La Roche-Posay Cicaplast B5 Serum for oily skin
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
- American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
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 due to the humectant action of glycerin and sodium hyaluronate, which provide hydration and support barrier resilience. Panthenol further aids in moisturizing and skin barrier repair, though these benefits are mostly supportive and not directly targeted at managing oily shine.
- The formula is safe for your oily skin, as it lacks harsh ingredients and includes soothing components like panthenol, minimizing irritation risk.
- It provides general skincare benefits like hydration and soothing, making it a safe choice for your skin.
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
★4.6Overall rating based on 700+ reviewsThis serum is widely praised as a rescue product for compromised skin barriers, effectively soothing redness, dehydration, and irritation. Most users with dry or sensitive skin report rapid healing and improved texture. A minority experience stinging upon application or find the formula too tacky and the dropper packaging messy.
Highlights
Intense barrier repair Mostly Mentioned
- “healed peeling face in days”
- “calmed my red irritated skin”
- “saved my broken skin barrier”
- “stopped the stinging from retinol”
Deep hydration Often Mentioned
- “skin feels plump and hydrated”
- “got rid of dry patches”
- “keeps moisture locked in”
- “great for dehydrated winter skin”
Soothing for sensitive skin Often Mentioned
- “didn't cause any breakouts”
- “instant relief for tightness”
Poor packaging design Often Mentioned
- “dropper is very messy”
- “thick product gets stuck in pipette”
- “hard to dispense last drops”
- “bottle neck gets crusty”
Improves skin texture Sometimes Noted
- “skin feels super soft”
- “smooths out roughness”
- “leaves a healthy glow”
- “makes skin look glass-like”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “bottle is too small”
- “runs out very quickly”
- “expensive for the amount”
- “not budget friendly”
Unpleasant texture/finish Sometimes Noted
- “feels sticky and tacky”
- “pills under my makeup”
- “leaves a shiny film”
- “too thick for daytime use”
Caused irritation/stinging Rarely Noted
- “burned my damaged skin”
- “caused stinging on application”
- “broke me out in whiteheads”
- “alcohol content irritated my face”
Sources: lovi.care, boots.com, cocooncenter.co.uk, laroche-posay.us, reddit.com, youtube.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does La Roche-Posay Cicaplast B5 Serum work for oily skin?
La Roche-Posay Cicaplast B5 Serum works moderately well for oily skin by providing hydration and soothing support, though it does not target oily shine directly. It is safe and unlikely to cause irritation, but an ideal product for this skin type needs ingredients like Niacinamide to control oil, along with a lightweight texture that delivers moisture without clogging pores.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily skin?
Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate bring hydration, while panthenol helps moisturize and calm the skin safely. Oily skin often benefits from products that also include ingredients like niacinamide to manage oil and keep pores looking small.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What does Panthenol do for oily skin?
Panthenol helps calm oily skin by reducing redness and irritation while keeping hydration balanced. It is very well tolerated and is unlikely to cause any unwanted reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
What does Thermal Water do for oily skin?
Thermal Water helps calm oily skin, keeps it comfortable, and reduces irritation. It provides light hydration without adding heaviness.
The Medical Journal of Malaysia, 2024International Journal of Biometeorology, 2025
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This serum goes in your evening routine as a treatment step after cleansing and before moisturizing. Oily skin works best with lightweight hydrating and soothing ingredients that deliver moisture without heavy oils or managing excess shine.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol by applying the serum first to help calm and hydrate your skin before putting on retinol. This routine is unlikely to cause irritation because the formula lacks harsh ingredients and includes soothing components, though oily skin of this type also needs oil-controlling ingredients to manage shine.
How often should I use this serum?
You can safely use this serum in your evening routine, as it helps hydrate and soothe your oily skin without adding harsh ingredients. A product of this type needs lightweight hydrators and oil-control or balancing ingredients to truly shine for oily skin.
Health Science Reports, 2021Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily skin, as it lacks harsh ingredients and includes soothing components that minimize irritation risk. However, because it focuses mainly on hydration rather than managing oily shine, oily skin often benefits more from lightweight formulas containing oil-controlling ingredients like niacinamide or salicylic acid.
Can I use this serum around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizing treatment around your eyes and on your body, as the formula is safe and well-tolerated. It helps hydrate and soothe the skin in those areas without causing irritation, though skin thickness varies across body regions.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol denat).
What the research says
Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002A 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, 2017A new topical panthenol-containing emollient significantly improved transepidermal water loss reduction, stratum corneum hydration, and intercellular lipid lamellae length compared with control in healthy subjects without negatively impacting bacterial viability.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017A panthenol-enriched mask significantly decreased erythema and hyperpigmentation, increased sebum and stratum corneum moisture, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to a saline dressing in 60 subjects undergoing facial laser treatment.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Topical dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.
Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000Hyaluronic acid, hyaluronic acid plus dexpanthenol, and isotonic saline nasal sprays all significantly improved dry nose symptoms over four weeks in 240 patients, with hyaluronic acid plus dexpanthenol providing superior nasal moisturisation compared to the other two.
Auris, Nasus, Larynx, 2020Balneotherapy with thermal water altered specific skin microbiota at genus and species levels in healthy female volunteers compared to tap water, which produced no significant microbiome changes.
Life, 2023Malaysian thermal spring water as an adjunct to standard acne therapy improved skin hydration, reduced dryness and stinging, enhanced overall tolerability, and improved the acne disability index in patients with mild to moderate acne.
The Medical Journal of Malaysia, 2024A 2% Sphingomonas xenophaga ferment extract cream applied twice daily for 4 weeks significantly decreased facial vascular disorder scores compared to vehicle in 86 Caucasian female subjects, alongside dose-dependent inhibition of pre-kallikrein activity in vitro.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025Topical 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, 2019The 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, 2012Wearing an N95 mask alone compared to using dimethicone cream or hydrocolloid dressing caused more adverse skin reactions among 73 military health care workers, with no significant differences in fit test failure rates between groups.
Military Medicine, 2024Treatment with a moisturizer containing dimethicone and glycerine increased epidermal thickness by 0.019 mm, improved barrier function by decreasing transepidermal water loss by 13%, decreased melanin intensity, and induced keratins 6 and 16 in fifteen women with moderately photoaged forearms.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2007
Why other moisturizers fit oily skin better
A peel-off facial mask containing myoinositol and trehalose-loaded liposomes improved adult female acne by decreasing lesion counts, sebum production, GAGS scores, and local androgen levels while increasing beclin-1 levels.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2017
Ingredients
Water, Panthenol, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Peg-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Octyldodecanol, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol
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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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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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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