Cetaphil Redness Relieving Night Moisturizer for oily acne-prone skin
Allantoin
Niacinamide
Panthenol Vitamin B5
Tocopheryl Acetate Vitamin E
Ceramide NpAverage
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
- The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017
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 suitability for your oily skin as niacinamide helps regulate sebum and glycerin provides essential hydration, though it lacks specialized ingredients to directly target your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- Allantoin and panthenol offer soothing benefits, supporting overall skin health without exacerbating oiliness.
- The product is safe for your skin, with no harsh ingredients and a formulation designed to minimize irritation.
How to apply
- Use this AM and PM routine every day to help clear your skin. Always remember to finish with SPF in the morning.
- Apply the moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your SPF during the day.
- Gently press a small amount into your skin and avoid rubbing to keep pores clear.
- Apply on clean, slightly damp skin to help the product absorb better and control oil.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a simple patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 3.4k+ reviewsMany users report a visible reduction in redness and a calmer complexion by morning. A subset of reviewers find it functions better as a gentle maintenance moisturizer rather than a treatment that actively eliminates existing redness.
Highlights
Gentle & soothing Often Mentioned
- “feels soothing”
- “stops burning”
- “cools skin”
- “no stinging”
Lightweight texture Often Mentioned
- “absorbs quickly”
- “not greasy”
- “lightweight feel”
- “doesn't feel heavy”
Reduces redness Often Mentioned
- “less red in morning”
- “skin looks balanced”
- “stopped the flushing”
Fragrance-free Sometimes Noted
- “no scent”
- “doesn't irritate nose”
- “great for sensitive skin”
- “no chemical smell”
Hydrating Sometimes Noted
- “skin feels soft”
- “good moisture”
- “eliminates dry patches”
- “hydrates overnight”
Ineffective on redness Sometimes Noted
- “didn't help redness”
- “just a moisturizer”
- “no change in color”
- “redness persisted”
Caused irritation Rarely Noted
- “burned my face”
- “caused breakout”
- “stung upon application”
- “made face redder”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “pump stopped working”
- “hard to get last bit”
- “defective dispenser”
- “wasteful bottle”
Small quantity Rarely Noted
- “bottle is tiny”
- “expensive for size”
- “runs out fast”
- “wish it was bigger”
Texture too thin Rarely Noted
- “too watery”
- “runny consistency”
- “not rich enough”
- “need more moisture”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, target.com, iherb.com, cetaphil.com, walgreens.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Cetaphil Redness Relieving Night Moisturizer work for oily acne-prone skin?
This moisturizer works reasonably well for oily skin as niacinamide helps control oil and glycerin provides hydration, but it does not contain specialized ingredients to treat blemishes. Oily acne-prone skin needs lightweight hydrating products that clear breakouts and support the skin barrier without clogging pores.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Niacinamide helps control excess oil while glycerin provides light hydration, and allantoin and panthenol calm the skin without adding extra grease. To truly suit oily acne-prone skin, this type of product needs specialized blemish-fighting ingredients and lightweight hydrators that balance moisture without clogging pores.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What does Allantoin do for oily acne-prone skin?
Allantoin helps calm oily, acne-prone skin by soothing irritation and supporting a healthy skin barrier. It is often combined with other gentle ingredients to keep skin comfortable while managing breakouts.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024
What does Niacinamide do for oily acne-prone skin?
Niacinamide helps balance oil production, calms redness, and is unlikely to irritate oily, acne-prone skin while improving blemishes. Clinical tests show it reduces excess oil and helps clear up both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne breakouts.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This moisturizer goes as the final step of your evening routine, after your cleanser, toner, and treatment. It keeps your skin hydrated and calm with niacinamide and panthenol without making it greasy, though an oily acne-prone routine also needs ingredients that directly target breakouts and blemishes.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream alongside retinol by applying it after your retinol treatment to help calm the skin and keep it hydrated. Using a moisturizer with barrier-restoring ingredients like ceramides and panthenol is unlikely to irritate oily acne-prone skin and may support your skin while using strong treatments.
How often should I use it?
This moisturizer works well for daily hydration, so you can use it every day as part of your routine. Daily application helps keep your skin soft and calm without making it oily.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cream is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily acne-prone skin, as it has a safe formulation designed to minimize irritation and uses ingredients that do not exacerbate oiliness. However, because it lacks specialized ingredients to directly target blemishes, oily acne-prone skin needs a product that includes acne-fighting actives like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.
Can I use it around the eyes or on my body?
This moisturizer is safe to use around the eyes, where the skin is particularly thin. For use on the body, a product of this type needs rich hydrators and soothing ingredients to keep skin soft and comfortable.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol, behenyl 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, 2017A new topical panthenol-containing emollient significantly improved transepidermal water loss reduction, stratum corneum hydration, and intercellular lipid lamellae length compared with control in healthy subjects without negatively impacting bacterial viability.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017A panthenol-enriched mask significantly decreased erythema and hyperpigmentation, increased sebum and stratum corneum moisture, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to a saline dressing in 60 subjects undergoing facial laser treatment.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002Dermatological 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 gel containing chitosan, 0.2% chlorhexidine, allantoin and dexpanthenol did not improve postoperative comfort regarding swelling and pain, but improved the wound's aesthetic appearance following impacted lower third molar extraction compared to no gel.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2016A topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020An overnight patch containing Allium cepa extract and allantoin safely promotes scar healing after dermatologic surgery, resulting in significantly greater reductions in observer- and patient-assessed POSAS scores compared to no treatment.
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2018Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Topical dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.
Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000Hyaluronic acid, hyaluronic acid plus dexpanthenol, and isotonic saline nasal sprays all significantly improved dry nose symptoms over four weeks in 240 patients, with hyaluronic acid plus dexpanthenol providing superior nasal moisturisation compared to the other two.
Auris, Nasus, Larynx, 2020Topical 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, 2025Topical 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, 2024A topical antioxidant serum significantly reduced air pollution-induced skin pigmentation and proinflammatory gene expression ex vivo, and improved skin aging signs in 40 healthy adult females after 90 days of daily use.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Why other moisturizers fit oily 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 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, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil, Sorbitol, Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide Np, Panthenol, Caffeine, Citric Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Disodium Ethylene Dicocamide Peg-15 Disulfate, Niacinamide, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium Edta, Xanthan Gum, Bht
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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Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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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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