Cetaphil Moisturising Cream for oily acne-prone skin
Glycerin
Petrolatum
DimethiconeWarning
- WarningOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- RiskySafety
A poor match for oily acne-prone skin; the moisturizers alongside 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
- Extremely unsuitable for your oily skin due to petrolatum and dimethicone, which can clog pores and exacerbate breakouts, while glycerin and panthenol offer only moderate hydration without addressing your primary concerns of acne and oiliness.
- The formula lacks targeted ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, making its cleansing and soothing benefits largely irrelevant for managing your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
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
★4.7Overall rating based on 4.5k+ reviewsHighlights
Long-lasting hydration Mostly Mentioned
- “healed my dry patches”
- “keeps skin soft all day”
- “hydration lasts 24 hours”
- “saved my winter skin”
Gentle, non-irritating Often Mentioned
- “great for sensitive skin”
- “fragrance-free”
- “doesn't burn cracked skin”
Tub packaging Often Mentioned
- “hate dipping fingers in”
- “needs a pump”
- “sanitary concerns”
- “gets under fingernails”
Non-greasy absorption Sometimes Noted
- “absorbs surprisingly fast”
- “doesn't feel sticky”
- “matte finish”
- “soaks in completely”
Versatile use Sometimes Noted
- “use it head to toe”
- “great under makeup”
- “works for face and body”
- “safe for whole family”
Heavy texture Sometimes Noted
- “too thick for face”
- “takes effort to rub in”
- “feels heavy in summer”
- “leaves a film”
Clogs pores Rarely Noted
- “caused small bumps”
- “too rich for acne-prone areas”
- “triggered breakout on forehead”
- “greasy on T-zone”
Unpleasant smell Rarely Noted
- “smells like plastic”
- “weird chemical scent”
- “smells like glue”
- “medicinal odor”
Sources: lovi.care, influenster.com, walmart.com, target.com, ulta.com, totalbeauty.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise against Cetaphil Moisturising Cream for oily acne-prone skin?
Lovi advises against this cream because petrolatum and dimethicone can clog pores and make breakouts worse on oily skin. This type of skin needs lightweight moistuizers with acne-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, along with peptides or soothing extracts to hydrate without adding extra oil.
Which ingredients make this cream a poor fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Petrolatum and dimethicone make this cream a poor fit because they are heavy and can clog pores on oily acne-prone skin, leading to more breakouts. A moisturizer for this skin type needs lightweight hydration, soothing ingredients, and no heavy oils to keep pores clear.
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
What does Petrolatum do for oily acne-prone skin?
Petrolatum is generally safe for oily acne-prone skin because it has a very low chance of causing allergic reactions or clogging pores. It acts as an effective moisturizer to keep skin soft and protect its barrier without causing irritation.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This cream is a poor match for your oily acne-prone skin because ingredients like petrolatum and dimethicone may clog pores and trigger breakouts. Oily acne-prone skin needs a lightweight moisturizer with targeted ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to keep pores clear and control breakouts.
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
This cream is a poor match for your oily acne-prone skin because heavy ingredients like petrolatum and dimethicone may clog your pores and lead to breakouts. Oily acne-prone skin needs lightweight, non-clogging moisturizers with targeted ingredients like salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, or calming agents to keep pores clear and control oil.
How often should I use this cream?
This heavy cream is a poor match for oily acne-prone skin because ingredients like petrolatum and dimethicone may clog pores and cause breakouts. Oily acne-prone skin needs lightweight, oil-free moisturizers with salicylic acid or niacinamide to help control oil and keep pores clear.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
Yes, this cream can clog pores and make breakouts worse on oily skin because it contains petrolatum and dimethicone. A moisturizer for this skin needs light hydrators like hyaluronic acid and blemish-clearing ingredients like salicylic acid instead of heavy pore-clogging barriers.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cream on your body, but it is too heavy for the thin skin around your eyes. A body moisturizer for this skin needs rich ingredients like petrolatum and dimethicine to keep dry skin soft and smooth, whereas the eye area requires lightweight hydration to avoid puffiness.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (benzyl alcohol).
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, 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, 2001Topical 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, 2025Wearing 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, 2024A dimethicone skin protectant lotion significantly decreased visual scoring and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control and SLS-only treated sites in 12 healthy humans exposed to sodium lauryl sulfate.
Skin Research and Technology, 2000Treatment 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
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Dicaprylyl Ether, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-30 Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzyl Alcohol, 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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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
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