Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser for combination skin

Glycerin
Panthenol Vitamin B5
Tocopheryl Acetate Vitamin E
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Average
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for combination skin; other moisturizers 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, as glycerin and panthenol hydrate and enhance barrier resilience, while Borago Officinalis Seed Oil provides emollient action beneficial for maintaining skin hydration without exacerbating oiliness.
- The formula provides general hydration benefits but lacks specialized ingredients to address your concern of oily shine.
- The product is safe for your combination skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components like Bisabolol and Urea.
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
★4.3Overall rating based on 600+ reviewsUsers with oily, combination, and sensitive skin appreciate this moisturizer for its lightweight, fast-absorbing, non-greasy formula that does not clog pores. Many find it suitable for sensitive skin and a good base for makeup. However, individuals with dry skin report insufficient hydration, and a small number of users experienced breakouts or stinging.
Highlights
Good for sensitive skin Mostly Mentioned
- “no artificial perfume”
- “didn't irritate skin”
- “calm and nourish”
- “gentle on face”
- “no harsh chemicals”
Affordable value Often Mentioned
- “super affordable”
- “great inexpensive product”
- “worth the price”
- “good budget option”
- “lasts a long time”
Lightweight, non-greasy Often Mentioned
- “absorbs very quickly”
- “no greasy residue”
- “light and refreshing”
- “matte finish”
- “doesn't clog pores”
Not enough hydration Often Mentioned
- “not moisturizing enough”
- “skin feels tight”
- “need heavier cream”
- “insufficient hydration”
- “dry patches remain”
Works as makeup base Sometimes Noted
- “makeup lays well”
- “base under BB cream”
- “smooths evenly”
- “no flaking”
- “non-sticky base”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “caused major breakouts”
- “stinging sensation”
- “small rashes”
- “clogged my pores”
Ingredient concerns Rarely Noted
- “contains mineral oil”
- “smells like paraffin”
- “parabens listed”
- “formula changed”
- “chemical smell”
Texture issues Rarely Noted
- “feels like a film”
- “thicker than expected”
- “hard to squeeze”
- “waxy residue”
- “sits on skin”
Sources: lovi.care, boots.com, influenster.com, productreview.com.au, shespeaks.com, skinsort.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser work for combination skin?
Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser offers moderate moisture for your combination skin, but it lacks specialized ingredients to reduce oily shine. A product of this type needs effective brightening and moisturizing ingredients that target hydration and brightness to address your concern of oily shine, while posing no risk of irritation.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for combination skin?
Glycerin and panthenol hydrate your combination skin and strengthen its barrier, while borage seed oil helps keep it moisturized without feeling oily. This type of skin needs ingredients that reduce oily shine and provide balanced hydration without causing irritation.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
What does Glycerin do for combination skin?
Glycerin helps keep combination skin soft and smooth by pulling moisture in and keeping it there. It improves hydration and supports your skin barrier, which is unlikely to cause irritation.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What does Panthenol do for combination skin?
Panthenol helps combination skin by boosting hydration, balancing oil, and calming redness without feeling heavy. It supports the skin barrier so dry areas feel soft and smooth while keeping oily zones comfortable.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This cream goes as the last step of your morning routine before sunscreen, and after your treatment in the evening. Because it offers moderate hydration without controlling oily shine, combination skin needs a moisturizer with oil-absorbing ingredients to stay matte and balanced.
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 soft. A moisturizer of this type used with retinol needs ingredients like ceramides and niacinamide to better calm irritation and control oily shine.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this moisturizer daily in the morning and evening as part of your routine. Daily application helps keep combination skin hydrated and supports the skin barrier.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This cream is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for combination skin, as reviewers rarely report this issue and the formula avoids harsh ingredients. However, because it lacks specialized oil-controlling ingredients, combination skin needs products that help balance oily shine while providing light moisture.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cream on your body and around your eyes because its gentle ingredients are safe for delicate areas and the skin elsewhere. Glycerin and panthenol help hydrate and support the skin barrier, while soothing components like bisabolol are unlikely to cause irritation.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
A 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, 2017Topical 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, 2002Urea is a safe and effective dermatologic therapy with wide-ranging clinical utility for various skin conditions and minimal, non-systemic side effects based on a review of the clinical literature.
Dermatology Online Journal, 2013A 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, 2017The 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, 2001Moisturizer 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, 2020Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Cutaneous application of linoleic and gamma-linolenic acid triglycerides reduced the high rate of transepidermal water loss in essential fatty acid-deficient rats, whereas other fatty acid triglycerides had no effect.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 1976
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetyl Palmitate, Dimethicone, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Bisabolol, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Cetyl Alcohol, Disodium Edta, Lactic Acid, Panthenol, Pantolactone, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Carbonate, Potassium Hydroxide, Serine, Sodium Lactate, Sorbitol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Urea
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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