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Paula's Choice Replenishing Moisturizer for oily skin

Low

  • AverageOily Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • ConcerningSafety

A weak 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

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

★4.2Overall rating based on 300+ reviews

Some users with combination or acne-prone skin found it too rich or experienced breakouts, and a moderate number of users noted an unpleasant scent.

Highlights

  • Deeply hydrating Mostly Mentioned
    • “saved my dry skin”
    • “locks in moisture”
    • “rich but not greasy”
    • “eliminated flaky patches”
  • Soothing and calming Often Mentioned
    • “calms redness instantly”
    • “gentle on sensitive skin”
  • Excellent texture Sometimes Noted
    • “whipped texture”
    • “absorbs well”
    • “luxurious feel”
    • “non-greasy finish”
  • Makeup compatible Sometimes Noted
    • “great under makeup”
    • “smooth base”
    • “no pilling”
    • “works well with tretinoin”
  • Unpleasant scent Sometimes Noted
    • “smells like alcohol”
    • “weird chemical smell”
    • “funky odor”
    • “scent is off-putting”
  • Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
    • “clogged my pores”
    • “caused cystic acne”
    • “broke me out”
    • “not for acne-prone skin”
  • High price Rarely Noted
    • “expensive for size”
    • “pricey”
    • “tube is small”
    • “cost prohibitive”
  • Too greasy Rarely Noted
    • “too heavy for day”
    • “left a shiny film”
    • “greasy residue”
    • “looked oily”

Sources: lovi.care, dermstore.com, makeupalley.com, paulaschoice-eu.com, influenster.com, reddit.com, and more

Questions and answers

Why is Paula's Choice Replenishing Moisturizer a weak match for oily skin?

This moisturizer is a weak match for oily skin because heavy ingredients like Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate and Dimethicone may make oily shine worse. A product for this skin needs lightweight textures, no heavy oils, and ingredients that control oil and support the skin barrier without clogging pores.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Which ingredients make this cream a poor fit for oily skin?

Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate and dimethicone are emollients that may worsen oily shine. An oily skin type needs lightweight hydrating ingredients and oil-controlling elements to manage excess oil and prevent breakouts.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

What does Hyaluronic Acid do for oily skin?

Hyaluronic acid helps oily skin by reducing extra oil and sebum production without causing irritation. Clinical studies show it successfully balances oil levels while keeping the skin comfortable.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2017

What do Peptides do for oily skin?

Peptides help support skin health and may improve the look of oily skin, but this type of skin needs formulas with ingredients that balance oil production and keep pores clear.

Advanced Science, 2025International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2025

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

This moisturizer goes near the end of your morning and evening routines, right before sunscreen in the morning and after treatments at night. Because this product is a weak match for oily skin, an ideal product of this type needs lightweight hydrators and oil-controlling ingredients to keep shine in check.

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

You can use this cream with retinol by applying your retinol first, letting it absorb, and then following with this moisturizer to help keep your skin comfortable and soft. However, because this product is a weak match for oily skin, an ideal moisturizer for this skin type needs oil-balancing ingredients and lightweight hydrators like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate without heavy oils or heavy silicones that may worsen shine.

Cutis, 2006

How often should I use this cream?

You can use this moisturizing treatment twice daily, as part of your morning and evening routine. Regular application helps improve skin moisture and softness, though oily skin needs a lighter product that helps control excess shine.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021

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

This cream is a weak match for oily skin, so heavy ingredients like dimethicone may add too much shine. A better fit for oily skin needs lightweight hydrators like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate combined with oil-controlling ingredients to keep pores clear.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

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

This cream is generally safe to use on the body and around the eyes, though the eyelid skin is much thinner than the skin on the back or other areas. When applying products to the delicate eye area or the body, a moisturizer of this type needs lightweight hydrators and soothing plant extracts like glycerin, sodium hyaluronate, and chamomile to keep the skin comfortable without heavy oils.

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002

Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.

What the research says

  • 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
  • Electrospun poly (vinyl butyral-co-vinyl alcohol-co-vinyl acetate) patches loaded with evening primrose oil applied to the forearm of volunteers for 6 hours increased skin moisture, with pore size, shape, and fiber diameter influencing oil transport.

    Biomaterials Advances, 2022
  • A topical preparation containing urea, sunflower oil, evening primrose oil, wheat germ oil, and sodium pyruvate led to clinical improvement after a month in diverse hyperkeratotic skin conditions except pityriasis lichenoides.

    Medicina Cutanea Ibero-latino-americana, 1986
  • Topical application of linseed, evening primrose, and olive oil emulsions accelerated wound closure in rats with excision wounds compared to untreated controls, though via different mechanisms.

    Drug Delivery and Translational Research, 2019
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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, 2002
  • Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019
  • Topical dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.

    Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000

Ingredients

Water, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Linoleate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Pca, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract Chamomile Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Saccharide Isomerate, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Allantoin, Rosa Moschata Seed Oil, Polysorbate 20, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Carbomer, Sodium Citrate, Trisodium Edta, Batyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic 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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