The INKEY List Mandelic Acid Treatment for oily skin
Mandelic Acid
Glycerin
Retinol
Ethyl Ferulate
Helianthus Annuus Seed OilAverage
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- Low RiskSafety
Works for oily skin; other serums fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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 moderate exfoliation for your oily skin due to mandelic acid, which aids in smoothing texture and mild chemical exfoliation.
- Retinol is included to help with seboregulation, further supporting your oily skin type.
- The product is generally safe for your oily skin, with a low risk of irritation from mandelic acid and retinol.
How to apply
- Use this serum in your PM routine. Start by applying it 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toning, but right before your moisturizer for the best results.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin. Let it absorb ⏱ for a minute before applying the next product.
- Apply the serum on clean and dry skin since your skin is not sensitive and you want to target oily shine. This helps control excess oil throughout the night.
- Avoid the delicate eye area and do a patch test before using the serum for the very first time.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 600+ reviewsUsers find this treatment effective for fading post-acne marks and hyperpigmentation, with a high frequency of positive comments noting its gentleness on sensitive skin. Many reviewers also appreciate its ability to improve skin texture and its affordable price point. A significant number of users mention that visible results require patience and consistent daily use over several weeks, and some find the natural scent unpleasant or the product size small.
Highlights
Fades dark spots Mostly Mentioned
- “helped post-blemish marks”
- “reduced hyperpigmentation”
- “scars are lighter”
- “evened out skin tone”
Gentle on skin Often Mentioned
- “didn't irritate my skin”
- “no stinging or burning”
- “great for sensitive skin”
- “non-drying formula”
Slow to show results Often Mentioned
- “takes months”
- “requires patience”
- “not a quick fix”
- “slow progress”
Affordable price Sometimes Noted
- “great value”
- “budget friendly”
- “good for the price”
- “inexpensive option”
Improves texture Sometimes Noted
- “skin feels smoother”
- “reduced congestion”
- “helped with texture”
- “less bumpy”
Small product size Sometimes Noted
- “tube is tiny”
- “finished too quickly”
- “only 15ml”
- “wish it was bigger”
Unpleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “smells like vinegar”
- “weird sour smell”
- “smells like feet”
- “off-putting scent”
Sticky texture Rarely Noted
- “hard to spread”
- “feels tacky”
- “thick consistency”
- “draggy application”
Sources: lovi.care, theinkeylist.com, sephora.com, lookfantastic.com, reddit.com, youtube.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does The INKEY List Mandelic Acid work for oily skin?
This treatment works for your oily skin, though other products fit it better because they contain ingredients like niacinamide, zinc PCA, and balancing hydrators to control shine and keep pores clear. Mandelic acid and retinol help smooth texture and manage oil with a low risk of irritation.
Which ingredients make this exfoliant a good fit for oily skin?
Mandelic acid and retinol make this treatment a fit by offering gentle exfoliation and helping control oil. Oily skin of this type needs products containing ingredients like niacinamide, zinc PCA, and soothing extracts to manage shine and pores while keeping the skin comfortable.
What does Mandelic Acid do for oily skin?
Mandelic acid helps clear active breakouts and smooth uneven skin tone for oily skin with fewer side effects than many other acids. It is generally well-tolerated and works effectively to keep skin calm and clear.
What does Glycerin do for oily skin?
Glycerin helps keep oily skin hydrated without feeling heavy and supports the skin barrier. Because this product is a weak fit for your skin, an ideal product of this type needs lightweight hydrators and ingredients that balance oil while protecting the skin.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008International Journal of Toxicology, 2019
Where does this exfoliant go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This treatment goes in your evening routine, starting out just once a week. Oily skin typically fits best with products that offer stronger oil control and targeted blemish-fighting ingredients alongside gentle daily exfoliation.
Can I use this exfoliant with niacinamide, and in what order?
You can use this treatment alongside niacinamide by applying your niacinamide product first, letting it dry, and then following with this treatment. Because this product contains mandelic acid and retinol, combining them requires watching for mild irritation, and an oily skin routine works best with gentle soothing ingredients and hydrating lotions to keep the skin calm.
How often should I use this exfoliant?
Start using this treatment once a week in the evening, and if your oily skin handles it well, you may carefully use it more often. This type of skin needs gentle chemical exfoliants like mandelic acid to smooth texture and ingredients like retinol to help balance oil.
Can this exfoliant clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This treatment is generally safe for your oily skin and carries a low risk of irritation or breakouts from its mandelic acid and retinol. However, because it is only an average fit for this skin type, oily skin often needs ingredients like salicylic acid or lighter hydrators that manage oil and clear pores more effectively.
Is this exfoliant fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (benzyl alcohol). Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Treatment with 45% mandelic acid peel showed nearly equal overall efficacy as 30% salicylic acid peel in patients with mild-to-moderate facial acne vulgaris, but with fewer adverse effects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Topical bakuchiol 0.5% applied twice daily compared with retinol 0.5% applied daily significantly decreased wrinkle surface area and hyperpigmentation with no statistical difference between the compounds in 44 patients over 12 weeks, while retinol users reported more facial skin scaling and stinging.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019Chemical peels using 35% glycolic acid, 20% salicylic-10% mandelic acid, and phytic acid reduce acne scores by 70.55%, 74.14%, and 69.7% respectively, and significantly decline the postacne hyperpigmentation index in Asian patients with mild to moderate acne.
Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, 2019Commonly used chemical peels showed no significant differences in effectiveness for acne vulgaris in most comparisons, though combined salicylic and mandelic acid peeling was superior to glycolic acid and glycolic acid was superior to placebo, based on twelve randomized controlled trials.
BMJ Open, 2018Treatment with 30% lactic acid peel showed a significantly greater reduction in pigmentation and higher patient satisfaction compared to 30% mandelic acid peel in patients with periorbital melanosis.
Indian Dermatology Online Journal, 2025A 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, 2017The 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, 2001Topical 0.4% retinol significantly increased epidermal thickness, dermal vascularity, and extracellular matrix production by stimulating keratinocyte proliferation, endothelial cell proliferation, and fibroblast activation in naturally aged human skin compared to vehicle.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017Silicone particles encapsulating retinol increased its half-life by 9-fold and yielded 12-23% lower skin irritation in human subjects compared to Microsponge particles while maintaining biological activity.
Journal of Controlled Release, 2018Topical stabilized retinol treatment induced HAS gene expression and increased hyaluronic acid production in human skin in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo compared to vehicle.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2017Treatment with 14% ferulic acid and 12% l-ascorbic acid significantly reduced pigmentation and erythema while improving hydration and elasticity in 20 women with photoaged skin, with neither acid proving definitively more effective overall though ascorbic acid showed slightly greater skin lightening.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Combining fractional microneedle radiofrequency with a topical antioxidant serum significantly reduced wrinkle severity by 29.9% versus 18.0%, increased elasticity by 12.9% versus 2.3%, and improved aesthetic outcomes in 31 participants compared to radiofrequency and placebo.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2025Pretreatment with a topical antioxidant mixture of vitamin C, ferulic acid, and phloretin attenuated ultraviolet-induced sunburn cell formation, thymine dimer formation, matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression, p53 protein expression, and the suppression of CD1a-expressing Langerhans cells in human skin compared to vehicle control.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008
Ingredients
Water, Propanediol, Mandelic Acid, Coco-Caprylate Caprate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Candelilla Jojoba Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Benzyl Alcohol, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carnauba Cera, Retinol, Polysorbate 20, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dehydroacetic Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Ethyl Ferulate, Humulus Lupulus Extract
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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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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