CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser for oily skin
Sodium Hyaluronate
Ceramide Np
Ceramide Ap- Ceramide Eop
Cholesterol
Low
- LowOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A weak match for oily skin; the cleansers 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 cleansing and hydration from glycerin and sodium hyaluronate, which are beneficial for your oily skin but do not directly address concerns about oily shine.
- While generally safe for your oily skin due to soothing ingredients like ceramides and glycerin, the humectant action of glycerin and sodium hyaluronate may feel overwhelming.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of beneficial ceramides.
How to apply
- Use your cleanser AM and PM every day to keep your skin fresh. Always make sure to follow with a good SPF in the morning.
- Apply your cleanser as the first step in the morning or the second step in the evening before your toner.
- Gently massage a small amount onto your face using circular motions, then rinse well with water .
- You can apply this cleanser safely on damp skin for a refreshing and easy wash.
- Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes and stop use if irritation occurs.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 23.2k+ reviewsMany users report it helps with flakiness and soothes irritation, even alongside acne treatments. Some users dislike the lotion-like texture, finding it leaves a film or is insufficient for removing heavy makeup.
Highlights
Non-stripping hydration Mostly Mentioned
- “face feels plump and hydrated”
- “doesn't leave skin squeaky or tight”
- “saved my moisture barrier”
Extremely gentle Often Mentioned
- “perfect for sensitive skin”
- “great while using retinol/Accutane”
Poor makeup removal Often Mentioned
- “doesn't take off waterproof makeup”
- “need to double cleanse”
- “leaves residue of foundation”
Beneficial ingredients Sometimes Noted
- “love the ceramides for repair”
- “hyaluronic acid helps retain moisture”
- “fragrance-free is a huge plus”
Creamy texture Sometimes Noted
- “feels like washing with lotion”
- “smooth and silky application”
- “very comforting on dry patches”
"Unclean" feeling Sometimes Noted
- “feels like rubbing lotion on dirt”
- “skin doesn't feel clean after”
- “leaves a waxy film”
Burning sensation Rarely Noted
- “burned my face instantly”
- “stung my sensitive skin”
- “caused redness and heat”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “gave me deep cystic acne”
- “clogged my pores immediately”
- “caused tiny whiteheads”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, ulta.com, target.com, cerave.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser a weak match for oily skin?
This cleanser is a weak match for your oily skin because it offers moderate cleansing and hydration that do not directly address oily shine, and its moisturizing ingredients may feel overwhelming. To better fit oily skin, a cleanser of this type needs ingredients like niacinamide and salicylic acid to help manage oily shine and control oil.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a poor fit for oily skin?
This cleanser is a weak match for oily skin because glycerin and sodium hyaluronate may feel overwhelming and do not directly address concerns about oily shine. An oily skin type needs cleansers with ingredients like niacinamide, salicylic acid, or probiotics to manage shine and control oil.
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for oily skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps oily skin by reducing extra oil and sebum production without causing irritation. Clinical studies show it successfully balances oil levels while keeping the skin comfortable.
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
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This cleanser goes in your morning and evening routine as the first cleansing step, and it is also used in weekly routines before masks and treatments. While it is generally safe and soothing, it is a weak match for your oily skin because its hydrating ingredients may feel overwhelming and do not target oily shine. Oily skin of this type needs cleansers with clarifying ingredients and oil-balancing agents that remove excess oil without heavy moisture.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol, applying the cleanser first on damp skin, rinsing it off, and then applying your retinol after your skin is dry. This cleanser is unlikely to irritate your skin when paired with retinol, because it contains soothing ceramides that help keep your skin calm. However, because it is a weak match for oily skin, a cleanser of this type used with retinol also needs ingredients that clear excess oil and shine.
How often should I use this cleanser?
This cleanser is a weak match for your oily skin, so it may feel too heavy if you use it often. To properly care for oily skin, a cleanser of this type needs ingredients that help remove excess oil and shine.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to cause breakouts for oily skin since it has no harsh ingredients and features soothing ceramides, though an oily shine and heavy feeling may still happen. Oily skin needs a cleanser with ingredients that target excess oil and shine while keeping skin fresh and clean.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can safely use this cleanser around your eyes and on your body, as its gentle formula carries no risk of irritation. The thin skin around your eyes and the varied skin across your body benefit from its soothing ceramides and safe profile, though you may find the hydration heavy.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, and cetyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, 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, 2017A 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, 2022Topical 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, 2011Topical 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, 2022Treatment 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, 2019Botulinum toxin-A encapsulated in phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol nanoliposomes delivered transdermally achieved a diffusion depth of 380 μm and showed a nonsignificant advantage in relieving post-acne scarring compared to hyaluronic acid hydrogel treatment in 12 facial patients.
Journal of Materials Science. Materials in Medicine, 2024Topical application of cholesterol sulfate increases stratum corneum thickness and inhibits protease-induced cell dissociation by competitively inhibiting serine proteases in mice and human stratum corneum.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 1998Topical lovastatin treatment impairs the recovery of cutaneous permeability barrier function and stratum corneum cholesterol levels after acetone disruption in mice, an effect normalized by simultaneous treatment with mevalonate or cholesterol.
The Journal of Clinical Investigation, 1990
Why other cleansers fit oily skin better
A botanical face cleanser with hops and willow bark extract continuously reduced skin sebum levels without reactive seborrhea after treatment in 21 healthy volunteers compared to a sodium laureth sulfate cleanser, with neither cleanser causing skin irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019A 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, 2024Topical application of Lactobacillus plantarum-GMNL6 enhanced collagen synthesis and SPTSSA gene expression while reducing melanin synthesis, Staphylococcus aureus biofilm, and Cutibacterium acnes proliferation, leading to clinical improvements in skin moisture, color, spots, wrinkles, UV spots, and porphyrins in human volunteers.
International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2021
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Peg-40 Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Potassium Phosphate, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide Eop, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium Edta, Dipotassium Phosphate, Tocopherol, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Cetyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 20, 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.
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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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