Augustinus Bader The Cream for oily acne-prone skin
Tfc8 Trigger Factor Complex 8
Retinyl Palmitate
Ascorbic Acid
Glycerin
Squalane
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
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
- Offers moderate suitability for oily skin, as Glycerin and Squalane provide hydration and barrier support without exacerbating oiliness.
- While beneficial for general skin health, the formula lacks targeted ingredients to effectively address your acne, blemishes, and breakouts or significantly control oiliness.
- The product is safe for your oily skin, featuring soothing Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Ascorbic Acid with no harsh or prohibited ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this AM and PM routine every day to help clear your skin. Always remember to finish with SPF in the morning.
- Apply the moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your SPF during the day.
- Gently press a small amount into your skin and avoid rubbing to keep pores clear.
- Apply on clean, slightly damp skin to help the product absorb better and control oil.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a simple patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.2Overall rating based on 1.4k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this moisturizer is frequently praised for its lightweight, fast-absorbing texture, making it suitable for normal to oily and combination skin types. Many users report improvements in skin texture and a healthy glow. It is also noted for its ability to soothe redness and calm irritation. However, a significant number of reviewers find the high price point to be a drawback, with some experiencing breakouts or feeling the results are not dramatic enough compared to more affordable options.
Highlights
Lightweight & fast-absorbing Mostly Mentioned
- “light but nourishing”
- “soaks on lovely”
- “non-greasy feel”
- “absorbs quickly”
Extremely expensive Mostly Mentioned
- “not sure justified by price”
- “expensive but good”
- “nothing special for the price”
- “overpriced”
Improves texture & glow Often Mentioned
- “skin is smoother”
- “radiant glow”
- “pores looked less noticeable”
- “makeup went on smoothly”
Balances oily/combo skin Sometimes Noted
- “works well for oily skin”
- “perfect for combination”
- “better than the rich one”
- “didn't clog pores”
Soothing & calming Sometimes Noted
- “calms redness”
- “soothes skin”
- “redness started to subside”
- “heals skin when reacting”
Lack of dramatic results Sometimes Noted
- “didn't see dramatic results”
- “fine lines look the same”
- “just a moisturizer”
- “meh results”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “bumps on forehead”
- “red rash”
- “broke me out”
- “caused small whiteheads”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “pump is missing”
- “can't see how much is left”
- “pump stopped working”
- “tiny bag inside”
Sources: lovi.care, nordstrom.com, sephora.sg, sephora.co.uk, bluemercury.com, spacenk.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Augustinus Bader The Cream work for oily acne-prone skin?
Augustinus Bader The Cream works moderately well for oily acne-prone skin, as glycerin and squalane provide light hydration and barrier support without making your skin too oily. However, it lacks targeted ingredients to control breakouts or oiliness effectively. Oily acne-prone skin needs lightweight, non-clogging moisturizers with ingredients that actively help clear blemishes and regulate oil.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Glycerin and squalane make this cream a moderate fit for oily skin by providing hydration and barrier support without making it feel greasy or adding extra oil. Aloe barbadensis leaf juice and ascorbic acid also help soothe the skin safely without harsh ingredients. To work well for this skin type, a product of this type needs targeted ingredients that treat acne and breakouts and help control excess oil.
What does Tfc8 do for oily acne-prone skin?
Tfc8 is unlikely to benefit oily acne-prone skin because its rich, heavy formulas tend to trap oil and clog pores. Skin of this type needs lightweight, oil-free hydrators with salicylic acid or niacinamide to clear breakouts and keep the surface smooth.
What does Retinyl Palmitate do for oily acne-prone skin?
Retinyl palmitate helps manage acne-prone skin by reducing acne blemishes and spots while keeping skin irritation low. It works well for oily skin types because it supports normal skin cell turnover and helps keep pores clear, though this type of skin also needs ingredients that control excess oil and soothe inflammation.
International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2021Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta, 2012
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This moisturizing treatment goes after your cleanser and toner in the morning, and after your treatment step in the evening. It provides hydration and barrier support with glycerin and squalane without making your skin feel greasy. However, because it lacks targeted ingredients for breakouts, oily acne-prone skin needs a product containing niacinamide or blemish-clearing actives to better manage blemishes and control oil.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream alongside retinol, applying the retinol first and following with the cream to keep your skin soft while minimizing irritation. While it provides gentle hydration and barrier support for your oily skin, this type of skin needs oil-controlling ingredients and targeted blemish treatments to effectively manage acne and breakouts.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this moisturizing treatment twice daily, in the morning and evening, as part of your routine. Daily application helps keep your skin hydrated and supports the skin barrier while being safe for oily skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cream is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on oily skin, as it has a safe formula with soothing aloe and gentle hydration that avoids harsh ingredients. However, because it lacks targeted ingredients to control oiliness and address blemishes, oily acne-prone skin needs a product that includes acne-fighting and oil-controlling ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cream on the thin skin around your eyes and on your body, as its gentle ingredients are safe for delicate areas. However, because it only offers moderate hydration and lacks specialized blemish-fighting ingredients, oily skin types looking for targeted care on the body or around the eyes often benefit more from lightweight fluids containing salicylic acid or niacinamide.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (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, 2017A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Over-the-counter retinol products provided only weak evidence for a mild ameliorating effect on fine facial skin wrinkle lines in randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled trials, and major methodological flaws call the validity of positive results into question.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2021A cosmetic niacinamide/peptide/retinyl propionate regimen significantly improved periorbital wrinkle appearance relative to a 0.02% tretinoin regimen at 8 weeks with comparable benefits at 24 weeks, while demonstrating significantly better tolerability in 196 women.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010A novel triple-active cosmetic formulation containing 4-hexylresorcinol, retinyl propionate, and niacinamide improved the visual appearance of photoageing similarly to 0.02% tretinoin and reversed a consensus gene signature associated with ageing in female adults while causing less skin irritation.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024Topical 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, 2003Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.
Journal of Periodontology, 2009Topical 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, 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, 2012Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Plant-derived squalane protected human dermal fibroblasts against UVA-induced damage by counteracting ROS formation, suppressing apoptosis-related proteins p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP, and restoring the pro-survival p-Akt/mTOR pathway.
Antioxidants, 2025
Why other moisturizers fit oily acne-prone skin better
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, 2023A facial serum containing snail secretion filtrate, Calendula officinalis, and Glycyrrhiza glabra root extract significantly reduced inflammatory acne lesions compared to placebo in 66 participants with mild-to-moderate maskne over 12 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Ingredients
Water, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Sorbitol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Xanthan Gum, Panthenol, Sodium Carbomer, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Squalane, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Cholesterol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ceramide Np, Lecithin, Glycine Soja Protein Soybean Protein, Superoxide Dismutase, Citric Acid, Dextran, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Alanyl Glutamine, Arginine, Ceramide Ng, Glycine, Lysine, Oleic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Phenylalanine, Proline, Scenedesmus Rubescens Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Dextran Sulfate, Brassica Alba Seed Extract, Disodium Edta, Oligopeptide-177, Sodium Ascorbate
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
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