CeraVe Skin Renewing Gel Oil for oily skin
Ceraplex 5-Ceramide Blend
Sunflower Oil
Glycerin
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
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 oily skin due to ingredients like Caprylic Capric Triglyceride and Glycerin providing emollient and humectant actions, though it lacks sufficient seboregulating ingredients for optimal results on oily shine.
- The presence of ceramides and sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer enhances barrier resilience and hydration, offering general skincare benefits that are supportive but not directly targeted for your oily skin concerns.
- The product is safe for your oily skin with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
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 5.6k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this product is highly recommended for dry, normal, and mature skin types, delivering significant hydration and a radiant glow. Its unique gel-to-oil texture is frequently praised for softening and plumping the skin. However, those with oily or acne-prone skin should be aware that the finish can appear too shiny and may potentially clog pores.
Highlights
Intense hydration Often Mentioned
- “Provides moisture without feeling heavy.”
- “Keeps skin soft, hydrated, and smooth.”
- “Relief for dry, tight skin within minutes.”
Radiant glow Often Mentioned
- “Leaves skin with a healthy shine.”
- “Leaves a beautiful dewy glow.”
- “Skin was glowing and felt smooth, soft, and plump.”
Gentle formula Sometimes Noted
- “Fragrance-free and gentle on sensitive skin.”
- “Contains ceramides to support skin barrier.”
- “Non-comedogenic for many users.”
Unique texture Sometimes Noted
- “Gel-to-oil texture feels luxurious and lightweight.”
- “Transforms into an oil during application.”
- “Doesn't drip or make a mess.”
Too shiny Sometimes Noted
- “Dewy finish is too shiny for oily skin.”
- “Can leave a residue.”
- “Takes a long time to absorb.”
Potential breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Caused breakouts for my acne-prone skin.”
- “Contains ingredients that can trigger acne.”
- “Not ideal for those prone to clogged pores.”
Product pilling Rarely Noted
- “Can pill under certain sunscreens.”
- “Does not layer well with some water-based products.”
Small size Rarely Noted
- “One-ounce bottle is smaller than typical CeraVe sizing.”
- “Expensive for the amount provided.”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, cerave.com, dermapproved.com, musingsofamuse.com, youtube.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does CeraVe Skin Renewing Gel Oil work for oily skin?
CeraVe Skin Renewing Gel Oil works moderately well for oily skin by providing basic hydration and barrier support without causing irritation, though it lacks oil-controlling ingredients for optimal shine management. Oily skin of this type needs lightweight moisturizers with peptides and hydrating agents that balance moisture without heavy oils or excess shine.
Which ingredients make this moisturizing treatment a good fit for oily skin?
This moisturizing treatment works for oily skin because glycerin and caprylic/capric triglyceride help keep skin soft and hydrated without harshness. However, a product for this skin needs ingredients that control shine along with peptides and lightweight hydrating agents.
What does Ceraplex do for oily skin?
Ceraplex is a poor fit for oily skin because heavy creams can clog pores and make shine worse. Oily skin needs lightweight, balancing formulas with ingredients like niacinamide to help keep skin clear and control excess oil without adding weight.
What does Sunflower Oil do for oily skin?
Sunflower seed oil helps keep the skin barrier strong and improves hydration without clogging pores, making it a good fit for oily skin. It preserves skin integrity and supports barrier repair, which helps keep oily skin calm and smooth.
Where does this moisturizing treatment go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This moisturizing treatment goes in the evening routine after your cleansing toner and before your moisturizer. It is safe for oily skin and adds hydration, but an oily skin routine needs ingredients that help balance oil and shine.
Can I use this moisturizing treatment with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizing treatment with retinol by applying the moisturizer before your retinol product to help keep your skin comfortable. This type of routine is unlikely to cause irritation, but oily skin also needs oil-controlling ingredients to manage shine best.
How often should I use this moisturizing treatment?
This moisturizing treatment works for oily skin, though other products fit it better because it lacks ingredients to manage excess shine. You can safely use it daily to keep skin hydrated and support your skin barrier, as it is gentle and unlikely to cause irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this moisturizing treatment clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This moisturizing treatment is unlikely to cause severe breakouts on oily skin, though some users report a low chance of pimples. To work best for oily skin, this product needs oil-controlling ingredients that manage shine and keep pores clear.
Can I use this moisturizing treatment around the eyes or on my body?
You can safely use this moisturizing treatment on your body and around the eyes because it is gentle and free of harsh ingredients, though oily skin needs a product with oil-controlling ingredients for the best results.
Is this moisturizing treatment 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, 2017Topical 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, 2023The 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, 2012Topical 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, 2019
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, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Caprylic Capric Glycerides, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Sucrose Laurate, Sucrose Stearate, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide Eop, Ceramide Eos, Ceteareth-25, Behenic Acid, Helianthus Annuus Extract Sunflower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Cholesterol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract Rosemary Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol Vitamin E, Chlorphenesin, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Sucrose Palmitate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Pentylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Rice Bran Extract
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.
-
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-
Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-
Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-
Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-
Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.