Obagi Professional-C Serum 20% for oily skin
Ascorbic Acid
Sodium Hyaluronate
Zinc Chloride
Propylene GlycolHigh
- HighOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for oily skin; a few serums fit it even 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 excellent brightening and antioxidant protection for your oily skin due to high concentrations of ascorbic acid and ascorbyl glucoside, which effectively even skin tone and shield from environmental stressors.
- Alcohol provides mild astringent properties, further complementing the benefits for oily shine.
- The formulation is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
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
★4.6Overall rating based on 2.9k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with normal to oily skin report this high-potency serum provides a significant glow and brightens the complexion while improving skin texture. Many reviewers praise its effectiveness in fading hyperpigmentation, acne scars, and sun spots. Some users note it can be drying or irritating for sensitive skin types.
Highlights
Brightens complexion Mostly Mentioned
- “skin looks radiant”
- “gives an instant glow”
- “complexion is brighter”
- “skin looks vibrant”
Fades dark spots Often Mentioned
- “lightened my sun spots”
- “helped with hyperpigmentation”
- “acne scars are fading”
- “evened out skin tone”
Absorbs quickly Sometimes Noted
- “sinks right in”
- “not greasy at all”
- “absorbs instantly”
- “layers well under makeup”
Smoothes skin texture Sometimes Noted
- “skin feels softer”
- “texture is much smoother”
- “pores look smaller”
- “face feels like silk”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “very expensive”
- “pricey for the size”
- “wish it was cheaper”
- “cost is a downside”
Oxidizes quickly Sometimes Noted
- “turned orange fast”
- “arrived already yellow”
- “color changed in weeks”
- “unstable formula”
Reduces fine lines Rarely Noted
- “softened my wrinkles”
- “lines are less visible”
- “skin looks firmer”
- “plumps the skin”
Causes dryness/irritation Rarely Noted
- “dried out my skin”
- “stung upon application”
- “caused peeling”
- “too strong for me”
Poor packaging Rarely Noted
- “cap doesn't seal tight”
- “leaked in transit”
- “dropper is flimsy”
- “bottle design causes spills”
Sources: lovi.care, dermstore.com, lovelyskin.com, obagi.com, walmart.com, oprahdaily.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Obagi Professional-C Serum 20% a great fit for oily skin?
This serum is a great fit for your oily skin because it uses high concentrations of vitamin C to brighten and protect against environmental stress without irritation. The formula also includes alcohol, which gives a mild astringent effect that helps manage oily shine.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily skin?
Ascorbic acid and ascorbyl glucoside make this serum a great fit by giving your oily skin strong brightening and protection from environmental stress, while alcohol helps manage oily shine. These ingredients work safely to even out your skin tone without any harsh risks.
What does Vitamin C do for oily skin?
Vitamin C helps brighten skin tone and smooth texture while providing antioxidant protection that prevents sebum oxidation. For oily skin, this type of product typically needs to be paired with oil-controlling or pore-clearing ingredients like salicylic acid or plant extracts.
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for oily skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps oily skin by reducing extra oil and sebum production without causing irritation. Clinical studies show it successfully balances oil levels while keeping the skin comfortable.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine for oily skin, placed after cleansing and toning and before moisturizing. Using it at night helps keep things simple and adds extra safety around sun exposure.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum and retinol in the same routine, but apply them at different times of the day to keep your skin calm and safe from irritation. Use this vitamin C serum in your morning routine, and save your retinol for the evening.
How often should I use this serum?
This treatment is great for your oily skin and fits into your evening routine for simplicity and extra safety around sun exposure. People who tolerate it well and see good results may carefully use it more often.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This serum is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores on oily skin because it has a safe formula without harsh ingredients that irritate or trigger blemishes. It helps brighten and protect your skin while keeping oily shine under control.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol).
What the research says
Treatment with ascorbyl glucoside-arginine complex lotion significantly decreased pigmentation scores and melanin index while increasing lightness in solar lentigos of Japanese females compared to placebo over 24 weeks.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2024A 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, 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, 2019An aloe-alginate film dressing showed no statistical difference in wound contraction but demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity, stimulated angiogenesis, and increased collagen type I fibers while decreasing type III fibers compared to sterile gauze in rats with incisional skin wounds.
Acta Cirurgica Brasileira, 2020Treatment with a combination of propylene glycol, ethanol, water, and shampoo was found effective, easy to use, and cosmetically attractive with no observed side effects in patients with dandruff.
Cutis, 1988A moisturizer containing glycerol and propylene glycol reduced transepidermal water loss, decreased epidermal thickness, increased stratum corneum thickness, and reduced dermal inflammatory infiltrate compared to untreated disrupted skin in six healthy beagle dogs.
Veterinary Dermatology, 2020
Ingredients
Propylene Glycol, Water, Ascorbic Acid, Alcohol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Ethoxydiglycol, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Zinc Chloride, Calcium Hydroxide
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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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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