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Sunday Riley U.F.O. Ultra-Clarifying Face Oil for sensitive skin

Average

  • AverageNormal Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

Works for sensitive skin; other serums fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. 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

  • This product offers moderate exfoliation for your normal skin, with salicylic acid and hexylresorcinol targeting blemishes, while Glycyrrhiza Glabra Licorice Root Extract and Chamomilla Recutita Oil Flower provide soothing benefits for redness and irritation.
  • The formulation includes beneficial ingredients like Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract to support your sensitive skin, though it could benefit from more humectant ingredients for enhanced hydration.
  • The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components.

How to apply

  • Use your serum in the PM routine, starting 3 times a week before building up to daily use if your skin is happy.
  • Apply the serum after cleansing and toning, but before putting on your moisturizer for the best results.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and wait a minute ⏱ for it to soak in.
  • Since your skin is sensitive and easily irritated, apply the serum on completely dry skin to help keep it calm.
  • Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid getting the serum too close to your eyes .

People Say

★4.6Overall rating based on 1000+ reviews

This medicated dry oil is widely praised by users with oily and acne-prone skin for its ability to rapidly clear cystic acne and congestion without causing dryness. While many users report smoother texture and diminished redness overnight, results regarding blackhead removal are mixed, and the product's potent herbal scent is a polarizing feature.

Highlights

  • Rapidly clears acne Mostly Mentioned
    • “shrinks pimples overnight”
    • “vanished in 2-3 days”
    • “cleared hormonal breakouts”
    • “stopped cystic acne”
  • Strong medicinal scent Mostly Mentioned
    • “smells like oregano”
    • “pungent herbal smell”
    • “scent is repulsing”
    • “smells like dirt”
  • Fast absorption Often Mentioned
    • “sinks in immediately”
    • “dry oil texture”
    • “not greasy at all”
    • “mattified appearance”
  • High price point Often Mentioned
    • “very expensive”
    • “hefty price tag”
    • “not budget friendly”
    • “pricey for the size”
  • Fades scars/redness Sometimes Noted
    • “diminished facial redness”
    • “faded acne scars”
    • “evened skin tone”
    • “calms inflammation”
  • Non-drying formula Sometimes Noted
    • “doesn't dry out skin”
    • “hydrating but clarifies”
    • “no flaky patches”
    • “leaves skin soft”
  • Caused breakouts/purging Rarely Noted
    • “caused tiny bumps”
    • “broke me out”
    • “irritated my skin”
    • “made acne worse”
  • Ineffective for blackheads Rarely Noted
    • “didn't clear blackheads”
    • “pores look same”
    • “no change in congestion”

Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, spacenk.com, sephora.sg, sephora.co.uk, cultbeauty.co.uk, and more

Questions and answers

How well does Sunday Riley U.F.O. work for sensitive skin?

This product works for sensitive skin, though other products fit it better because it could benefit from more hydrating ingredients to boost moisture. To work best for this skin type, a product of this type needs extra hydrating ingredients.

Which ingredients make this oil a good fit for sensitive skin?

Licorice root extract and chamomile oil help calm redness and irritation on sensitive skin, while aloe extract provides extra support. For this skin to fit better, a product of this type needs more hydrating ingredients.

Experimental Dermatology, 2015

What does Salicylic Acid do for sensitive skin?

Salicylic acid may cause irritation on sensitive skin, so it requires careful use and good sun protection to keep skin comfortable. A product for this skin type needs gentle, soothing ingredients and a mild formula that respects the skin barrier.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 1999International Journal of Toxicology, 2003

What does Licorice Root Extract do for sensitive skin?

Licorice root extract helps calm redness and ease irritation on sensitive skin through its natural soothing properties. It is unlikely to cause trouble when used as directed, though very safe use is best to avoid any unwanted reactions.

Pharmaceutical Biology, 2017Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025

Where does this oil go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?

This oil is a treatment, so it goes in your evening routine after cleansing and toning, and before moisturizing. Sensitive skin like yours works well with this product, though it could benefit from more hydrating ingredients to lock in moisture.

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

This oil works for your sensitive skin, though other products fit it better and this skin type needs more water-attracting ingredients for enhanced hydration. You can use it with retinol by applying your retinol first and following with this treatment oil, or by using your retinol at night and this oil in the morning.

How often should I use this oil?

You can start using this oil once a week in the evening, and if your skin feels fine and you like the results, you may carefully use it more often. This product works for sensitive skin, though it needs more hydrating, water-attracting ingredients to fit this skin type best.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023

Can this oil clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?

This oil is unlikely to cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin because it has an excellent safety profile with soothing components and no harsh ingredients. However, because this is an average fit for sensitive skin, products of this type need extra hydrating ingredients that draw moisture into the skin to keep it fully comfortable.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023

Is this oil fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It contains fragrance (linalool, limonene, farnesol, and geraniol) and drying alcohol (isopropyl alcohol).

What the research says

  • 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
  • Licochalcone A activated Nrf2 signaling, elevated cytoprotective enzymes, increased the reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio, and decreased reactive oxygen species in human fibroblasts and neutrophils, while a LicA-rich licorice extract lowered UVA-induced oxidative processes in vivo.

    Experimental Dermatology, 2015
  • A combination of Aloe barbadensis leaf extract and trimethylglycine in a 1:1 mass ratio synergistically increased aquaporin 3 expression by up to 380% in keratinocytes and safely improved skin hydration in healthy volunteers.

    Molecules, 2024
  • 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
  • Combining 755 nm alexandrite laser with topical licorice gel significantly reduces terminal hair counts compared to alexandrite laser with placebo in women with idiopathic hirsutism.

    Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015
  • Bioactive glycyrrhizic acid and oxymatrine ionic liquid self-assembled nanomicelles significantly promoted the transdermal permeation, subcutaneous retention, and anti-photoaging efficacy of palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 in cellular and animal models compared to unformulated peptide.

    Advanced Science, 2025
  • Topical application of Glycyrrhiza glabra and Sophora japonica flavonoid-rich fractions individually and in combination significantly increased the wound healing rate and reduced oxidative stress compared to wound and Nolaver-treated groups.

    Molecules, 2023
  • Thymoquinone-loaded liposomal chitosan gel demonstrated superior in vivo anti-inflammatory activity over thymoquinone gel and a comparable effect to marketed indomethacin gel in rats with carrageenan-induced paw edema.

    AAPS PharmSciTech, 2018
  • Thymoquinone pre-treatment attenuated UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and mitochondrial apoptosis in human HaCaT keratinocytes through COX-2 inhibition via the activation of the NrF2/ARE pathway.

    Molecular Immunology, 2021
  • Topical application of thymoquinone treated with cold plasma significantly improved wound healing potential, augmenting skin regeneration indices, reducing tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and enhancing hyaluronic acid, collagen type I, interleukin-10, alpha smooth muscle actin, and vascular endothelial growth factor compared to thymoquinone alone in a rat wound model.

    International Immunopharmacology, 2023
  • Silybum marianum flower extract increased human hair follicle dermal papilla cell proliferation and VEGF production while suppressing cellular senescence, and in a clinical study using hair shampoo, it significantly increased hair density and total hair count at 16 and 24 weeks compared with a placebo group.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
  • Topical 0.5% silymarin-loaded antioxidant serum applied twice daily significantly reduced clinical acne severity, lesion counts, and melanin pigmentation in 22 Korean acne patients over 4 weeks without associated adverse events.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023
  • Topical silymarin cream 1.4% showed comparable results to salicylic acid 30% peels in reducing acne severity in 30 patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris.

    Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, 2024

Ingredients

Silybum Marianum Seed Oil Milk, Nigella Sativa Seed Oil, Cucumis Sativus Seed Oil, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Cranberry Seed Oil, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Licorice Root Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Apricot Kernel Oil, Hexylresorcinol, Ethyl Linoleate, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Oil Flower, Citrus Aurantium Amara Oil Flower, Melia Azadirachta Neem Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus Sunflower Seed Oil, 4-Terpineol, Linalool, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Limonene, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Amber Powder, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Isopropyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Rosemary Leaf Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Water, Grapefruit Peel Oil, Ocimum Basilicum Leaf Extract Flower, Salicylic 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.

How does it fit your skin?

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