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CeraVe Psoriasis Moisturizing Cream for oily acne-prone skin

Average

  • HighOily Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

Works for oily acne-prone skin; other moisturizers 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

  • Offers moderate suitability for your oily skin, as salicylic acid and niacinamide provide keratolytic action and seboregulation, respectively, though it lacks sufficient mattifying ingredients for optimal results.
  • The presence of urea and Laureth-9 offers effective moisturizing treatment and general skincare benefits, such as hydration and cleansing, which are supportive for your concerns.
  • The formula is safe for your oily skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients, minimizing irritation risks.

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

★4.6Overall rating based on 200+ reviews

While many praise its texture and absorption, some users with sensitive skin experienced stinging, and others found the price high for the quantity.

Highlights

  • Non-greasy texture Often Mentioned
    • “absorbs quickly”
    • “non-greasy finish”
    • “rich but sinks in”
    • “doesn't stain clothes”
  • Reduces scaling Often Mentioned
    • “removes scales”
    • “less flaky”
    • “smooths rough patches”
    • “cleared up flakes”
  • Relieves itching Often Mentioned
    • “stopped itching immediately”
    • “calms the skin”
    • “best itch relief”
    • “soothes irritation”
  • Effective ingredients Sometimes Noted
    • “salicylic acid works”
    • “ceramides help barrier”
    • “niacinamide calms redness”
    • “gentle exfoliation”
  • Expensive for size Sometimes Noted
    • “expensive for small jar”
    • “small amount”
    • “pricey”
    • “wish it came bigger”
  • Burning sensation Rarely Noted
    • “burned my skin”
    • “stinging sensation”
    • “irritation at first”
    • “too harsh for me”
  • Packaging issues Rarely Noted
    • “pump malfunctioned”
    • “lid issues”
    • “hard to get out”
    • “pump broke”
  • Variable effectiveness Rarely Noted
    • “didn't work for me”
    • “made it redder”
    • “not strong enough”

Sources: lovi.care, cerave.com, dermstore.com, target.com, walmart.com, amazon.com, and more

Questions and answers

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

Salicylic acid and niacinamide help clear blemishes and balance oil, while urea and glycerin provide gentle hydration. Oily acne-prone skin needs a product of this type that also includes ingredients to absorb excess shine and lightweight hydrators that do not clog pores.

BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

What does Salicylic Acid do for oily acne-prone skin?

Salicylic acid helps clear breakouts and keeps oily skin balanced by reducing oil levels and calming inflammation. It is well suited for oily, acne-prone skin because it targets pimples while helping keep the skin hydrated and protected.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Experimental Dermatology, 2019

What does Urea do for oily acne-prone skin?

Urea is generally not the best choice for oily, acne-prone skin because it is designed to deeply hydrate and soften dry skin, which can feel too heavy. Oily skin needs lightweight hydration and ingredients that help keep pores clear rather than rich moisturizers.

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

This moisturizing treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and toning, as treatments with active ingredients are best used then for simplicity and sun safety. Oily skin also needs oil-controlling and mattifying ingredients to keep shine in check.

Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this cream alongside retinol to help keep your skin comfortable, as the formula is unlikely to cause irritation. Apply your retinol first, let it absorb, and then smooth on this moisturizer to help calm and hydrate your skin.

Cutis, 2006Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012

How often should I use this cream?

You can use this moisturizing treatment twice daily to keep your skin hydrated and help clear breakouts, as it is gentle and safe for oily skin. To get the best results for oily skin, this type of product also needs mattifying ingredients to control shine.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2026

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

This cream is unlikely to clog pores or cause irritation for oily acne-prone skin because it lacks harsh ingredients, though a product for this skin needs extra mattifying ingredients to control shine.

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

This cream is safe to use on your body, but you should avoid applying it around the delicate eye area. Oily acne-prone skin of this type needs products with mattifying ingredients and gentle hydrators to keep shine under control.

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002

Is this cream 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 moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.

    BioMed Research International, 2020
  • Twice daily application of a multitargeted dermocosmetic cream provided comparable efficacy to benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in reducing inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesions in 150 Caucasian subjects with mild-to-moderate acne over 56 days, while demonstrating superior skin tolerability.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
  • The use of a salicylic acid-based dermocosmetic significantly reduces the needed quantity of benzoyl peroxide without impacting efficacy in mild to moderate acne, and as maintenance post-benzoyl peroxide allows a significant reduction of acne relapse compared to vehicle.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023
  • Urea 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, 2013
  • Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.

    CMAJ, 2010
  • Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
  • Topical 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid achieved the greatest lesion reduction at early 2 to 4 week time points compared to benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin, and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin, while 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin showed similar efficacy at 10 to 12 weeks in acne patients.

    Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2010
  • Topical 40% urea cream achieved improvement in less time and showed superiority over 12% ammonium lactate lotion in skin roughness, fissure reduction, thickness, and dryness at day 14 in patients treated for moderate to severe xerosis.

    American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
  • Topical treatment with K101 achieved a significantly higher mycological cure rate compared to placebo in patients with ≤50% nail involvement (27.2% vs 10.4%), while showing early visible improvements in nail appearance and no safety issues.

    Mycoses, 2012
  • 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
  • Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021
  • Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.

    The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008
  • Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.

    Dermatologic Surgery, 2005

Why other moisturizers fit oily acne-prone skin better

  • A panthenol-enriched mask improved skin hydration, regulated sebum, and reduced redness and TEWL across dry sensitive, oily sensitive, and oily acne skin subgroups with excellent tolerance and no adverse reactions.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
  • A peel-off facial mask containing myoinositol and trehalose-loaded liposomes improved adult female acne by decreasing lesion counts, sebum production, GAGS scores, and local androgen levels while increasing beclin-1 levels.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2017
  • 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

Salicylic Acid, Water, Urea, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Cetyl Alcohol, Peg-100 Stearate, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Laureth-9, Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, C12-13 Alkyl Lactate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dimethicone, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide Eop, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Tasmannia Lanceolata Leaf Extract Fruit, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium Edta, Tocopherol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Citric Acid, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin

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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Prices checked 6 Nov 2026

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.