Elizabeth Arden Superstart Skin Renewal Booster for oily skin
Ceramide 1
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Glycerin
Amodimethicone
Lactobacillus
Average
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily skin; other serums fit it better.
- The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2025
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
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 hydration for your oily skin, with glycerin and saccharide isomerate providing humectant action without adding excess oil. Ceramides and cholesterol enhance skin barrier resilience, contributing to overall skin health.
- The formula is generally safe for your oily skin, as it lacks harsh ingredients that could cause irritation.
- While it provides general skincare benefits like hydration and soothing, it does not specifically target concerns like oily shine.
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
★4.7Overall rating based on 3.2k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this booster is highly praised for its lightweight, fast-absorbing formula that leaves skin feeling soft, hydrated, and visibly smoother. Many users appreciate its effectiveness as a primer for makeup and other skincare. Some users note that it is a luxury step rather than a necessity, and a small minority report sensitivity or breakouts.
Highlights
Rapid absorption Mostly Mentioned
- “Absorbs almost immediately”
- “No sticky residue”
- “Skin drinks it up”
Hydrating effect Often Mentioned
- “Adds plenty of moisture”
- “Eliminates dry areas”
- “Feels refreshed”
Smoother skin Often Mentioned
- “Skin feels softer”
- “Visibly smoother surface”
- “Feels more polished”
Enhanced makeup Sometimes Noted
- “Makeup glides on”
- “Foundation looks smoother”
- “More flawless finish”
Travel-friendly packaging Sometimes Noted
- “Futuristic pump bottle”
- “On-Off switch”
- “Won't leak”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “Expensive for a booster”
- “Luxury rather than necessity”
- “Above ingredient value”
Subtle results Sometimes Noted
- “Benefits are subtle”
- “Tricky to measure effectiveness”
- “Not dramatic”
Fragrance sensitivity Rarely Noted
- “Slightly more fragranced”
- “May be a problem for sensitive users”
Potential breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Caused acne breakouts”
- “Did not get along with skin”
- “Pore clogging ingredients”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, glamgeek.com, glamorable.com, beautybulletin.com, musingsofamuse.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Elizabeth Arden Superstart Skin Renewal Booster work for oily skin?
This booster works moderately well for your oily skin, providing balanced hydration and strengthening your skin barrier without adding heavy oils. However, it does not specifically control excess shine. Oily skin works best with treatments containing niacinamide, zinc PCA, and ferulic acid to manage oil and pores.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2025Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily skin?
Glycerin and saccharide isomerate provide hydration without adding excess oil, while ceramides strengthen the skin barrier. However, because it does not control shine, an oily skin type needs ingredients like niacinamide, zinc PCA, and ferulic acid to manage excess oil and enlarged pores.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2025Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What does Ceramide 1 do for oily skin?
Ceramide 1 helps restore the skin barrier, which tends to be weak in oily skin dealing with breakouts and inflammation. Using this ingredient helps improve moisture levels and calm irritated skin.
What does Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide do for oily skin?
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide helps balance the skin microbiome by supporting helpful bacteria that keep pores clear and calm. This ingredient is unlikely to add extra grease, making it a gentle option to keep oily skin feeling fresh.
International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 2025Dermatology, 2019
Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, though some treatments may also be used in the morning or twice a day. It is unlikely to cause irritation for your oily skin, but an average fit for this skin needs ingredients that specifically target oily shine.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this treatment alongside retinol by applying the treatment first to hydrate your skin, followed by your retinol. This product provides gentle moisture without adding extra oil, but an oily skin type also needs ingredients that specifically target shine and excess oil.
How often should I use it?
You can use this treatment in your evening routine, applying it after your cleansing toner and before your moisturizer. Oily skin needs a lightweight product with balancing ingredients that control shine and oil without feeling heavy.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This serum is unlikely to cause breakouts for oily skin, as it is generally safe and lacks harsh ingredients that could cause irritation. To better target oily skin, a product of this type needs ingredients that specifically manage excess oil and shine.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum).
What the research says
A novel moisturizer containing saccharide isomerate accelerates skin barrier recovery, improves hydration, reduces erythema, and alleviates discomfort compared to a control moisturizer following intense pulsed light treatment in subjects with skin aging.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 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, 2017Emulsions containing ceramides 1 and 3 improved skin hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss in sodium lauryl sulfate-irritated skin of fifteen healthy Asian women compared to a control emulsion.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2008A combination cream of stimu-tex AS and saccharide isomerate reduced erythema, increased skin capacitance, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to placebo in 20 subjects after fractional CO2 laser procedure without causing serious adverse events.
Lasers in Medical Science, 2025The 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, 2012Probiotic-derived lotion successfully reduced inflammatory acne lesion counts and erythema index comparably to 2.5% benzoyl peroxide in patients with mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris, while causing fewer side effects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Topical application of Lactobacillus plantarum-GMNL6 enhanced collagen synthesis and SPTSSA gene expression while reducing melanin synthesis, Staphylococcus aureus biofilm, and Cutibacterium acnes proliferation, leading to clinical improvements in skin moisture, color, spots, wrinkles, UV spots, and porphyrins in human volunteers.
International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2021Lactobacillus plantarum extracellular vesicles modulated extracellular matrix related gene expression in vitro and suppressed wrinkle formation and pigmentation in clinical trials.
Current Issues in Molecular Biology, 2022
Why other serums fit oily skin better
A panthenol-enriched mask improved skin hydration, regulated sebum, and reduced redness and TEWL across dry sensitive, oily sensitive, and oily acne skin subgroups with excellent tolerance and no adverse reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Niacinamide and ferulic acid incorporated in a stable multiple emulsion successfully reduced melanin, sebum, and skin erythema while improving skin elasticity and hydration in human skin compared to a placebo.
BioMed Research International, 2022
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Peg-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Vp Copolymer, Amodimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Ceramide 1, Ceramide Np, Ceramide 6 Ii, Cholesterol, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Dimethicone Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Disodium Edta, Ethylhexylglycerin, Kefiran, Lactobacillus, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract, Maltodextrin, Parfum, Phytosphingosine, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Saccharide Isomerate, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Xanthan Gum, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate
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.
-
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-
Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-
Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-
Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-
Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.