E45 Cream for oily skin
White Soft Paraffin
Light Liquid Paraffin
Anhydrous Lanolin Medilan
Glyceryl Monostearate
Citric Acid MonohydrateCaution
- LowOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A poor match for oily skin; the moisturizers alongside 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 moisturizing for your oily skin due to the presence of glycerin, which hydrates effectively, but the inclusion of paraffinum liquidum poses a risk of exacerbating oiliness and shine.
- While the formula is free from harsh ingredients and suitable for your oily skin type, the occlusive nature of paraffinum liquidum limits its benefits for managing oily shine.
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
★4.7Overall rating based on 500+ reviewsWhile widely celebrated for being gentle and fragrance-free, some users with oily or acne-prone skin find it too heavy or comedogenic for facial use.
Highlights
Soothes dry skin Mostly Mentioned
- “stopped the itching”
- “healed dry patches”
Gentle and fragrance-free Often Mentioned
- “no stinging”
- “great for sensitive skin”
- “perfect for babies”
- “zero irritation”
Improves skin texture Often Mentioned
- “skin feels soft”
- “smooths rough elbows”
- “leaves a protective film”
- “softens calluses”
Excellent value Sometimes Noted
- “huge tub lasts ages”
- “affordable price”
- “cheap but effective”
- “great budget skincare”
Versatile multi-purpose Sometimes Noted
- “good for sunburn”
- “used after shaving”
- “great hand cream”
- “works on cracked heels”
Greasy or sticky Sometimes Noted
- “feels slimy”
- “takes ages to absorb”
- “leaves a greasy film”
- “makes hands slippery”
Causes breakouts Rarely Noted
- “clogged my pores”
- “gave me whiteheads”
- “too heavy for face”
- “caused acne flare-up”
Lanolin sensitivity Rarely Noted
- “caused allergic reaction”
- “made rash worse”
- “redness and stinging”
- “irritated my skin”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “pump stopped working”
- “tub is unhygienic”
- “messy to use”
- “lid broke easily”
Sources: lovi.care, boots.com, superdrug.com, influenster.com, ocado.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise caution with E45 Cream for oily skin?
Lovi advises caution because while glycerin hydrates, the heavy oils and heavy skin-sealing ingredients in this cream may make oily shine worse. A moisturizer for oily skin needs a lightweight texture, peptides, soothing extracts, and hydrating agents that keep skin soft and smooth without adding extra oiliness or clogging pores.
Which ingredients make this cream a poor fit for oily skin?
Paraffinum liquidum makes this cream a poor fit for oily skin because its heavy, sealing nature may worsen shine and oiliness. Oily skin needs a moisturizer with peptides, light hydrating agents, and soothing extracts that provide hydration without heavy oils or clogged pores.
What does White Soft Paraffin do for oily skin?
White Soft Paraffin keeps moisture locked in and helps protect the skin, but it is unlikely to cause irritation or breakouts because it has a very low allergy and pore-clogging risk. Oily skin often needs lightweight hydrators and ingredients that balance oil without heavy layers.
What does Light Liquid Paraffin do for oily skin?
Light Liquid Paraffin helps protect dry areas while feeling comfortable on oily skin, as topically applied refined mineral oils remain on the surface without sinking deep into pores. It is unlikely to cause issues when used correctly, but an oily skin routine often needs lightweight, oil-balancing ingredients like niacinamide to help control excess shine.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2019
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This cream goes as the final moisturizing step in both your morning and evening routines. Because it contains heavy oils that may add to oily shine, oily skin needs a lighter lotion with hydrating ingredients like glycerin and niacinamide instead.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You may use this cream with retinol by applying the retinol first and following with the cream to help lock in hydration, though it is a poor match for oily skin because heavy ingredients may increase shine. A moisturizer for this skin type needs lightweight hydrating ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid without heavy oils.
Cutis, 2006Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
How often should I use this cream?
You should use this cream with caution on oily skin because heavy ingredients like paraffinum liquidum may make your face look oilier and shinier. Oily skin needs lightweight, oil-free moisturizers with hydrating ingredients like glycerin that provide moisture without clogging pores or adding extra shine.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This cream is unlikely to cause purging, but it may lead to breakouts and extra shine on oily skin because of heavy paraffin ingredients. Oily skin needs light, oil-free hydration and ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to help keep pores clear.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cream on your body, but it is best to avoid the thin skin around your eyes. A moisturizer for this area needs lightweight hydrating ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid that hydrate without feeling heavy or greasy.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
The 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, 2019Daily bathing with an emulsified lanolin and mineral oil bath additive significantly reduced dry skin severity on the lower legs of patients compared to usual bath soap over 17 days.
Cutis, 1981Sunscreen formulations containing ethoxylated lanolin as an additional film former resulted in lower and constant physical-mechanical parameters and a higher and better reproducible SPF compared to the formulation without it.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2021Nanoemulsion-based lanolin derivatives increased skin hydration and oiliness without changing cutaneous pH values and proved non-toxic by causing no skin irritation.
Molecules, 2016A novel composition containing salicylic acid, capryloyl salicylic acid, HEPES, glycolic acid, citric acid, and dioic acid showed similar tolerance and efficacy compared with clindamycin 1% and benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in subjects with acne vulgaris.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2013Daily treatment with a facial serum containing multiple acids reduced post-inflammatory hyperchromia lesion grade and number by 29.4% at 56 days, and decreased skin oiliness by 30.7% at 7 days in Brazilian patients with acne vulgaris.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical 20% citric acid lotion increases viable epidermal thickness and dermal glycosaminoglycan content in sun-damaged skin compared to vehicle alone.
Dermatologic Surgery, 1997
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Carbomer, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Sodium Hydroxide
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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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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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
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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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