Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF 15 for oily skin
Avobenzone
Octocrylene
Glycerin
Tocopheryl Acetate
Glyceryl Stearate
Low
- HighOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A weak match for oily skin; the sunscreens 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
- Highly suitable for your oily skin due to glycerin's humectant action and cyclomethicone providing a lightweight feel, though its benefits are mostly supportive and not directly targeting your oily shine concerns.
- The formula offers moderate moisturizing and UV protection with glycerin and UV filters, which are generally beneficial but do not significantly address your primary goal.
How to apply
- Use this moisturizing sunscreen daily in your AM routine. Reapply every two hours when exposed to direct sun.
- Apply this moisturizing sunscreen as the final step of your morning routine after your moisturizer.
- Smooth an even layer of the moisturizing sunscreen over your face and neck, avoiding harsh rubbing.
- Apply the moisturizing sunscreen onto clean, dry skin for the best protection and even coverage.
- Avoid the immediate eye area and discontinue use if any irritation occurs.
People Say
★4.3Overall rating based on 2.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this moisturizer is highly favored by users with sensitive and dry skin for its lightweight, fragrance-free formula that hydrates without clogging pores. A moderate number of users with oily skin report a greasy or shiny finish, and a moderate number of reviewers mention stinging if the product gets into the eyes.
Highlights
Gentle on sensitive skin Mostly Mentioned
- “Doesn't burn my face”
- “great for sensitive skin”
- “no redness after use”
- “gentle formula”
Effective hydration Often Mentioned
- “Keeps flakes away”
- “skin feels plump”
- “moisturizes all day”
- “healed my dry spots”
Lightweight and non-greasy Often Mentioned
- “Sinks in immediately”
- “doesn't feel heavy”
- “perfect under makeup”
- “light texture”
Fragrance-free formula Sometimes Noted
- “Love that it's unscented”
- “no chemical smell”
- “doesn't trigger allergies”
- “truly fragrance-free”
Greasy or shiny finish Sometimes Noted
- “Left me looking like a greaseball”
- “too shiny for day use”
- “oil slick on forehead”
- “never fully dried down”
Stinging around eyes Sometimes Noted
- “Burns my eyes badly”
- “makes eyes water”
- “stings if I sweat”
- “can't put near eyes”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Broke me out immediately”
- “caused cystic acne”
- “clogged my pores”
- “gave me whiteheads”
Leaves a white cast Rarely Noted
- “Leaves a white cast”
- “looks purple on dark skin”
- “takes forever to rub in”
- “visible white film”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, cetaphil.com, iherb.com, acne.org, and more
Questions and answers
Why is Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF 15 a weak match for oily skin?
This moisturizer is a weak match for oily skin because its benefits are mostly supportive and do not directly target your oily shine concerns. An ideal product for this skin type needs ingredients that effectively address hydration needs without exacerbating oily shine, along with a lightweight texture that maintains a non-greasy feel.
Which ingredients make this cream a poor fit for oily skin?
This cream is a weak match for oily skin because its ingredients offer only basic moisture and sun protection rather than targeting excess shine. An oily skin type needs a product that provides lightweight hydration without clogging pores, controls shine, and includes ingredients that support the skin barrier while maintaining a non-greasy feel.
What does Avobenzone do for oily skin?
Avobenzone protects outdoor skin from the sun, but for oily skin, it needs to be paired with lightweight hydrators and oil-controlling ingredients to keep skin clear and shine-free.
What does Octocrylene do for oily skin?
Octocrylene is a UV filter that helps protect your skin from sun damage without disrupting normal skin bacteria or causing breakouts. It is generally safe for daily use on oily skin, though it can occasionally act as an allergen for some people.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2024Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2019
Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This moisturizer with sunscreen goes in the morning routine after your cleanser, hydrating toner, and other morning steps, and before any makeup. Oily skin needs a lightweight moisturizer that controls shine and manages oil with ingredients like niacinamide.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol by applying the retinol first and following it with this moisturizer to help keep your skin soft and comfortable. This type of product needs ingredients like ceramides and soothing agents to properly calm and balance oily skin during strong treatments.
How often should I use it?
You can use this moisturizing spf daily in your morning routine. Oily skin needs a lightweight product with oil-controlling ingredients that actively target shine.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This cream is unlikely to cause purging, but it may lead to breakouts or a greasy finish on oily skin. Oily skin typically needs a lightweight, oil-free formula with ingredients that help control shine and manage excess oil without heavy sunscreens.
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, 2017Encapsulation of ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate and butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane in lipid microparticles significantly reduced their in vivo human skin penetration compared to nonencapsulated filters.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2011Microencapsulation of the BMDBM/HP-beta-CD complex in lipid microparticles significantly decreased the percutaneous penetration of the UV filter into the stratum corneum of human volunteers compared to the non-encapsulated sunscreen agent.
Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 2011Following human skin application of an O/W emulsion containing 2% BMDBM loaded in lipospheres, 15% of the sunscreen accumulated in the uppermost layers of the stratum corneum without remarkably modifying skin permeation compared to unencapsulated sunscreen.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2008Incorporating rosmarinic acid into sunscreens enhanced the in vivo SPF of octocrylene by over 157% and reduced lipid peroxidation in the human stratum corneum.
Antioxidants, 2025The application of a sunscreen formulation containing ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, ethylhexyl salicylate, methyl anthranilate, and octocrylene does not significantly affect critical acne-related species such as Cutibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis, refuting the induction of facial dysbiosis in men.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2024Early application of sunscreen after ablative fractional skin resurfacing significantly increased the sensitization rate of the UV-filter, octocrylene, and the sunscreen compared to intact skin.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2015The 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, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012Topical 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, 2025Dermatological 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, 2021Topical 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, 2024
Ingredients
Avobenzone, Octocrylene, Water, Diisopropyl Adipate, Cyclomethicone, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carbomer 940, Disodium Edta, Triethanolamine
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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