🇬🇧United Kingdom

Rhode Barrier Restore Cream for acne-prone skin

Average

  • AverageCombination Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

Works for acne-prone skin; other moisturizers fit it 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 moisturizing for your combination skin, as glycerin and shea butter hydrate and enhance barrier resilience, but lacks targeted ingredients for your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
  • Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide humectant action suitable for combination skin, though stronger oil control ingredients are not present.
  • The product is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing agents like bisabolol and niacinamide.

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

★4.4Overall rating based on 600+ reviews

Users with normal to dry skin frequently praise this gel-cream moisturizer for its lightweight feel and dewy, "glazed" finish that layers well under makeup. Many appreciate its effective hydration and gentle, fragrance-free formula with beneficial ingredients. However, a notable number of users with acne-prone or oily skin report experiencing congestion and breakouts, with some finding the product overpriced for its quantity and others deeming it insufficient for very dry skin.

Highlights

  • Lightweight glazed finish Mostly Mentioned
    • “leaves skin dewy and radiant”
    • “perfect weight for daytime”
    • “melts into the skin”
    • “gives a glass skin effect”
  • Effective hydration Often Mentioned
    • “comforts and soothes”
    • “great for dry cheeks”
    • “hydration lasts all day”
    • “restores my barrier”
  • Causes breakouts Often Mentioned
    • “gave me cystic acne”
    • “developed little red zits”
    • “caused fungal acne”
    • “clogged my pores”
  • Fragrance-free gentle Sometimes Noted
    • “no added fragrance”
    • “didn't cause irritation”
    • “safe for sensitive skin”
    • “gentle and soothing”
  • Ingredient profile Sometimes Noted
    • “love the peptides and niacinamide”
    • “ingredients are incredible”
    • “calms inflammation”
    • “science-backed formula”
  • Insufficient for dry Sometimes Noted
    • “not enough for dry skin”
    • “need something thicker at night”
    • “left me feeling dry later”
    • “lackluster for winter”
  • Price vs. value Sometimes Noted
    • “just a boring little cream”
    • “overpriced for the amount”
    • “steep price point”
    • “can find cheaper alternatives”
  • Packaging issues Rarely Noted
    • “hard to get product out”
    • “packaging feels cheap”
    • “cap breaks easily”

Sources: lovi.care, rhodeskin.com, reddit.com, thingtesting.com, refinery29.com, elitedaily.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does rhode Barrier Restore Cream work for acne-prone skin?

This cream works moderately well for acne-prone skin by offering gentle hydration through glycerin and shea butter, but it lacks targeted ingredients for breakouts. To fit this skin better, a moisturizer needs effective ingredients for acne and blemishes combined with soothing agents that pose no irritation risk.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for acne-prone skin?

Niacinamide and bisabolol help soothe acne-prone skin, while glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide lightweight hydration without irritation. However, because this cream lacks targeted ingredients for blemishes, an acne-prone skin type needs a product formulated with effective blemish-fighting actives, oil control agents, and soothing extracts.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

What does Niacinamide do for acne-prone skin?

Niacinamide helps acne-prone skin by reducing both inflamed and uninflamed breakouts and calming redness. It is also very helpful for keeping oily skin balanced by cutting down on excess oil production, and it is well tolerated by most people.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Cureus, 2024

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.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2006

Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?

This cream fits in your morning routine after a hydrating toner and before your sunscreen, and in your evening routine as the final step after your treatment. It helps keep your skin soft and calm, though acne-prone skin also needs targeted ingredients for blemishes and breakouts.

The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022

Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this cream with retinol by applying it after your retinol treatment to help soothe your skin and prevent dryness. This moisturizer is safe for your skin with no risks of irritation, though acne-prone skin needs a product of this type to include targeted oil control and blemish-clearing ingredients.

Cutis, 2006The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2016

How often should I use this cream?

You can use this moisturizing treatment twice daily to keep your skin soft and hydrated. Daily application helps maintain a strong moisture barrier and is unlikely to cause irritation.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021

Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?

This cream may cause breakouts for acne-prone skin, as reviewers frequently complain about it and some ingredients can feel heavy. An acne-prone skin needs products with oil-controlling and blemish-targeting ingredients to stay clear.

Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?

This cream is safe to use on the body and around the eyes, though skin in those areas is often much thinner and may react differently. Regular application of a moisturizing cream containing glycerin and sodium hyaluronate helps keep skin soft and hydrated without causing irritation.

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002Polymers, 2023

Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Behenyl 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, 2017
  • Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021
  • Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.

    The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008
  • Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.

    Dermatologic Surgery, 2005
  • Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.

    Molecules, 2025
  • Plant-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, 2025
  • A combination cream of stimu-tex AS and saccharide isomerate reduced erythema, increased skin capacitance, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to placebo in 20 subjects after fractional CO2 laser procedure without causing serious adverse events.

    Lasers in Medical Science, 2025
  • A skin barrier restoring cream with shea butter, silkflo, and vitamin E increased type I procollagen synthesis, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, decreased reactive oxygen species generation, and promoted hyaluronic acid production in H2O2-stimulated human keratinocyte cells compared to untreated cells.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025
  • Treatment of immortalized human keratinocytes with Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2 increased cell stiffness across its concentration range, while Acetyl Hexapeptide-50 increased stiffness at 0.05 µg/ml but decreased it at 0.5 and 5 µg/ml compared to untreated controls.

    International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics, 2018
  • Topical 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, 2011
  • Topical 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, 2022
  • Treatment 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

Why other moisturizers fit acne-prone skin better

Ingredients

Water, Glycerin, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Behenyl Alcohol, Xylitylglucoside, Niacinamide, Squalane, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Anhydroxylitol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Xylitol, Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glucose, Bisabolol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Teprenone, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Citric Acid, Sorbic Acid, Lactic Acid Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Tocopherol, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-27, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide-78, Palmitoyl Octapeptide-24, Sodium Hydroxide

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.

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.