfort.
How often should I use it?
You can use this moisturizer daily in the morning and evening as part of your regular skincare routine. Regular use helps keep your skin hydrated without feeling greasy, and it has a very safe profile with little chance of irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this moisturizer clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This moisturizer is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily skin, as it uses lightweight water-attracting ingredients that hydrate without adding excess oil or harsh irritants. However, because it only offers moderate hydration, oily skin often does better with a product that also helps control shine and balances oil production.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology, 2009
Can I use it around the eyes or on my body?
Yes, you can use this moisturizer around your eyes or on your body, as its gentle ingredients are safe and unlikely to cause irritation. Because the skin around the eyes and on parts of the body can be very thin, a product of this type needs lightweight hydration ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid, along with soothing agents, to keep skin soft and comfortable without heaviness.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Is this moisturizer 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
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, 2017Profhilo treatment led to significant improvements in superficial skin hydration and transepidermal water loss over time in Chinese females, while demonstrating good product tolerability.
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2026A preservative system containing 1,2-hexanediol and caprylyl glycol showed no delayed Type IV dermal sensitivity reactions in 200 subjects when tested as a 15% mixture in carbomer gel and in a cosmetic formulation.
Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology, 2009Topical 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, 2019The 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, 2012Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Why other moisturizers fit oily skin better
A 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, 2024
Ingredients
Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Erythritol, Glycine Soja Oil, Homarine Hcl, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Pca, Tocopherol
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?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.