La Roche-Posay Toleriane Sensitive Crème for oily skin
Thermal Water
Niacinamide
Glycerin
Squalane
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
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 moisturizing for your oily skin, as glycerin and squalane hydrate and enhance barrier resilience, but lacks stronger oil-controlling ingredients to address oily shine.
- Niacinamide provides some seboregulation and humectant actions, offering general skincare benefits that are mostly supportive for your oily skin.
- The formula is safe for your oily skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components.
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
★4.4Overall rating based on 800+ reviewsUsers with sensitive, reactive, and combination skin widely praise this moisturizer for its ability to instantly soothe irritation, reduce redness, and alleviate tightness without clogging pores. While the lightweight, fragrance-free formula is celebrated for restoring the skin barrier and sitting well under makeup, some users with extremely dry skin find it insufficiently hydrating, often suggesting the "Riche" version instead.
Highlights
Lightweight texture Mostly Mentioned
- “Absorbs quickly without grease”
- “Light and airy on skin”
- “Non-sticky and leaves no residue”
- “Perfect base under makeup”
Gentle & safe Often Mentioned
- “Safe enough for my baby”
- “Finally a cream that doesn't sting”
- “Completely fragrance and alcohol-free”
Soothing and calming Often Mentioned
- “Instantly calmed my stinging skin”
- “Redness disappeared within days”
- “Stopped the burning sensation immediately”
Price vs. quantity Often Mentioned
- “Tube is too small (40ml)”
- “Runs out in two weeks”
- “Expensive for the amount provided”
- “Wish it came in a larger size”
Restores skin barrier Sometimes Noted
- “Fixed my damaged skin barrier”
- “Skin feels less fragile now”
- “Helped repair over-exfoliated skin”
- “Skin feels plump and protected”
Not moisturizing enough Sometimes Noted
- “Skin felt dry again after an hour”
- “Not rich enough for winter”
- “Need to apply multiple layers”
- “Better for combo skin than dry”
Breakouts/reactions Rarely Noted
- “Caused small whiteheads”
- “Broke me out in cystic acne”
- “Stung my face upon application”
- “Caused a rash the next morning”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “Pump stopped working halfway”
- “Hard to get the last bit out”
- “Tube feels half empty”
Sources: lovi.care, boots.com, superdrug.com, laroche-posay.co.uk, cocooncenter.co.uk, beautycrew.com.au, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Toleriane Sensitive Crème work for oily skin?
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Sensitive Crème works moderately well for oily skin by providing basic hydration and soothing benefits, but it lacks the ingredients needed to control excess shine. Oily skin works best with a lightweight moisturizer that includes peptides, oil-controlling ingredients, and hydrating agents without heavy oils.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for oily skin?
Glycerin, squalane, and niacinamide make this cream a good fit for oily skin by hydrating and calming without irritation. Oily skin of this type needs a lightweight moisturizer with peptides and oil-controlling ingredients that manage shine without heavy oils or pore-clogging risks.
What does Thermal Water do for oily skin?
Thermal Water helps calm oily skin, keeps it comfortable, and reduces irritation. It provides light hydration without adding heaviness.
The Medical Journal of Malaysia, 2024International Journal of Biometeorology, 2025
What does Niacinamide do for oily skin?
Niacinamide helps balance oily skin by significantly reducing excess oil production and shine. It is well tolerated and may improve skin texture without clogging pores.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006Antioxidants, 2021
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This moisturizer goes near the end of your morning and evening routines, right before your sunscreen in the morning and after your treatment step at night. It is safe for your skin with no irritation risks, but an oily skin type also needs stronger oil-controlling ingredients to address shine.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
Yes, you can use this moisturizer with retinol by applying the cream after your retinol treatment to help reduce irritation and keep your skin calm. Using a barrier-enhancing moisturizer alongside retinoids is well-tolerated and supports your skin during treatment.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this moisturizer twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine, because its gentle formula is safe and unlikely to irritate oily skin. Regular application helps keep your skin soft and hydrated while supporting your natural barrier.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This cream is unlikely to cause breakouts or clogged pores for oily skin, as it has a very low risk of negative reactions and features soothing ingredients. However, to truly care for oily skin, a product of this type needs stronger oil-controlling ingredients to manage shine.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can safely use this cream around your eyes, as it features a gentle formula with a strong safety profile. However, because the skin on the body is generally much thicker, a dedicated body moisturizer may work better for larger areas.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying 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, 2017Malaysian thermal spring water as an adjunct to standard acne therapy improved skin hydration, reduced dryness and stinging, enhanced overall tolerability, and improved the acne disability index in patients with mild to moderate acne.
The Medical Journal of Malaysia, 2024Balneotherapy with thermal water altered specific skin microbiota at genus and species levels in healthy female volunteers compared to tap water, which produced no significant microbiome changes.
Life, 2023A 2% Sphingomonas xenophaga ferment extract cream applied twice daily for 4 weeks significantly decreased facial vascular disorder scores compared to vehicle in 86 Caucasian female subjects, alongside dose-dependent inhibition of pre-kallikrein activity in vitro.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025A formulation containing vitamin C, biopeptides, hyaluronic acid, and mineralizing water accelerated cell turnover to 17.1 days versus 19.2 days for untreated skin, and reduced crow's-feet, forehead, and nasolabial folds by 9%, 11%, and 5% respectively after 28 days in female subjects.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2021Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005The 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 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, Glycerin, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Squalane, Dimethicone, Zea Mays Corn Starch, Ceramide Np, Myristyl Myristate, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Capryloyl Glycine, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sodium Hydroxide, Myristic Acid
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
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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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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