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The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + PhytoCeramides for combination skin

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + PhytoCeramides

High

  • AverageCombination Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

A great choice for combination skin; a few moisturizers fit it even better.

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 excellent moisturizing for your combination skin due to ceramides and humectants like glycerin and xylitol, which hydrate and enhance barrier resilience.
  • While it provides general skincare benefits, it lacks specialized ingredients to target your oily shine, offering only moderate suitability for oil control.
  • The formula is safe for your combination skin, containing no harsh ingredients and including soothing components like allantoin and urea.

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.

People Say

★4.3Overall rating based on 1.7k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, this ultra-rich moisturizer is widely celebrated by users with dry, dehydrated, or mature skin for its ability to repair the moisture barrier and provide a plump, dewy finish. Users with oily or acne-prone skin frequently find the texture too heavy and greasy, with some reporting congestion or breakouts.

Highlights

  • Intense hydration Often Mentioned
    • “Immediately moisturised skin”
    • “Boosts skin hydration significantly”
    • “Skin looks so hydrated”
    • “Quenches tight, dehydrated skin”
  • Greasy finish Often Mentioned
    • “Leaves an oily residue”
    • “Too shiny for day use”
    • “Feels heavy and sticky”
    • “Sits on top of skin”
  • Barrier repair Sometimes Noted
    • “Restores my barrier”
    • “Heals flaky patches”
    • “Great for damaged skin”
    • “Soothes sore areas”
  • Rich texture Sometimes Noted
    • “Feels luxurious and thick”
    • “Melts into the skin”
    • “Leaves skin soft and glowy”
    • “Creates a smooth base”
  • Value for money Sometimes Noted
    • “Rivals expensive creams”
    • “Little goes a long way”
    • “Better than high-end brands”
    • “Great price for ceramides”
  • Causes breakouts Sometimes Noted
    • “Gave me closed comedones”
    • “Broke me out immediately”
    • “Caused fungal acne”
    • “Clogged my pores”
  • Scent Rarely Noted
    • “Has an earthy smell”
    • “Smells like ingredients”
    • “Slightly off-putting scent”
    • “Not completely odorless”
  • Slow absorption Rarely Noted
    • “Takes time to sink in”
    • “Hard to spread evenly”
    • “Too heavy under sunscreen”
    • “Pills if rubbed too much”

Sources: lovi.care, theordinary.com, sephora.com, ulta.com, kohls.com, skinsort.com, and more

Questions and answers

What makes The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + PhytoCeramides a great fit for combination skin?

This moisturizer is a great fit because it offers excellent hydration for combination skin using ceramides, glycerin, and xylitol, which help strengthen the skin barrier. It is also very safe for your skin type, as it contains soothing ingredients like allantoin and urea without any harsh additives.

Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2017Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for combination skin?

This cream is a great fit for combination skin because it contains ceramides, glycerin, xylitol, and sodium hyaluronate, which hydrate the skin and strengthen its moisture barrier. It also includes soothing urea and allantoin, and is free of harsh ingredients to keep your skin calm and comfortable.

Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2017Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

What do Natural Moisturizing Factors do for combination skin?

Natural Moisturizing Factors help balance combination skin by holding onto water and keeping the skin barrier strong, which keeps dry areas soft without making oily zones greasy. A product of this type for combination skin needs a lightweight blend of these moisture-holding elements along with skin-repairing lipids to hydrate without feeling heavy.

Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2024Dermatologic Therapy, 2004

What do Phytoceramides do for combination skin?

Phytoceramides help keep combination skin hydrated while balancing oiliness and reducing dryness in different areas. They work by supporting the natural moisture barrier to make skin feel smoother and look more even.

BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 2020Experimental Dermatology, 2025

Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for combination skin?

This moisturizer goes after your hydrating toner and before your SPF in the morning, and after your treatment in the evening. A daily moisturizing routine helps improve skin hydration and barrier function.

The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2017

Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?

Yes, you can use this cream with retinol, and applying it either before or after your retinol helps keep your skin soft while reducing dryness and irritation. Using a barrier-supporting moisturizer alongside active treatments is unlikely to cause issues and supports better skin comfort.

Cutis, 2006Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012

How often should I use this cream?

You can use this moisturizer twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine. Regular daily application helps keep your combination skin hydrated and supports a strong moisture barrier.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2026

Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?

This cream may cause breakouts for combination skin, as some reviewers note that it can leave a greasy finish. However, it contains no harsh ingredients and includes soothing components like allantoin and urea, keeping the risk of irritation low.

Dermatology Online Journal, 2013

Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?

Yes, you can use this moisturizer around the eyes and on your body because its gentle formula with moisturizing factors, glycerin, and xylitol is well tolerated and helps improve hydration and barrier strength. The thin skin around the eyes and the skin on the body benefit greatly from these ingredients, which keep the skin soft and smooth.

Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2017Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

What the research says

  • A formulation containing glycerol (5%) and xylitol (5%) applied twice daily for 14 days increased skin hydration, filaggrin protein quantity, interdigitation index, and biomechanical properties, and decreased transepidermal water loss compared to untreated and vehicle-treated skin in twelve volunteers with dry skin.

    Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2017
  • 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, 2017
  • Urea is a safe and effective dermatologic therapy with wide-ranging clinical utility for various skin conditions and minimal, non-systemic side effects based on a review of the clinical literature.

    Dermatology Online Journal, 2013
  • Topical 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, 2011
  • Topical 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, 2022
  • Treatment 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
  • The 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, 2020
  • Ten 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, 2001
  • Niacinamide/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, 2012
  • Topical 40% urea cream achieved improvement in less time and showed superiority over 12% ammonium lactate lotion in skin roughness, fissure reduction, thickness, and dryness at day 14 in patients treated for moderate to severe xerosis.

    American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
  • Topical treatment with K101 achieved a significantly higher mycological cure rate compared to placebo in patients with ≤50% nail involvement (27.2% vs 10.4%), while showing early visible improvements in nail appearance and no safety issues.

    Mycoses, 2012

Ingredients

Water, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Glycerin, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Hydrogenated Oil, Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate, Isosorbide Dicaprylate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides, Glycosphingolipids, Glycolipids, Linoleic Acid, Oleic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Arginine, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Proline, Threonine, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Betaine, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Glucose, Maltose, Fructose, Trehalose, Sodium Pca, Pca, Sodium Lactate, Urea, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin, Triolein, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Pentylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Magnesium Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin

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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How does it fit your skin?

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