Epaderm Cream for oily acne-prone skin
Yellow Soft Paraffin Bp
Liquid Paraffin Ph.Eur
Cetostearyl Alcohol
Glycerin
Water Ep
Caution
- CautionOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- RiskySafety
A poor match for oily acne-prone skin; the moisturizers alongside 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 yellow soft paraffin and liquid paraffin, which hydrate and protect the skin barrier, but these ingredients may exacerbate oiliness and breakouts.
- While the formula is free of harsh ingredients and offers some barrier protection, its emollient and occlusive actions are not ideal for managing acne, blemishes, and breakouts on oily skin.
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.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 600+ reviewsIt is frequently appreciated for its fast absorption and non-greasy feel, and many find its dual use as a cleanser and moisturizer convenient. Some users note a clinical scent and a minority experience stinging during severe flare-ups or find it insufficient for very dry skin.
Highlights
Absorbs quickly Often Mentioned
- “Very soft and easy to absorb, really fantastic product.”
- “Absorbs quickly without greasiness to support hydration.”
- “It has a smooth texture and doesn't feel greasy.”
- “Lightweight, non-greasy and fast-absorbing, perfect for daily use.”
Convenient pump Sometimes Noted
- “I love its container being in pump pack that make it easy to use.”
- “The push pump is good for those with Arthritis.”
- “Convenient application of the cream using a pump.”
- “Can use pump 1 handed which means able to quickly get the job of moisturising over and done.”
Doubles as cleanser Sometimes Noted
- “I use this for washing and moisturising my body and face.”
- “My daughter-in-law uses it in the shower instead of soap.”
- “I use Epaderm cream as a face wash.”
- “Serves as a soap replacement for moisturising skin.”
Unpleasant smell Sometimes Noted
- “Has an off putting unpleasant smell which is very strong.”
- “Does have a medical smell.”
- “Some users have reported experiencing... a strange smell.”
- “Sadly this discourages me from using it.”
Not for severe dryness Rarely Noted
- “Does very little for flare ups, so I have to use something else.”
- “Emollient cream isn't sufficient for me and wasn't in childhood either.”
Slightly sticky Rarely Noted
- “It kind of sat on my face all day long.”
- “A little bit sticky, maybe but I don't mind it.”
- “I put it on without cleansing beforehand and it trapped bacteria under the heavy emollients.”
- “Might get absorbed by the skin and clothes a bit.”
Stings flare-ups Rarely Noted
- “She hates having it applied, says it stings and gets upset.”
- “It doesn't matter what cream I use, even emollient, it stings like buggery!”
- “Symptoms such as burning, stinging, itchiness, or redness may occur.”
- “Some individuals may experience allergic or sensitivity reactions.”
Sources: lovi.care, productreview.com.au, epaderm.co.uk, hollandandbarrett.com, boots.ie, independenceaustralia.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise caution with Epaderm Cream for oily acne-prone skin?
Lovi advises caution because the heavy oils in this cream may make excess oiliness and breakouts worse on your skin. To properly care for oily acne-prone skin, a moisturizer needs lightweight ingredients that hydrate without heavy oils, clog pores, or add excess oil.
Which ingredients make this cream a poor fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Yellow soft paraffin and liquid paraffin make this cream a poor fit because they may add too much oil and trigger breakouts on oily acne-prone skin. A moisturizer for this skin type needs lightweight hydrating ingredients and no heavy oils to keep pores clear and prevent excess oiliness.
What does Yellow Soft Paraffin do for oily acne-prone skin?
Yellow soft paraffin helps lock in moisture and protects the skin barrier, but it is unlikely to suit oily acne-prone skin because it creates a heavy seal that can trap oil and clog pores. Skin of this type needs lightweight hydrators and gentle exfoliants that clear pores without heavy oils.
What does Liquid Paraffin do for oily acne-prone skin?
Liquid paraffin helps keep skin soft and smooth by locking in moisture, but for oily, acne-prone skin, it is a poor fit on its own and tends to feel too heavy. A product of this type needs lighter ingredients and oil-balancing components to properly care for skin that produces excess oil.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This cream goes in the moisturizer step in both your morning and evening routines. Because it contains heavy ingredients like yellow soft paraffin and liquid paraffin that may worsen oiliness and breakouts, oily acne-prone skin needs a lightweight, oil-free gel or lotion moisturizer containing balancing ingredients like niacinamide or hyaluronic acid.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You should use caution when combining this cream with retinol on oily acne-prone skin, as its heavy ingredients may worsen oiliness and breakouts. To manage acne effectively, this skin type needs a lightweight, oil-free moisturizer with ceramides and soothing ingredients instead.
How often should I use this cream?
This heavy cream is a poor match for oily acne-prone skin because its heavy oils may clog pores and trigger breakouts, making it unsuitable for regular daily use on this skin type. To properly care for oily skin, a moisturizer needs to be light, oil-free, and non-clogging to provide hydration without adding excess shine or causing blemishes.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
Yes, this cream may exacerbate oiliness and breakouts on your oily acne-prone skin because heavy ingredients like yellow soft paraffin and liquid paraffin can clog pores. A product of this type for your skin needs lightweight hydrators and ingredients that keep blemishes under control without heavy barrier oils.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cream on your body for dry skin, but it is unlikely to suit the very thin skin around the eyes because heavy heavy ingredients can feel too heavy there. Body skin needs rich barrier-protecting moisturizers with ingredients like glycerin and petrolatum to stay soft and smooth.
What the research says
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, 2020Topical 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, 2025Repeated application of concentrated water-in-oil emulsions over four weeks caused no skin irritation, positively affected skin properties, and delivered almost 50% of the applied fluorescein sodium, with isopropyl myristate showing superior penetration performance compared to liquid paraffin in healthy volunteers.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2019A 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, 2017Ten 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, 2012A hydrogen water mask pack increased skin density by 18.41% compared to 9.93% for a commercial sample in participants after 4 weeks.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2020Topical application of magnetized saline water serum improved skin hydration, reduced transepidermal water loss, sebum content, melanin index, and erythema index, and activated autophagy by increasing Beclin-1 and decreasing mTOR in females wanting to enhance facial and neck skin appearance.
Cureus, 2023Reconstruction of human skin equivalents under reduced relative humidity of 40% increased pyrrolidone carboxylic acid levels to match native tissue, but stratum corneum hydration levels remained lower unless water was topically applied.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008
Ingredients
Yellow Soft Paraffin Bp, Liquid Paraffin Ph.Eur, Cetomacrogol Emulsifying Bp Wax Contains Cetostearyl Alcohol And Macrogol Cetostearyl Ether 22 Wax, Glycerin, Water Ep, Chlorocresol
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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