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Glow Recipe Strawberry BHA Pore-Smooth Blur Drops for combination skin

High

  • HighCombination Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

A great choice for combination skin; a few serums 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 moderate exfoliation for your combination skin, as salicylic acid and willow bark extract work to refine texture and reduce oily shine by gently clearing pores.
  • Strawberry leaf extract provides antioxidant benefits, further supporting your skin's overall health and radiance.
  • The formula is safe for your skin, containing no harsh or prohibited ingredients that could cause irritation.

How to apply

  • Use your serum as part of your PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin likes it.
  • Apply the serum after cleansing and toner, and right before your moisturizer.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and wait a minute ⏳for it to soak in.
  • Apply the serum on clean and dry skin since your skin is not sensitive.
  • Always do a patch test before using the serum for the first time, and avoid the eye area .

People Say

★4.4Overall rating based on 1.9k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, this product is frequently praised for its ability to control oil and create a smooth base for makeup, with users appreciating its lightweight, silicone-free feel. Some users with dry skin find it lacks sufficient hydration, and a moderate number of reviews mention that the pore-blurring effect is subtle.

Highlights

  • Controls oil Often Mentioned
    • “effectively does its job in terms of prolonging makeup and controlling oiliness throughout the day”
    • “kept shine under control the entire day”
    • “effective in softly mattifying the skin while avoiding a dry or flat look”
    • “absorbs excess oil for a mattifying blur effect”
  • Smooth makeup Often Mentioned
    • “applies without causing pilling”
    • “makeup remains fresh all day with its use”
    • “no peeling no flaking... when I was applying the foundation”
    • “looks so beautiful under foundation and throughout the day”
  • Lightweight feel Sometimes Noted
    • “does not feel heavy”
    • “silicone-free formulation is not like your typical mattifying primer”
    • “doesn't feel suffocating which some dimethicone rich primers tend to feel”
    • “thin consistency that dries down pretty quickly”
  • Lacks hydration Sometimes Noted
    • “formulation is not hydrating enough”
    • “definitely needs to be topped with a moisturizer for some hydration”
    • “almost seems too drying for the rest of the year”
    • “dries down so much that it makes foundation harder to apply over it”
  • Subtle pore blurring Sometimes Noted
    • “didn't notice a pore-blurring effect”
    • “pore-blurring effect is quite subtle for me”
    • “blurring effect is a bit too subtle for me to call it a primer”
    • “hardly makes any difference in the look of texture/pores in the short term”
  • Tricky packaging Rarely Noted
    • “good-sized dob of it squirted out... ended up on my wall”
    • “somewhat tricky to control how much comes out”
    • “find myself squeezing more product out 2-3 additional times”
    • “flimsy plastic top”

Sources: lovi.care, glowrecipe.com, sephora.sg, walmart.ca, beauty-detective.com, thehappysloths.com, and more

Questions and answers

What makes Glow Recipe Strawberry BHA Pore-Smooth Blur Drops a great fit for combination skin?

Glow Recipe Strawberry BHA Pore-Smooth Blur Drops is a great fit for your combination skin because salicylic acid and willow bark extract gently clear pores to refine texture and reduce oily shine. Strawberry leaf extract adds antioxidants to support overall radiance, and the formula is very unlikely to cause irritation.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

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

Salicylic acid and willow bark extract make this serum a great fit for your combination skin because they help refine texture and reduce oily shine by gently clearing pores. Additionally, strawberry leaf extract provides antioxidant benefits to support your skin's overall health and radiance.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

What does Bha do for combination skin?

BHA helps keep combination skin clear by diving deep into pores to sweep away dead cells and excess oil, which reduces breakouts and calms redness. It is generally very safe and unlikely to cause irritation when used in a daily routine.

BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

What does Strawberry Extract do for combination skin?

Strawberry extract helps protect combination skin from sun damage and keeps it calm by fighting inflammation. It may also support healthy skin cells and reduce daily stress on your skin.

Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2012Food Research International, 2019

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

This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before your moisturizer. Starting it just once a week helps your combination skin adjust safely, and you can carefully use it more often if your skin tolerates it well.

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

You can use this treatment with retinol, but it is best to apply them on alternate nights or separate times of day to keep your combination skin calm. Pairing multiple active products may raise the likelihood of dryness or irritation, so introduce them slowly.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

How often should I use this serum?

Start by using this treatment once a week in the evening, and if your skin feels comfortable and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often. The formula helps clear pores and reduce oily shine through gentle exfoliation while maintaining a safe profile for your skin.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

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

This treatment is a great fit for your combination skin because salicylic acid and willow bark extract help refine texture and reduce oily shine by gently clearing pores without causing irritation. It is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts since it has a safe formula with no harsh ingredients.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

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

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, 2019
  • Twice daily application of a multitargeted dermocosmetic cream provided comparable efficacy to benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in reducing inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesions in 150 Caucasian subjects with mild-to-moderate acne over 56 days, while demonstrating superior skin tolerability.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
  • The use of a salicylic acid-based dermocosmetic significantly reduces the needed quantity of benzoyl peroxide without impacting efficacy in mild to moderate acne, and as maintenance post-benzoyl peroxide allows a significant reduction of acne relapse compared to vehicle.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023
  • Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.

    CMAJ, 2010
  • A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.

    BioMed Research International, 2020
  • Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
  • Fragaria vesca extract-based hydrogel exhibited antioxidant efficacy, cutaneous compatibility, acceptability, and stability suitable for topical application.

    Antioxidants, 2020
  • Supercritical CO2 extract from strawberry seeds at concentrations up to 2% successfully provides moisturizing and skin-softening effects in mild cleansing compositions without significantly affecting their stability, cleansing, or foaming properties.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2015
  • Treatment with strawberry seed extract and tiliroside increased stratum corneum total ceramide content and specific ceramide species in human epidermal equivalents by enhancing the expression of ceramide-related enzymes.

    PloS One, 2018
  • 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

Ingredients

Water, Tapioca Starch, Isopentyldiol, Nylon-12, C9-12 Alkane, Distarch Phosphate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Vp Copolymer, Saccharide Isomerate, Strawberry Leaf Extract, Salicylic Acid, Willow Bark Extract, Strawberry Fruit Extract, Leuconostoc Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bisabolol, Coco-Caprylate Caprate, Triheptanoin, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate, Dilinoleic Acid Butanediol Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Dipalmitate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Castor Ipdi Copolymer Oil, Citric Acid, Parfum

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.

How does it fit your skin?

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