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When it comes to acne treatments, Epiduo has released the Epiduo Gel and Epiduo Forte Gel. Both are great at clearing your acne and helping your face be revitalized! But like other adapalene products, it can dry your face, meaning you need a moisturizer.
We here at BeautiClassy have tested some products and figured out the best moisturizer you can pair with your Epiduo. There is a range of products and one of them might be the next inclusion in your skincare routine with Epiduo!
10 Best Moisturizer to Use With Epiduo
| Image | Product Name | Check Price |
|---|---|---|
 | Best Overall CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream | $15.38 In Amazon |
 | Best Fragrance Free Moisturzie CETAPHIL Night Cream | $13.97 In Amazon |
 | Best Facial Moisturizer to Use with Epiduo COSRX Oil Free Lotion with Birch Sap | $20.96 In Amazon |
 | Best Night Cream Facial Moisturizer Aveeno Absolutely Ageless Restorative Night Cream | $32.95 In Amazon |
 | Best Daily Anti-Aging Face Cream Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Night | $16.52 In Amazon |
 | Best Night Cream for Dry Weleda Hydrating Night Face Cream | $21.50 In Amazon |
 | Best for Boost Hydrating Water-Gel Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid | $15.45 In Amazon |
 | Best for Daily Hydrating Facial Cream Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb | $38.00 In Amazon |
 | Best Skin Cream with Pump Dispenser Vanicream Moisturizing Skin Cream | $13.56 In Amazon |
 | Best Sunscreen to Use With Epidue CETAPHIL DERMACONTROL Oil Absorbing Moisturizer | $14.43 In Amazon |
Best Overall – CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream
Specification
- Product Benefits: Gentle on the skin
- Active Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid
- Item Form: Cream
- Volume: 1.7 fl oz
- Scent: Fragrance-free
Description
Developed with the help of dermatologists, CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream is formulated with biomimetic peptides, hyaluronic acid, and three essential ceramides that work together to lock in skin’s moisture overnight.
Features
Gentle on the skin: With no fragrance added to the cream, it leaves the skin feeling no irritation overnight.
For all skin types: works well with dry, sensitive, oily, etc.
Fragrance-free: no fragrance added that could potentially irritate your skin.
How to use
This cream has a bit thicker in consistency so thoroughly clean your face with a cleanser. Then take a dime size cream on three of your fingers, and in an upward circular motion, you apply the cream. Take care to avoid the eyes around your eyes. Avoid the area around your eyes but do not forget to apply the cream to your neck. This all should be done about 30 minutes to an hour before bed, but remember for the best effect you want to maintain a routine of doing so every night.
Expert Verdict
There is a reason that the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream is considered to be the best of the best on the market. After you use Epiduo or the Epiduo Forte, your skin will definitely be in need of hydration, especially if you include Epiduo in your nighttime routine. For that, the allantoin in this night cream will help keep the moisture in your skin intact overnight! It also comes with fragrance-free and non-comedogenic ingredients meaning that you will have no clogged pores or skin irritation. However, the CeraVe does burn a bit. It’s a slight burn that some of us here had to get used to, but it’s a clear sign that it is working on your skin. Overall, the best product on the market, regardless if you use it with Epiduo or not!
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Great for dry skin | Might take getting used to the stinging sensation |
| Non-comedogenic ingredients | |
| No irritation because it has no fragrance |
Best Fragrance-Free Moisturizer – CETAPHIL Night Cream
Specification
- Product Benefits: Soothes redness on sensitive skin
- Active Ingredients: licorice extract, allantoin, and caffeine
- Item Form: Cream
- Volume: 1.7 fl oz.
- Scent: Fragrance-free
Description
The Cetaphil Night Cream provides continuous hydration to reduce the appearance of redness and improve the texture of the skin, leaving it also feeling moisturized and balanced.
Features
Hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, and non-comedogenic: covers all ground to leave the skin feeling no irritation at all.
Soothes the redness away: the active ingredients help get rid of the redness from your skin.
Visibly improves skin texture: Rehydrates dry skin, leaving it feeling soothed and balanced.
How to use
Always cleanse your face with a mild cleanser before applying any moisturizer! For this product, you will only need one pump on your hand and apply it all over the red spots on your skin. Rub it gently on your hand in an upward circular motion to get a nice and even spread over your face. Make sure to avoid your eyes and lips and any cuts you might have on your face. Apply it 30 minutes before heading to bed.
Expert Verdict
As good as Epiduo, especially Epiduo Forte, may be good at combating acne, the side effects of redness might still persist due to acne scars and the adapalene in the product. But with Cetaphil Night Cream you will have no worries about any of that anymore! It will rehydrate your skin overnight and will take care of the redness in no time. It also improves the texture of your skin as the moisture on your face remains overnight. The only cause for concern that we all found was the fact that the cream was thick, which may be a bit too thick for some people’s liking. It’s hard to get used to having so much of the cream on your face but eventually, you will get used to it. Otherwise, it is one of the best fragrance-free moisturizers on the market!
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Improves skin texture through rehydration | Cream might be too thick for some people |
| Gets rid of redness very quickly | |
| Pairs well with Epiduo Forte |
Best Facial Moisturizer to Use with Epiduo – COSRX Oil Free Lotion with Birch Sap
Specification
- Product Benefits: Oil-free; for all skin type
- Active Ingredients: Birch sap
- Item Form: Lotion
- Volume: 3.38 fl oz.
- Scent: Sweet and spicy
Description
Perfect for anyone with oily and combination skin, the COSRX Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion is great at providing your skin with the nourishment that it needs instantly. Can be included in your skincare routine easily.
Features
Grease-free: with a light and non-greasy consistency, the lotion penetrates deeply to calm and treat irritated skin while recharging it with necessary antioxidants and vitamins.
Natural ingredient: the primary active ingredient in the lotion is completely natural birch sap.
Great for oily acne-prone skin: great in combination with Epiduo to help soothe acne-prone skin.
How to use
After cleansing your face, take an ample amount of the lotion and apply it all over your face by patting it on your skin instead of the usual upward circular massage that you might be accustomed to. After that, leave your face to air dry for about 2 minutes to let the skin absorb all of the lotions.
Expert Verdict
You might think that lotions are a bit too heavy to leave your face feeling moisturized, but the quick absorption of this product surprised all of us here! After using Epiduo, you can benefit from the natural ingredients in the product that helps soothe your skin. It is also really hydrating and leaves the skin soft to the touch. However, our only collective complaint was that the smell was a bit too overwhelming. We can’t really describe it better than a very intense tea tree oil. The smell would linger and it stuck with me personally for the whole day after using it. If you can overcome and get used to the smell, then it is definitely the best facial moisturizer with Epiduo which is surprising for a lotion!
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Fast absorbing lotion | Smell is really overwhelming |
| Natural ingredients soothe the skin from Epiduo | |
| Skin soft to the touch |
Best Night Cream Facial Moisturizer – Aveeno Absolutely Ageless Restorative
Specification
- Product Benefits: Overnight moisturization; healthy-looking skin
- Active Ingredients: Antioxidant-rich blackberry complex
- Item Form: Cream
- Volume: 1.7 fl oz.
- Scent: Blackberry
Description
Nourish your skin overnight with Aveeno Absolutely Ageless Restorative Night Cream to help maintain and boost elasticity with a non-greasy formula.
Features
Reduces the appearance of wrinkles: be free of worrying about your wrinkles.
Non-greasy: along with non-comedogenic ingredients, it won’t clog your pores.
Overnight sensation: wake up with healthier and more vibrant skin.
How to use
With this cream being a bit smooth and lighter in consistency, you can apply a thin layer all over your face and then gently massage it in an upward circular motion afterward. Remember to cleanse your face before you apply the night cream.
Expert Verdict
With the Aveeno Absolutely Ageless Restorative Night Cream, you are guaranteed to have a night cream that works well to get rid of all the negative effects that come with Epiduo. Its non-greasy, non-comedogenic ingredients make it so your skin is not clogged and refreshed when you wake up. You will also have skin that is soothed and healthier skin when you wake up, counteracting the effects of redness and irritation from Epiduo. The rich antioxidant will also make sure that your skin is vibrant and new when you wake up! However, if you are someone that does not have wrinkles, you might feel the full effects of this product as you will be missing out on the anti-aging factors. But still, you will wake up with soft skin in the morning.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| No clogged pores in the morning | Not getting the full benefits of the anti-aging if you do not have wrinkles |
| Soothed and healthier skin | |
| Antioxidant makes the skin vibrant and smooth |
Best Daily Anti-Aging Face Cream – Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol
Specification
- Product Benefits: Brighten skin’s tone, smooths fine lines and texture
- Active Ingredients: Vitamin C, hyaluronic acid
- Item Form: Cream
- Volume: 1 fl oz.
- Scent: Almond
Description
Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Anti-Wrinkle Night Cream with Hyaluronic Acid helps hydrate the skin. With retinol, your skin’s surface fights fine lines and wrinkles and delivers clinically-proven results.
Features
Retinol for beginners: get the benefits of retinol without the harsh side effects.
Anti-aging benefits: fight fine lines and get a smoother skin texture for your face.
Fast-acting: see results within the first two weeks of daily use.
How to use
After cleansing your face, take a dime size amount on your finger and massage it into your skin starting with the cheeks. Then move on to the T-zone and other parts of your face, applying only a dime size at a time. Make sure to massage it well in an upward circular motion until it absorbs into the skin.
Expert Verdict
When you want a quick-action anti-aging cream, there is none better than the Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Retinol Anti-Wrinkle Night Cream with Hyaluronic Acid. Hyaluronic acid helps soothe the skin while vitamin C helps brighten your dull face in no time at all. Not to mention that you will start seeing the results very soon! But as it has retinol, it won’t give you the full benefit if you use it with Epiduo as adapalene is a stronger retinoid. Yet, the anti-aging factor is the best when used with Epiduo!
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Fast anti-aging properties; results within the first two weeks of daily use | Retinol won’t have much effect when used with Epiduo |
| Helps soothe and brighten your skin tone | |
| Smoothen fine lines and skin texture |
Best Night Cream for Dry Skin – Weleda Hydrating Night Face Cream
Specification
- Product Benefits: Best suited for dry skin
- Active Ingredients: Iris extract
- Item Form: Cream
- Volume: 1 fl oz.
- Scent: Herbal flower smell
Description
The ingredients in Weleda Hydrating Night Facial Cream are selected to help support dry skin! Iris root for deep-down moisture balance, chamomile, and calendula to help smooth and the restful fragrance of essential oils to inspire your senses, so you can wake up with beautifully hydrated skin.
Features
Hydrating formula: leaves your skin feeling refreshed in the morning.
Natural essential oils: free from synthetic crude oil oils that clog your skin.
Flowery extracts: soothe the skin from redness and irritation.
How to use
As always, take a bit of the product and apply a thin layer all over your face by massaging it in an upward circular motion with your fingers. Make sure that your face is cleansed and your pores are open with slightly warm water to let the natural extracts have their full effects. Best to use this at night right before going to bed.
Expert Verdict
There is something that I personally love about the smell of flowers. And when a product is completely natural like the Weleda Hydrating Night Facial Cream, you will fall asleep with a spa smell that gives you a good night’s sleep. And sleep is important for your skin too as this night cream helps soothe any redness from Epiduo without clogging the skin with synthetic oils! You wake up feeling refreshed and hydrated skin, something that your dry skin will definitely need for the morning. However, for the price you are paying, you are only getting 1 fluid ounce of the product, something I am not a fan of. But nonetheless, if you have extremely dry skin from Epiduo, then this is the product that you need to help combat it!
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Soothes the redness and irritation away | High price for little quantity |
| No clogging with natural oils and flower extract | |
| Most effective for dry skin from Epiduo use |
Best for Boost Hydrating Water-Gel – Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid
Specification
- Product Benefits: Oil-free
- Active Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid
- Item Form: Gel
- Volume: 1.7 oz.
- Scent: Moisturizer smell
Description
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Water Gel Face with Hyaluronic Acid is an oil-free, non-comedogenic face lotion that quenches dry skin to keep it looking smooth, supple, and hydrated day after day. The unique water gel formula absorbs quickly like a gel but has long-lasting, intense moisturization.
Features
Oil-free: makes the gel better at retaining moisture.
Quick absorption: an easy and instant feeling of hydration on your face.
Daily use: water-gel daily face and neck moisturizer with hyaluronic acid to hydrate dry skin.
How to use
Gels might be over-applied because of how thin it is so be careful about the amount you take. You will only be needing about a pea-sized amount on each finger and then massage in a circular motion until it is fully absorbed in your skin. This will only take a few rubs. If you feel the skin is too weighed down by the product, then take a microfiber towel and pat it on your face to absorb any excess gel.
Expert Verdict
A water-based product is the best way to moisturize skin that gets dried from Epiduo. And the Neutrogena Hydro Boost is exactly the hydrating gel that you will need. I know one of our writers does not like the feeling of thick and heavy cream on their face and much rather use a quick-absorbing gel that doesn’t weigh the face down. She has said how incredibly light this is and how it has this instant gratification when using it. I attest to her experience because I also felt how hydrated my face felt using this, it was amazing! The only downside might be the fact it does have a blue dye and has fragrance. So if you have sensitive skin to fragrance, you might get skin irritation, especially after using Differin Gel. Highly recommend buying it if you need want water-based gel face lotion for your face or if it’s on sale.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Great water gel face lotion | Might not be for sensitive skin |
| Can be used daily | |
| Instant hydration and quick absorption |
Best for Daily Hydrating Facial Cream – Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb
Specification
- Product Benefits: Instant hydration for daily use
- Active Ingredients: Squalene and ceramide 3
- Item Form: Gel
- Volume: 1.68 fl oz.
- Scent: Fresh smell
Description
This formula contains a blend of apothecary herbs, including antioxidant-rich lady’s mantle which helps neutralize skin-damaging free radicals, improves skin elasticity, and minimizes the appearance of pores. A refreshing and lightweight gel that serves all your daily moisturizing needs.
Features
Lightweight: smooth and weightless that does not weigh down the face.
Increased hydration barrier: proven to increase hydration by about 70%.
Non-sticky or greasy: reap all the benefits of a gel without facing the consequences of greasy skin.
How to use
With this daily moisturizer gel, you can apply it during the morning or night. During these times, you want to continue doing the upward circular massage as you would do for any gel moisturizer. You can also use it during the middle of the day. If so, apply it with light taps on your cheeks, nose, forehead, and chin, and then spread it across the face by rubbing it in.
Expert Verdict
Another gel that works doubly well as a daily moisturizer! Any time you need to hydrate your skin from being too dry, you can be sure that the belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb will help. Not only will it provide instant hydration, but it will also improve the hydration barrier that you sorely need after using Epiduo. It is also lightweight and doesn’t make your face feel weighed down (I know my fellow writer loves this without even asking her!). Yet sadly, the fragrance and silicone that is present in the product will make it hard to recommend to someone with sensitive skin, especially after using Epiduo.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Best daily moisturizer with Epiduo | Not recommended for sensitive skin |
| Improves the hydration barrier of your face | |
| Lightweight and hydrating dry skin |
Best Skin Cream with Pump Dispenser – Vanicream Moisturizing
Specification
- Product Benefits: Best for sensitive skin
- Active Ingredients: Petrolatum, sorbitol, cetearyl alcohol
- Item Form: Lotion
- Volume: 16 fl oz.
- Scent: Fragrance-free
Description
A thick, smooth moisturizing cream that helps restore and maintain a normal moisture level, helping soothe red, irritated, cracking, or itchy skin. Gentle ingredients make it easier to use on sensitive skin.
Features
Pump dispenser: have easy access to the product with just a push of a pump.
Soothing effects: soothes red, irritated, cracked, or itchy skin very quickly.
Beneficial to skin ailments: from eczema to psoriasis, it helps alleviate most skin ailments.
How to use
As this is a thick lotion, only push out about half a pump when applying it to your face. Gently massage it into your skin in a circular upward motion, making sure that the face absorbs it well. And also, make sure that your face is thoroughly cleansed before applying the lotion.
Expert Verdict
With a pump delivery system and safely secured in the container, you will never have to worry about the Vanicream Moisturizing Skin Cream with Pump Dispenser getting contaminated! It does wonders for skin that is left dried and cracked by Epiduo which makes it an easy recommendation. It is also good to use on sensitive skin because of the gentle ingredients. Not to mention that you get so much of the product that you will not need to worry about running out of it if you are only using it on your face! But, it does leave a sticky feeling on your face because of the consistency of the lotion, something I was not too fond of at all!
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Safe from contamination | May be too thick for some people and leaves a sticky feeling on the face |
| Big container lasting a long time | |
| Best for dried and cracked skin after using Epiduo |
Best Sunscreen to Use with Epiduo – CETAPHIL DERMACONTROL Oil
Specification
- Product Benefits: SPF 30 to protect against the sun
- Active Ingredients: Avobenzone, octisalate, and octocrylene
- Item Form: Oil
- Volume: 4 fl oz.
- Scent: Unscented
Description
Cetaphil Dermacontrol Oil Absorbing Moisturizer with SPF 30 is designed to be gentle on sensitive, oily skin. The lightweight formula absorbs quickly and won’t clog pores. It is fragrance-free and hypoallergenic, so won’t irritate sensitive skin.
Features
SPF 30: helps block harmful sun rays and leaves your skin intact.
Absorbent oil: does not feel sticky or leave the face feeling oily whatsoever.
Great for sensitive skin: won’t leave the skin irritated.
How to use
After cleansing your face, apply Epiduo as instructed, and then cover it with the Cetaphil Dermacontrol. With oil, you only need a drop or two and then rub it all over your hands and then massage it onto your face. Be careful to stay away from your eyes as far as possible to not let them burn.
Expert Verdict
Well, this is a first! We never thought we would be recommending an oil moisturizer for adapalene but here we are. It was hard not to test this because Epiduo themselves, we had to try it. And we were pleasantly surprised about how well it worked with the retinoid. If you don’t know, retinoid when under the sun burns like crazy. I was a bit skeptical but once I was under direct sunlight with the Epiduo covered in the oil, it didn’t burn at all! My face also did not feel oily whatsoever. It felts nice and smooth on my face. However, if you want to use it, be sure to stay as far away as possible from your eyes, because any hint of oil around will make it burn! Regardless, it will leave your face feeling moisturized and keep the moisture from evaporating away!
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Best sunscreen to use with Epiduo | Burns the eyes like crazy; be careful when you use it. |
| Highly absorbent; doesn’t leave the face feeling oily | |
| Great as a moisturizer, preventing the face from losing it to the air |
What Happens When You Stop Using Epiduo?
When you use Epiduo, you are advised to use it for up to 12 weeks before you see any sort of effect of the clearing of your acne. Over the course of 12 weeks, the first few weeks are the hardest because that is when the skin will feel the biggest effects of adapalene of burning, peeling skin, dryness, redness, face feeling swollen, etc. Not being able to deal with them, many give up on the product not want to deal with. This has some consequences.
If you stop within the first 4 weeks, then the pimples and acne that you wanted to get rid of will slowly start coming back within a day of not using it. If you stop after this, the skin will be clearer, but the chances of returning acnes will still be there. It may take a couple of days to a week, but it will surely come back eventually.
Doctors will recommend using Epiduo even after the initial 12-week treatment, but it will be on less frequency. This is to ensure that the acnes have no chance of coming back. If you stop after 12 weeks, the acne will take a much longer time to return but it will eventually come back during your next breakout. This might be 3 to 6 months.
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Can You Use CeraVe with Epiduo?
The answer to that is yes, you can use certain CeraVe products with Epiduo! We have mentioned one of the products in our review, CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which we consider to best pair with Epiduo. This is one of the best creams on the market and works well with Epiduo as result.
If you want to use other CeraVe products, make sure that they are sulfate and alcohol-free as these ingredients will react with retinoids and cause adverse effects on your face. Consult your dermatologist about any product before using it with Epiduo.
FAQs
Can I put moisturizer over Epiduo?
Yes, you can! It is advised to use moisturizer to counteract the dry skin that you will get from using it.
Should you apply moisturizer before or after Epiduo?
You should apply the moisturizer only after the Epiduo has completely absorbed into your skin.
How do I get the best results from Epiduo?
For the best results, Epiduo should be applied every day at the same time, once a day.
What to avoid when using Epiduo?
You should avoid products that have sulfates and alcohol as these have adverse effects on the skin when in contact with retinoids in Epiduo.
Is Epiduo stronger than Differin?
Epiduo Forte is stronger than Differin as it has a concentration of 0.3% adapalene, much more than Differin Gel.
Final Thoughts
Here we are, reviewing 10 of the best moisturizers that you can use with Epiduo! Hopefully, one or two of them have intrigued you enough to buy them. These products are good with Epiduo for their own individual reasons and worked well on us. But be careful as our skin is completely unique so always consult the ingredients and your dermatologist before using any product with Epiduo.
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