Clarins Hydra-Essentiel Silky Cream for oily skin
Sodium Hyaluronate
Squalane
Glycerin
Caprylic Capric Triglyceride
Kalanchoe Pinnata Leaf Extract
Low
- LowOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- 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 benefits for your oily skin due to sodium hyaluronate and glycerin, but squalane and caprylic capric triglyceride may feel too heavy and partially worsen oily shine.
- While the formula provides general hydration, it does not specifically target the concerns of oily shine.
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 2.6k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with normal to dry skin highly recommend this cream for its exceptional ability to combat dehydration and improve skin's plumpness and radiance. The silky texture is frequently praised for its quick absorption without greasiness, making it an excellent base for makeup. Some users with very dry skin or sensitivity to fragrance find it less effective or irritating, occasionally preferring a richer formula or a fragrance-free option.
Highlights
Intense hydration Mostly Mentioned
- “Literally melts into the skin creating a perfectly soft feel.”
- “A skin saver for the drying winter months.”
- “Instantly quenched my dehydrated patches.”
- “Keeps my face moisturized all day without feeling heavy.”
Silky texture Often Mentioned
- “Absorbs right away with no greasy residue.”
- “Sinks in beautifully, making it a great makeup base.”
- “Feels luxurious and velvety, not sticky at all.”
- “Lightweight but packs a punch of moisture.”
Pleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “Smells fresh, clean, and like a spa.”
- “The fragrance is luxurious and calming.”
- “Love the signature Clarins botanical scent.”
- “Has a crisp smell that isn't too floral.”
Plumping and radiance Sometimes Noted
- “My skin looks instantly more plump and dewy.”
- “Gives a healthy, radiant glow to dull skin.”
- “Noticed improved elasticity and bounciness.”
- “Smooths out fine lines caused by dehydration.”
Price vs. quantity Sometimes Noted
- “Too expensive for how quickly the jar runs out.”
- “Product is great but the price is steep for daily use.”
- “I go through the small jar in less than a month.”
- “Wish it came in a larger size for the cost.”
Strong fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “The perfume is way too strong for my sensitive nose.”
- “Smells nice but caused my eyes to water.”
- “Wish they had a fragrance-free version.”
- “Scent lingers too long after application.”
Not rich enough Rarely Noted
- “Good for summer, but I need the Rich version for winter.”
- “My skin felt tight again after a few hours.”
- “Better for normal skin than truly dry skin.”
Reformulation issues Rarely Noted
- “Miss the old Hydra-Quench formula, this isn't the same.”
- “New formula caused a breakout unlike the previous one.”
- “Preferred the texture of the discontinued version.”
- “Not as effective as the original cream I used for years.”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, boots.com, ulta.com, influenster.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is Clarins Hydra-Essentiel Silky Cream a weak match for oily skin?
This moisturizer is a weak match because ingredients like squalane and caprylic capric triglyceride may feel too heavy and partially worsen oily shine. Oily skin needs lightweight moisturizers with peptides and hydrating agents that balance hydration without heavy oils or clogged pores, alongside ingredients that support the skin barrier.
Which ingredients make this cream a poor fit for oily skin?
Squalane and caprylic capric triglyceride are likely to feel too heavy and may partially worsen oily shine on your skin. A moisturizer for oily skin needs lightweight hydration, peptides, and no heavy oils to maintain a balanced texture and prevent excess oiliness.
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 does Squalane do for oily skin?
Squalane helps keep oily skin soft and smooth without feeling heavy, though oxidized forms may sometimes trigger irritation. To work well for oily skin, this type of product needs lightweight, non-clogging ingredients that balance moisture without adding excess grease.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This moisturizer goes near the end of your morning routine after a hydrating toner and before SPF, and as the final step in your evening routine. Because this product is a weak match for oily skin, an alternative for this skin type needs lightweight hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin without heavy oils that worsen shine.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol, and apply it after your retinol treatment to help soothe dryness. A moisturizer of this type for oily skin needs lightweight hydrators like hyaluronic acid and glycerin, while avoiding heavy oils that worsen shine.
How often should I use this cream?
This cream is a weak match for your oily skin because richer ingredients like squalane may feel too heavy and worsen shine. To care for oily skin, a moisturizer of this type needs lightweight hydrators and oil-control ingredients that balance moisture without adding weight.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This cream is unlikely to cause purging since it does not contain active exfoliating ingredients, but ingredients like squalane may feel too heavy and potentially worsen oily shine. Oily skin generally needs lightweight, oil-free formulas with humectants like glycerin and hyaluronic acid to hydrate without clogging pores.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
This moisturizer is safe to use around the eyes or on the body, but it is not specifically designed for the thinner skin found in the eye area or thicker body skin. Oily skin types needing care in these areas benefit from lightweight hydrators like hyaluronic acid and glycerin that keep skin soft without feeling heavy.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum). Stearyl 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, 2017Peroxidated squalene induces an early activation of NF-kappaB, an increase in PPARalpha levels, and an upregulation of IL-6 production in HaCaT keratinocytes, which is subsequently counteracted by PPARalpha activation.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2006Topical 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, 2023Topical 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, 2019Squalane 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, 2025The 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, 2012Ointments formulated from the crude extract, aqueous fraction, and methanolic fraction of Kalanchoe petitiana leaves significantly improved wound healing parameters including wound contraction, epithelialization time, hydroxyproline content, and skin breaking strength in mice compared to negative controls.
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2013Topical formulations containing aqueous extract of Kalanchoe brasiliensis and Kalanchoe pinnata reduced croton oil-induced ear edema and carrageenan-induced paw edema in Swiss mice compared to untreated controls, with K. brasiliensis showing a better result by being active at the lowest concentration.
Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & Pharmacotherapie, 2019Topical treatment with a 5% Bryophyllum pinnatum leaf extract gel formulation promoted skin wound healing by reducing wound area, decreasing inflammatory infiltrate and IL-1β and TNF-α levels, and increasing VEGF expression in rats, showing an effect similar to Fibrinase.
Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2022
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, Betaine, Propanediol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Silica, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Glucoside, Squalane, Parfum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Chlorphenesin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dimethiconol, Polysorbate 60, Tocopherol, Disodium Edta, Butylene Glycol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Kalanchoe Pinnata Leaf Extract, Marrubium Vulgare Extract, Citric Acid, Phenethyl Alcohol, Furcellaria Lumbricalis Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Lapsana Communis Stem Extract Flower Leaf, Maris Sal Sea Salt Sel Marin, Callicarpa Japonica Fruit 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.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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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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Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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