The INKEY List Bio-Active Ceramide Repairing and Plumping Moisturizer for oily skin
Ceramide Np
Glycerin
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter
Caprylic Capric Triglyceride
Polysilicone-11
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for oily skin; other moisturizers 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 ceramides and glycerin provide excellent moisturizing and plumping effects by enhancing barrier resilience and hydration. While beneficial for general hydration, these ingredients are not specialized for managing oily shine.
- The formula is safe for your oily skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing ceramides, ensuring no irritation.
- The product provides good moisturizing and plumping benefits, but lacks sufficient ingredients for effective seboregulation to address oily shine.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine every day to keep your face fresh.
- Apply this moisturizer after cleansing and toning, but right before your SPF in the morning.
- Gently press a small amount into your skin and let it absorb fully.
- Apply on clean, slightly dry skin to help control that oily shine.
- Avoid the eye area and do a quick patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 600+ reviewsThis moisturizer is highly praised for its rich, velvety texture that provides deep hydration and a plumping effect without greasiness. It is particularly effective for dry, aging, and sensitive skin, smoothing fine lines and repairing the skin barrier. However, some users with oily or acne-prone skin have reported breakouts or found the texture too heavy.
Highlights
Deep hydration Mostly Mentioned
- “Liquid gold for dry skin”
- “kept my skin hydrated all day”
- “saved my winter skin”
Elegant texture Often Mentioned
- “Sinks in immediately”
- “feels like a luxury cream”
- “rich but not heavy”
Value for money Often Mentioned
- “Better than my $80 cream”
- “amazing quality for the price”
- “luxury feel on a budget”
Barrier support Sometimes Noted
- “Fixed my damaged barrier”
- “no stinging on sensitive skin”
Plumping and smoothing Sometimes Noted
- “Skin looks fuller”
- “fine lines are less visible”
- “makes my face look youthful”
Caused breakouts Sometimes Noted
- “Woke up with tiny bumps”
- “broke me out immediately”
- “too rich for acne-prone skin”
No anti-aging Rarely Noted
- “Didn't see wrinkle reduction”
- “good moisturizer but no miracles”
- “fine lines look the same”
Packaging concerns Rarely Noted
- “Wish it was a pump”
- “hate dipping my fingers in”
- “unsanitary jar packaging”
Too heavy Rarely Noted
- “Left a greasy film”
- “too thick for day use”
- “made my oily zone sweat”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “Smells like plastic”
- “weird earthy scent”
- “has a funk despite being fragrance-free”
Sources: lovi.care, boots.com, cultbeauty.com, theinkeylist.com, sephora.com, amazon.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does The INKEY List Bio-Active Ceramide Repairing and Plumping Moisturizer work for oily skin?
This moisturizer offers moderate suitability for oily skin, as ceramide NP and glycerin provide good hydration and barrier support while lacking specialized ingredients for managing oily shine. A product of this type needs peptides and lightweight hydrating agents that manage oil and address hydration needs without heavy oils.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017International Journal of Dermatology, 2008
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for oily skin?
Ceramide NP and glycerin make this cream a good fit for oily skin by helping boost hydration and strengthen the skin barrier without causing irritation. However, because this moisturizer lacks ingredients that manage oily shine, an oily skin type needs a product with peptides and lightweight hydrating agents that control oil and maintain a lightweight texture without heavy oils.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017International Journal of Dermatology, 2008
What do Ceramides do for oily skin?
Ceramides help keep oily skin balanced by strengthening the skin barrier and locking in moisture without feeling heavy. They are unlikely to clog pores and may help calm irritation, making them a good fit if your skin is both oily and prone to breakouts.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2008Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
What does Glycerin do for oily skin?
Glycerin helps keep oily skin hydrated without feeling heavy and supports the skin barrier. Because this product is a weak fit for your skin, an ideal product of this type needs lightweight hydrators and ingredients that balance oil while protecting the skin.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008International Journal of Toxicology, 2019
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This cream goes in your morning and evening routine as your moisturizer step, right after your cleanser and toners or treatments. While it provides good hydration and is safe for your skin, oily skin also needs lightweight, oil-balancing ingredients and oil-control components to properly manage shine.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol, applying it after your retinol treatment to help soothe your skin and keep it soft. A barrier-restoring moisturizer like this one is unlikely to cause irritation and may even help your skin adjust to retinol more comfortably.
How often should I use this cream?
This moisturizer is suitable for daily use as part of your morning and evening routine. Regular application helps maintain hydration and supports skin barrier resilience, though an oily skin type also needs ingredients for managing excess shine.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This cream may occasionally cause breakouts on oily skin since reviewers note it can clog pores and some ingredients feel heavy. Oily skin works best with a lightweight, oil-free moisturizer that helps balance shine and oil production without heavy butters.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
This moisturizing treatment can be safely used on the body and around the eyes, though the skin there is much thinner than on the back or face. It is unlikely to cause irritation because it lacks harsh ingredients and includes soothing ceramides.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
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, 2017Emulsions containing ceramides 1 and 3 improved skin hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss in sodium lauryl sulfate-irritated skin of fifteen healthy Asian women compared to a control emulsion.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2008A lipid mixture enriched by ceramide NP with fatty acids of diverse chain lengths significantly improved skin barrier recovery rate, stratum corneum integrity, and hydration compared to a vehicle cream in healthy adult male volunteers with corticosteroid-impaired skin.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2022The 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, 2012A combination cream of stimu-tex AS and saccharide isomerate reduced erythema, increased skin capacitance, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to placebo in 20 subjects after fractional CO2 laser procedure without causing serious adverse events.
Lasers in Medical Science, 2025A skin barrier restoring cream with shea butter, silkflo, and vitamin E increased type I procollagen synthesis, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, decreased reactive oxygen species generation, and promoted hyaluronic acid production in H2O2-stimulated human keratinocyte cells compared to untreated cells.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025Topical application of an emollient emulsion containing 15.0% caprylic/capric triglyceride doubled the amount of urocanic acid isomers and increased skin hydration with reduced transepidermal water loss in healthy subjects, though it did not prevent ultraviolet-induced urocanic acid isomerization.
Life, 2023
Why other moisturizers fit oily 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
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Propanediol, Polysilicone-11, C10-18 Triglycerides, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylate-13, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Ceramide Np, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Laureth-12, Sorbitan Isostearate, Hdi Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
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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