Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Facial Moisturizer for combination skin
Glycerin
Niacinamide
DimethiconeLow
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A weak match for combination skin; the moisturizers alongside fit it 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 moderate moisturizing for your combination skin due to glycerin and panthenol, which hydrate and enhance barrier resilience, but lacks specialized ingredients like salicylic acid for your oily shine.
- Niacinamide is present for seboregulation, providing some balance for your combination skin, though it may not fully address all concerns.
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
★4.5Overall rating based on 2.8k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users consistently praise this moisturizer for its lightweight, non-greasy formula that effectively hydrates sensitive and acne-prone skin without clogging pores. Most find it soothing and compatible with makeup. A minority of users with highly reactive skin report stinging sensations or dislike the chemical scent associated with the SPF variant.
Highlights
Lightweight & non-greasy Mostly Mentioned
- “feels like nothing”
- “absorbs instantly”
- “no oily residue”
- “super light texture”
Gentle on sensitive skin Often Mentioned
- “no irritation”
- “calms redness”
- “doesn't burn”
Hydrating & softening Often Mentioned
- “leaves skin soft”
- “eliminates dry patches”
- “keeps face moisturized”
- “smooths texture”
Good under makeup Sometimes Noted
- “perfect base”
- “no pilling”
- “makeup sits well”
- “doesn't slide off”
Non-comedogenic Sometimes Noted
- “won't clog pores”
- “no new breakouts”
- “acne-safe”
- “clear skin maintained”
Unpleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “chemical smell”
- “strong sunscreen odor”
- “smells like plastic”
- “weird fragrance”
Formula change Rarely Noted
- “preferred old formula”
- “new version is worse”
- “consistency changed”
- “not as effective”
Greasy finish Rarely Noted
- “left a shine”
- “too dewy”
- “made me oily”
- “slick residue”
Insufficient moisture Rarely Noted
- “not hydrating enough”
- “need to reapply”
- “too thin for winter”
- “skin felt tight”
Stinging sensation Rarely Noted
- “burned my face”
- “stings upon application”
- “caused redness”
- “irritated my eyes”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, walmart.com, target.com, ulta.com, hometesterclub.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Facial Moisturizer a weak match for combination skin?
This moisturizer is a weak match for your combination skin because it offers only moderate hydration and lacks specialized ingredients like salicylic acid to handle oily shine. A product of this type needs effective brightening and moisturizing ingredients, soothing agents, antioxidants, and multiple peptides to reduce shine while keeping skin balanced and healthy.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
Which ingredients make this cream a poor fit for combination skin?
This moisturizer is a weak match for combination skin because it lacks specialized ingredients like salicylic acid to manage oily shine. A product for this skin needs effective brightening and moisturizing ingredients along with soothing agents and antioxidants to reduce shine, hydrate, and maintain skin health without irritation.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
What does Glycerin do for combination skin?
Glycerin helps keep combination skin soft and smooth by pulling moisture in and keeping it there. It improves hydration and supports your skin barrier, which is unlikely to cause irritation.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
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 it go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This moisturizer goes in the morning and evening routine after cleansing and any hydrating toners or treatments. Because it is a weak match for combination skin, a product of this type needs balancing ingredients like salicylic acid to properly handle oily shine.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizer with retinol in the evening after applying your retinol treatment to help keep your skin calm and hydrated. Barrier-improving moisturizers are well known to support skin tolerance when using strong active ingredients like retinoids. A moisturizer for combination skin also needs ingredients like salicylic acid to handle oily shine.
How often should I use it?
You can use this moisturizer twice a day, morning and night, as part of your regular routine. Daily application helps keep your skin soft and hydrated while supporting its natural moisture barrier.
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 clog pores or cause purging for your combination skin since it does not contain active ingredients that speed up skin shedding. However, it may not fully control your oily shine, so a product of this type for combination skin needs balancing ingredients like salicylic acid to better manage oil.
Can I use it around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizer around the eyes and on the body, as the skin on your eyelids is very thin and responds well to gentle hydration. Ingredients like glycerin and panthenol help keep these areas soft and comfortable.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetyl alcohol and cetearyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002A new topical panthenol-containing emollient significantly improved transepidermal water loss reduction, stratum corneum hydration, and intercellular lipid lamellae length compared with control in healthy subjects without negatively impacting bacterial viability.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017A 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 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, 2005Wearing 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, 2007
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Ether, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Stearic Acid, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceteareth-20, Sodium Hydroxide, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Citrate, Tocopheryl Acetate, 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.
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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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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
How does it fit your skin?
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