CeraVe Moisturising Lotion for oily skin
Ceramide Np
Ceramide Ap
Sodium Hyaluronate
Phytosphingosine
Cholesterol
Caution
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- RiskySafety
A poor match for oily skin; the moisturizers alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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 oily skin due to the presence of glycerin and sodium hyaluronate, which hydrate and plump the skin without exacerbating oiliness.
- While it provides general skincare benefits, it lacks targeted ingredients for optimal oil control, which is your main concern for oily shine.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine every day to keep your face fresh.
- Apply this moisturizer after cleansing and toning, but right before your SPF in the morning.
- Gently press a small amount into your skin and let it absorb fully.
- Apply on clean, slightly dry skin to help control that oily shine.
- Avoid the eye area and do a quick patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 11.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users consistently praise this lotion as a holy grail staple for its lightweight, non-greasy formula that effectively hydrates without clogging pores.
Highlights
Lightweight non-greasy Mostly Mentioned
- “Absorbs instantly”
- “Doesn't feel sticky”
- “Perfect under makeup”
- “Skin drinks it up”
Gentle fragrance-free Often Mentioned
- “No irritation”
- “Great for sensitive skin”
- “Safe for acne-prone skin”
Value for money Often Mentioned
- “Huge bottle lasts forever”
- “Affordable staple”
- “Better than expensive brands”
- “Great price point”
Effective barrier repair Sometimes Noted
- “Helped my damaged barrier”
- “Reduced redness”
- “Smoothed rough patches”
- “Skin feels stronger”
Versatile face body Sometimes Noted
- “Use it head to toe”
- “Great hand cream”
- “One bottle for everything”
- “Good for back acne”
Too thin for dry Sometimes Noted
- “Need the cream instead”
- “Not enough for winter”
- “Skin felt dry an hour later”
- “Too watery”
Basic experience Rarely Noted
- “No luxury feel”
- “Just a basic lotion”
- “Nothing special”
- “Dull packaging”
Packaging pump issues Rarely Noted
- “Pump arrived broken”
- “Hard to get last bit out”
- “Pump stops working”
- “Spilled in transit”
Pilling texture Rarely Noted
- “Pills under sunscreen”
- “Balls up if rubbed”
- “Doesn't layer well”
- “Left white residue”
Rare stinging Rarely Noted
- “Burned my face”
- “Stung on application”
- “Caused redness”
Sources: lovi.care, cerave.com, amazon.com, ulta.com, boots.com, superdrug.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise caution with CeraVe Moisturising Lotion for oily skin?
Lovi advises caution because this moisturizer lacks targeted ingredients to control oily shine, even though it offers moderate hydration without making your skin oilier. Oily skin needs a lightweight formula with peptides, soothing extracts, and ingredients that support the skin barrier without heavy oils.
Which ingredients make this lotion a poor fit for oily skin?
This lotion receives a caution for oily skin because it lacks targeted ingredients for controlling oily shine. To better fit this skin type, a moisturizer needs a lightweight texture with peptides, soothing extracts, and ingredients that support the skin barrier without heavy oils.
What do Ceramides do for oily skin?
Ceramides help keep oily skin balanced by strengthening the skin barrier and locking in moisture without feeling heavy. They are unlikely to clog pores and may help calm irritation, making them a good fit if your skin is both oily and prone to breakouts.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2008Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
What does Ceramide AP do for oily skin?
Ceramide AP helps balance oily skin by supporting the skin barrier and maintaining moisture without feeling heavy. Because oily skin can still suffer from weak barrier function and lipid imbalances, this ingredient helps protect and smooth the skin.
Where does this lotion go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This moisturizer goes near the end of your routine, right before sunscreen in the morning and as a final step in the evening. Because oily skin needs oil control more than heavy hydration, a product of this type for this skin needs targeted ingredients that balance shine alongside lightweight hydrators like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate.
Can I use this lotion with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this lotion with retinol, applying it after your retinol treatment to help keep your skin calm and moisturized. Using a moisturizer with retinol is unlikely to reduce how well your treatment works and may help prevent dryness and irritation.
How often should I use this lotion?
This lotion may be used daily as part of your morning and evening routine, though it is a poor match because oily skin needs targeted oil control ingredients to manage shine.
Health Science Reports, 2021Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020
Can this lotion clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This lotion may feel heavy or clog pores on oily skin because it lacks targeted ingredients for oil control. A moisturizer for this skin type needs lightweight hydrating ingredients and oil-absorbing minerals to keep pores clear and manage shine.
Can I use this lotion around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this lotion on your body, but you should use caution around your eyes because the skin there is much thinner than the skin on most of your body. This moisturizer helps hydrate and plump the skin with glycerin and sodium hyaluronate.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Is this lotion fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol and cetyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.
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, 2017Topical 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 emulsion containing a complete mixture of ceramides III, IIIB, VI, phytosphingosine, cholesterol, and linoleic acid significantly accelerated barrier recovery after SLS damage and improved skin hydration after acetone treatment in human volunteers compared to an emulsion containing only two types of ceramides.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2002Phytosphingosine demonstrates anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory activity with excellent clinical results in acne vulgaris.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2007Phytosphingosine increased filaggrin metabolism and skin hydration in human skin by stimulating filaggrin biosynthesis and degradation leading to natural moisturizing factor formation.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2017Botulinum toxin-A encapsulated in phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol nanoliposomes delivered transdermally achieved a diffusion depth of 380 μm and showed a nonsignificant advantage in relieving post-acne scarring compared to hyaluronic acid hydrogel treatment in 12 facial patients.
Journal of Materials Science. Materials in Medicine, 2024Topical application of cholesterol sulfate increases stratum corneum thickness and inhibits protease-induced cell dissociation by competitively inhibiting serine proteases in mice and human stratum corneum.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 1998Topical lovastatin treatment impairs the recovery of cutaneous permeability barrier function and stratum corneum cholesterol levels after acetone disruption in mice, an effect normalized by simultaneous treatment with mevalonate or cholesterol.
The Journal of Clinical Investigation, 1990
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 20, Ceteareth-20, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Phosphate, Disodium Edta, Dipotassium Phosphate, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Ceramide Eop
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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