iS Clinical Active Serum for acne-prone skin
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
Vaccinium Myrtillus Extract
Arbutin
Willow Bark Extract
Polyporus Umbellatus Extract Mushroom Extract
High
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
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 high suitability for your combination skin as Saccharum Officinarum Extract and Willow Bark Extract provide effective exfoliation to reduce blemishes and breakouts.
- Glycerin and Vaccinium Myrtillus Leaf Extract Fruit offer supportive hydration and mild cleansing benefits that complement your acne treatment.
- The formula is safe for your acne-prone skin, containing no harsh or prohibited ingredients that could cause irritation.
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
★4.6Overall rating based on 1000+ reviewsUsers consistently praise this serum as a "holy grail" multitasker that effectively targets adult acne while simultaneously smoothing fine lines and uneven texture. While the potent "tingling" sensation confirms its activity for most, the high price point and potential for dryness are common considerations for new users.
Highlights
Clears Acne & Breakouts Mostly Mentioned
- “breakouts have been less severe and fewer”
- “helps prevent breakouts”
- “cystic acne is gone”
- “eradicate blackheads”
Improves Texture & Tone Often Mentioned
- “skin feels softer”
- “smooths skin texture”
- “pores look smaller”
- “glows after 2 days”
High Price Point Often Mentioned
- “expensive for small bottle”
- “wish it was cheaper”
- “investment product”
- “pricey but worth it”
Anti-Aging Benefits Sometimes Noted
- “softens fine lines”
- “boosts collagen production”
- “skin looks younger”
- “diminished wrinkles”
Fast Visible Results Sometimes Noted
- “results within a couple of days”
- “woke up and skin looked rested”
- “immediate results”
- “overnight difference”
Intense Tingling Sensation Sometimes Noted
- “burns a little”
- “strong tingle at first”
- “stings upon application”
- “sensation was too much”
Drying for Some Rarely Noted
- “can be drying”
- “need a good moisturizer after”
- “skin felt tight”
- “flaking around nose”
Risk of Counterfeits Rarely Noted
- “received fake product”
- “color was yellow not clear”
- “smelled different than usual”
- “bottle looked off”
Sources: lovi.care, lovelyskin.com, dermstore.com, walmart.com, brainsstreet.com.au, and more
Questions and answers
What makes iS Clinical Active Serum a great fit for acne-prone skin?
iS Clinical Active Serum is a great fit because Saccharum Officinarum Extract and Willow Bark Extract provide effective exfoliation to reduce blemishes and breakouts on your skin. Glycerin and Vaccinium Myrtillus Leaf Extract Fruit offer supportive hydration and mild cleansing benefits, while the formula is safe and avoids harsh ingredients that could cause irritation.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Saccharum Officinarum Extract and Willow Bark Extract make this serum a great fit by providing effective exfoliation that helps reduce blemishes and breakouts on acne-prone skin. Glycerin and Vaccinium Myrtillus Leaf Extract Fruit offer supportive hydration, while the formula's safe profile ensures it is unlikely to cause irritation.
What does Sugarcane Extract do for acne-prone skin?
Sugarcane extract provides glycolic acid, which helps smooth acne-prone skin and clears away dead cells that can clog pores. When used with acne treatments like adapalene, it is unlikely to cause irritation and may help reduce breakouts and skin complications.
What does Bilberry Fruit Extract do for acne-prone skin?
Bilberry Fruit Extract helps improve skin smoothness and provides antioxidant protection, which supports an even complexion. For acne-prone skin, this type of product also needs soothing ingredients to keep the skin calm and clear.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This treatment goes in your evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing. Putting it in the evening keeps things simple and gives you extra safety around sun exposure.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol by applying the serum in your evening routine after cleansing and before your moisturizer, while keeping retinol for a different night to prevent irritation. Using active exfoliating ingredients and strong treatments together on acne-prone skin increases the likelihood of dryness or discomfort.
How often should I use this serum?
This serum is a great fit for your acne-prone skin because its ingredients provide effective exfoliation to reduce blemishes while keeping your skin calm. Use it in the evening routine once a week to start, and if your skin tolerates it well and sees good results, you can carefully use it more often.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This serum is a great fit for acne-prone skin because willow bark extract and sugar cane extract gently exfoliate to help clear blemishes and prevent breakouts. Glycerin and bilberry extract provide supportive hydration, and the formula is unlikely to cause irritation or clog pores.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol denat).
What the research says
A botanical face cleanser with hops and willow bark extract continuously reduced skin sebum levels without reactive seborrhea after treatment in 21 healthy volunteers compared to a sodium laureth sulfate cleanser, with neither cleanser causing skin irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019A 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 oil-in-water creams containing wild bilberry leaves extract and seeds oil produced significant beneficial effects on the skin of healthy human volunteers.
Antioxidants, 2021Polyvinyl pyrrolidone-K90/Eudragit RL100 dissolving microneedle patches loaded with alpha-arbutin and resveratrol enhanced intradermal delivery by approximately 2.6 times compared to cream and slightly decreased the melanin index in human participants without causing skin irritation.
Biomaterials Science, 2023Repeated short-contact 70% glycolic acid peels provided superior results in atrophic acne scars compared to daily low-strength glycolic acid cream or placebo in 58 women over 24 weeks.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2000Fermented bilberry extract improved wrinkle depth, skin smoothness, roughness, firmness, elasticity, antioxidant capacity, and complexion evenness compared to a placebo in 66 subjects over 84 days.
Nutrients, 2024Bilberry fruit extract incorporated into chitosan-based hydrogels demonstrated antioxidant, anti-hyaluronidase, and anti-tyrosinase activities, supporting their potential use in topical anti-aging preparations.
Antioxidants, 2024Water-soluble Vaccinium myrtillus extract reduced UVB-induced cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and lipid peroxidation, and decreased UVA-induced genotoxicity, redox unbalance, and apoptosis in a human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT).
Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology. B, Biology, 2014A non-hydroquinone topical formulation (SKNB19) improved hyperpigmentation by 28.5% in patient self-assessment and 27% in independent reviewer assessment compared with 4% hydroquinone in 18 adult subjects, while showing significantly less irritation and better tolerability.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020Encapsulation of alpha arbutin in an optimized ethosomal gel significantly improved skin melanin reduction, moisture content, and elasticity in human volunteers compared to conventional formulations.
Heliyon, 2023Combining a home-based radiofrequency device and arbutin cream reduced mMASI scores by 25.6% and melanin index by 22.8% at 8 weeks compared to baseline in 38 participants.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Bioactive lipid nanocarriers co-loaded with willow bark or ivy leaf extracts and UV-filters provided pronounced UVA photoprotection up to an SPF-equivalent value of 13 and a maximum in vivo skin hydration effect of 97% when prepared with pomegranate oil.
Nanomaterials, 2022A topical serum containing 0.5% salicin applied twice daily reduced visible signs of skin aging, including wrinkles and tactile roughness, in 30 female subjects over 12 weeks compared to baseline.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2010A novel emulsion containing niacinamide, lens esculenta seed extract, and white willow bark extract effectively improved acne, blackheads, and conspicuous facial pores in 30 subjects with oily skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024White button mushroom extract treatment increased VEGF densities, EGF, PCNA, and collagen fibers, while decreasing apoptotic cells and limiting TGF-beta and CD4 reactions in ICR mice and chorioallantoic culture, indicating beneficial effects on skin regeneration and injury.
Microscopy Research and Technique, 2012
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Leaf Extract Fruit, Triethanolamine, Willow Bark Extract, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Arbutin, Polyporus Umbellatus Extract Mushroom Extract, Menthol, Phenoxyethanol
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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