Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream for oily skin
Glycerin
Petrolatum
Dimethicone
Niacinamide
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Warning
- CautionOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- RiskySafety
A poor 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
- Extremely low suitability for your oily skin as petrolatum and dimethicone provide emollient and occlusive actions that can be too heavy and clog pores, while glycerin offers moderate hydration without addressing oily shine.
- The formula provides general skincare benefits with ingredients like niacinamide and panthenol, but lacks targeted ingredients such as salicylic acid or clay to effectively manage excess oil.
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
★4.7Overall rating based on 7.1k+ reviewsIt effectively hydrates and restores the skin barrier without irritation. Some users with oily or acne-prone skin find it too heavy.
Highlights
Intense hydration Mostly Mentioned
- “cleared up flaky skin”
- “keeps skin supple all day”
- “instant relief for dry patches”
- “deeply replenishes moisture”
Gentle and non-irritating Often Mentioned
- “safe for sensitive skin”
- “fragrance-free formula”
Non-greasy absorption Often Mentioned
- “absorbs quickly”
- “doesn't feel tacky”
- “leaves skin soft not oily”
- “matte finish”
Versatile use Sometimes Noted
- “great for face and body”
- “works well under makeup”
- “use on hands and feet”
- “good for whole family”
Packaging inconvenient Sometimes Noted
- “wish it had a pump”
- “unsanitary dipping fingers in”
- “messy to use”
- “prefer tube for travel”
High price point Rarely Noted
- “expensive for drugstore”
- “pricey compared to generic”
- “cost is high for the amount”
Slight chemical smell Rarely Noted
- “has a slight chemical scent”
- “smells like plastic”
- “unpleasant base odor”
- “medicinal smell”
Too heavy/thick Rarely Noted
- “too greasy for oily skin”
- “feels heavy in summer”
- “caused breakouts on face”
- “thick texture takes effort to rub in”
Sources: lovi.care, influenster.com, walmart.com, target.com, ulta.com, amazon.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise against Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream for oily skin?
Lovi advises against using this cream on oily skin because heavy ingredients like petrolatum and dimethicone may clog pores, while it lacks targeted ingredients like salicylic acid or clay to manage excess oil. Oily skin needs a moisturizer with peptides, light hydrating agents, and ingredients that support the skin barrier without heavy oils.
Which ingredients make this cream a poor fit for oily skin?
This cream is a poor fit for oily skin because it contains petrolatum and dimethicone, which can feel too heavy and clog pores. To work well for oily skin, a moisturizer of this type needs lightweight textures, ingredients that manage excess oil like salicylic acid or clay, and no heavy oils.
What does Glycerin do for oily skin?
Glycerin helps keep oily skin hydrated without feeling heavy and supports the skin barrier. Because this product is a weak fit for your skin, an ideal product of this type needs lightweight hydrators and ingredients that balance oil while protecting the skin.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008International Journal of Toxicology, 2019
What does Petrolatum do for oily skin?
Petrolatum is generally a poor fit for oily skin because it creates a heavy barrier that can trap excess oil and feel too greasy. A product for oily skin needs lightweight, balancing ingredients that hydrate without clogging pores.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This cream is a poor match for oily skin because ingredients like petrolatum and dimethicone can be too heavy and clog pores. Oily skin needs a lightweight moisturizer with targeted ingredients like salicylic acid or clay to help manage excess oil.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
This cream is a poor match for oily skin because ingredients like petrolatum and dimethicone can feel too heavy and clog pores. Oily skin needs a lightweight moisturizer with ingredients like salicylic acid or clay to help control excess shine.
How often should I use this cream?
This cream is a poor match for oily skin because heavy ingredients like petrolatum and dimethicone may clog your pores and feel too heavy. Oily skin needs light moisturizers with hydrating ingredients like glycerin, along with ingredients such as salicylic acid or clay to help manage excess oil.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This cream is a poor match for oily skin because ingredients like petrolatum and dimethicone may feel too heavy and clog pores. To properly care for oily skin, a moisturizer needs ingredients like salicylic acid or clay to help manage excess oil without trapping weight on the skin.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
This heavy cream is likely too rich for the delicate eye area and can clog pores there, but it works well on the body where skin is thicker and needs deep moisture.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (benzyl alcohol). Cetyl 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, 2017The 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 treatment with skin-identical lipids in a petrolatum-rich cream base showed no superiority over pure petrolatum in promoting normalization of barrier recovery and inflammation in detergent- and tape-stripped-perturbed human skin over 14 days.
Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2000Topically applied extra virgin olive oil and petrolatum both significantly improved skin barrier function and microtopographic features in 54 healthy adult volunteers, with petrolatum exerting stronger occlusive effects and extra virgin olive oil uniquely promoting epidermal renewal.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2025Wearing an N95 mask alone compared to using dimethicone cream or hydrocolloid dressing caused more adverse skin reactions among 73 military health care workers, with no significant differences in fit test failure rates between groups.
Military Medicine, 2024A dimethicone skin protectant lotion significantly decreased visual scoring and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control and SLS-only treated sites in 12 healthy humans exposed to sodium lauryl sulfate.
Skin Research and Technology, 2000Treatment with a moisturizer containing dimethicone and glycerine increased epidermal thickness by 0.019 mm, improved barrier function by decreasing transepidermal water loss by 13%, decreased melanin intensity, and induced keratins 6 and 16 in fifteen women with moderately photoaged forearms.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2007Topical 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, 2005
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Dicaprylyl Ether, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil, Peg-30 Stearate, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pantolactone, Dimethiconol, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Propylene Glycol, Disodium Edta, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric 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.
-
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-
Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-
Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-
Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-
Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.