🇮🇪Ireland

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA for acne-prone skin

Average

  • HighCombination Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

Works for acne-prone skin; other moisturizers fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. 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 hydration and barrier support for your combination, acne-prone skin, as glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide excellent humectant action while linoleic acid and oleic acid offer emollient benefits. The formula lacks targeted ingredients to actively address blemishes and breakouts, which is your main goal.
  • The product is safe for your combination skin, with urea and allantoin providing soothing effects and no harsh ingredients that could cause irritation.
  • It provides general hydration and barrier support, making it a functional choice for your skin type and concerns.

How to apply

  • Use your moisturizer twice a day in your AM and PM routines. Apply it daily to help keep breakouts under control.
  • Apply after your cleanser and toner, and make sure to use your SPF right after in the morning.
  • Gently spread a small amount of moisturizer over your face using soft motions. Let it absorb into the skin for a minute before getting dressed or applying makeup.
  • Apply on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra moisture. This keeps your combination skin balanced without feeling heavy.
  • Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use. Stop using if you feel any irritation.

People Say

★4.3Overall rating based on 8.5k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, this moisturizer is highly favored by users with oily, combination, and sensitive skin for its hydrating properties without causing greasiness or breakouts. It is also frequently praised for its affordability and gentle, fragrance-free formula. The packaging size is also a common point of complaint.

Highlights

  • Non-greasy finish Mostly Mentioned
    • “Sinks in immediately”
    • “leaves a natural matte finish”
    • “perfect for my oily t-zone”
    • “zero greasy residue”
  • Unbeatable price Mostly Mentioned
    • “Insanely affordable”
    • “can't beat the price tag”
    • “great budget staple”
    • “bang for your buck”
  • Fragrance-free, gentle Often Mentioned
    • “No irritation at all”
    • “doesn't sting my sensitive skin”
    • “completely scent-free”
    • “didn't break me out”
  • Insufficient moisture Often Mentioned
    • “Skin felt tight an hour later”
    • “not enough for dry patches”
    • “need to apply two layers”
    • “too lightweight for winter”
  • Makeup compatibility Sometimes Noted
    • “Makeup sits beautifully on top”
    • “acts like a gripping primer”
    • “no pilling under foundation”
    • “smooth base for concealer”
  • Small packaging Sometimes Noted
    • “Wish it came in a pump”
    • “tube is too small”
    • “finished it in two weeks”
    • “hard to squeeze the last bit out”
  • Thick texture Sometimes Noted
    • “Hard to spread”
    • “feels like a thick paste”
    • “stiff consistency”
    • “requires warming up in hands”
  • White cast Sometimes Noted
    • “Leaves white streaks at first”
    • “takes work to rub in”
    • “looks white until fully absorbed”
    • “ghostly cast if you use too much”

Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, ulta.com, influenster.com, spacenk.com, theordinary.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors work for acne-prone skin?

This moisturizer offers moderate hydration and barrier support for acne-prone skin, though it lacks targeted ingredients to actively address breakouts. An ideal moisturizer for this skin needs effective ingredients that target blemishes, soothe irritation, and provide excellent repair without clogging pores.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for acne-prone skin?

Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide moisture, while linoleic acid and oleic acid help soften the skin, and urea and allantoin soothe it without causing irritation. For acne-prone skin, a moisturizer of this type needs ingredients that actively address blemishes and breakouts.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

What do Natural Moisturizing Factors do for acne-prone skin?

Natural Moisturizing Factors help keep acne-prone skin hydrated without feeling heavy or greasy, supporting a balanced skin barrier. They are unlikely to clog pores and may improve overall skin comfort.

What does Hyaluronic Acid do for acne-prone skin?

Hyaluronic acid helps acne-prone skin by soothing irritation, calming redness, and keeping the skin balanced without clogging pores. When combined with targeted ingredients like zinc oxide, it may also help reduce breakouts.

Biomedicines, 2025Drug Delivery, 2017

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

This moisturizer goes after your hydrating toner and before your SPF in the morning, and after your treatment in the evening. It provides gentle hydration and barrier support, but acne-prone skin needs a product with targeted blemish-fighting ingredients to actively address breakouts.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 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 soothe your skin and keep it comfortable. Using a gentle moisturizer like this may reduce dryness and irritation while you use retinoids.

Cutis, 2006The Journal of Dermatology, 2014

How often should I use this cream?

You can use this moisturizer twice a day, in the morning and evening, to keep your skin hydrated and supported. Daily application helps improve skin moisture and barrier function safely without causing irritation.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2026

Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?

This cream is safe for your acne-prone skin and is unlikely to cause irritation, but it lacks targeted ingredients to actively clear breakouts. Acne-prone skin often needs specialized ingredients that specifically target and prevent blemishes.

Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?

Yes, you can use this moisturizer around the eyes and on your body, as its gentle ingredients are safe for delicate areas and provide general hydration. The thin skin around the eyes and on the body benefits from safe, lightweight moisture.

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002

Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetyl alcohol and stearyl 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, 2017
  • Topical 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, 2011
  • Topical 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, 2022
  • Treatment 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, 2019
  • 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, 2020
  • Ten 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, 2001
  • Niacinamide/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, 2012
  • Topical 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, 2016
  • A 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, 2020
  • An 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, 2018
  • Topical 40% urea cream achieved improvement in less time and showed superiority over 12% ammonium lactate lotion in skin roughness, fissure reduction, thickness, and dryness at day 14 in patients treated for moderate to severe xerosis.

    American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
  • Topical treatment with K101 achieved a significantly higher mycological cure rate compared to placebo in patients with ≤50% nail involvement (27.2% vs 10.4%), while showing early visible improvements in nail appearance and no safety issues.

    Mycoses, 2012

Why other moisturizers fit acne-prone skin better

Ingredients

Water, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Glucose, Maltose, Fructose, Trehalose, Sodium Pca, Pca, Sodium Lactate, Urea, Allantoin, Linoleic Acid, Oleic Acid, Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Lecithin, Trioleic Acid, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Isoceteth-20, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Pentylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin

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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Prices checked 10 Oct – 26 Oct 2026

The Lovi Fit is the same in every country; only the stores and prices differ, and the ones here are for Ireland.

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