CeraVe Blemish Control Gel for oily acne-prone skin
Salicylic Acid
Glycolic Acid
Lactic Acid
Niacinamide
CeramidesHigh
- HighOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for oily acne-prone skin; a few moisturizers fit it even 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 exfoliating and pore-clearing benefits for your acne-prone skin due to the presence of glycolic acid, lactic acid, and salicylic acid in effective concentrations.
- The formula is highly suitable for oily skin, with salicylic acid and glycolic acid providing keratolytic action and niacinamide aiding in seboregulation.
- There are no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
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
★4.5Overall rating based on 2.8k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with oily and acne-prone skin frequently praise this gel for effectively reducing active breakouts and smoothing rough texture without compromising the skin barrier. Many find it gentle and hydrating compared to other acne treatments, though a subset of users experiences an initial purging phase or dryness, suggesting a gradual introduction to the routine is advisable.
Highlights
Clears breakouts Often Mentioned
- “Shrinks pimples in a few days rather than a week”
- “Noticeable reduction in the size of my breakout overnight”
- “Cleared up my cluster of chin pimples completely”
Lightweight, absorbs fast Often Mentioned
- “Absorbs quickly without any sticky or greasy residue”
- “Layers nicely under nighttime moisturizer”
- “Feels cool and refreshing on the skin”
Gentle, non-irritating Sometimes Noted
- “Doesn't leave my face feeling dry or tight like others”
- “Zero irritation even on my sensitive areas”
- “Soothing and didn't sting when applied”
Improves texture Sometimes Noted
- “Skin feels smoother and looks less congested”
- “Helps with tiny bumps and rough patches”
- “Refines pores and leaves skin looking mattified”
Causes purging Sometimes Noted
- “Broke out literally all over my face at first”
- “Caused a bad purge before it got better”
- “Skin got worse for the first two weeks”
Drying or peeling Rarely Noted
- “Left my skin feeling a bit tight and flaky”
- “Caused peeling around my nose and mouth”
- “Too drying if used every single night”
Slow to see results Rarely Noted
- “Took about 4-6 weeks to see a real difference”
- “Not an overnight miracle, requires patience”
- “Slow and steady progress, not instant”
Sticky residue Rarely Noted
- “Goes on a bit sticky before drying down”
- “Left a tacky film that I didn't like”
- “Feels slightly glue-like if you apply too much”
Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, boots.com, hometesterclub.com, beautycrew.com.au, cocooncenter.co.uk, and more
Questions and answers
What makes CeraVe Blemish Control Gel a great fit for oily acne-prone skin?
CeraVe Blemish Control Gel is a great fit because it offers excellent pore-clearing benefits and handles oil well with salicylic acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid, and niacinamide. It is very unlikely to cause irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients.
BioMed Research International, 2020Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
Which ingredients make this treatment a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
This treatment is a great fit because it contains salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and lactic acid to clear pores and smooth oily skin, along with niacinamide to help balance oil production. It is unlikely to cause irritation since it lacks harsh ingredients.
BioMed Research International, 2020Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
What does Salicylic Acid do for oily acne-prone skin?
Salicylic acid helps clear breakouts and keeps oily skin balanced by reducing oil levels and calming inflammation. It is well suited for oily, acne-prone skin because it targets pimples while helping keep the skin hydrated and protected.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Experimental Dermatology, 2019
What does Glycolic Acid do for oily acne-prone skin?
Glycolic acid helps clear acne-prone skin by reducing pimples and soothing breakouts. It exfoliates the surface to keep pores clear and leaves the skin feeling smooth.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Dermatologic Surgery, 2014
Where does this treatment go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and toning, and before moisturizing. Start by using it once a week, and if your oily skin handles it well, you may carefully use it more often.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Can I use this treatment with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this treatment alongside retinol by applying the retinol first and following it with this treatment, or by using the retinol on alternate nights to keep your skin calm. Using a formula with ceramides helps support your skin barrier when combining active ingredients.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012
How often should I use this treatment?
Start using this treatment once a week in the evening, and if your skin handles it well and sees good results, you can carefully use it more often. It is a great fit for your oily acne-prone skin because it offers excellent exfoliating and pore-clearing benefits without any risks of irritation.
BioMed Research International, 2020Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
Can this treatment clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This treatment is unlikely to clog pores, but it may cause moderate skin purging as it clears out buildup from your oily skin. The blend of salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and lactic acid helps exfoliate deep inside pores while ceramides and niacinamide keep your skin calm and balanced.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023
Can I use this treatment around the eyes or on my body?
This moisturizing treatment is formulated for the face and is unlikely to be suitable for the thin skin around the eyes, though it can be applied to the body to help clear breakouts. Its exfoliating acids and soothing ingredients work well on thicker areas, but the delicate eye area requires gentleness to avoid irritation.
Is this treatment fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020Glycolic acid, salicylic acid, gluconolactone, and licochalcone A combined with 0.1% adapalene showed no hindrance compared to adapalene monotherapy and provided benefits in reducing complications in 25 subjects with mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Twice daily application of a multitargeted dermocosmetic cream provided comparable efficacy to benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in reducing inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesions in 150 Caucasian subjects with mild-to-moderate acne over 56 days, while demonstrating superior skin tolerability.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024The use of a salicylic acid-based dermocosmetic significantly reduces the needed quantity of benzoyl peroxide without impacting efficacy in mild to moderate acne, and as maintenance post-benzoyl peroxide allows a significant reduction of acne relapse compared to vehicle.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023Topical treatment of nicotinamide, alone or in combination with other active ingredients, reduces the progression of skin aging and hyperpigmentation in clinical trials while being well tolerated.
Antioxidants, 2021Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.
CMAJ, 2010Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid achieved the greatest lesion reduction at early 2 to 4 week time points compared to benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin, and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin, while 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin showed similar efficacy at 10 to 12 weeks in acne patients.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2010Repeated short-contact 70% glycolic acid peels provided superior results in atrophic acne scars compared to daily low-strength glycolic acid cream or placebo in 58 women over 24 weeks.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2000Serial glycolic acid peels combined with a modified Kligman formula significantly reduced facial PIH severity in Indian patients compared to the modified Kligman formula alone.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2017Application of a cream containing lactic acid 12% and pramoxine HCl 1% significantly improved skin dryness, hydration, and itch compared with a nontreated control in 24 women with a history of dry itchy skin.
Cutis, 2004Topical 12% ammonium lactate produced a significant sparing of epidermal and dermal atrophy induced by clobetasol propionate in human volunteers, without influencing the corticosteroid's bioavailability or antiinflammatory properties.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1992A lactic acid/ceramide lotion significantly improved skin moisturization and desquamation compared to no treatment in women with dry, rough skin on the anterior shins.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Niacinamide, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide Eop, Carbomer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Triethyl Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Chlorphenesin, Disodium Edta, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Phytosphingosine
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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