Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion for combination skin
Avocado Oil
Niacinamide
Panthenol Vitamin B5
Tocopheryl Acetate Vitamin E
DimethiconeAverage
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
Works for combination skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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 combination skin, as glycerin and dimethicone hydrate and smooth texture without causing irritation. Panthenol and tocopheryl acetate provide additional soothing and antioxidant benefits, supporting overall skin health.
- While the formula is safe and generally beneficial, it lacks specialized ingredients like higher concentrations of niacinamide to effectively target your oily shine concerns on combination skin.
How to apply
- Use this moisturizer in your AM and PM routine every day to control shine. Always pair with SPF in the morning.
- Apply this moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your morning SPF.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin and avoid harsh rubbing. Let it ⏳absorb for a minute.
- Apply the moisturizer on slightly damp skin to help it lock in moisture better. This keeps your combination skin balanced.
- Avoid the eye area when applying the moisturizer. Do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 35.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this lotion is a popular choice for sensitive and dry skin, appreciated for its lightweight, non-greasy feel that absorbs quickly and doesn't clog pores. However, a notable number of recent reviews indicate dissatisfaction with a formula change, with some users experiencing irritation and stinging. A small number of users also report an unpleasant scent or find it not moisturizing enough for very dry skin.
Highlights
Lightweight & non-greasy Mostly Mentioned
- “absorbs instantly”
- “doesn't leave a sticky residue”
- “perfect under makeup”
- “light texture”
Fragrance-free Often Mentioned
- “truly no smell”
- “doesn't clash with perfume”
- “great for my asthma”
- “no strong chemical odor”
Gentle for sensitive skin Often Mentioned
- “dermatologist recommended”
- “no redness after use”
Long-lasting hydration Often Mentioned
- “skin still soft next day”
- “helped winter dryness”
- “stopped the flaking”
- “healed my dry patches”
Versatile application Sometimes Noted
- “use it head to toe”
- “great hand cream”
- “simplified my routine”
- “good for whole family”
New formula irritation Sometimes Noted
- “burns my face now”
- “caused a rash”
- “new ingredients sting”
- “not safe for sensitive skin anymore”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “caused whiteheads”
- “broke me out”
- “too heavy for acne-prone skin”
- “clogged my pores”
Not rich enough Rarely Noted
- “need the cream instead”
- “too watery for winter”
- “didn't fix my cracked heels”
- “evaporates too fast”
Sticky residue Rarely Noted
- “feels tacky”
- “leaves a film”
- “sticky for minutes”
- “clammy feeling”
Unpleasant smell Rarely Noted
- “smells like plastic”
- “weird chemical odor”
- “has a masking scent”
- “smells off”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, target.com, ulta.com, cetaphil.com, amazon.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion work for combination skin?
Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion works moderately well for combination skin, hydrating and smoothing texture without causing irritation, though it lacks specialized ingredients to target oily shine. To work best for this skin type, a moisturizer needs effective brightening and hydrating ingredients that reduce shine without risking irritation or imbalance.
Which ingredients make this moisturizer a good fit for combination skin?
Glycerin and dimethicone make this moisturizer a good fit by hydrating and keeping texture smooth without causing irritation, while panthenol and vitamin E offer soothing and antioxidant support. To work even better for combination skin, a product of this type needs specialized ingredients like higher concentrations of niacinamide to target oily shine.
What does Avocado Oil do for combination skin?
Avocado oil helps keep dry areas soft and smooth while improving elasticity without clogging normal or oily spots. It supports a balanced feel and is unlikely to cause irritation.
What does Niacinamide do for combination skin?
Niacinamide helps balance oily areas by reducing excess shine and pore size while keeping dry patches hydrated and smooth. It also works to calm redness and even out skin tone, making it very suitable for combination skin.
Where does this moisturizer go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
Apply this moisturizer as the final step of your morning and evening skincare routine after your cleanser, toner, and treatments. It hydrates and smooths combination skin texture without irritation, though managing oily shine effectively requires a product of this type that also includes higher concentrations of niacinamide.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017
Can I use this moisturizer with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizer with retinol, applying it after your retinol treatment to help soothe your skin and keep it hydrated. Using a moisturizer alongside retinol helps reduce dryness and irritation while supporting your skin barrier.
How often should I use this moisturizer?
You can use this moisturizer twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine to keep your skin hydrated and smooth. Regular daily application helps improve moisture levels and supports overall skin barrier health.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this moisturizer clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This moisturizer is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on combination skin, as ingredients like glycerin and dimethicone hydrate and smooth texture safely. However, because it is an average fit for your skin, a product of this type needs specialized ingredients like higher concentrations of niacinamide to properly target oily shine.
Can I use this moisturizer around the eyes or on my body?
Yes, you can use this moisturizer around the eyes and on your body because its safe formula hydrates and smooths texture. A product of this type needs to balance gentle hydration for the very thin skin in the eye area with enough richness for drier body skin.
Is this moisturizer fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (benzyl alcohol). Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
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, 2017Vitamin E in O/W and W/O emulsions significantly increased stratum corneum hydration and enhanced water-binding capacity, with an optimum concentration of 5%.
Arzneimittel-Forschung, 1998Topical cream containing saffron extract and avocado oil improved wrinkle grading, reduced nasolabial fold area and volume, and increased skin elasticity in twenty healthy volunteers over 12 weeks without allergic reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Topical treatment with SSFAO 50% or avocado oil increased wound contraction, reepithelialization, collagen density, and tensile strength while showing anti-inflammatory activity compared to petroleum jelly in rats.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013Topical 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, 2021Topical 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, 2008Topical 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, 2005Topical 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, 2002Moisturizer 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, 2019Topical dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.
Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000Topical 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, 2024Wearing 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, 2024A 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, 2000Treatment 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
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dimethicone, Persea Gratissima Oil Avocado Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil, Pantolactone, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid
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?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.