Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream for combination skin
Petrolatum
Mineral Oil
Beeswax
Candelilla Wax
Hydrogenated Soy Glyceride
Caution
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- RiskySafety
A poor match for combination skin; the moisturizers alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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 combination skin due to petrolatum and mineral oil, which hydrate and smooth texture but may be too heavy for oily areas and insufficient for dry areas.
- The presence of occlusive ingredients like beeswax and candelilla wax can potentially clog pores and exacerbate oiliness, offering only moderate benefits for oily shine.
How to apply
- Use this moisturizer in your AM and PM routine every day to control shine. Always pair with SPF in the morning.
- Apply this moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your morning SPF.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin and avoid harsh rubbing. Let it ⏳absorb for a minute.
- Apply the moisturizer on slightly damp skin to help it lock in moisture better. This keeps your combination skin balanced.
- Avoid the eye area when applying the moisturizer. Do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsThis product is highly effective for extremely dry skin and rough patches, with many users reporting transformative results on areas like elbows, heels, and lips. However, some users find its thick, petroleum-based texture to be too greasy or heavy for regular facial application.
Highlights
Heals rough patches Often Mentioned
- “Works wonders on tough, dry areas!”
- “Heels and elbows have lost that bumpy, scaly look.”
Intense hydration Often Mentioned
- “It moisturizes my skin very well.”
- “Lifesaver when your skin is desperately dry.”
- “Replenishes hydration in very dry areas.”
Greasy/sticky texture Often Mentioned
- “It felt very sticky on my hands.”
- “It is quite greasy, though not as bad as straight Vaseline.”
- “It feels too heavy and doesn't seem to absorb well.”
Long-lasting value Sometimes Noted
- “A little goes a long way.”
- “Tube has lasted over a year.”
- “Since I only use it on a selected area... it is lasting me a long time.”
Versatile usage Sometimes Noted
- “I use this around my eyes and on my lips.”
- “Excellent for dry patches, especially on hands, elbows, and feet.”
- “Can be used anytime your skin needs extra moisture.”
Not for oily Sometimes Noted
- “Definitely not suitable for those with oily skin.”
- “May be too heavy for oily skin types.”
Strong fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “The scent is a bit strong; I wish it had a milder fragrance.”
- “It has a very strong scent that many find unpleasant.”
- “Smells chemically scented.”
Potential staining Rarely Noted
- “Be careful if you sleep on your stomach, as it might stain your pillow.”
- “Hair ends up sticking to your face.”
Sources: lovi.care, marykay.com, influenster.com, shespeaks.com, womensblogtalk.com, vanityroutine.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise caution with Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream for combination skin?
Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream is a poor match because its heavy petrolatum, mineral oil, and waxes may clog pores and feel too heavy on oily areas while not doing enough for dry spots. A moisturizer for combination skin needs to provide balanced hydration and brightness, soothe irritation, and control oily shine without feeling heavy or clogging pores.
Which ingredients make this cream a poor fit for combination skin?
Petrolatum and mineral oil make this cream a poor fit because they may feel too heavy for your oily areas and not hydrating enough for your dry spots. The waxes like beeswax and candelilla wax can also clog pores and make oily shine worse, so this skin type needs lighter hydrators and balancing ingredients.
What does Petrolatum do for combination skin?
Petrolatum helps lock in moisture and protect dry areas on combination skin by forming a strong seal over the surface. It is very effective at keeping water from escaping, though it may feel too heavy if applied heavily on naturally oily areas.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2025Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2023
What does Mineral Oil do for combination skin?
Mineral oil helps keep combination skin soft and smooth by locking in moisture and supporting the skin barrier. Because it sits on the surface without penetrating deeply, a product of this type for combination skin needs a lightweight texture and balancing ingredients to avoid feeling too heavy in oily areas while hydrating dry patches.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This cream goes at the end of your evening routine as a moisturizer. Combination skin needs a lighter moisturizer that hydrates dry spots without clogging pores or feeling too heavy on oily areas.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You should use caution when combining this cream with retinol because its heavy petrolatum and mineral oil base may trap the product too tightly against your skin and lead to clogged pores. Instead, combination skin needs a lighter moisturizer with balanced hydration that smooths texture without making oily areas feel greasy or overwhelming dry zones.
How often should I use this cream?
This cream is a poor match for your combination skin because heavy waxes and oils may clog pores in oily areas while offering only moderate moisture. Combination skin needs lighter, balanced hydrators that smooth texture without heaviness.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This cream can clog pores and cause breakouts on combination skin because heavy ingredients like beeswax and mineral oil easily trap oil in shiny areas. It does not cause purging because it does not speed up cell turnover. A product for this skin needs lighter, oil-free hydrators like hyaluronic acid to balance dry and oily zones without heavy waxes.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
This cream is generally too heavy and pore-clogging for combination skin, but rich petrolatum and mineral oil formulas can help smooth and soften very dry areas on the body. A product used around the eyes needs a lighter texture and ingredients that hydrate delicate skin without feeling greasy.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
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, 2020Topical treatment with skin-identical lipids in a petrolatum-rich cream base showed no superiority over pure petrolatum in promoting normalization of barrier recovery and inflammation in detergent- and tape-stripped-perturbed human skin over 14 days.
Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2000Topically applied extra virgin olive oil and petrolatum both significantly improved skin barrier function and microtopographic features in 54 healthy adult volunteers, with petrolatum exerting stronger occlusive effects and extra virgin olive oil uniquely promoting epidermal renewal.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2025Repeated application of concentrated water-in-oil emulsions over four weeks caused no skin irritation, positively affected skin properties, and delivered almost 50% of the applied fluorescein sodium, with isopropyl myristate showing superior penetration performance compared to liquid paraffin in healthy volunteers.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2019Topical application of a honey, olive oil, and beeswax mixture three times daily for up to 4 weeks resulted in clinical responses in 86% of patients with pityriasis versicolor, 78% with tinea cruris, and 75% with tinea corporis.
Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2004A prototype body cream containing bee venom, propolis, honey, beeswax, and royal jelly demonstrated stability for 90 days, high antioxidant capacity of 85.45%, lack of cytotoxicity with over 70% cell viability, and no irritation or allergic reaction in dermatological analysis, while improving skin parameters in a panel test.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022MUD1 protected human dermal fibroblasts against AAPH-induced oxidative stress by increasing cell viability, reducing oxidative damage, improving mitochondrial functionality, and enhancing wound healing capacities.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2018
Ingredients
Petrolatum, Mineral Oil, Paraffin, Beeswax, Candelilla Wax, Hydrogenated Soy Glyceride, Carnauba Wax, Stearic Acid, Propylparaben, Butylparaben, Menthol, Red 17
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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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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