Murad Cellular Hydration Repair Serum for oily skin
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Hexapeptide-9
Persea Gratissima Oil Avocado Oil
Lactobacillus Ferment
Vaccinium Myrtillus Seed Oil
High
- HighOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
One of the best moisturizers for oily skin.
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
- Highly suitable for oily skin due to Willow Extract and Zanthoxylum Bungeanum Fruit Extract, which offer seboregulation and anti-inflammatory action to manage oiliness.
- Offers excellent moisturizing benefits for your skin with high concentrations of Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, providing hydration and plumping effects.
- The formulation is safe for your oily skin, as it lacks prohibited or harsh ingredients that could cause irritation.
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
★4.8Overall rating based on 900+ reviewsUsers with dry, dehydrated, and redness-prone skin report that this serum significantly improves their skin's overall health by deeply nourishing and repairing the moisture barrier. The lightweight formula effectively reduces redness and flakiness, leaving the complexion plump, soft, and glowing without feeling greasy. Some users note an unpleasant smell and occasional packaging issues.
Highlights
Deeply hydrating Mostly Mentioned
- “My skin drinks it up.”
- “Leaves my skin feeling incredibly soft, deeply moisturized.”
- “Intensely hydrates the skin, providing long-lasting moisture.”
- “Beautifully hydrating and feels smooth like silk.”
Lightweight texture Often Mentioned
- “Super lightweight but very very hydrating.”
- “Lightweight texture and creamy formula are highly appreciated.”
- “Neither watery nor tacky; rather, it has a very light, silky feel.”
- “Goes on smoothly.”
Repairs skin barrier Often Mentioned
- “Fixed my sensitive destroyed skin barrier.”
- “Repairs and rejuvenates the skin.”
- “Enhances the skin's natural barrier.”
- “Fixes skin barrier at the cellular level.”
Reduces redness Sometimes Noted
- “Good for redness as well.”
- “Effectiveness in reducing redness and dryness is widely acknowledged.”
- “Visibly reduces redness to tame aggravated skin.”
- “Calms irritated skin.”
Unpleasant smell Sometimes Noted
- “Nice product but horrible scent.”
- “Mixed feelings about the smell.”
- “Has a weird scent to it.”
Insufficient standalone moisture Rarely Noted
- “The serum alone is NOT soothing or moisturizing at all.”
- “Good serum but there are others.”
- “This was a waste of time for me.”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “Leaky bottle.”
- “There was leakage after shipment.”
- “Don't know how much volume is actually in the bottle.”
Runny consistency Rarely Noted
- “Comes out fast so be careful it's a little bit runny.”
- “Watch out for it squirting on you.”
- “Consistency changes towards the end.”
Sources: lovi.care, murad.com, sephora.com.au, spacenk.com, lovelyskin.com, ozhairandbeauty.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Murad Cellular Hydration Repair Serum a great fit for oily skin?
This serum is a great fit for oily skin because willow extract and zanthoxylum bungeanum fruit extract help manage oiliness while keeping your skin calm. It also provides great hydration without feeling heavy, thanks to glycerin and sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer, and is unlikely to cause irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily skin?
Willow extract and zanthoxylum bungeanum fruit extract make this serum a great fit by helping manage oiliness and calm inflammation. Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer also keep oily skin well-hydrated without feeling heavy.
What does Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer do for oily skin?
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer helps increase water content in the skin and keeps moisture locked in without feeling heavy or greasy, making it a great fit for oily skin. It is unlikely to clog pores while providing the hydration that even oily skin needs to stay balanced and smooth.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2016Skin Research and Technology, 2023
What does Hexapeptide-9 do for oily skin?
Hexapeptide-9 is not typically targeted for oily skin concerns like excess shine or breakouts, as its main focus is on firming and reducing the look of fine lines. Oily skin generally benefits more from ingredients that help manage sebum and keep pores clear.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This serum goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, though some serums may also be used in the morning or twice a day. Applying treatments at night provides simplicity and extra safety around sun exposure.
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizing treatment with retinol by applying it before your retinol step to help keep your skin calm and hydrated. Using a moisturizing treatment alongside retinoids is unlikely to cause irritation and may help improve your skin comfort while supporting your routine.
How often should I use this serum?
This serum fits into your evening routine for simplicity and safety around sun exposure, though it may also be used in the morning or twice a day. Regular application helps manage oiliness while keeping your skin soft and well-hydrated.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This serum is a great fit and is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily skin because it lacks harsh or prohibited ingredients that trigger irritation. It helps manage oiliness and calms the skin using willow extract, while keeping it soft and smooth with hydrating ingredients.
Can I use this serum around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizing treatment around your eyes and on your body, as its formula has a very good safety profile for the skin. However, keep in mind that the skin around the eyes is much thinner than the skin on most of the body, so it may need extra gentle care.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (limonene, linalool, and parfum). Oleyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
A botanical face cleanser with hops and willow bark extract continuously reduced skin sebum levels without reactive seborrhea after treatment in 21 healthy volunteers compared to a sodium laureth sulfate cleanser, with neither cleanser causing skin irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019A 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, 2017Topical 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, 2019Topical treatment with cyclized hexapeptide-9 significantly reduced wrinkles and roughness in crow's feet and forehead compared to vehicle, and generally outperformed retinol in healthy volunteers with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025A chemically synthesized homotrimeric collagen peptide exhibited high purity, a stable triple-helical conformation, and excellent thermal stability, while safely enhancing collagen and elastin synthesis in fibroblasts in vitro and increasing skin collagen content, improving skin structure, and enhancing microvessel density in BALB/c mice in vivo.
Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 2025The addition of soybean peptide and collagen peptide to normal human dermal fibroblasts increased collagen synthesis and gene expression related to collagen formation, with the highest collagen levels observed when both peptides were added together compared to individual additions.
International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 2012Topical cream containing saffron extract and avocado oil improved wrinkle grading, reduced nasolabial fold area and volume, and increased skin elasticity in twenty healthy volunteers over 12 weeks without allergic reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Topical treatment with SSFAO 50% or avocado oil increased wound contraction, reepithelialization, collagen density, and tensile strength while showing anti-inflammatory activity compared to petroleum jelly in rats.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013Probiotic-derived lotion successfully reduced inflammatory acne lesion counts and erythema index comparably to 2.5% benzoyl peroxide in patients with mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris, while causing fewer side effects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Topical application of Lactobacillus plantarum-GMNL6 enhanced collagen synthesis and SPTSSA gene expression while reducing melanin synthesis, Staphylococcus aureus biofilm, and Cutibacterium acnes proliferation, leading to clinical improvements in skin moisture, color, spots, wrinkles, UV spots, and porphyrins in human volunteers.
International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2021Lactobacillus plantarum extracellular vesicles modulated extracellular matrix related gene expression in vitro and suppressed wrinkle formation and pigmentation in clinical trials.
Current Issues in Molecular Biology, 2022
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Vaccinium Myrtillus Seed Oil, C14-22 Alcohols, Persea Gratissima Oil Avocado Oil, Lactobacillus Ferment, Willow Extract, Zanthoxylum Bungeanum Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hexapeptide-9, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tocopherol, Oleyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pullulan, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Sclerotium Gum, Lysolecithin, Xanthan Gum, Silica, Glucose, Leuconostoc Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Chlorphenesin, Limonene, Linalool, Parfum
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
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