EltaMD Skin Recovery Night Mask for acne-prone skin
Aacomplex
Sodium Hyaluronate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Bisabolol
Aloe Barbadensis Flower ExtractAverage
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for acne-prone skin; other nourishing masks fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. 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 benefits for your combination skin and acne, blemishes, and breakouts due to the hydrating and soothing properties of saccharide isomerate and bisabolol, which help manage inflammation and moisture balance.
- The presence of sodium hyaluronate further enhances hydration, providing general skincare benefits that support overall skin health.
- The product is safe for your combination skin, with no risks of irritation from harsh or prohibited ingredients.
How to apply
- You can use this creamy mask as part of your PM routine once a week. Start 3×/week if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply the creamy mask after cleansing and toning, but always before your moisturizer .
- Smooth an even layer of the creamy mask over your face while avoiding any harsh rubbing. Let it sit ⏱ for the recommended time before rinsing.
- Apply the creamy mask on clean and dry skin for the best results against blemishes.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a patch test before your very first use.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsThis night mask is highly praised for its lightweight, gel-like texture that effectively calms redness and strengthens the skin barrier without leaving a greasy residue. While it is a favorite for sensitive and acne-prone skin types seeking overnight rejuvenation, a subset of users with severely dry skin noted that it may not provide enough intense moisture on its own.
Highlights
Hydrating and soothing Mostly Mentioned
- “Wake up the next morning to hydrated skin.”
- “My skin feels so soft and with glow.”
- “Hydrates and soothes.”
Lightweight texture Often Mentioned
- “Absorbing quickly and leaving no residue.”
- “Lightweight, calming gel-like texture.”
- “No greasy or sticky feeling.”
Reduces redness Often Mentioned
- “Takes down redness overnight.”
- “Redness around my cheeks and nose... was noticeably reduced.”
- “Helps reduce redness and irritation.”
Sensitive skin friendly Sometimes Noted
- “Non-reactive for my sensitive skin.”
- “Fragrance-free is also fantastic.”
- “Suitable for sensitive and acne-prone skin.”
Insufficient hydration Sometimes Noted
- “If you have severely dry skin, this is probably not for you.”
- “It might need more hydrating ingredients.”
- “Not as hydrating as CeraVe.”
Irritation potential Rarely Noted
- “Burnt my under-eye skin!”
- “This product dried my skin out.”
Jar packaging Rarely Noted
- “It's not the most hygienic option.”
- “It would be nice if... a pump or a more sanitary dispenser.”
Sources: lovi.care, dermstore.com, lovelyskin.com, ellemesmedspa.com, bluemercury.com, trustpilot.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does the EltaMD Skin Recovery Night Mask work for acne-prone skin?
EltaMD Skin Recovery Night Mask works moderately well for acne-prone skin because ingredients like saccharide isomerate and bisabolol help soothe irritation and balance moisture. While it is safe and provides general hydration, a nourishing mask for acne-prone skin needs effective ingredients like niacinamide, retinol, and ceramides to better manage breakouts without feeling heavy.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2025Lasers in Medical Science, 2025
Which ingredients make this mask a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Saccharide isomerate and bisabolol help make this mask a good fit for acne-prone skin by providing hydrating and soothing properties that manage inflammation and moisture balance. A product of this type needs effective ingredients like niacinamide and retinol that provide benefits for acne without irritation while keeping a well-balanced formulation.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2025Lasers in Medical Science, 2025
What does AA Complex do for acne-prone skin?
AA Complex helps calm acne-prone skin by reducing redness and irritation while supporting the skin repair process. This type of ingredient helps soothe stressed skin, but for acne-prone skin it also needs oil-controlling and blemish-clearing ingredients to effectively manage breakouts.
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for acne-prone skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps acne-prone skin by soothing irritation, calming redness, and keeping the skin balanced without clogging pores. When combined with targeted ingredients like zinc oxide, it may also help reduce breakouts.
Where does this mask go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This nourishing mask works as a nighttime moisturizer to lock in hydration and help calm breakouts. To achieve a better fit for acne-prone skin, this type of product needs clarifying ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to help clear blemishes and control oil.
Can I use this mask with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this mask with retinol by applying the retinol first, letting it absorb, and then following with the mask to help keep your skin calm and moisturized. This type of routine works best for acne-prone skin when it includes soothing and hydrating ingredients like ceramides, niacinamide, or lightweight hydrators that strengthen the skin barrier without clogging pores.
How often should I use this mask?
This nourishing mask works for your acne-prone skin, though other products fit it better. To get the moderate hydrating and soothing benefits it offers, a product of this type needs calming and lightweight ingredients that manage moisture balance without clogging pores.
Health Science Reports, 2021The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2025
Can this mask clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
EltaMD Skin Recovery Night Mask is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for acne-prone skin. It contains tocopheryl acetate, which has been shown in studies to have a safe profile with little risk of causing blemishes.
Is this mask fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A novel moisturizer containing saccharide isomerate accelerates skin barrier recovery, improves hydration, reduces erythema, and alleviates discomfort compared to a control moisturizer following intense pulsed light treatment in subjects with skin aging.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2025A combination cream of stimu-tex AS and saccharide isomerate reduced erythema, increased skin capacitance, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to placebo in 20 subjects after fractional CO2 laser procedure without causing serious adverse events.
Lasers in Medical Science, 2025Topical hyaluronic acid filler serum combined with Botulinum toxin type A lengthened the duration of the toxin's effect in reducing wrinkles compared to Botulinum toxin type A alone.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Dermatological 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, 2021An amino acid complex formulated in a Skin Recovery System reduced skin irritation and redness while accelerating the skin repair process in 37 subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Topical 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, 2019Topical 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, 2025Topical 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, 2024A topical antioxidant serum significantly reduced air pollution-induced skin pigmentation and proinflammatory gene expression ex vivo, and improved skin aging signs in 40 healthy adult females after 90 days of daily use.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Application of an alpha-bisabolol-containing cream produced a significant skin-lightening effect in pigmented skin compared to a vehicle control in the majority of female subjects after 8 weeks.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2010The combination of allantoin, bisabolol, D-panthenol and dipotassium glycyrrhizinate reduces UVB-induced PGE2, inflammatory cytokines, and mitochondrial superoxide in human epidermal keratinocytes.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010
Ingredients
Water, Isononyl Isononanoate, Propanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Vp Copolymer, Polyacrylamide, Phenoxyethanol, Taurine, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Arginine, Saccharide Isomerate, Citric Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Laureth-7, Tocopherol, Bisabolol, Lespedeza Capitata Stem Extract Leaf, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Phytate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Glycine, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Jojoba Seed Oil, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Leaf Extract Flower, Curcuma Longa Root Extract
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
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