Trader Joe's Marula Facial Oil for oily skin
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Low
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A weak match for oily skin; the moisturizers 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
- Offers moderate moisturizing for your oily skin due to Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, which provides hydrating and smoothing texture but lacks sufficient ingredients for optimal oil control.
- This product offers general skincare benefits that are mostly supportive for oily shine and oily skin.
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
★4.5Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsUsers with dry and combination skin widely praise this oil as a lightweight, hydrating option, noting it leaves skin soft and glowing without a greasy residue. While most find it effective for sealing in moisture, a small minority experienced breakouts or found the natural nutty scent off-putting.
Highlights
Affordable price Mostly Mentioned
- “Steal at $6.99”
- “great value”
- “unbeatable price”
- “budget-friendly luxury”
Effective hydration Often Mentioned
- “Eliminated dry patches”
- “plump and smooth”
- “winter skin savior”
- “glowing complexion”
High-end dupe Often Mentioned
- “Exact Drunk Elephant dupe”
- “comparable to luxury oils”
- “same results for less”
Lightweight & absorbent Often Mentioned
- “Sinks in quickly”
- “non-greasy finish”
- “doesn't sit on top”
- “feels like silk”
Unpleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “Smells like blueberries”
- “nutty aroma”
- “smells like barnyard”
- “weird earthy smell”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Clogged my pores”
- “cystic acne flare-up”
- “comedogenic for me”
- “caused whiteheads”
Not moisturizing Rarely Noted
- “Need to layer it”
- “too thin for dry skin”
- “sat on top”
- “didn't hydrate enough”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “Dropper can be messy”
- “bottle leaks if tilted”
- “hard to get last drops”
Sources: lovi.care, reddit.com, apartmenttherapy.com, becomebetty.com, skinsort.com, skinsafeproducts.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is Trader Joe's Marula Facial Oil a weak match for oily skin?
Trader Joe's Marula Facial Oil is a weak match for oily skin because it only offers moderate moisture and lacks the ingredients needed for optimal oil control. A moisturizer for oily skin needs peptides, hydrating agents, and ingredients that support the skin barrier while maintaining a lightweight texture without heavy oils.
Which ingredients make this oil a poor fit for oily skin?
Trader Joe's Marula Facial Oil is a weak match for oily skin because it relies solely on Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, which lacks the oil control needed for this skin type. Oily skin needs a moisturizer with peptides, light hydrating agents, and soothing extracts that provide hydration without heavy oils.
What does Marula Oil do for oily skin?
Marula oil is less than ideal for oily skin because it tends to trap moisture and sit heavily on the surface. An oily face needs a lightweight, quick-absorbing product with ingredients like niacinamide or salicylic acid to help balance oil and keep pores clear.
Where does this oil go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This moisturizer goes near the end of your morning routine after your hydrating toner, and as the last step in your evening routine. While Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil gives a smooth texture, this product is a weak match because it lacks ingredients for oil control, meaning oily skin needs a lightweight moisturizer with oil-balancing ingredients.
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this facial oil with retinol, applying it after your retinol treatment to help seal in moisture and keep your skin soft. Because this oil lacks oil-controlling ingredients, oily skin types need a moisturizer with lightweight hydrators and oil-balancing ingredients to stay fresh.
How often should I use this oil?
You can use this oil in your morning and evening routines as a moisturizer to help keep your skin soft and smooth, though oily skin generally needs a lighter product that helps manage shine. A moisturizer for this skin type needs oil-control ingredients and a lighter texture that hydrates without feeling heavy.
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2015Health Science Reports, 2021
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This product may cause breakouts for oily skin because some reviewers experienced this issue. Oily skin needs a moisturizer with ingredients that provide oil control alongside hydration, rather than just heavy oils.
Can I use this oil around the eyes or on my body?
Trader Joe's Marula Facial Oil can be used on the body and around the eyes, as its gentle ingredients are generally well-tolerated. However, because it is a weak match for oily skin, a moisturizer for this skin type needs ingredients that provide oil control alongside hydration.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2015
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
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
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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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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How does it fit your skin?
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