Cetaphil Oil Control for oily skin
Glycerin
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
Salicylic Acid
Average
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily skin; other cleansers 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
- Offers moderate cleansing for your oily skin as sodium lauroyl sarcosinate and salicylic acid help cleanse pores, while aloe barbadensis leaf juice and camellia sinensis leaf extract provide soothing benefits.
- Glycerin and sodium lauroyl sarcosinate offer general cleansing benefits, but the formula lacks specialized ingredients to effectively address oily shine.
- The product is safe for your oily skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components.
How to apply
- Use your cleanser AM and PM every day to keep your skin fresh. Always make sure to follow with a good SPF in the morning.
- Apply your cleanser as the first step in the morning or the second step in the evening before your toner.
- Gently massage a small amount onto your face using circular motions, then rinse well with water .
- You can apply this cleanser safely on damp skin for a refreshing and easy wash.
- Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes and stop use if irritation occurs.
People Say
★4.2Overall rating based on 3.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this 2-in-1 moisturizer and sunscreen is widely praised by users with oily and acne-prone skin for its ability to hydrate without clogging pores or causing breakouts. Many appreciate its lightweight, matte finish. A significant number of users report that the formula can cause severe stinging if it gets into the eyes.
Highlights
Lightweight texture Mostly Mentioned
- “Non-greasy feel, absorbs quickly, goes on smooth”
Stings eyes Mostly Mentioned
- “Stings badly, eyes water, irritates sensitive eyes”
Controls oil Often Mentioned
- “Keeps face matte, reduces grease, prevents midday shine”
Effective sun protection Often Mentioned
- “SPF 30 included, prevents sunburn, good daily defense”
Acne-friendly formula Sometimes Noted
- “Non-comedogenic, doesn't cause breakouts, safe for sensitive skin”
Hydrating but light Sometimes Noted
- “Moisturizes well, leaves skin soft, balances dry areas”
Leaves white cast Sometimes Noted
- “Pale residue, looks ghostly, hard to blend”
Formula consistency Rarely Noted
- “Too runny, thin liquid, separates in bottle”
Greasy finish Rarely Noted
- “Feels oily later, not matte enough, heavy for some”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “Smells like sunscreen, strong chemical odor, weird fragrance”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, iherb.com, ulta.com, samsclub.com, amazon.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Cetaphil Oil Control Cleanser work for oily skin?
Cetaphil Oil Control works moderately well for oily skin by helping to cleanse pores and calm the skin, though it lacks specialized ingredients to effectively control oily shine. A cleanser for this skin type needs ingredients like niacinamide and ceramides to manage oily shine and support skin health without causing excess dryness.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily skin?
Sodium lauroyl sarcosinate and salicylic acid help cleanse pores, while aloe vera and green tea extract provide soothing benefits. Oily skin also needs ingredients like niacinamide and ceramides to manage oily shine and support skin health.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
What does Glycerin do for oily skin?
Glycerin helps keep oily skin hydrated without feeling heavy and supports the skin barrier. Because this product is a weak fit for your skin, an ideal product of this type needs lightweight hydrators and ingredients that balance oil while protecting the skin.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008International Journal of Toxicology, 2019
What does Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate do for oily skin?
Sodium lauroyl sarcosinate is a cleanser ingredient that helps wash away excess oil, but it may also decrease some of the natural fats that keep your skin barrier strong and smooth. Oily skin types often do better with cleansers that balance oil removal with extra soothing and barrier-protecting ingredients like amino acids, ceramides, and mild salicylic acid.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This cleanser goes as the first active step in your morning routine and the second step in your evening routine after removing makeup. It helps clean pores while keeping your skin calm, though an oily skin routine also needs specialized ingredients to effectively manage shine.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol by applying the cleanser first on your oily skin and following with your retinol treatment. It is unlikely to cause irritation because it has gentle and soothing components, though a product for this skin also needs specialized ingredients to control oily shine.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser daily in the morning and evening as part of your routine. It is safe for oily skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on oily skin since it contains salicylic acid to help clean out pores. However, because it lacks specialized ingredients to control oily shine, this skin type needs extra oil-balancing ingredients like L-carnitine or licochalcone A.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
This cleanser is safe to use on your body and around the eyes, but keep in mind that the skin on your body is thicker while the eyelid skin is the thinnest.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020Twice daily application of a multitargeted dermocosmetic cream provided comparable efficacy to benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in reducing inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesions in 150 Caucasian subjects with mild-to-moderate acne over 56 days, while demonstrating superior skin tolerability.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024The use of a salicylic acid-based dermocosmetic significantly reduces the needed quantity of benzoyl peroxide without impacting efficacy in mild to moderate acne, and as maintenance post-benzoyl peroxide allows a significant reduction of acne relapse compared to vehicle.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023A 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, 2001Sodium lauroyl sarcosinate in facial cleanser decreased prokaryotic microbial alpha diversity, altered prokaryotic microbiome structure, increased phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylcholine, and decreased ceramides on facial skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Coacervates formed from mixed micelles of sodium lauroylsarcosinate and cocamidopropyl betaine with cationic guar gum exhibited a dense porous structure with high viscoelastic modulus under strong electrostatic interactions, and a looser mesh structure with lower viscoelasticity and enhanced skin adsorption under weakened interactions.
Soft Matter, 2024Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.
CMAJ, 2010Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid achieved the greatest lesion reduction at early 2 to 4 week time points compared to benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin, and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin, while 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin showed similar efficacy at 10 to 12 weeks in acne patients.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2010
Why other cleansers fit oily 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, 2024
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Acrylates Copolymer, Peg-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Disodium Edta, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Salicylic 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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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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