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Perricone MD Vitamin C Ester Photo-Brightening Moisturizer for oily skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

Perricone MD Vitamin C Ester Photo-Brightening Moisturizer

Average

  • AverageOily Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • Low RiskSafety

Works for oily skin; other sunscreens 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 suitability for your oily skin as Glycerin provides hydration, though it lacks sufficient seboregulating ingredients to fully address oiliness.
  • The inclusion of Titanium Dioxide offers excellent sun protection, a beneficial function for overall skin health.
  • The product is generally safe for your oily skin, with a low risk of irritation from Ascorbic acid.

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

★4.4Overall rating based on 900+ reviews

Users consistently praise this moisturizer for its lightweight, whipped texture that absorbs quickly without leaving a greasy residue, making it ideal for daily use under makeup. Many reviewers with mature or dull skin report a noticeable "glow" and improvement in skin texture, with some noting a reduction in dark spots and fine lines over time, though a minority experienced pilling or sensitivity.

Highlights

  • Lightweight & Non-Greasy Mostly Mentioned
    • “whipped airy consistency”
    • “absorbs immediately”
    • “no oily residue”
    • “feels weightless”
    • “perfect for summer”
  • Brightening & Radiance Often Mentioned
    • “gives nice glow”
    • “skin looks brighter”
    • “iridescent shine”
    • “faded dark spots”
    • “healthy radiance”
  • Effective SPF Protection Sometimes Noted
    • “great mineral SPF”
    • “no white cast”
    • “protection without heaviness”
    • “icing on cake”
    • “good daily defense”
  • Pleasant Application Sometimes Noted
    • “mild citrus scent”
    • “goes on smooth”
    • “refreshing feel”
    • “little goes far”
    • “silky finish”
  • Skin Texture Improvement Sometimes Noted
    • “skin feels softer”
    • “smoother complexion”
    • “tightens skin”
    • “minimized pores”
    • “improved elasticity”
  • Pilling issues Sometimes Noted
    • “rolls off skin”
    • “pills under makeup”
    • “clumps if rubbed”
    • “flakes off”
    • “doesn't layer well”
  • Insufficient hydration Rarely Noted
    • “not moisturizing enough”
    • “need extra serum”
    • “drying for dry skin”
    • “skin felt tight”
    • “accentuated dry patches”
  • Packaging concerns Rarely Noted
    • “heavy glass jar”
    • “lid breaks easily”
    • “unhygienic jar”
    • “hard to close”
    • “prefer pump bottle”
  • Skin irritation Rarely Noted
    • “caused stinging”
    • “burning sensation”
    • “redness after use”
    • “broke me out”
    • “irritated eyes”
  • Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
    • “smells like seashells”
    • “fishy odor”
    • “weird chemical smell”
    • “scent lingers”
    • “changed formula smell”

Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, perriconemd.com, dermstore.com, lovelyskin.com, lookfantastic.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does Perricone MD Photo-Brightening Moisturizer work for oily skin?

This moisturizer works moderately well for oily skin because glycerin provides hydration, though it lacks enough oil-controlling ingredients to fully manage shine. To fit oily skin best, a product of this type needs ingredients that control oil and hydrate effectively without clogging pores or adding excess grease.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Which ingredients make this moisturizer a good fit for oily skin?

Glycerin brings hydration to oily skin, while Titanium Dioxide provides sun protection. Oily skin needs a moisturizer with ingredients that control excess oil and keep a non-greasy feel without clogging pores.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

What does Ascorbic Acid do for oily skin?

Ascorbic acid helps oily skin by keeping excess oil under control and preventing it from oxidizing on the surface. This ingredient is unlikely to clog pores and may help keep your skin looking clear and balanced.

Drug Research, 2017International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2005

What does Titanium Dioxide do for oily skin?

Titanium dioxide acts as a physical UV filter that sits on the outermost surface of the skin without clogging pores or making oily skin feel greasy. When used in sunscreens, this ingredient helps protect your face from sun damage while having a very safe profile on healthy skin.

Skin Pharmacology and Applied Skin Physiology, 2001Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2019

Where does this moisturizer go in a skincare routine for oily skin?

This moisturizer goes in the morning step of your routine right after a hydrating toner and before your sunscreen. Because it already includes sunscreen, it simplifies your morning routine by combining both steps into one. Oily skin works best with products that add lightweight hydration while also including oil-controlling ingredients to keep shine in check.

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

You can use this moisturizer with retinol by applying the retinol first, letting it absorb, and then following with the moisturizer. This helps keep your skin hydrated while you use retinol, though oily skin also needs oil-controlling ingredients like niacinamide or salicylic acid to fully manage shine.

Cutis, 2006

How often should I use this moisturizer?

This moisturizer works for your oily skin in the morning since it provides sun protection and hydration, though oily skin needs oil-controlling ingredients to fully address shine.

Can this moisturizer clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?

This moisturizer is generally safe and unlikely to cause irritation for your oily skin, though it offers only moderate suitability. Because it lacks enough ingredients to control oil, oily skin needs lightweight hydrators and balancing ingredients like niacinamide or salicylic acid to stay clear.

Is this moisturizer 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, 2017

  • Replacing microsized titanium dioxide and zinc oxide with nanoparticles in sunscreens eliminates opaqueness and alters UV protection balance while inducing (photo)cyto- and genotoxicity and penetrating viable skin layers during long-term exposures.

    Nanotechnology, Science and Applications, 2011

  • Combined ascorbyl palmitate and sodium ascorbyl phosphate treatment significantly reduced facial sebum secretions in healthy female volunteers compared to a placebo control over 90 days.

    Drug Research, 2017

  • Topical application of 5% vitamin C cream significantly improved global clinical scores, increased skin microrelief density, and induced elastic tissue repair in photoaged skin compared to excipient control in healthy female volunteers.

    Experimental Dermatology, 2003

  • Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.

    Journal of Periodontology, 2009

  • Topical application of VC-IP cream twice daily for 8 weeks reduces periorbital wrinkles in female subjects compared to a placebo cream.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022

  • Microfine titanium dioxide does not penetrate human skin when formulated in an oil-in-water emulsion with the pigment dispersed in the aqueous phase, compared to oily dispersions and liposomal encapsulation which allow deeper skin penetration.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2000

  • Microfine zinc oxide and titanium dioxide do not penetrate the stratum corneum of porcine skin in vitro, indicating that their use in sunscreens does not pose a health risk from internal exposure.

    Toxicology in Vitro, 2006

  • Hyaluronic acid-grafted titanium dioxide nanoparticles increased SPF from 13.3 to 19.1 while demonstrating low photocatalytic activity, exceptional thermal stability with >95% SPF retention, enhanced moisturization with >80% hydration retention, and minimal cytotoxicity with 88.5% cell viability in HaCaT keratinocytes compared to unmodified nanoparticles.

    International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2025

  • 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

  • Niacinamide/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, 2012

  • Application of an alpha-bisabolol-containing cream produced a significant skin-lightening effect in pigmented skin compared to a vehicle control in the majority of female subjects after 8 weeks.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2010

  • The combination of allantoin, bisabolol, D-panthenol and dipotassium glycyrrhizinate reduces UVB-induced PGE2, inflammatory cytokines, and mitochondrial superoxide in human epidermal keratinocytes.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024

Why other sunscreens fit oily skin better

Ingredients

Titanium Dioxide, Water, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene, Polyester-8, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Benzyl Alcohol, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Isohexadecane, Bisabolol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Polysilicone-11, Polysorbate 60, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Thioctic Acid, Astaxanthin

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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

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How does it fit your skin?

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QR code: get the Lovi app
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