Moisturizer Is Good for Acne, Even If You Have Oily Skin

If you’re prone to getting pimples, you may be tempted to skip the moisturizer. Like many people, you may think your naturally oily skin means you don’t need a moisturizer. Or you may be worried that a moisturizer will clog your pores and make acne worse.

But using a moisturizer can often help improve acne, not just for people with dry skin, but for all skin types. Read on to learn why a moisturizer is not the enemy of acne, and how using a moisturizer is actually good for acne.    

Is a moisturizer good for acne-prone skin?

It may seem counterintuitive, but using a moisturizer can help acne-prone skin.

First of all, moisturizers have many benefits for all types of skin, including:

• Hydrating skin (adding moisture)

• Improving skin barrier function, which helps skin retain moisture

• Keeping skin supple and healthy-looking

These benefits can help prevent acne in several ways:

• If you have dry skin, it’s more likely to become irritated, which can contribute to acne. Using a moisturizer can help prevent dryness and irritation, and lower the risk of acne. 

• If you have oily skin, keeping your skin hydrated and your skin barrier healthy can help prevent redness and inflammation, which may reduce acne.  

• Many acne medications can also cause dryness, redness, and irritation. Using a moisturizer along with your acne products can help prevent these side effects. 

Can moisturizers cause acne? 

In some people, certain moisturizers may cause or worsen acne. Thick moisturizers may be more likely to have pore-clogging ingredients. This may contribute to pimples, especially in people with acne-prone skin.

Another potential problem is not using the moisturizer correctly. Using too much moisturizer, even a light one, can also contribute to acne. It’s best to only apply moisturizer twice a day, and use a thin coat that absorbs easily into your skin.

Picking the right moisturizer for acne-prone skin

To understand which moisturizers are best for acne-prone skin, it helps to know the basics of how they work.

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Moisturizers have three main properties that may benefit the skin. These include:

• Humectants: These ingredients hydrate the skin by drawing water from deep in the skin to the surface. Examples include glycerin, urea, and hyaluronic acid. 

• Occlusives: These ingredients form a water-tight seal on the skin’s surface to lock in moisture. Examples include petroleum jelly, lanolin, and mineral oil. 

• Emollients: These ingredients smooth skin by filling in spaces between surface skin cells. Examples include castor oil, propylene glycol, and dimethicone.

If you have oily skin or tend to break out, it’s best to avoid thicker occlusive ingredients. They’re more likely to clog pores and worsen acne. But moisturizers with humectants and emollients may be helpful.

What to look for  

When you’re choosing a moisturizer, look for these words on the labels:

• Oil-free (which usually means it doesn’t contain mineral oil or vegetable oil)

• Lightweight

• Noncomedogenic (which means it won’t clog pores)

Moisturizers that contain any of the ingredients below can help replenish the skin barrier, prevent water loss, moisturize your skin, and are not likely to clog pores. These ingredients are also OK to use along with other acne treatments:  

• Ceramides

• Squalane

• Peptides

• Hyaluronic acid

• Glycerin

• Dimethicone

• Butylene glycol

If you’re not using an acne medication but want some help in keeping pimples at bay, a moisturizer that contains any of these acne-fighting ingredients can also help: 

• Salicylic acid

• Azelaic acid

• Niacinamide

• Retinol

What to avoid 

If you have acne, it’s best to avoid moisturizers that have these ingredients that may contribute to acne:

• Heavy oils (like coconut oil, petroleum jelly, and lanolin)

• Fragrance and perfume

• Parabens and methylparabens

• Essential oils

Tips for incorporating moisturizer into your skin care routine

Once you’ve picked the right moisturizer for your skin, it’s important to use it correctly.

If you’re not using any other products on your skin, apply your moisturizer right after you wash your face with a cleanser. For most people, this is twice a day — once in the morning and once at night. 

When applying moisturizer, make sure you don’t put too much on. A thin layer that’s easily absorbed is enough.

If you’re using an acne medication, like benzoyl peroxide or tretinoin, apply the moisturizer after the medication. For example, the routine would be:

1. Cleanser

2. Acne medication

3. Moisturizer

In the morning, this should be followed by a broad-spectrum mineral sunscreen.

Best acne moisturizer

If you have acne-prone skin, here are some noncomedogenic moisturizers to try:

• Cerave moisturizing cream

• Cetaphil acne moisturizer

• Vanicream facial moisturizer 

• EltaMD light moisturizer

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Written by:

Maria Robinson, MD, MBA

Maria Robinson, MD, MBA, is a board-certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist who has practiced dermatology and dermatopathology for over 10 years across private practice, academic, and telehealth settings. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Society of Dermatopathology.

Edited by:

Laurie Tarkan

Laurie Tarkan is a senior health editor for general health and well-being at GoodRx. She has an extensive background in health journalism, and wrote regularly for The New York Times for a decade.

Reviewed by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

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