Bioderma Sensibio Defensive for oily acne-prone skin
Glycerin
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Tocopherol
Fructooligosaccharides
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. 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 due to glycerin and fructooligosaccharides, which hydrate and enhance barrier resilience, but lacks targeted ingredients for your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The presence of Tocopherol and Glycyrrhetinic Acid provides soothing benefits, which are supportive but not specifically addressing your primary concerns of oiliness or shiny skin.
- The product is safe for your oily skin, with no risks of irritation from harsh ingredients and the inclusion of beneficial soothing components.
How to apply
- Use this AM and PM routine every day to help clear your skin. Always remember to finish with SPF in the morning.
- Apply the moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your SPF during the day.
- Gently press a small amount into your skin and avoid rubbing to keep pores clear.
- Apply on clean, slightly damp skin to help the product absorb better and control oil.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a simple patch test before your first use.
Questions and answers
How well does Sensibio Defensive work for oily acne-prone skin?
Bioderma Sensibio Defensive works reasonably well for oily acne-prone skin by providing moderate hydration and soothing benefits without clogging pores or causing irritation. However, because it lacks targeted ingredients for blemishes and breakouts, this skin type needs a product featuring powerful hydrating and repairing ingredients, lightweight textures without heavy oils, and blemish-fighting agents.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Glycerin and fructooligosaccharides make this cream a moderate fit for oily skin by hydrating and keeping the barrier strong, while tocopherol and glycyrrhetinic acid help calm it. However, because it lacks targeted ingredients for breakouts, an oily acne-prone skin type needs a product with powerful hydrating and repairing ingredients that address blemishes while maintaining a lightweight texture without heavy oils.
What does Glycerin do for oily acne-prone skin?
Glycerin helps keep oily acne-prone skin hydrated without feeling heavy. It draws moisture into the skin while supporting the skin barrier so it stays soft and balanced.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What does Glycyrrhetinic Acid do for oily acne-prone skin?
Glycyrrhetinic Acid helps calm oily, acne-prone skin by soothing redness and reducing irritation. It is useful in a routine when you want to keep breakouts manageable and your skin feeling smooth and balanced.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This moisturizer goes in the morning routine after your hydrating toner, and in the evening routine after any treatment serum. Because your skin is oily and prone to breakouts, this type of product also needs ingredients like niacinamide and targeted blemish-clearing actives to help control oil and keep pores clear.
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizer with retinol to help keep your skin comfortable and reduce dryness. Apply the moisturizer after your retinol treatment, or use it beforehand to help your skin adjust to stronger products.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this moisturizing treatment twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine. Regular daily application helps keep your skin comfortable and hydrated while supporting a healthy moisture barrier.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This moisturizer is safe for your oily skin and is unlikely to cause harsh irritation or breakouts, but it lacks targeted ingredients for your acne and blemishes. An ideal product for this skin needs oil-controlling ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to help clear blemishes and reduce shiny skin.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
Yes, you can use this moisturizing treatment around your eyes and on your body because its formula has very good skin tolerance and a safe makeup. However, because your skin is oily and acne-prone, this product only gives moderate hydration and lacks ingredients that specifically target acne and breakouts. Oily, acne-prone skin needs lightweight hydration from ingredients like glycerin and soothing botanicals, paired with blemish-fighting actives to fully address breakouts and excess oil.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum). Cetearyl 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, 2017A dermo-cosmetic formula containing 2% enoxolone significantly reduced erythema at 24 hours and pain at 30 minutes following non-ablative fractional laser treatment in 10 healthy subjects compared to a moisturizer control.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024The 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 application of a cream containing 2.5% glycyrrhetinic acid significantly reduced thigh fat thickness and circumference compared to placebo in healthy women.
Steroids, 2005Topical application of B-Resorcinol and Glycyrrhetinic acid effectively lightens hand solar lentigines after 4 weeks of treatment both with and without prior fractional laser photothermolysis, showing no statistical difference between the two approaches.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2016Glycyrrhetinic acid inhibited skin 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and potentiated the vasoconstrictor action of hydrocortisone.
Lancet, 1990Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Why other moisturizers fit oily acne-prone skin better
Co-delivery of paeonol and madecassoside via nanoemulsions improved transdermal delivery, promoted barrier repair proteins, inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in cellular and 3D models, and reduced transepidermal water loss and acne in human facial skin compared to free components.
Molecules, 2023A 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, 2024A facial serum containing snail secretion filtrate, Calendula officinalis, and Glycyrrhiza glabra root extract significantly reduced inflammatory acne lesions compared to placebo in 66 participants with mild-to-moderate maskne over 12 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Mannitol, Xylitol, Rhamnose, Fructooligosaccharides, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Tocopherol, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Disodium Edta, Parfum
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
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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