Bayer Skinoren Cream 20% for acne-prone skin
Azelaic Acid
Benzoic Acid
Glycerin
Cetearyl Alcohol
Glyceryl Stearate
High
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for acne-prone skin; a few serums 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 excellent treatment for your acne, blemishes, and breakouts due to the high concentration of azelaic acid, which effectively reduces inflammation and combats bacteria, complemented by glycerin to maintain skin hydration.
- The formulation is highly suitable for your combination skin, with azelaic acid providing anti-inflammatory and mild exfoliating benefits while glycerin ensures adequate moisture.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your acne-prone skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components like glycerin.
How to apply
- Use your serum as part of your PM routine and start 3x/week before working up to daily use.
- Apply this treatment after cleansing and toner, and before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the product on clean, dry skin to help manage your breakouts safely.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.0Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsA significant number of reviewers note that patience is required due to a slow initial working period and common side effects like intense itching and dryness upon application.
Highlights
Clears active acne Mostly Mentioned
- “Cleared cystic acne”
- “Stopped new breakouts”
- “Pimples disappear in days”
- “Heals spots faster”
Itching and stinging Mostly Mentioned
- “Pins and needles”
- “Burned like fire”
- “Itches every time”
- “Stings for 15 mins”
Fades dark spots Often Mentioned
- “Faded red marks”
- “Lightened acne scars”
- “Removed hyperpigmentation”
- “Evened skin tone”
Drying and flaking Often Mentioned
- “Skin became flaky”
- “Dried out lips”
- “Tight chalky feeling”
- “Caused peeling”
Reduces redness Sometimes Noted
- “Less pink skin”
- “Inflammation went down”
- “Soothed angry spots”
Smooths skin texture Sometimes Noted
- “Skin feels smoother”
- “Reduced oiliness”
- “Unclogged pores”
- “Mattifies the skin”
Initial purging phase Sometimes Noted
- “Worse before better”
- “Broke out initially”
- “More whiteheads appeared”
- “Caused a purge”
Slow onset Sometimes Noted
- “Took 4-8 weeks”
- “Results are slow”
- “Requires patience”
- “Months to see difference”
Sources: lovi.care, acne.org, gopicky.com, skinsort.com, reddit.com, superdrug.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Skinoren Cream 20% a great fit for acne-prone skin?
Skinoren Cream 20% is a great fit because its high concentration of azelaic acid helps calm breakouts and fights bacteria, while glycerin keeps your skin hydrated. This combination provides excellent treatment for blemishes while maintaining a very safe profile that is unlikely to irritate your skin.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for acne-prone skin?
This cream is a great fit for your acne-prone skin because it contains azelaic acid to target blemishes and reduce redness, along with glycerin to keep your skin hydrated. Azelaic acid helps calm breakouts while fighting bacteria, and the formula avoids harsh ingredients to keep your skin comfortable and soft.
What does Azelaic Acid do for acne-prone skin?
Azelaic acid helps clear acne-prone skin by fighting bacteria and calming redness, while also fading dark spots left behind by breakouts. It targets multiple causes of acne at once to keep your skin smooth and even-toned.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2015Postepy Dermatologii I Alergologii, 2023
What does Benzoic Acid do for acne-prone skin?
Benzoic acid helps target bacteria linked to breakouts and supports a clear complexion. It has a safe profile with a low likelihood of causing irritation when used as directed.
Phytotherapy Research, 2014Expert Opinion on Drug Safety, 2020
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, keeping it simple and safe around sun exposure. You can start using it once a week and slowly build up if your skin tolerates it well.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this treatment with retinol by applying them on alternating nights to help prevent skin irritation. If you use them together, apply retinol first, let it absorb fully, and then apply this cream.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024American Family Physician, 2012
How often should I use this cream?
This treatment is used in the evening routine, starting at once a week to see how your skin tolerates it. If your skin feels comfortable and you see good results, you may carefully use it more often.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This cream is a great fit for your acne-prone skin because it reduces blemishes and fights bacteria while keeping your skin hydrated. It is unlikely to cause irritation, though you may experience some itching, stinging, or mild breakouts at first as your skin adjusts.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Azelaic acid nanocrystal hydrogel 10% achieved a higher success rate and greater lesion reduction than azelaic acid cream 20% in patients with mild to moderate facial acne.
Pharmaceutics, 2021Application of 15% azelaic acid gel significantly reduced post-inflammatory erythema and hyperpigmentation, decreased hemoglobin and melanin content, improved quality of life, and contributed to acne improvement in patients with mild to moderate acne compared to placebo.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2024A 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, 2017Topical application of a dermocosmetic containing Myrtus communis extract and azelaic acid reduced acne relapses and helped maintain remission compared to a light moisturizing cream in adult females in the acne maintenance phase over 16 weeks.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2023Topical administration of 20% azelaic acid cream and 5% tranexamic acid solution comparably improved acne-related postinflammatory hyperpigmentation in patients with acne vulgaris, while tranexamic acid demonstrated a significantly better safety profile at week 4.
Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 2023Azelaic acid 15% gel showed comparable efficacy to adapalene 0.1% gel in reducing lesions, severity, and Dermatology Life Quality Index in women with adult acne, with significantly lower dryness and scaling, and demonstrated superiority during maintenance compared to no further treatment.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2015Trioxsalen bath PUVA therapy suppressed nonimmunologic immediate contact reactions to benzoic acid and methyl nicotinate in 12 dermatologic patients, with the suppressive effect intensifying during therapy.
International Journal of Dermatology, 1989The 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, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012
Ingredients
Azelaic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Cocoglycerides, Benzoic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate Malate, Cetearyl Nonanoate, Cetearyl Octanoate, Stearoyl Macrogolglycerides, Peg-30 Stearate
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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