iS Clinical Super Serum Advance+ for acne-prone skin
Ascorbic Acid
Sodium Hyaluronate
Arbutin
Tripeptide-1
Madecassic AcidHigh
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for acne-prone skin; a few serums fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. 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 skin brightening and smoothing for your combination skin, as Ascorbic Acid and Arbutin work synergistically to treat acne, blemishes, and breakouts while Sodium Hyaluronate provides essential hydration.
- The formula is highly compatible with your skin type, with Urea and Calcium Pantothenate further supporting skin health and texture.
- This product is safe for your acne-prone skin, containing no harsh ingredients and including soothing components like Ascorbic Acid and Urea.
How to apply
- Use your serum as part of your PM routine and start 3x/week before working up to daily use.
- Apply this treatment after cleansing and toner, and before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the product on clean, dry skin to help manage your breakouts safely.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 400+ reviewsThis serum is highly regarded for its ability to brighten skin and reduce the appearance of scars and stretch marks. It is often described as a lightweight, fast-absorbing treatment suitable for acne-prone and aging skin, although its high price is a frequent concern among users.
Highlights
Brightens skin tone Mostly Mentioned
- “Gives nice glow”
- “fades dark spots”
- “diminishes uneven tone”
Anti-aging effects Often Mentioned
- “Reduces fine lines”
- “firmer skin”
- “youthful appearance”
Lightweight texture Often Mentioned
- “Absorbs quickly”
- “non-greasy”
- “watery consistency”
Reduces scars/marks Often Mentioned
- “Fades acne scars”
- “helps with stretch marks”
- “improves scar tissue”
High price Often Mentioned
- “Pricey but worth it”
- “expensive investment”
- “let down by price”
Non-irritating Sometimes Noted
- “Good for sensitive skin”
- “no breakouts”
- “calming”
Watery consistency Sometimes Noted
- “Super thin”
- “runny liquid”
- “feels like water”
Application sensation Rarely Noted
- “Mild stinging”
- “slight tingle”
- “temporary burning”
Lack of results Rarely Noted
- “No difference seen”
- “waiting for results”
- “hard to tell”
Packaging/Value Rarely Noted
- “Bottle runs out fast”
- “hard to dispense”
- “dropper issues”
Sources: lovi.care, lovelyskin.com, dermstore.com, dermstreet.com, artofskincare.com, walmart.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes iS Clinical Super Serum Advance+ a great fit for acne-prone skin?
This product is a great fit for your acne-prone skin because ascorbic acid and arbutin work together to treat breakouts and smooth your skin while sodium hyaluronate gives it essential hydration. It also has urea and calcium pantothenate to support overall skin health and texture without any harsh ingredients.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Ascorbic acid and arbutin make this serum a great fit by helping to treat breakouts, while sodium hyaluronate adds essential hydration without clogging pores. The formula also includes urea and madecassic acid, which safely soothe and support acne-prone skin.
What does Vitamin C do for acne-prone skin?
Vitamin C helps brighten skin, smooth out uneven tones, and fade dark spots left behind by breakouts. It is also packed with antioxidants that may help protect acne-prone skin from everyday environmental stress.
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for acne-prone skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps acne-prone skin by soothing irritation, calming redness, and keeping the skin balanced without clogging pores. When combined with targeted ingredients like zinc oxide, it may also help reduce breakouts.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and toning, and before moisturizing. Using it at night helps keep things simple and protects your skin from extra sensitivity around sun exposure.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol by applying this treatment first and then following with your retinol product, or by using this serum in your morning routine and retinol at night. This approach helps you treat breakouts while keeping your skin calm and smooth.
American Family Physician, 2012Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020
How often should I use this serum?
This treatment is great for your acne-prone skin and fits into your evening routine. You can safely apply it every evening to help smooth your skin and clear blemishes.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This serum is a great fit for your acne-prone skin because it contains soothing ingredients like Ascorbic Acid and Urea without any harsh components. It is safe to use and is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A topical serum containing vitamin C, vitamin E, and raspberry leaf cell culture extract improved skin color, elasticity, radiance, smoothness, scaliness, and wrinkles compared to the untreated contralateral side in fifty female volunteers.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020A non-hydroquinone topical formulation (SKNB19) improved hyperpigmentation by 28.5% in patient self-assessment and 27% in independent reviewer assessment compared with 4% hydroquinone in 18 adult subjects, while showing significantly less irritation and better tolerability.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020Topical application of 5% vitamin C cream significantly improved global clinical scores, increased skin microrelief density, and induced elastic tissue repair in photoaged skin compared to excipient control in healthy female volunteers.
Experimental Dermatology, 2003Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.
Journal of Periodontology, 2009Topical application of VC-IP cream twice daily for 8 weeks reduces periorbital wrinkles in female subjects compared to a placebo cream.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Topical 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, 2011Topical 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, 2022Treatment 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, 2019Encapsulation of alpha arbutin in an optimized ethosomal gel significantly improved skin melanin reduction, moisture content, and elasticity in human volunteers compared to conventional formulations.
Heliyon, 2023Combining a home-based radiofrequency device and arbutin cream reduced mMASI scores by 25.6% and melanin index by 22.8% at 8 weeks compared to baseline in 38 participants.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Polyvinyl pyrrolidone-K90/Eudragit RL100 dissolving microneedle patches loaded with alpha-arbutin and resveratrol enhanced intradermal delivery by approximately 2.6 times compared to cream and slightly decreased the melanin index in human participants without causing skin irritation.
Biomaterials Science, 2023Topical application of 0.05% w/w ECa 233 gel reduced erythema index by 0.03 U and improved early crusting and general wound appearance compared to placebo in thirty individuals undergoing facial laser resurfacing.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2020A 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, 2017Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019
Ingredients
Water, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, Arbutin, Polyporus Umbellatus Extract Mushroom Extract, Calcium Pantothenate, Zinc Sulfate, Urea, Glucose, Guanidine Hcl, Tripeptide-1, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid
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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