La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra Soothing Repair Moisturizer for oily acne-prone skin
La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter
Glycerin
Squalane
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
- Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2016
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 squalane and dimethicone provide emollient action, though they may not offer sufficient seboregulation for this skin type.
- The formula provides excellent moisturizing benefits from squalane and shea butter, enhancing barrier resilience and hydration from glycerin, which is supportive for your oily skin and acne concerns.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing ingredients like acetyl dipeptide-1 cetyl ester.
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
★4.6Overall rating based on 500+ reviewsThis moisturizer is highly recommended for hypersensitive and reactive skin, with users frequently reporting instant calming of irritation and effective barrier repair. The sterile, preservative-free packaging is a notable benefit. However, the product is often considered expensive for its small size, and some users experience difficulties with the pump mechanism.
Highlights
Soothes irritation, redness Mostly Mentioned
- “Calmed my angry red skin overnight”
- “Stopped the itching immediately”
- “Only thing that doesn't sting my face”
- “Saved my barrier after over-exfoliating.”
Hypoallergenic formula Often Mentioned
- “Perfect for my multiple chemical sensitivities”
- “No breakouts on my acne-prone skin”
- “Finally a cream with no nasties”
Small quantity, high price Often Mentioned
- “Bottle is tiny for the price”
- “Runs out in less than a month”
- “Wish it came in a bigger size”
- “Too expensive for daily body use.”
Lightweight texture Sometimes Noted
- “Sinks in beautifully”
- “Not heavy or sticky”
- “Leaves skin soft but not greasy”
- “Works well under makeup.”
Sterile packaging Sometimes Noted
- “Love the twist-lock pump”
- “Keeps the cream fresh”
- “Great for travel”
- “No bacteria gets in.”
Pump dispensing issues Sometimes Noted
- “Hard to get the last 10% out”
- “Pump stopped working halfway”
- “Have to cut the bottle open”
- “Wasteful packaging design.”
Greasy finish Rarely Noted
- “Left a shiny film on my face”
- “Too greasy for my T-zone”
- “Caused minor congestion”
- “Felt like a layer of silicone.”
Not moisturizing enough Rarely Noted
- “Need to apply two layers”
- “Not rich enough for winter”
- “Skin felt tight again by afternoon”
- “Good for day, too light for night.”
Sources: lovi.care, dermstore.com, lovelyskin.com, ulta.com, reddit.com, makeupalley.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does La Roche-Posay Toleriane Ultra work for oily acne-prone skin?
This moisturizer works reasonably well for oily acne-prone skin, though it may not help control excess oil as effectively as other products. To truly thrive, oily skin needs lightweight, non-greasy hydrators alongside ingredients that actively balance oil and keep pores clear.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
This cream works for your oily acne-prone skin because glycerin, squalane, and shea butter give it great moisture, while acetyl dipeptide-1 cetyl ester helps calm it safely without irritation. However, because it lacks oil control ingredients, a product for this skin type needs lighter textures and ingredients that help manage oil and breakouts.
What does Thermal Spring Water do for oily acne-prone skin?
Thermal spring water helps calm angry, oily skin and reduces redness, stinging, and discomfort. It is gentle enough to use alongside acne treatments to keep skin comfortable and less dry.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2007The Medical Journal of Malaysia, 2024
What does Butyrospermum Parkii Butter do for oily acne-prone skin?
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter helps protect the skin barrier, but because it is quite heavy, it may feel too rich for oily acne-prone skin. Skin of this type usually needs lighter, balancing ingredients like natural plant oils with a higher linoleic acid to oleic acid ratio that help keep pores clear and smooth.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This moisturizing treatment goes after your toner and before your sunscreen in the morning, and as the final step in the evening. Oily acne-prone skin needs a lightweight moisturizer with oil-controlling ingredients like niacinamide or salicylic acid to help manage excess shine.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol by applying it right after your retinol treatment to keep your skin calm and hydrated. Using a barrier-supporting moisturizer alongside retinoids is unlikely to cause irritation and helps reduce dryness while supporting your skin's recovery.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this cream daily as part of your morning and evening routine. The formula is unlikely to irritate your oily acne-prone skin, though this skin type also needs ingredients that help balance oil.
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 irritation for your oily acne-prone skin because it lacks harsh ingredients and includes soothing components. However, it may not control oil well enough, so this skin type generally needs products with targeted ingredients that balance oil and keep pores clear.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2016
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
This cream works well on the body and around the eyes, where skin is thin and benefits greatly from gentle, highly moisturizing care. Because this product is an average fit for oily acne-prone skin, a product of this type needs added oil-balancing ingredients to better control excess shine.
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. 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, 2017Cosmetic products containing 4-t-butylcyclohexanol demonstrated a faster and more pronounced soothing effect on capsaicin-induced burning compared to those containing acetyl dipeptide-1 cetyl ester in volunteers with sensitive skin.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2016Balneotherapy with thermal water altered specific skin microbiota at genus and species levels in healthy female volunteers compared to tap water, which produced no significant microbiome changes.
Life, 2023Malaysian thermal spring water as an adjunct to standard acne therapy improved skin hydration, reduced dryness and stinging, enhanced overall tolerability, and improved the acne disability index in patients with mild to moderate acne.
The Medical Journal of Malaysia, 2024A 2% Sphingomonas xenophaga ferment extract cream applied twice daily for 4 weeks significantly decreased facial vascular disorder scores compared to vehicle in 86 Caucasian female subjects, alongside dose-dependent inhibition of pre-kallikrein activity in vitro.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025A combination cream of stimu-tex AS and saccharide isomerate reduced erythema, increased skin capacitance, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to placebo in 20 subjects after fractional CO2 laser procedure without causing serious adverse events.
Lasers in Medical Science, 2025A skin barrier restoring cream with shea butter, silkflo, and vitamin E increased type I procollagen synthesis, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, decreased reactive oxygen species generation, and promoted hyaluronic acid production in H2O2-stimulated human keratinocyte cells compared to untreated cells.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025The 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, 2012Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Plant-derived squalane protected human dermal fibroblasts against UVA-induced damage by counteracting ROS formation, suppressing apoptosis-related proteins p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP, and restoring the pro-survival p-Akt/mTOR pathway.
Antioxidants, 2025
Why other moisturizers fit oily acne-prone 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, 2024Co-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, 2023
Ingredients
Water, Isocetyl Stearate, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Shea Butter, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Aluminum Octenylsuccinate Starch, Pentylene Glycol, Peg-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethiconol, Sodium Hydroxide, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Citric 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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