The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum for oily acne-prone skin
Collagen Peptides
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Glycerin
High
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for oily acne-prone skin; a few moisturizers fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. 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 moisturizing and plumping for your oily skin due to glycerin and peptides like Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, which support skin conditioning and hydration.
- The serum provides moderate benefits for your acne, blemishes, and breakouts, and oiliness or shiny skin, with peptides like Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 offering supportive conditioning.
- The safety profile is high, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing glycerin.
How to apply
- Use this AM and PM routine every day to help clear your skin. Always remember to finish with SPF in the morning.
- Apply the moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your SPF during the day.
- Gently press a small amount into your skin and avoid rubbing to keep pores clear.
- Apply on clean, slightly damp skin to help the product absorb better and control oil.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a simple patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 1.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this serum is consistently praised for its ability to instantly plump and hydrate the skin, making it appear fresher and smoother. While many appreciate it as an affordable preventative measure for aging, a significant number of reviewers noted that it did not dramatically reduce deep wrinkles or fine lines on its own.
Highlights
Plumps and firms Mostly Mentioned
- “skin looks fresh and plump”
- “visibly plumper skin”
- “makes skin look bouncy”
Hydrating Often Mentioned
- “intense nourishment”
- “skin feels well hydrated”
- “leaves skin soft and supple”
Lightweight & fast-absorbing Often Mentioned
- “sinks in immediately”
- “super light but moisturizing”
- “layers well under makeup”
Affordable & fragrance-free Sometimes Noted
- “so affordable and effective”
- “great price point”
- “love that it is fragrance-free”
Lack of dramatic results Sometimes Noted
- “didn't see a huge difference”
- “no change in fine lines”
- “underwhelming results”
Messy packaging Sometimes Noted
- “product ends up around the opening”
- “hard to control amount”
- “cap gets messy”
Runny texture Sometimes Noted
- “very runny serum”
- “feels like water”
- “hard to measure a pea-sized amount”
Sticky finish Rarely Noted
- “sets to a tacky finish”
- “slightly sticky before moisturizer”
- “leaves a film”
Sources: lovi.care, cultbeauty.co.uk, lookfantastic.com, sephora.com.au, ulta.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes The Inkey List Collagen Peptide Serum a great fit for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum is a great fit because it offers excellent moisturizing and plumping for oily skin using glycerin and peptides like Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, while also providing moderate benefits for acne and shiny skin without causing irritation. It has a high safety profile due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing glycerin, making it very gentle.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Annals of Dermatology, 2019
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum is a great fit for your oily skin because glycerin and peptides like Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 provide deep hydration and plumping without feeling heavy. Additionally, peptides such as Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 offer supportive conditioning that helps manage breakouts and shiny skin safely.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Annals of Dermatology, 2019
What do Collagen Peptides do for oily acne-prone skin?
Collagen peptides help support skin moisture and elasticity for oily, acne-prone skin, while also helping to balance sebum production. Regular oral intake may improve overall skin texture and help maintain a healthy look without adding heavy oils.
Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2016Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2015
What does Argireline do for oily acne-prone skin?
Argireline is unlikely to treat acne or oiliness directly, as it focuses on reducing fine lines and making skin smooth. Oily acne-prone skin needs lightweight, non-greasy ingredients that clear pores and calm breakouts.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2013Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2013
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing. Putting treatments in the evening keeps the routine simple and adds safety around sun exposure.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
Yes, you can use this serum with retinol, applying the serum first to keep your skin hydrated and smooth while lowering the likelihood of irritation from the retinol. This gentle approach helps condition your skin and supports your routine safely.
How often should I use this serum?
You can use this serum in your evening routine, and some treatments can also be used in the morning or twice a day. Applying it daily helps keep your skin hydrated and conditioned without causing irritation.
Health Science Reports, 2021Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum is a great fit for your oily acne-prone skin because it offers gentle hydration and conditioning without harsh ingredients that might cause irritation or breakouts. It is unlikely to clog pores or cause purging, and it provides supportive care for blemishes while keeping your skin feeling soft and smooth.
Can I use this serum around the eyes or on my body?
You can safely use this serum around the eyes because its hydrating ingredients like glycerin and peptides help condition the thin skin there without irritation. It is also suitable for the body, though its lightweight formula is best targeted to areas where you want extra moisture and firming.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 2014
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
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, 2017Treatment with cross-linked hyaluronic acid-based microneedle patches combined with acetyl hexapeptide-8 or epidermal growth factor significantly improved wrinkles and skin hydration compared to the patch alone in Korean females over 29 days.
Annals of Dermatology, 2019A liquid formulation containing hydrolyzed collagen demonstrated structural stability, peptide mass distribution between 0.5 and 19.5 kDa, and faded forehead wrinkles in five volunteers while proving to be non-irritating and hypoallergenic.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Exposure to collagen peptides increased the expression of COL1A1, ELN, and VCAN genes and collagen protein levels in cultured human dermal fibroblasts compared to untreated controls.
Frontiers in Medicine, 2024Salmo salar and Tilapia nilotica skin collagen peptides accelerate wound healing in a rat murine wound model by reducing proinflammatory cytokines, upregulating BD14, NOD2, IL-10, VEGF, and beta-FGF, and favorably altering wound microflora colonization compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2020Argireline treatment twice daily for 4 weeks produced a significant anti-wrinkle effect with 48.9% total efficacy and decreased skin roughness in Chinese subjects compared with 0% efficacy and no decrease in roughness in the placebo group.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2013Acetyl hexapeptide-3 and tripeptide-10 citrulline demonstrated antiwrinkle efficacy and decreased transepidermal water loss in twenty-four healthy volunteers compared to control groups, though synergistic effects between the two peptides remained unclear.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2017Daily topical acetyl hexapeptide-8 showed a trend toward a longer time until return to baseline Jankovic Blepharospasm Rating Scale scores compared to placebo (3.7 months vs. 3.0 months) in 24 patients with blepharospasm receiving botulinum toxin therapy.
European Journal of Neurology, 2013A multi-modal methodology combining MALDI-MSI, in vivo RCM, echography, and histology revealed age-related decreases in extracellular matrix and epidermal-dermal junction proteins and undulation depth, while a blend of palmitoyl oligopeptide and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 improved subepidermal low-echogenic band thickness, density, and extracellular matrix structure compared to placebo.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2015Chronomodulated daytime application of baicalin and nighttime application of palmitoyl tripeptide-1 synergistically improved skin luminance by 16.29%, nasolabial fold depth by -36.35%, and firmness by 24.35% in 30 female participants.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026Palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, acetyl hexapeptide-8, palmitoyl tripeptide-1, and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-10 significantly increased type III collagen levels in human dermal fibroblasts following UV exposure, with their combination demonstrating a greater effect in vitro and enhancing type I, III, and IV collagen levels in ex vivo skin tissues compared to individual components.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2026The 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
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium Edta, 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.
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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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