Kate Somerville Peptide K8 Power Cream for acne-prone skin
Peptides
Squalane
Ceramide 2
Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil
Sodium Hyaluronate
High
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for acne-prone skin; a few moisturizers fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. 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 combination skin, as humectants like Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate provide hydration, but it lacks sufficient oil-controlling ingredients for optimal results on your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- While Palmitoyl Oligopeptide and Sodium Hyaluronate hydrate and improve skin elasticity, the formula does not contain targeted ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to address your primary concerns.
- The product is safe for your combination skin with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use your moisturizer twice a day in your AM and PM routines. Apply it daily to help keep breakouts under control.
- Apply after your cleanser and toner, and make sure to use your SPF right after in the morning.
- Gently spread a small amount of moisturizer over your face using soft motions. Let it absorb into the skin for a minute before getting dressed or applying makeup.
- Apply on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra moisture. This keeps your combination skin balanced without feeling heavy.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use. Stop using if you feel any irritation.
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 400+ reviewsUsers with dry, dehydrated, and mature skin highly recommend this moisturizer for its intense hydration and lightweight feel. It is frequently praised for plumping the skin, smoothing fine lines, and improving firmness. Some users find the price point high and a few have noted issues with the fragrance or opaque packaging.
Highlights
Lightweight texture Mostly Mentioned
- “Sinks in quickly”
- “glides on top”
- “feels like nothing”
- “silky feel”
Effective hydration Often Mentioned
- “Intense hydration”
- “plumper skin”
- “good for dehydrated skin”
- “deeply hydrated”
Expensive price point Often Mentioned
- “Not cheap”
- “too expensive”
- “luxury splurge”
- “pricey for the amount”
Anti-aging results Sometimes Noted
- “Diminishes fine lines”
- “firmer skin”
- “smoother texture”
- “softens deep-set wrinkles”
Hygienic packaging Sometimes Noted
- “Love the airless pump”
- “hygienic”
- “pumps every last bit”
- “easy to use”
Fragrance issues Sometimes Noted
- “Odd smell”
- “intrusive scent”
- “smell is strong”
- “scent lingers”
Not rich enough Rarely Noted
- “Skin felt dry by afternoon”
- “needed to re-apply”
- “underwhelmed”
Opaque packaging Rarely Noted
- “Don't know how much is left”
- “runs out unexpectedly”
- “can't see level”
Sources: lovi.care, katesomerville.com, sephora.co.uk, spacenk.com, reddit.com, fragrancenet.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Kate Somerville Peptide K8 Power Cream a great fit for acne-prone skin?
Kate Somerville Peptide K8 Power Cream is a great fit because it provides much-needed moisture with ingredients like squalane and sodium hyaluronate while keeping your skin calm and safe from irritation. It is unlikely to cause breakouts since it avoids harsh substances, though it works best when paired with targeted blemish-fighting ingredients.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Peptides, squalane, ceramide 2, cannabis sativa seed oil, and sodium hyaluronate make this cream a great fit by providing hydration and soothing care without harsh ingredients.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2015
What do Peptides do for acne-prone skin?
Peptides help calm acne-prone skin by reducing redness and soothing inflammation while supporting the skin barrier. Certain advanced peptide formulas also work to target acne-causing bacteria and help balance oil production.
Biochemical Pharmacology, 2025Bioresources and Bioprocessing, 2026
What does Squalane do for acne-prone skin?
Squalane may help keep acne-prone skin soft and smooth, but peroxidated forms can trigger inflammation in skin cells. For a better fit on acne-prone skin, products need non-clogging, soothing ingredients that balance oil without causing irritation.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This moisturizing treatment goes after your hydrating toner and before your sunscreen in the morning, and after your treatment step at night. It provides gentle hydration with glycerin and sodium hyaluronate, though acne-prone skin also needs targeted ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to effectively manage breakouts.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol, and it is best applied after your retinol treatment to help keep your skin calm and moisturized. Using a moisturizer alongside stronger treatments helps lower the chances of skin dryness and irritation while supporting your skin barrier.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this moisturizing treatment twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine to keep your skin hydrated. Regular daily application helps improve moisture levels and supports the skin barrier.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This cream is unlikely to cause irritation or clogging for acne-prone skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients. However, because it lacks targeted blemish-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, acne-prone skin needs products containing those specific acne-controlling ingredients for optimal results.
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, as its gentle formula is unlikely to cause irritation. However, because the skin around the eyes is very thin, care should be taken to avoid getting the product directly into the eyes.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum, hexyl cinnamal, and limonene). Cetearyl 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, 2017A multi-modal methodology combining MALDI-MSI, in vivo RCM, echography, and histology revealed age-related decreases in extracellular matrix and epidermal-dermal junction proteins and undulation depth, while a blend of palmitoyl oligopeptide and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 improved subepidermal low-echogenic band thickness, density, and extracellular matrix structure compared to placebo.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2015Chronomodulated daytime application of baicalin and nighttime application of palmitoyl tripeptide-1 synergistically improved skin luminance by 16.29%, nasolabial fold depth by -36.35%, and firmness by 24.35% in 30 female participants.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026The application of emulsions containing 0.5% and 1% synthetic ceramide-2 significantly decreased transepidermal water loss after epidermal insult by stripping or sodium lauryl sulfate compared to placebo emulsions.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 1997Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Plant-derived squalane protected human dermal fibroblasts against UVA-induced damage by counteracting ROS formation, suppressing apoptosis-related proteins p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP, and restoring the pro-survival p-Akt/mTOR pathway.
Antioxidants, 2025Unencapsulated cold-pressed industrial hemp seed oil at 0.12 mg/mL accelerated wound healing and increased normal human dermal fibroblast cell proliferation by 72% at 48 hours compared to baseline, though microencapsulation reduced this biological activity.
Journal of Oleo Science, 2026Topical 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, 2019
Ingredients
Water, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Glycerin, Isopropyl Myristate, Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Squalane, Cholesterol, Urea, Sodium Pca, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Silk Powder, Tribehenin, Triethanolamine, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Trehalose, Grapefruit Peel Oil, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ceramide 2, Peg-10 Rapeseed Sterol, Triacetin, Copper Pca, Polyquaternium-51, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Disodium Edta, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Chlorphenesin, Parfum, Hexyl Cinnamal, Butylphenyl Methyl Propional, 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
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
How does it fit your skin?
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