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Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel for oily acne-prone skin

High

  • HighOily Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

One of the best sunscreens for oily acne-prone skin.

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

  • Highly suitable for your oily skin, this product features niacinamide for seboregulation and multiple forms of hyaluronic acid for effective hydration without occlusion, addressing your oiliness and providing foundational skin health.
  • The inclusion of Centella Asiatica Extract and Portulaca Oleracea Extract offers soothing benefits that complement your skin's needs, while the broad-spectrum UV protection from Ethylhexyl Salicylate and Homosalate ensures comprehensive defense.
  • This formula is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of beneficial soothing components.

How to apply

  • Use your moisturizing sunscreen every morning. Reapply throughout the day if you are outside.
  • Apply this moisturizing sunscreen as the final step of your morning routine after your moisturizer.
  • Gently smooth a nickel-sized amount over your face and neck, avoiding harsh rubbing to keep oily areas calm.
  • Apply this moisturizing sunscreen on clean, dry skin to ensure even coverage and protection.
  • Avoid getting the product into your eyes and do a patch test before your first use.

People Say

★4.7Overall rating based on 1.3k+ reviews

This chemical sunscreen is widely praised for its lightweight, lotion-like texture that absorbs quickly without leaving a white cast, making it a favorite for those with dry or dehydrated skin due to its inclusion of eight types of hyaluronic acid. Users with oily skin often find the finish too dewy or "shiny," and a significant minority report stinging when the product gets near their eyes. This summary is based on a very large amount of data and should definitely be taken into account.

Highlights

  • Intense hydration Mostly Mentioned
    • “skip moisturizer”
    • “plumps skin”
    • “great for dry patches”
  • Invisible finish Mostly Mentioned
    • “no white cast”
    • “clear application”
    • “absorbs instantly”
  • Lightweight texture Often Mentioned
    • “watery gel”
    • “not heavy”
    • “spreads easily”
  • Makeup compatibility Often Mentioned
    • “great primer”
    • “no pilling”
    • “sits well under foundation”
  • Soothing ingredients Sometimes Noted
    • “calms redness”
    • “contains centella”
    • “gentle on sensitive skin”
  • Excessive shine Sometimes Noted
    • “greasy on oily skin”
    • “too dewy”
    • “looks sweaty”
  • Eye irritation Sometimes Noted
    • “stings eyes”
    • “causes tearing”
    • “burns if migrates”
  • Breakouts Rarely Noted
    • “caused small bumps”
    • “clogged pores”
    • “reaction to niacinamide”
  • Not water resistant Rarely Noted
    • “sweats off easily”
    • “not for sports”
    • “requires frequent reapplication”
  • Small quantity Rarely Noted
    • “bottle too small”
    • “runs out fast”
    • “only 50ml”

Sources: lovi.care, iherb.com, sokoglam.com, skinsort.com, stylevana.com, reddit.com, and more

Questions and answers

What makes Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel a great fit for oily acne-prone skin?

This sunscreen is a great fit because it uses niacinamide to help balance oil and multiple types of hyaluronic acid to provide light moisture without clogging pores. Centella asiatica extract and portulaca oleracea extract are also included to help calm your skin.

Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Molecules, 2023

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

This sunscreen is a great fit for your oily skin because it includes niacinamide to help manage oil and multiple forms of hyaluronic acid for light hydration. It also features centella asiatica extract to help calm your skin while providing broad-spectrum UV protection.

Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Archives of Dermatological Research, 2024

What does Sodium Hyaluronate do for oily acne-prone skin?

Sodium hyaluronate helps hydrate oily acne-prone skin without adding extra grease or clogging pores. It leaves your face feeling soft and smooth while keeping moisture locked in.

What does Niacinamide do for oily acne-prone skin?

Niacinamide helps balance oil production, calms redness, and is unlikely to irritate oily, acne-prone skin while improving blemishes. Clinical tests show it reduces excess oil and helps clear up both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne breakouts.

Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

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

This sunscreen goes as the final step of your morning skincare routine, after your moisturizer. It provides daily UV defense while helping keep your skin calm and hydrated.

Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this moisturizing spf during your morning routine after applying your retinol treatment from the evening before, or before it if you use retinol at night. Its soothing ingredients like centella asiatica extract and hydrating hyaluronic acid help keep your skin calm and balanced while wearing sunscreen.

Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016

How often should I use this sunscreen?

You should apply this sunscreen every morning as the final step in your daytime routine, and reapply it throughout the day as needed for ongoing sun protection. It is lightweight and safe for daily use on your oily skin.

Archives of Dermatological Research, 2024

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

This product is a great fit for your oily acne-prone skin because it hydrates without heavy blocking ingredients and contains niacinamide to help manage oil. It is unlikely to cause irritation or breakouts, and chemical sunscreens generally show very low risks of causing skin trouble in studies.

Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2025Archives of Dermatological Research, 2024

Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

What the research says

  • Cosmetic formulations containing 5% Centella asiatica extract showed the best efficacy in improving skin moisture and decreasing transepidermal water loss, while also exhibiting antiinflammatory properties in 25 volunteers compared to baseline measurements.

    Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016
  • The 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, 2024
  • 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
  • Chemical sunscreens containing avobenzone, octocrylene, homosalate, and octisalate showed no to minimal risks of dermal irritation, sensitization, photo-allergy, and photo-irritation in human subjects.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2025
  • Astaxanthin-loaded polyhydroxybutyrate microbeads achieved 98.1% encapsulation efficiency with sustained release, reduced degradation by 2-fold compared to unencapsulated astaxanthin, and showed no cytotoxicity or skin irritation in human cells and tests.

    International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2024
  • 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
  • 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
  • Topical application of 0.05% w/w ECa 233 gel reduced erythema index by 0.03 U and improved early crusting and general wound appearance compared to placebo in thirty individuals undergoing facial laser resurfacing.

    Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2020
  • 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
  • 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
  • Oral astaxanthin supplementation significantly restored moisture content and improved elasticity but did not significantly decrease wrinkle depth compared to placebo in humans.

    Nutrients, 2021
  • Combining oral and topical astaxanthin in 30 healthy females improved skin wrinkles, age spots, elasticity, texture, and moisture, while 6 mg daily oral supplementation in 36 healthy males improved crow's feet wrinkles, elasticity, and transepidermal water loss.

    Acta Biochimica Polonica, 2012
  • Twice-daily application of a novel topical antioxidant formulation safe, well-tolerated, and effective in improving overall skin quality, fine lines, wrinkles, radiance, and hyperpigmentation in 32 healthy female subjects over 12 weeks.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023

Ingredients

Water, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Homosalate, Dibutyl Adipate, Niacinamide, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Cyclopentasiloxane, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Polysilicone-15, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract, Ceramide Np, Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycerin, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Olea Europaea Oil Fruit Olive Oil Fruit, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceteth-10, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Decyl Glucoside, Propanediol, Tocopherol, Astaxanthin, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Ascorbyl Propyl Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, Cetyl Peg Ppg-10 1 Dimethicone, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Propylene Glycol, 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.

How does it fit your skin?

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