belif Hungarian Water Essence for oily acne-prone skin
Sodium Hyaluronate
Glycerin
Centella Asiatica Extract
Rose ExtractAverage
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
- Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
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 as Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract and Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract help regulate sebum production, while Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate provide excellent hydration. Centella Asiatica Extract offers some soothing benefits, but the formula lacks targeted ingredients for significant acne control.
- The product is safe for your oily skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing agents like rosemary and lavender extracts.
- This formulation provides general hydration and soothing benefits without posing any irritation risks for your 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
★4.2Overall rating based on 400+ reviewsUsers consistently praise this essence for its ultra-lightweight, watery texture that provides instant hydration without clogging pores, making it ideal for oily, combination, and dehydrated skin types. Those with very dry skin often find it insufficient as a standalone moisturizer, and recent reports suggest it may be difficult to find or discontinued in some regions.
Highlights
Lightweight texture Mostly Mentioned
- “feels like water”
- “super light gel”
- “no heavy residue”
- “perfect for summer”
Instant absorption Often Mentioned
- “sinks in immediately”
- “drinks it up”
- “disappears into skin”
- “no wait time”
Non-greasy hydration Often Mentioned
- “plumps without oil”
- “hydrates oily zones”
- “dewy not greasy”
- “balances combination skin”
High price point Often Mentioned
- “expensive for amount”
- “pricey for just water”
- “bottle runs out fast”
- “steep cost”
Makeup prep Sometimes Noted
- “great primer”
- “foundation glides on”
- “smooths dry patches”
- “prevents cakey makeup”
Pleasant herbal scent Sometimes Noted
- “refreshing spa smell”
- “light herbal fragrance”
- “subtle rosemary notes”
- “clean and calming”
Availability issues Sometimes Noted
- “hard to find”
- “discontinued in stores”
- “out of stock”
- “can't repurchase”
Insufficient for dry skin Sometimes Noted
- “need more moisture”
- “too light for winter”
- “dry spots remained”
- “not enough alone”
Sticky finish Rarely Noted
- “tacky after drying”
- “leaves a film”
- “slightly sticky residue”
- “feels tacky initially”
Strong fragrance Rarely Noted
- “scent too strong”
- “irritated sensitive nose”
- “smells like alcohol”
- “overpowering herbs”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, influenster.com, amazon.com, thehappysloths.com, gardenofmuses.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does belif Hungarian Water Essence work for oily acne-prone skin?
This moisturizer works moderately well for your oily acne-prone skin, as it provides good hydration and helps control oil, but it lacks targeted ingredients for significant acne control. To fit this skin type better, a product needs lightweight hydration alongside ingredients that fight blemishes and reduce breakouts.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016
Which ingredients make this essence a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Rosmarinus officinalis extract and salvia officinalis leaf extract help regulate oil, while glycerin and sodium hyaluronate hydrate your skin, and centella asiatica extract calms it. For oily acne-prone skin, a product of this type needs lightweight hydrators, targeted blemish-fighting ingredients, and oil-regulating components that prevent breakouts and excess shine.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What does Water do for oily acne-prone skin?
Water helps keep oily, acne-prone skin hydrated without making it greasy. Keeping skin hydrated is important because acne treatments can dry it out and irritate the skin barrier.
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for oily acne-prone skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps calm oily acne-prone skin by reducing sebum production and lipid synthesis in sebaceous glands. It also supports skin barrier function and improves hydration while helping deliver treatments without causing irritation.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2017Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This product goes in the evening routine as a treatment step after cleansing and before moisturizing, though some treatments can also be used in the morning or twice a day. Because this skin has breakouts, a product of this type needs targeted ingredients for significant acne control.
Can I use this essence with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this essence with retinol by applying it before your retinol product to help keep your skin hydrated and calm. This product type for oily acne-prone skin needs soothing ingredients and targeted breakout-fighting actives to fully address blemishes.
How often should I use it?
You can use this moisturizing treatment in the evening as part of your routine for oily acne-prone skin. Daily application is generally safe and helps maintain skin hydration without causing irritation.
Health Science Reports, 2021Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can this essence clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This essence is unlikely to cause breakouts or purging for your oily acne-prone skin, as it is free of harsh ingredients and includes soothing extracts. However, because it lacks targeted ingredients for significant acne control, an average fit for this skin needs added salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to truly clear blemishes.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
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 light and soothing formula poses very low irritation risks. It provides general hydration and calm to delicate areas.
Is this essence fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (citronellol and limonene).
What the research says
Cosmetic formulations containing 5% Centella asiatica extract showed the best efficacy in improving skin moisture and decreasing transepidermal water loss, while also exhibiting antiinflammatory properties in 25 volunteers compared to baseline measurements.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 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, 2017Topical application of a cream containing the NHE1 activator rosmarinic acid decreased skin surface pH and transepidermal water loss while increasing skin hydration in 50-60-year-old adult females compared to vehicle cream and no treatment.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2022Co-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, 2023Topical 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, 2011Topical 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, 2022Treatment 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, 2019The 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 application of 0.05% w/w ECa 233 gel reduced erythema index by 0.03 U and improved early crusting and general wound appearance compared to placebo in thirty individuals undergoing facial laser resurfacing.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2020Moisturizer 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, 2019Topical treatment with 5% vitamin C and 0.1% madecassoside significantly improved clinical scores for wrinkles, suppleness, firmness, roughness, and skin hydration, along with functional and structural remodeling of the elastic fiber network in 20 female volunteers with photoaged skin after 6 months compared to baseline.
Experimental Dermatology, 2008Treatment with a rose extract activated newly identified skin olfactory receptors and prevented epinephrine-induced skin stress responses in epidermal keratinocytes and human skin explants, while clinically decreasing the appearance of under-eye dark circles in stressed women.
Molecules, 2020Rose petal extract improves stratum corneum moisture levels in humans by upregulating HAS2 expression via the GLK-MAP2K-MAPK signaling pathway.
BioFactors, 2023Rosa gallica petal extract (RPE) exerts skin whitening by attenuating tyrosinase activity and melanin accumulation and exhibits anti-wrinkle activity by suppressing MMP-1 levels in human cells.
Journal of Medicinal Food, 2020
Why other moisturizers fit oily acne-prone skin better
A Tris/Arg-formulated cleanser significantly decreased noninflammatory and inflammatory acne and pore size with keratotic plugs compared to an AEC/AC cleanser in male Thai subjects with mild to moderate acne over 4 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Epigallocatechin-3-gallate significantly improved acne in patients compared to the control side during an 8-week clinical trial.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2013A peel-off facial mask containing myoinositol and trehalose-loaded liposomes improved adult female acne by decreasing lesion counts, sebum production, GAGS scores, and local androgen levels while increasing beclin-1 levels.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2017
Ingredients
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract Rosemary Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Extract Lavender Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Peucedanum Graveolens Extract, Alchemilla Vulgaris Extract, Rose Extract, Poncirus Trifoliata Fruit Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract Oat Kernel Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Nepeta Cataria Extract, Rubus Idaeus Leaf Extract Raspberry Leaf Extract, Baptisia Tinctoria Root Extract, Chickweed Extract, Equisetum Arvense Leaf Extract, Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract, Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Triethylhexanoin, Tromethamine, Sclerotium Gum, Ammonium Acryloyldimethltaurate Vp Copolymer, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Trisodium Edta, Citronellol, Limonene
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
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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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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