🇳🇱Netherlands

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast B5 Serum for acne-prone skin

Average

  • AverageCombination Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

Works for acne-prone skin; other moisturizers 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 suitability for combination skin as glycerin and panthenol provide humectant action and support skin barrier repair, though it lacks targeted ingredients for acne and breakouts.
  • The formula provides general hydration and soothing benefits, which you may notice, but these are not the primary concerns for your acne-prone skin.
  • The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components like panthenol and glycerin.

How to apply

  • Use your moisturizer twice a day in your AM and PM routines. Apply it daily to help keep breakouts under control.
  • Apply after your cleanser and toner, and make sure to use your SPF right after in the morning.
  • Gently spread a small amount of moisturizer over your face using soft motions. Let it absorb into the skin for a minute before getting dressed or applying makeup.
  • Apply on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra moisture. This keeps your combination skin balanced without feeling heavy.
  • Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use. Stop using if you feel any irritation.

People Say

★4.6Overall rating based on 700+ reviews

This 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 Cicaplast B5 Serum work for acne-prone skin?

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast B5 Serum works as an average fit for acne-prone skin because it provides general hydration and calms irritation with panthenol and glycerin, but it lacks targeted ingredients for breakouts. To fit acne-prone skin better, a moisturizing treatment needs ingredients like niacinamide, peptides, or centella asiatica to address blemishes while keeping skin balanced.

The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for acne-prone skin?

This serum works for acne-prone skin because B5 Panthenol and Thermal Water help soothe and hydrate, though other products fit this skin type better. To truly fit acne-prone skin, a moisturizing treatment needs ingredients like Niacinamide, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, peptides, or Centella Asiatica to target breakouts and blemishes effectively without clogging pores.

The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017The Medical Journal of Malaysia, 2024

What does Panthenol do for acne-prone skin?

Panthenol helps calm red and irritated skin while supporting the skin barrier with excellent suitability for acne-prone skin. It may also help regulate oil and improve hydration without causing negative reactions.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

What does Thermal Water do for acne-prone skin?

Thermal water helps calm acne-prone skin by reducing irritation, redness, and dryness while supporting the skin barrier. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may improve overall skin comfort when used alongside your regular acne routine.

The Medical Journal of Malaysia, 2024Dermatology and Therapy, 2023

Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?

This serum goes in your evening routine, after cleansing and before moisturizing. It has a very safe formula with soothing ingredients like panthenol and glycerin, but acne-prone skin needs a product of this type that also includes targeted ingredients for breakouts.

The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

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 keep your skin calm and hydrated while you use retinol. This product of this type needs barrier-repairing ingredients like ceramides and soothing agents to support acne-prone skin during retinization.

Cutis, 2006The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017

How often should I use this serum?

You can use this serum in the evening as part of your routine, as treatments fit best at night for simplicity and safety around sun exposure. Some serums may also be used in the morning or twice a day if your skin tolerates them well.

Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?

This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts because it has a very safe formula with soothing ingredients that do not irritate your skin. However, since it lacks targeted ingredients for acne and breakouts, acne-prone skin needs products that also include blemish-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.

The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

Can I use this serum around the eyes or on my body?

You can use this serum safely around the eyes and on the body because its gentle formula has a very high safety profile. It helps keep thin and body skin soft and hydrated without causing irritation.

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017

Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol denat).

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, 2017
  • 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, 2002
  • Malaysian 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, 2024
  • A topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.

    Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020
  • Moisturizer 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, 2019
  • Topical dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.

    Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000
  • Hyaluronic 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, 2020
  • Balneotherapy 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, 2023
  • A 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, 2025
  • A formulation containing vitamin C, biopeptides, hyaluronic acid, and mineralizing water accelerated cell turnover to 17.1 days versus 19.2 days for untreated skin, and reduced crow's-feet, forehead, and nasolabial folds by 9%, 11%, and 5% respectively after 28 days in female subjects.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2021
  • Topical 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, 2011
  • Topical 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, 2022
  • Treatment 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, 2019
  • 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, 2017
  • 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, 2020
  • Ten 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, 2001
  • Wearing 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, 2024
  • A 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, 2000
  • Treatment 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 acne-prone skin better

  • Gluconolactone 14% solution significantly improved mild to moderate acne by reducing inflamed and non-inflamed lesions similarly to 5% benzoyl peroxide, but with fewer side-effects in 150 patients.

    The Australasian Journal of Dermatology, 1992
  • Co-delivery of paeonol and madecassoside via nanoemulsions improved transdermal delivery, promoted barrier repair proteins, inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in cellular and 3D models, and reduced transepidermal water loss and acne in human facial skin compared to free components.

    Molecules, 2023

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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