Rodan + Fields Intensive Renewing Serum for oily acne-prone skin
Retinal
Retinyl Palmitate
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-14
Bis-Ethylhexyl Hydroxydimethoxy Benzylmalonate
Hydroxyapatite
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other serums fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. 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 suitability for oily skin as retinal and retinyl palmitate promote cell turnover, which can help with oiliness but may not be sufficient for optimal oil control.
- The presence of palmitoyl hexapeptide-14 provides some anti-aging benefits, which are not directly aligned with your primary concern of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The product is safe for your oily skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your PM routine. Start 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply your serum after cleansing and toning, but before putting on your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2 to 3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the serum on clean, dry skin to help manage your blemishes safely.
- Do a patch test before your first use and avoid the delicate eye area.
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 5.6k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users frequently report that this serum effectively smooths skin texture, reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and promotes a firmer, more youthful complexion. While many appreciate the results for various skin types, some users feel the product is overpriced and note that similar results can be achieved with more affordable alternatives. This should be definitely taken into account.
Highlights
Reduces fine lines Often Mentioned
- “Fine lines are significantly reduced.”
- “Wrinkles are less noticeable.”
- “Helps minimize appearance of wrinkles.”
Smoother skin texture Often Mentioned
- “My skin looks so much smoother.”
- “Noticeable improvement in skin texture.”
- “Skin feels softer and more refined.”
High price point Often Mentioned
- “Very expensive for the amount.”
- “Too pricey for what it is.”
- “Can find cheaper alternatives.”
Convenient capsule delivery Sometimes Noted
- “Perfect amount in each capsule.”
- “Easy to use single-dose.”
- “Innovative delivery system.”
Effective, gentle formula Sometimes Noted
- “Gentle enough for daily use.”
- “Works well on my sensitive skin.”
- “Potent but minimal irritation.”
Customer service issues Sometimes Noted
- “Difficulties with canceled orders.”
- “Issues with auto-ship programs.”
- “Hard to manage subscriptions.”
Lack of results Rarely Noted
- “Did not make a difference.”
- “Never saw or felt a change.”
- “Results were not noticeable.”
Sources: lovi.care, rodanandfields.com, ulta.com, ebay.com, consumeraffairs.com, whatthefab.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Intensive Renewing Serum work for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum works moderately well for oily acne-prone skin, as the retinal and retinyl palmitate promote cell turnover to help with oiliness. However, it may not be sufficient for optimal oil control, and treatments of this type need ingredients like niacinamide, propolis, or vitamin C to better manage acne and excess oil.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Retinal and retinyl palmitate make this serum a fit for oily skin by promoting cell turnover, which can help with oiliness. However, an oily acne-prone skin type needs ingredients like niacinamide, propolis, or Vitamin C to effectively target blemishes and provide optimal oil control.
What does Retinal do for oily acne-prone skin?
Retinal helps clear clogged pores, reduces bumps and pimples, and helps balance oil production for oily, acne-prone skin. It is generally well tolerated when used regularly as part of an acne skincare routine.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 1999European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, 2014
What does Retinyl Palmitate do for oily acne-prone skin?
Retinyl palmitate helps manage acne-prone skin by reducing acne blemishes and spots while keeping skin irritation low. It works well for oily skin types because it supports normal skin cell turnover and helps keep pores clear, though this type of skin also needs ingredients that control excess oil and soothe inflammation.
International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2021Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta, 2012
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and toning, and before moisturizing. Oily acne-prone skin typically needs ingredients that balance oil production and directly target breakouts.
Can I use this serum with glycolic acid, and in what order?
You can use this serum with glycolic acid, but it is best to use them on alternate nights to lower the chance of irritation. This product works for oily acne-prone skin, though other products fit it better; a product for this skin needs ingredients that provide stronger oil control and target blemishes directly.
How often should I use this serum?
This serum fits into an evening routine for oily acne-prone skin, starting once a week and slowly increasing frequency only if your skin tolerates it well. While it has safe ingredients for your skin, it may not provide optimal oil control, so an oily acne-prone routine typically needs ingredients that specifically target excess oil and breakouts.
International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2021Facial Plastic Surgery, 2014
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum is unlikely to cause irritation on oily skin, but it may not be sufficient for optimal oil control and breakout care. A product for oily acne-prone skin needs ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to properly target blemishes and excess oil.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Twice daily application of retinaldehyde 0.1% and 0.05% creams for 3 months improved skin texture and hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss in 40 female Korean volunteers, with only the 0.1% cream significantly improving the melanin index.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2018Topical retinaldehyde demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria both in vitro and in vivo, leading to decreased bacterial counts without inducing resistance.
Dermatology, 2002Topical 0.05% retinaldehyde applied over 1 year significantly increased epidermal thickness of the temple and cutaneous elasticity compared to an emollient control group in 40 aging skin patients.
Dermatology, 1999Over-the-counter retinol products provided only weak evidence for a mild ameliorating effect on fine facial skin wrinkle lines in randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled trials, and major methodological flaws call the validity of positive results into question.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2021A cosmetic niacinamide/peptide/retinyl propionate regimen significantly improved periorbital wrinkle appearance relative to a 0.02% tretinoin regimen at 8 weeks with comparable benefits at 24 weeks, while demonstrating significantly better tolerability in 196 women.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010A novel triple-active cosmetic formulation containing 4-hexylresorcinol, retinyl propionate, and niacinamide improved the visual appearance of photoageing similarly to 0.02% tretinoin and reversed a consensus gene signature associated with ageing in female adults while causing less skin irritation.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024Treatment with 2% bis-ethylhexyl hydroxydimethoxy benzylmalonate (HDBM) resulted in a significant reduction of sebum excretion and efficacy against inflamed/red lesions compared to placebo in 44 test subjects with blemished skin over 8 weeks.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2012The combination of botulinum toxin and calcium hydroxylapatite applied together produced higher and earlier satisfaction rates and improved hydration in the lower face and neck region compared to calcium hydroxylapatite alone in 15 participants.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2023Topically applied calcium hydroxylapatite successfully penetrated fractional laser-induced skin defects and remained in the healing skin for at least six weeks, inducing collagen production around the microspheres in a human volunteer.
Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, 2025Calcium ions from nanophased hydroxyapatite embedded in collagen nanofibers significantly enhanced human dermal fibroblasts, keratinocytes, and hMSCs growth and proliferation, prevented pathogenic bacteria adhesion, enabled hMSCs differentiation, and caused no adverse reaction in rat subcutaneous implantation.
Nanomedicine, 2021
Why other serums fit oily acne-prone skin better
A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Niacinamide 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
Bis-Ethylhexyl Hydroxydimethoxy Benzylmalonate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Ethoxydiglycol, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Hydroxyapatite, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-14, Polysilicone-11, Retinal, Retinyl Palmitate
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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