Cetaphil Moisturising Cream for acne-prone skin
Glycerin
Petrolatum
DimethiconeWarning
- LowCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- RiskySafety
A poor match for acne-prone skin; the moisturizers alongside fit it better.
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
- American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. 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
- Extremely low suitability for your combination skin as petrolatum can be occlusive and clog pores on oily areas, while glycerin and panthenol offer only moderate hydration without targeting acne or blemishes.
- The absence of ingredients specifically for acne, blemishes, and breakouts means the product may not effectively address your main concerns and could potentially worsen them.
How to apply
- Use your moisturizer twice a day in your AM and PM routines. Apply it daily to help keep breakouts under control.
- Apply after your cleanser and toner, and make sure to use your SPF right after in the morning.
- Gently spread a small amount of moisturizer over your face using soft motions. Let it absorb into the skin for a minute before getting dressed or applying makeup.
- Apply on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra moisture. This keeps your combination skin balanced without feeling heavy.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use. Stop using if you feel any irritation.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 4.5k+ reviewsHighlights
Long-lasting hydration Mostly Mentioned
- “healed my dry patches”
- “keeps skin soft all day”
- “hydration lasts 24 hours”
- “saved my winter skin”
Gentle, non-irritating Often Mentioned
- “great for sensitive skin”
- “fragrance-free”
- “doesn't burn cracked skin”
Tub packaging Often Mentioned
- “hate dipping fingers in”
- “needs a pump”
- “sanitary concerns”
- “gets under fingernails”
Non-greasy absorption Sometimes Noted
- “absorbs surprisingly fast”
- “doesn't feel sticky”
- “matte finish”
- “soaks in completely”
Versatile use Sometimes Noted
- “use it head to toe”
- “great under makeup”
- “works for face and body”
- “safe for whole family”
Heavy texture Sometimes Noted
- “too thick for face”
- “takes effort to rub in”
- “feels heavy in summer”
- “leaves a film”
Clogs pores Rarely Noted
- “caused small bumps”
- “too rich for acne-prone areas”
- “triggered breakout on forehead”
- “greasy on T-zone”
Unpleasant smell Rarely Noted
- “smells like plastic”
- “weird chemical scent”
- “smells like glue”
- “medicinal odor”
Sources: lovi.care, influenster.com, walmart.com, target.com, ulta.com, totalbeauty.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise against Cetaphil Moisturising Cream for acne-prone skin?
Lovi advises against this cream because its heavy petrolatum can clog pores on oily areas, while glycerin and panthenol offer only moderate hydration without targeting breakouts. A moisturizer for acne-prone skin needs ingredients specifically beneficial for blemishes, soothing extracts, and effective peptides to promote clarity and balance without causing irritation.
Which ingredients make this cream a poor fit for acne-prone skin?
Petrolatum makes this cream a poor fit because it can block pores and cause breakouts on oily areas. A moisturizer for acne-prone skin needs soothing extracts, hydrating agents like glycerin and panthenol, and specific ingredients that target blemishes without clogging pores.
What does Glycerin do for acne-prone skin?
Glycerin helps keep acne-prone skin hydrated and calm without clogging pores or feeling heavy. It supports the skin barrier so it stays soft and smooth while handling everyday treatments.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008International Journal of Toxicology, 2019
What does Petrolatum do for acne-prone skin?
Petrolatum is unlikely to clog pores for most people, making it safe to use on acne-prone skin while helping to keep the skin barrier strong and protected. This ingredient exhibits low comedogenicity and an excellent safety profile for supporting skin health.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This cream is a poor match for acne-prone skin because petrolatum can clog pores on oily areas, while glycerin and panthenol offer only moderate hydration without targeting breakouts. Acne-prone skin needs lightweight moisturizers with ingredients specifically for blemishes and breakouts rather than heavy pore-clogging ingredients.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
This cream is a poor match for acne-prone skin because heavy ingredients like petrolatum can block pores and worsen breakouts, so it is safer to use a lightweight moisturizer that includes ingredients specifically targeting blemishes.
How often should I use this cream?
This cream is a poor match for your acne-prone skin because heavy ingredients like petrolatum can block pores on oily areas, and it lacks ingredients to target breakouts. Acne-prone skin needs lightweight, non-clogging moisturizers with blemish-fighting ingredients instead.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
Yes, this cream can clog pores and potentially worsen breakouts on acne-prone skin because petrolatum is heavy and can trap oil in your pores. This type of skin needs lightweight ingredients that help clear blemishes instead of rich oils and heavy barriers.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
This heavy cream is generally too rich for the delicate eye area where skin is very thin, but it works well on dry body skin that needs deep, heavy-duty moisture. Because heavy ingredients can easily clog pores in sensitive or facial areas, acne-prone skin needs lighter hydrators and ingredients that specifically target breakouts.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (benzyl 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, 2017Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002The 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 treatment with skin-identical lipids in a petrolatum-rich cream base showed no superiority over pure petrolatum in promoting normalization of barrier recovery and inflammation in detergent- and tape-stripped-perturbed human skin over 14 days.
Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2000Topically applied extra virgin olive oil and petrolatum both significantly improved skin barrier function and microtopographic features in 54 healthy adult volunteers, with petrolatum exerting stronger occlusive effects and extra virgin olive oil uniquely promoting epidermal renewal.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2025Wearing an N95 mask alone compared to using dimethicone cream or hydrocolloid dressing caused more adverse skin reactions among 73 military health care workers, with no significant differences in fit test failure rates between groups.
Military Medicine, 2024A dimethicone skin protectant lotion significantly decreased visual scoring and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control and SLS-only treated sites in 12 healthy humans exposed to sodium lauryl sulfate.
Skin Research and Technology, 2000Treatment with a moisturizer containing dimethicone and glycerine increased epidermal thickness by 0.019 mm, improved barrier function by decreasing transepidermal water loss by 13%, decreased melanin intensity, and induced keratins 6 and 16 in fifteen women with moderately photoaged forearms.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2007
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Dicaprylyl Ether, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-30 Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol
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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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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