Clinique moisture surge for oily acne-prone skin
Glycerin
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf WaterAverage
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other moisturizers 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 moderate moisturizing for your oily skin due to glycerin and hyaluronic acid, which hydrate and plump effectively, while caffeine offers potential seboregulation to help manage oiliness.
- This formula provides general skincare benefits supportive for acne-prone skin but lacks targeted ingredients to specifically address breakouts and blemishes.
- The product is safe for your oily skin, with no risks of irritation from harsh or prohibited 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 8.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this oil-free gel-cream is highly recommended by users with oily, combination, and sensitive skin for its deep hydration and non-greasy, dewy finish. Some users with very dry skin find it insufficient, particularly in winter, and a small number report mild breakouts or a tacky feel.
Highlights
Lightweight, absorbs fast Mostly Mentioned
- “sinks in immediately”
- “feels like water”
- “no greasy residue”
- “weightless on skin”
Good makeup base Often Mentioned
- “foundation glides on”
- “doesn't pill under makeup”
- “smooth canvas”
- “grips makeup well”
Plumping effect Often Mentioned
- “glass skin look”
- “bouncy texture”
- “fine lines disappear”
- “healthy glow”
Expensive for size Often Mentioned
- “jar is too small for the cost”
- “expensive for a basic moisturizer”
- “runs out too quickly”
Soothes sensitive skin Sometimes Noted
- “no stinging”
- “calms redness”
- “fragrance-free is a lifesaver”
Not enough hydration Sometimes Noted
- “skin felt tight after an hour”
- “need a second layer”
- “too light for winter”
- “disappears too fast”
Causes breakouts Rarely Noted
- “gave me tiny bumps”
- “clogged my pores”
- “caused cystic acne”
- “whiteheads appeared next day”
Sticky finish Rarely Noted
- “feels sticky to the touch”
- “hair sticks to face”
- “tacky film left behind”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, ulta.com, makeupalley.com, amazon.com, clinique.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Clinique Moisture Surge work for oily acne-prone skin?
Clinique Moisture Surge works reasonably well for oily acne-prone skin, providing moderate hydration and oil control with glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and caffeine, though it lacks targeted blemish-fighting ingredients. An ideal moisturizer for this skin type needs lightweight hydration, ingredients that clear breakouts, and a formula that supports the skin barrier without clogging pores.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and aloe barbadensis leaf water help hydrate your oily skin, while caffeine may help manage oiliness. Oily acne-prone skin needs a moisturizer of this type with powerful hydrating and repairing ingredients to address breakouts, along with brightening agents, soothing extracts, and peptides that support the skin barrier without heavy oils.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2013
What does Water do for oily acne-prone skin?
Water helps keep oily, acne-prone skin hydrated without making it greasy. Keeping skin hydrated is important because acne treatments can dry it out and irritate the skin barrier.
What does Glycerin do for oily acne-prone skin?
Glycerin helps keep oily acne-prone skin hydrated without feeling heavy. It draws moisture into the skin while supporting the skin barrier so it stays soft and balanced.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This moisturizer goes in the morning routine after your hydrating toner and before your sunscreen, and in the evening routine as your final step. It provides moderate hydration for your oily skin using glycerin and hyaluronic acid, and caffeine may help manage oiliness, but an oily acne-prone skin type needs a moisturizer with targeted ingredients to specifically clear breakouts.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2013
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol, applying it after your retinol treatment to help reduce irritation. Using a gentle moisturizer alongside retinol is unlikely to cause issues and may make your routine easier to stick with while keeping your skin calm and smooth.
How often should I use it?
You can use this moisturizer daily in both your morning and evening routines. Daily use helps keep your oily skin comfortably hydrated and soft without causing irritation.
Health Science Reports, 2021Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cream is unlikely to cause irritation on oily acne-prone skin, though it lacks targeted ingredients to specifically treat breakouts. An acne-prone skin type needs formulas with specialized blemish-fighting ingredients to properly manage breakouts.
Can I use it around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizer around your eyes and on your body because it has a very safe profile and lightweight ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid. While the skin around the eyes is the thinnest on the body, this formula hydrates it well without causing irritation or heaviness.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Behenyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, 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, 2017Topical caffeine acts as an active cosmetic compound by preventing excessive fat accumulation through phosphodiesterase inhibition, protecting cells against UV radiation with antioxidant properties, increasing skin microcirculation, and stimulating hair growth via 5-alpha-reductase inhibition.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2013The 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, 2012A 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, 2018Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010
Why other moisturizers fit oily acne-prone skin better
Co-delivery of paeonol and madecassoside via nanoemulsions improved transdermal delivery, promoted barrier repair proteins, inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in cellular and 3D models, and reduced transepidermal water loss and acne in human facial skin compared to free components.
Molecules, 2023A 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 facial serum containing snail secretion filtrate, Calendula officinalis, and Glycyrrhiza glabra root extract significantly reduced inflammatory acne lesions compared to placebo in 66 participants with mild-to-moderate maskne over 12 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Ingredients
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Caprylyl Methicone, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Pentastearate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Behenyl Alcohol, Peg-100 Stearate, Sucrose, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Caffeine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Isohexadecane, Lecithin, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Hyaluronic Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seedcake Sunflower Seedcake, Trehalose, Isostearic Acid, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Polysorbate 80, Dimethicone, Xanthan Gum, Polyethylene, Acrylamide Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Silica, Disodium Edta, Tetrasodium Edta, Bht, Phenoxyethanol, Iron Oxides Ci 77491, Iron Oxides Ci 77492, Iron Oxides Ci 77499, Titanium Dioxide Ci 77891
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
How does it fit your skin?
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