Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion for oily acne-prone skin
Sodium Hyaluronate
Glycerin
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Cetyl Alcohol
Caprylyl Glycol
Low
- LowOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A weak 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 excellent moisturizing for your oily skin due to Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid and Glycerin, which hydrate and plump but may feel too heavy for your skin type.
- While supportive for general skincare, these humectants are not specifically targeted to address your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The product is safe for your oily skin, with no risks of irritation from harsh ingredients.
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
★4.5Overall rating based on 2.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with combination and sensitive skin highly praise this lotion for its lightweight, oil-free formula that absorbs instantly without clogging pores.
Highlights
Lightweight fast absorbing Mostly Mentioned
- “Absorbs quickly into skin without residue”
- “Super lightweight”
- “Doesn't leave my face feeling greasy or sticky”
Good for sensitive skin Often Mentioned
- “Gentle and mild”
- “Doesn't cause breakouts”
- “Perfect for sensitive eyes”
Non-greasy oil-free Often Mentioned
- “Never leaves my skin oily”
- “No greasy residue”
- “Great for my T-zone”
Works well under makeup Sometimes Noted
- “Layers really well under makeup”
- “Foundation goes on smoother”
- “Doesn't pill under sunscreen”
Not moisturizing enough Sometimes Noted
- “Skin felt dehydrated after 30 minutes”
- “Too thin for winter”
- “Need to apply multiple layers”
Pump packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “Pump stops working”
- “Hard to get the bottom 20% out”
- “Defective dispenser”
Rare burning irritation Rarely Noted
- “Harsh burning sensation”
- “Left my skin red”
- “Stung my sensitive areas”
Watery texture Rarely Noted
- “Very watery”
- “Runny consistency”
- “Feels more like a serum”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, target.com, cetaphil.com, ulfa.com, amazon.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion a weak match for oily acne-prone skin?
This moisturizer is a weak match because its hydrating ingredients may feel too heavy on your oily skin and do not target acne or breakouts. Oily acne-prone skin needs lightweight, non-clogging moisturizers with ingredients that help clear blemishes and support skin barrier function without adding excess oil.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2026
Which ingredients make this lotion a poor fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid and Glycerin make this lotion a poor fit by providing deep hydration that may feel too heavy on your oily skin while failing to address your acne and breakouts. Moisturizers that fit this skin better need ingredients that target blemishes, support the skin barrier, and keep a lightweight feel without heavy oils.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2026
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
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 this lotion go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This lotion goes in the morning and evening routine as the moisturizer step, applied after your toner and before your sunscreen or treatment. While it provides good hydration for your skin, it may feel too heavy and lacks ingredients specifically targeted to clear breakouts. Skin of this type needs a lightweight moisturizer with blemish-clearing ingredients to stay balanced.
Can I use this lotion with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this lotion with retinol by applying the retinol first, letting it absorb, and then following with the moisturizer. This routine helps keep your skin smooth and protected against irritation while using strong treatments, though this particular lotion may feel too heavy for oily acne-prone skin. Oily acne-prone skin needs a lightweight moisturizer with acne-fighting ingredients like licochalcone A, l-carnitine, and ceramides to target breakouts.
How often should I use this lotion?
You can use this moisturizer twice a day, in the morning and evening, because it is safe for your oily skin. However, it may feel too heavy for your skin type, and this skin needs lightweight hydrators and blemish-clearing ingredients to stay calm and clear.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this lotion clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This lotion is unlikely to irritate oily skin, but it does not target acne, blemishes, and breakouts, and may feel too heavy. A product for this skin needs oil-balancing and blemish-fighting ingredients to help keep pores clear.
Can I use this lotion around the eyes or on my body?
This lotion can be used on the body and around the eyes, where skin is thin. It provides good safety and hydration, though oily skin on the face may find it too heavy.
Is this lotion 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
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, 2017Profhilo treatment led to significant improvements in superficial skin hydration and transepidermal water loss over time in Chinese females, while demonstrating good product tolerability.
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2026Profhilo gel combined with Dysport Botox significantly improved skin hydration, skin thickness, and GAIS scores compared to Dysport Botox injection alone in 19 participants seeking neck rejuvenation.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022A preservative system containing 1,2-hexanediol and caprylyl glycol showed no delayed Type IV dermal sensitivity reactions in 200 subjects when tested as a 15% mixture in carbomer gel and in a cosmetic formulation.
Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology, 2009A soap-free cleansing lotion containing cetyl alcohol and sodium cocoyl apple amino acids reduced skin surface impurities and improved skin hydration, barrier function, and skin tone in 27 healthy adult subjects over 30 days.
Cureus, 2025Topical 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, 2012
Why other moisturizers fit oily acne-prone skin better
Co-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 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, 2024A 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, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Homarine Hcl, Sodium Pca, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Erythritol, Glycine Soja Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol
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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