Avène Cicalfate Repair Cream for oily acne-prone skin
Zinc Oxide
Glycerin
Beeswax
Copper Sulfate
Caprylic Capric Triglyceride
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 suitability for your oily skin due to the presence of zinc oxide and zinc sulfate, which provide mild astringent and antimicrobial actions, though it lacks sufficient ingredients for strong seboregulation.
- The formulation provides excellent moisturizing and skin repair with zinc oxide and copper sulfate, offering general skincare benefits that are supportive but not directly targeted at your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing agents like zinc sulfate and copper sulfate.
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
★4.4Overall rating based on 17.0k+ reviewsUsers frequently report that the product separates into oil and water, and some find its texture too heavy or greasy for acne-prone skin.
Highlights
Restores skin barrier Mostly Mentioned
- “Saved my barrier”
- “holy grail for repair”
- “fixed damaged skin”
Product separation Mostly Mentioned
- “Watery liquid comes out”
- “oil and water separated”
- “blue liquid mess”
- “hard to mix back”
Rich and protective Often Mentioned
- “Thick occlusive layer”
- “locks in moisture”
- “great night mask”
- “protective seal”
Soothing and calming Often Mentioned
- “Calms redness instantly”
- “soothes irritation”
- “stops burning sensation”
- “relieves itchiness”
Gentle formula Sometimes Noted
- “Fragrance-free”
- “safe for babies”
- “no stinging”
- “great for sensitive skin”
Versatile healing Sometimes Noted
- “Great for burns”
- “heals diaper rash”
- “post-procedure recovery”
- “good for cuts/scrapes”
Greasy texture Sometimes Noted
- “Too thick”
- “leaves greasy film”
- “shiny face”
- “heavy on skin”
Acne breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Clogged my pores”
- “caused closed comedones”
- “triggered acne”
- “too rich for oily skin”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “Tube splits open”
- “hard to squeeze”
- “metal tube cracks”
- “messy cap”
White cast Rarely Noted
- “Leaves white residue”
- “ghostly cast”
- “takes time to rub in”
- “visible on darker skin”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, aveneusa.com, dermstore.com, walmart.com, lovelyskin.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Avène Cicalfate Repair Cream work for oily acne-prone skin?
Avène Cicalfate Repair Cream works moderately well for oily acne-prone skin, offering gentle moisture and skin repair with a low risk of irritation, though it lacks strong oil-control ingredients. A product of this type needs lightweight hydration, powerful ingredients that target blemishes, and a non-greasy texture that keeps pores clear.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Zinc oxide, zinc sulfate, and copper sulfate make this cream a moderate fit for oily acne-prone skin by helping calm and soothe the skin. To work best for this skin type, a product of this type needs powerful hydrating and repairing ingredients that clear blemishes and control oil without adding excess shine.
What does Zinc Oxide do for oily acne-prone skin?
Zinc oxide helps calm oily, acne-prone skin by reducing redness and targeting blemish-causing bacteria. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may help decrease excess oil while supporting clearer skin.
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
Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This moisturizing treatment goes in your evening routine as the final step after cleansing and applying your treatment, or in your morning routine before sunscreen. It has an excellent safety profile and is unlikely to cause irritation on oily skin, though an oily acne-prone skin type needs oil-balancing ingredients and blemish-fighting actives to work best.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol, applying the treatment after your retinol has fully absorbed to help keep your skin calm and moisturized. This type of routine needs to focus on oil control and ingredients that target breakouts to truly fit oily, acne-prone skin.
How often should I use it?
You can use this moisturizing treatment twice daily as part of your morning and evening routine to keep your skin calm and hydrated. Daily application of similar moisturizing creams helps support skin barrier function and improves overall skin comfort.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cream is unlikely to cause breakouts for your oily acne-prone skin, as it has a very low risk of clogging pores and features soothing ingredients like zinc sulfate. However, because it has a greasy texture and lacks strong oil-controlling ingredients, this skin type generally needs lightweight hydrators and ingredients that help balance oil production.
Can I use it around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizing treatment around your eyes and on your body, as its gentle formula is unlikely to cause irritation on thin or thick skin. The cream adapts well to different body regions, providing safe and comfortable coverage wherever you apply it.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Biomimetic hyaluronic acid-stabilized zinc oxide nanoparticles selectively inhibited C. acnes, outperformed erythromycin in preclinical acne models, and safely reduced acne lesions and redness in a clinical trial.
Journal of Controlled Release, 2025Topical 0.5% hyaluronic-ZnO nanogel applied twice daily reduced inflammatory-lesion counts by 58% at week four in human subjects compared to baseline without causing erythema.
Biomedicines, 2025A single application of a topical formulation containing copper sulfate pentahydrate and Hypericum perforatum effectively managed HSV-1 and HSV-2 lesions with lower odds of burning, stinging, acute pain, erythema, and vesiculation compared to topical 5% Acyclovir cream in adult patients.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012Nels cream achieved a similar reduction in inflammatory and noninflammatory lesion counts compared to 5% benzoyl peroxide in acne vulgaris patients, but caused significantly fewer side-effects such as peeling and dryness.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2000Topically applied coated and uncoated zinc oxide nanoparticles under flexing and massage are retained in the stratum corneum with no significant penetration into the viable epidermis and no cellular toxicity in human skin.
Nanomedicine, 2016A 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, 2001Topical application of a honey, olive oil, and beeswax mixture three times daily for up to 4 weeks resulted in clinical responses in 86% of patients with pityriasis versicolor, 78% with tinea cruris, and 75% with tinea corporis.
Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2004A prototype body cream containing bee venom, propolis, honey, beeswax, and royal jelly demonstrated stability for 90 days, high antioxidant capacity of 85.45%, lack of cytotoxicity with over 70% cell viability, and no irritation or allergic reaction in dermatological analysis, while improving skin parameters in a panel test.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022MUD1 protected human dermal fibroblasts against AAPH-induced oxidative stress by increasing cell viability, reducing oxidative damage, improving mitochondrial functionality, and enhancing wound healing capacities.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2018Topical application of an emollient emulsion containing 15.0% caprylic/capric triglyceride doubled the amount of urocanic acid isomers and increased skin hydration with reduced transepidermal water loss in healthy subjects, though it did not prevent ultraviolet-induced urocanic acid isomerization.
Life, 2023
Why other moisturizers fit oily acne-prone skin better
A 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, 2024Co-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 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, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Mineral Oil, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Oil, Zinc Oxide, Propylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-2 Sesquiisostearate, Peg-22 Dodecyl Glycol Copolymer, Aluminum Stearate, Aquaphilus Dolomiae Ferment Filtrate, Arginine, Beeswax, Copper Sulfate, Magnesium Stearate, Microcrystalline Wax, Tromethamine, Zinc Sulfate
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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