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The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Moroccan Argan Oil for oily acne-prone skin

Warning

  • AverageOily Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • WarningSafety

A poor match for oily acne-prone skin; the products alongside fit it better.

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 excellent moisturizing for your oily skin due to the high concentration of argania spinosa kernel oil, which hydrates and smooths texture.
  • This product does not address your acne, blemishes, and breakouts, and may actively worsen them as argania spinosa kernel oil can be comedogenic for oily skin.

People Say

★4.1Overall rating based on 700+ reviews

Users frequently praise this oil for its intense hydration, effectively relieving dry, flaky skin and taming frizzy hair by locking in moisture. Many also appreciate its great value and multi-purpose use. A very high number of reviews mention a strong, unpleasant scent, often compared to manure or a farmyard, which some find off-putting. A moderate number of users find the oil greasy or slow to absorb, and a low number report breakouts or issues with the packaging.

Highlights

  • Unpleasant scent Mostly Mentioned
    • “smells like manure”
    • “scent of goat cheese”
    • “smells like a farmyard”
    • “could not get past the smell”
  • Deep hydration Often Mentioned
    • “relieved my dry flaky patches”
    • “skin feels incredibly moisturized”
    • “locks in moisture overnight”
    • “cured my winter dryness”
  • Great value Often Mentioned
    • “unbeatable price for organic oil”
    • “affordable compared to other brands”
    • “huge bottle for the price”
    • “great quality for few dollars”
  • Softens & tames hair Often Mentioned
    • “makes hair soft and shiny”
    • “tames frizz without weighing down”
    • “great for dry ends”
    • “keeps curly hair tamed”
  • Multi-purpose use Sometimes Noted
    • “use it on face and hair”
    • “mixes well with moisturizer”
    • “great for cuticles and body”
    • “added to body lotion”
  • Greasy/Slow absorption Sometimes Noted
    • “sits on top of skin”
    • “too heavy for day use”
    • “left a greasy film”
    • “takes forever to sink in”
  • Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
    • “clogged my pores”
    • “caused cystic acne”
    • “too rich for acne-prone skin”
    • “broke me out immediately”
  • Messy packaging Rarely Noted
    • “bottle leaks easily”
    • “dropper is a bit messy”
    • “oil gets everywhere”
    • “cap doesn't seal perfectly”

Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, ulta.com, theordinary.com, influenster.com, makeup.co.uk, and more

Questions and answers

Why does Lovi advise against The Ordinary Argan Oil for oily acne-prone skin?

Lovi advises against this product because its rich argan oil may clog your pores and worsen your acne and breakouts. A product for this skin type needs lightweight, non-clogging hydration, soothing extracts, and ingredients that specifically clear blemishes without adding excess oil.

International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2014

Which ingredients make this oil a poor fit for oily acne-prone skin?

Argan oil makes this product a poor fit because it can clog pores and may actively worsen acne and breakouts on oily skin. Products for this skin need lightweight, non-clogging hydrators and ingredients that help clear blemishes without heavy oils.

International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2014

What does Argan Oil do for oily acne-prone skin?

Argan oil may not be the best fit for oily acne-prone skin because it contains higher amounts of oleic acid, which can be detrimental to your skin barrier. Instead, oily and acne-prone skin needs lightweight plant oils with a higher linoleic acid to oleic acid ratio that help repair the skin barrier without clogging pores.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2018

Where does this oil go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?

This oil is a poor match for your oily acne-prone skin and is best avoided, as it may clog pores and worsen breakouts. Oily acne-prone skin needs lightweight, non-clogging hydrators and blemish-clearing ingredients that add moisture without causing blemishes.

Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?

It is best to avoid using this product on oily acne-prone skin because it may clog pores and worsen breakouts. Instead, this skin type needs lightweight, non-clogging hydrators and blemish-clearing ingredients to stay clear and smooth.

How often should I use this oil?

It is best not to use this oil on oily, acne-prone skin, as it may clog pores and worsen breakouts. Instead, this skin type needs lightweight, non-clogging hydrators and blemish-clearing ingredients that keep skin clear without heavy oils.

Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?

This product may actively worsen breakouts because argan oil can clog pores on oily skin. It does not address acne or blemishes, so oily skin types need lightweight, non-pore-clogging hydrators and ingredients that help clear blemishes instead.

What the research says

Ingredients

Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil

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.

How does it fit your skin?

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How does it fit your skin?

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