CeraVe Hydrating Foaming Oil Cleanser for acne-prone skin
Ceramides
Squalane
Glycerin
Caprylic Capric Triglyceride
Sodium Hyaluronate
Average
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for acne-prone skin; other cleansers 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
- Moderate suitability for combination skin is offered due to squalane and hyaluronic acid providing humectant and emollient actions, but it lacks sufficient ingredients for optimal oil control on oily areas.
- The cleanser offers moderate cleansing with coco-betaine and peg-7 glyceryl cocoate, aiding in impurity removal without stripping the skin, though its benefits are mostly supportive for acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for acne-prone skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components like glycerin and hyaluronic acid.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it.
- This cleanser is the first step in your morning routine and the second step after your pre-cleanser in the evening. Always follow up with a toner and moisturizer .
- Gently massage a small amount of the cleanser onto your face in circular motions. Avoid harsh rubbing to keep your skin calm.
- Apply the cleanser on slightly damp skin to help it work effectively against breakouts. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water .
- Avoid the immediate eye area and do a patch test before your first use to check for any sensitivity.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 3.2k+ reviewsMost users report a gentle, hydrating feel post-wash, with a light foam rather than a heavy lather. A significant number of reviews note that it does not perform like a traditional oil cleanser and may struggle with heavy makeup removal.
Highlights
Non-stripping & gentle Mostly Mentioned
- “Doesn't leave me dry and tight.”
- “Leaves my skin feeling super soft and clean.”
- “Very barrier respective cleanser.”
Effective for dry skin Often Mentioned
- “Saved my skin in winter.”
- “Holy grail for dry and flaky skin.”
- “Perfect for compromised skin barriers.”
Not a true oil Often Mentioned
- “This is water-based, not a real oil cleanser.”
- “Misleading name; it's just a gel wash.”
- “Does not remove waterproof mascara well.”
- “Struggles to take off heavy sunscreen on its own.”
Pleasant texture Sometimes Noted
- “Feels like a dream to apply.”
- “Lathers into a soft, milky foam.”
- “Glides over the skin easily.”
- “Oil-to-foam formula feels luxurious.”
Versatile usage Sometimes Noted
- “Great for both face and body.”
- “I use it to shave my legs too.”
- “Good for double cleansing as a second step.”
- “Safe for my baby's skin.”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Caused cystic acne after a week.”
- “Gave me whiteheads on my chin.”
- “My pores felt clogged after using this.”
- “Not safe for fungal acne.”
Paradoxically drying Rarely Noted
- “Actually dried my skin out more than the cream cleanser.”
- “Left my face feeling tight and red.”
- “Stung my sensitive skin.”
- “Felt like hand soap on my face.”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “Has a weird plastic smell.”
- “Smells like cooking oil.”
- “Fragrance-free but smells chemical.”
Sources: lovi.care, cerave.com, target.com, ulta.com, superdrug.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does the CeraVe Hydrating Foaming Oil Cleanser work for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser works reasonably well for acne-prone skin, providing gentle cleansing and soothing moisture without causing irritation, though other products fit this skin type better. An acne-prone cleanser of this type needs strong blemish-fighting ingredients like niacinamide and superior oil-control agents to keep breakouts fully in check.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser works for acne-prone skin because it contains glycerin and sodium hyaluronate, which help keep the skin calm and hydrated without causing irritation. For an even better fit, acne-prone skin needs a product that effectively targets blemishes and breakouts with powerful ingredients like Niacinamide and ceramides.
What do Ceramides do for acne-prone skin?
Ceramides help acne-prone skin by restoring a damaged water barrier, reducing dryness and redness from acne treatments, and lowering inflammation. Because acne-prone skin often lacks these key fats, products for this skin type need ceramides to soothe irritation and keep the barrier strong.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023Archives of Dermatological Research, 1995
What does Squalane do for acne-prone skin?
Squalane may help keep acne-prone skin soft and smooth, but peroxidated forms can trigger inflammation in skin cells. For a better fit on acne-prone skin, products need non-clogging, soothing ingredients that balance oil without causing irritation.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser goes in your morning and evening routine right before your toner, moisturizer, and other steps. It is unlikely to cause irritation for acne-prone skin because it leaves out harsh ingredients, but this skin type needs extra oil-control ingredients to work best.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol by using it in your morning and evening routines before applying your treatments, as its gentle ingredients are unlikely to cause irritation. Acne-prone skin works best with products that offer strong oil control and blemish-fighting components.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine. It gently removes impurities without stripping your skin, while soothing ingredients like glycerin help keep your skin calm.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause irritation for acne-prone skin because it avoids harsh ingredients and includes soothing components like glycerin and squalane, though its benefits for breakouts remain mostly supportive. Acne-prone skin typically needs targeted oil-control ingredients to better manage blemishes.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on your body and around the eyes because its gentle formula cleans without irritation, safely accommodating thinner skin areas and larger body surfaces alike. It leaves skin feeling calm and smooth while supporting your skin barrier.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Topical hyaluronic acid filler serum combined with Botulinum toxin type A lengthened the duration of the toxin's effect in reducing wrinkles compared to Botulinum toxin type A alone.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Hyaluronic acid extracts are safe and efficacious products for skin repair when used in tissue regeneration alone or in combination with herbal or Western medicine.
Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015A 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, 2017Squalane 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, 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, 2012Topical application of an emollient emulsion containing 15.0% caprylic/capric triglyceride doubled the amount of urocanic acid isomers and increased skin hydration with reduced transepidermal water loss in healthy subjects, though it did not prevent ultraviolet-induced urocanic acid isomerization.
Life, 2023Topical 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, 2019
Why other cleansers fit acne-prone skin better
Topical 5% tea tree oil gel significantly improved total acne lesions and acne severity index compared to placebo in 60 patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris, showing 3.55 times and 5.75 times greater efficacy respectively.
Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, 2007A 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, 2024A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Peg-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Coco-Betaine, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Peg-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Polysorbate 20, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Squalane, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide Eop, Carbomer, Triethyl Citrate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cholesterol, Citric Acid, Capryloyl Glycine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Benzoic Acid, Peg-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Ppg-5-Ceteth-20, Peg-6 Caprylic Capric Glycerides
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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