🇦🇪United Arab Emirates

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG for combination skin

High

  • HighCombination Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

A great choice for combination skin; a few eye cares fit it even better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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 reduction of puffiness and dark circles for your combination skin, as caffeine and epigallocatechin gallatyl glucoside provide potent antioxidant and vasoconstrictive effects to combat visible fatigue.
  • This formula also offers moderate benefits for oily shine by reducing its appearance, complementing your skin's needs.
  • The product is safe for your combination skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.

People Say

★4.1Overall rating based on 6.3k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, this serum is highly regarded for its affordability and effectiveness in reducing morning puffiness and making eyes appear more awake. While it offers some brightening for tired eyes and has a pleasant lightweight texture, its impact on dark circles is inconsistent, with many users finding it ineffective for pigmentation or hollows. Additionally, a moderate number of users report a drying effect, particularly those with dry skin, who may need to layer with a moisturizer.

Highlights

  • Reduces puffiness Mostly Mentioned
    • “deflates morning bags”
    • “helps swollen eyes”
    • “noticeable depuffing”
    • “great for fluid retention”
  • Unbeatable value Mostly Mentioned
    • “extremely affordable”
    • “bottle lasts forever”
    • “great price point”
    • “cheap but effective”
  • Ineffective dark circles Often Mentioned
    • “no change in pigment”
    • “didn't fix genetic circles”
    • “useless for hollows”
    • “darkness remained”
  • Brightens tired eyes Sometimes Noted
    • “looks more awake”
    • “helps tired look”
    • “subtle brightening”
    • “refreshed appearance”
  • Lightweight texture Sometimes Noted
    • “absorbs quickly”
    • “cooling sensation”
    • “nice gel consistency”
    • “not greasy”
  • Drying effect Sometimes Noted
    • “dried out skin”
    • “emphasized fine lines”
    • “made wrinkles worse”
    • “crusty residue”
  • Texture issues Sometimes Noted
    • “sticky finish”
    • “pills under makeup”
    • “tacky residue”
    • “concealer separates on top”
  • Irritation Rarely Noted
    • “caused burning”
    • “redness and stinging”
    • “rash around eyes”
    • “sensitive skin reaction”

Sources: lovi.care, sephora.co.nz, sephora.co.uk, ulta.com, cultbeauty.co.uk, reddit.com, and more

Questions and answers

What makes The Ordinary Caffeine Solution a great fit for combination skin?

This eye care is a great fit because caffeine and epigallocatechin gallatyl glucoside help reduce puffiness and dark circles by targeting visible fatigue. It also helps control oily shine while remaining safe and gentle on your combination skin.

Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2013

Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for combination skin?

Caffeine and epigallocatechin gallatyl glucoside make this serum a great fit by reducing puffiness and dark circles with powerful antioxidants and tightening effects. Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate also support the skin by keeping it balanced and hydrated without feeling heavy.

Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2013

What does Caffeine do for combination skin?

Topical caffeine helps combination skin by protecting cells against UV radiation with antioxidant properties and increasing skin microcirculation. It is generally well tolerated and may also help prevent excessive fat accumulation in oil-prone areas.

Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2013Frontiers in Physiology, 2019

What does Egcg do for combination skin?

EGCG helps calm oily areas and keeps combination skin balanced by reducing redness and breakouts. Studies show it targets the causes of acne and supports overall skin health, making it a great addition to your routine.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2013Phytotherapy Research, 2021

Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for combination skin?

This serum goes in the evening routine as a treatment step, applied after cleansing and before moisturizing. It is safe for combination skin and is unlikely to cause irritation.

Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2013

Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this serum with retinol by applying the caffeine serum first and following it with your retinol treatment. This combination is unlikely to cause irritation because the formula lacks harsh ingredients while helping to smooth and refresh your combination skin.

Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2013

How often should I use this serum?

This serum is a great fit for your combination skin and is safe to use daily. It helps reduce puffiness and dark circles while also managing oily shine.

Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2013

Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?

This eye serum is unlikely to clog pores, cause breakouts, or lead to purging on combination skin. Its lightweight formula is safe for your skin type and lacks harsh ingredients that typically cause irritation or blocked pores.

Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2013

Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (benzyl alcohol).

What the research says

  • A topical cosmetic slimming product containing tetrahydroxypropyl ethylenediamine, caffeine, carnitine, forskolin and retinol significantly reduced body circumferences and improved skin aspect compared with placebo in 78 women over 12 weeks.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2011
  • Topical sunscreen formulations containing caffeine combined with UV filters increased in vivo anti-UVB protection by approximately 25% and showed higher SPF values compared to caffeine-free sunscreen, while being well tolerated by the skin of healthy subjects.

    Frontiers in Physiology, 2019
  • Caffeine gel combined with choline geranate showed high skin permeation capacity and superior clinical results in cellulite treatment compared to caffeine gel without ionic liquid.

    AAPS PharmSciTech, 2021
  • Topical green tea extract significantly improved clinical symptoms, tear breakup times, and meibomian gland health compared to standard treatment in patients with dry eye and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction.

    Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 2017
  • Topical low-dose green tea extract reduces UVB-induced p53 expression and apoptosis in human skin keratinocytes compared to placebo.

    Experimental Dermatology, 2009
  • An anti-acne hydrogel containing Aloe barbadensis, Garcinia mangostana, and Camellia sinensis extracts showed superior antiacne and antiblotch activities compared to 1% clindamycin gel in sixty subjects with mild-moderate acne.

    Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
  • Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011
  • Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.

    Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022
  • Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.

    BMC Oral Health, 2019
  • Glutathione amino acid precursors effectively increase cellular glutathione levels, reducing oxidative stress, ATP depletion, and DNA damage in human keratinocytes, clinical subjects, and ex vivo skin compared to controls.

    Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2024
  • Topical oxidized glutathione significantly decreases the skin melanin index and improves moisture content, smoothness, wrinkle formation, and elasticity compared to placebo in healthy women.

    Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2014
  • Topical glutathione improves hyperpigmentation, reduces ultraviolet-induced erythema and wrinkles, decreases transepidermal water loss, and enhances antioxidant capacity.

    The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2025
  • 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, 2017
  • The 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, 2020
  • Ten 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, 2001

Ingredients

Water, Caffeine, Maltodextrin, Glycerin, Propanediol, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Gallyl Glucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Oxidized Glutathione, Melanin, Glycine Soja Seed Extract Soybean Seed Extract, Urea, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Xanthan Gum, Lactic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Propyl Gallate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Benzyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol

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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Prices checked 6 Nov 2026

The Lovi Fit is the same in every country; only the stores and prices differ, and the ones here are for the United Arab Emirates.

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