Perricone MD Essential Fx Acyl-Glutathione Intensive Overnight Moisturizer for combination skin
Acyl-Glutathione
Niacinamide
Shea Butter
Lactic Acid
Vitamin F BlendAverage
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for combination skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
- Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2024
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2014
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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 your combination skin, as niacinamide helps with seboregulation and lactic acid provides mild exfoliation, but it lacks sufficient ingredients for optimal oil control on your oily zones.
- The product provides excellent moisturizing due to shea butter and niacinamide, which hydrate and enhance barrier resilience, supporting general skincare benefits for your combination skin.
- The safety profile is good, with no risks of irritation for your combination skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components like niacinamide and shea butter.
How to apply
- Use this moisturizer in your AM and PM routine every day to control shine. Always pair with SPF in the morning.
- Apply this moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your morning SPF.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin and avoid harsh rubbing. Let it ⏳absorb for a minute.
- Apply the moisturizer on slightly damp skin to help it lock in moisture better. This keeps your combination skin balanced.
- Avoid the eye area when applying the moisturizer. Do a patch test before your first use.
Questions and answers
How well does Perricone MD Intensive Overnight Moisturizer work for combination skin?
This moisturizer works moderately well for combination skin because niacinamide helps balance oil and lactic acid gently smooths the surface, but it lacks enough ingredients for optimal oil control on your oily zones. It is unlikely to irritate your skin and provides good hydration through shea butter and niacinamide. Combination skin of this type needs formulations with effective brightening and moisturizing ingredients that reduce oily shine while keeping the skin balanced.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for combination skin?
Niacinamide and lactic acid make this cream a good fit for your combination skin by helping manage oil and gently smoothing the surface, while shea butter provides deep moisture without irritation. However, because it lacks sufficient oil-control ingredients for your oily zones, a product of this type needs stronger oil-balancing and brightening ingredients to truly excel on combination skin.
What does Acyl-Glutathione do for combination skin?
Acyl-Glutathione helps brighten skin color and smooth out wrinkles while keeping combination skin hydrated. Topical use of glutathione may improve dark spots and reduce water loss, though its overall effect can vary from person to person.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2025Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019
What does Niacinamide do for combination skin?
Niacinamide helps balance oily areas by reducing excess shine and pore size while keeping dry patches hydrated and smooth. It also works to calm redness and even out skin tone, making it very suitable for combination skin.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This cream goes in the evening routine as a moisturizing treatment after cleansing and toning. Combination skin works best with this type of product when it includes strong oil-balancing ingredients to manage oilier zones alongside hydration.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizing treatment in the evening after your retinol once your skin is used to it, as its soothing ingredients help keep your skin calm. A product of this type for combination skin needs extra oil-control ingredients to properly manage your shiny zones.
How often should I use this cream?
This moisturizing treatment works well for your combination skin when used daily as part of your evening routine. It provides good moisture and a safe profile, but combination skin needs extra oil-controlling ingredients for your oily zones.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This cream is unlikely to cause irritation or breakouts on combination skin due to soothing ingredients like niacinamide and shea butter, but it lacks enough oil-controlling ingredients for your oily zones. A product for this skin needs stronger oil-balancing ingredients and lighter hydrators to keep shine in check.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizing treatment around your eyes and on your body, as it has a good safety profile with soothing ingredients like shea butter and niacinamide that are unlikely to cause irritation. Combination skin of this type needs targeted oil-control ingredients and lightweight hydrators to properly balance both oily and dry zones.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (citronellol, limonene, and linalool).
What the research says
Glutathione amino acid precursors effectively increase cellular glutathione levels, reducing oxidative stress, ATP depletion, and DNA damage in human keratinocytes, clinical subjects, and ex vivo skin compared to controls.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2024Topical oxidized glutathione significantly decreases the skin melanin index and improves moisture content, smoothness, wrinkle formation, and elasticity compared to placebo in healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2014Topical glutathione improves hyperpigmentation, reduces ultraviolet-induced erythema and wrinkles, decreases transepidermal water loss, and enhances antioxidant capacity.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2025Topical 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, 2005A combination cream of stimu-tex AS and saccharide isomerate reduced erythema, increased skin capacitance, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to placebo in 20 subjects after fractional CO2 laser procedure without causing serious adverse events.
Lasers in Medical Science, 2025A skin barrier restoring cream with shea butter, silkflo, and vitamin E increased type I procollagen synthesis, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, decreased reactive oxygen species generation, and promoted hyaluronic acid production in H2O2-stimulated human keratinocyte cells compared to untreated cells.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025Application of a cream containing lactic acid 12% and pramoxine HCl 1% significantly improved skin dryness, hydration, and itch compared with a nontreated control in 24 women with a history of dry itchy skin.
Cutis, 2004Topical 12% ammonium lactate produced a significant sparing of epidermal and dermal atrophy induced by clobetasol propionate in human volunteers, without influencing the corticosteroid's bioavailability or antiinflammatory properties.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1992A lactic acid/ceramide lotion significantly improved skin moisturization and desquamation compared to no treatment in women with dry, rough skin on the anterior shins.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020Topical application of linoleic acid achieved an almost 25% reduction in the overall size of follicular casts and microcomedones over a 1-month treatment period in patients with mild acne compared to no change at placebo-treated sites.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 1998Topical conjugated linolenic acid significantly reduced edema on post-procedure Day 3 and itching on Days 1 and 3, and improved wrinkling at Day 14 compared to 1% dimethicone ointment in 34 subjects undergoing fractionated CO2 laser resurfacing of the face.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2017Liposomal formulation of linoleic acid significantly enhances its skin whitening effect compared to non-liposomal forms in UV-stimulated guinea pig and human skin.
Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 2004
Ingredients
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Myristyl Myristate, Niacinamide, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Palmitoyl Glycine, S-Palmitoylglutathione, Ethylhexylglycerin, Myristyl Laurate, Ribose, Lecithin, Lactic Acid, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract Rosemary Leaf Extract, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Citronellol, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Linalool
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
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