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Drunk Elephant Lala Retro™ Whipped Cream for oily skin

Average

  • AverageOily Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

Works for oily skin; other moisturizers fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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 suitability for your oily skin as glycerin and sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer provide excellent hydration and plumping effects without causing irritation. Plantago lanceolata leaf extract offers some soothing benefits, which is beneficial for your skin.
  • While the formula provides good general hydration, it lacks specialized ingredients to effectively manage oily shine, which is your main goal.
  • The product is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components like ceramides.

How to apply

  • Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine every day to keep your face fresh.
  • Apply this moisturizer after cleansing and toning, but right before your SPF in the morning.
  • Gently press a small amount into your skin and let it absorb fully.
  • Apply on clean, slightly dry skin to help control that oily shine.
  • Avoid the eye area and do a quick patch test before your first use.

People Say

★4.4Overall rating based on 5.0k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, this rich, whipped moisturizer is widely praised as a "rescue" cream for dry, dehydrated, and sensitive skin, particularly effective at repairing the skin barrier and combating winter dryness. While many users report plump, soothed skin without irritation, those with oily or acne-prone skin often find it too heavy or occlusive, occasionally leading to congestion.

Highlights

  • Intense hydration Mostly Mentioned
    • “Drinks it up like water”
    • “saved my winter skin”
    • “woke up glowing and hydrated”
  • Hygienic packaging Often Mentioned
    • “Love the push pump”
    • “keeps ingredients fresh”
    • “no dipping fingers in jar”
  • Soothing texture Often Mentioned
    • “Butter-like texture”
    • “thick but absorbs well”
  • Expensive product Often Mentioned
    • “too pricey for the amount”
    • “finished it in a month”
  • Barrier support Sometimes Noted
    • “Fixed my damaged barrier”
    • “calmed my retinol irritation”
    • “great for sensitive skin”
  • Heavy feel Sometimes Noted
    • “Felt like a mask”
    • “too heavy for day use”
    • “left a greasy film”
  • Unpleasant scent Sometimes Noted
    • “Smells like cooking oil”
    • “has a stale scent”
    • “weird playdough smell”
  • Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
    • “Gave me tiny bumps”
    • “broke me out immediately”
    • “too rich for acne-prone skin”

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

Questions and answers

How well does Lala Retro Whipped Cream work for oily skin?

This moisturizer offers moderate suitability for oily skin, as glycerin and sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer provide good hydration without irritation, though it lacks specialized ingredients to manage oily shine. A product for oily skin needs ingredients that control shine while providing lightweight hydration, along with peptides and barrier-supporting components that do not add excess oil.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for oily skin?

Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer give your oily skin great hydration without causing irritation, while plantago lanceolata leaf extract and ceramides help calm it safely. Oily skin works best with products that contain peptides and lightweight hydrating agents, avoid heavy oils, and include ingredients that control shine and support the skin barrier.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

What do African Oils do for oily skin?

African oils help balance oily skin by providing lightweight moisture without clogging pores, leaving the face feeling soft and smooth. They absorb easily and help calm excess oil production while keeping the skin barrier healthy.

What do Ceramides do for oily skin?

Ceramides help balance and strengthen oily skin by supporting the natural barrier and keeping moisture locked in without feeling heavy. They may also help calm irritation and reduce blemishes when used as part of a regular daily routine.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2004

Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily skin?

This moisturizer goes as the last step before sunscreen in the morning and as the final step in the evening routine. For oily skin, a product of this type needs lightweight hydration ingredients and oil-absorbing components to manage shine effectively.

The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this cream with retinol by applying it after your retinol treatment to help soothe your skin and keep it comfortable. A moisturizer for oily skin used with retinol needs ingredients like niacinamide or lightweight balancing extracts to help manage shine.

Cutis, 2006

How often should I use this cream?

You can use this moisturizer twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine. Regular daily application helps keep your skin hydrated while maintaining a safe profile without irritation.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021

Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?

This cream is unlikely to cause irritation on oily skin, but reviewers note a moderate risk of a heavy feel and a low risk of breakouts. An oily skin type needs lightweight, oil-controlling ingredients like niacinamide or salicylic acid to help manage shine and keep pores clear.

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

This cream works safely on the thin skin around your eyes and on your body because it has no harsh ingredients, though oily skin needs a lightweight formula with oil-controlling ingredients for these areas.

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. Cetearyl 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, 2017
  • Plantago lanceolata water extract improves skin wound healing in rats by inducing the transition of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts, increasing wound contraction rates, and enhancing tensile strength through greater extracellular matrix protein organization compared to untreated wounds.

    The Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 2015
  • 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
  • Plantain leaf proteins exhibit a wound-healing effect on vertebrate skin both in vitro and in vivo.

    Prikladnaia Biokhimiia I Mikrobiologiia, 2011
  • Plantago major and Plantago lanceolata extracts incorporated into 3D-printed polysaccharide dressings enhanced fibroblast wound closure to 64% and 52%, respectively, compared to 29% for the control.

    International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2026
  • A mixture of Plantago major and Aloe vera improved wound healing by increasing wound closure rate, fibroblast numerical density, collagen bundle volume density, and vascular parameters compared to untreated and gel-base controls in rats.

    World Journal of Plastic Surgery, 2019

Why other moisturizers fit oily skin better

  • A 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, 2024

Ingredients

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Isopropyl Isostearate, Pseudozyma Epicola Camellia Sinensis Glucose Glycine Soja Seed Oil Extract Ferment Filtrate Soybean Seed Oil Extract Ferment Filtrate Meal Malt Yeast Seed Oil Extract Ferment Filtrate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetearyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Watermelon Seed Oil, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-6 Ximenia Americana Seedate, Cholesterol, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide Eop, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Ceramide Np, Phytosphingosine, Ceteareth-20, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tocopherol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

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?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.