🇦🇺Australia

The Ordinary Aloe 2% + NAG 2% Solution for combination skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

The Ordinary Aloe 2% + NAG 2% Solution

Average

  • HighCombination Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

Works for combination skin; other serums fit it 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 skin tone evening and pore refinement for your combination skin, as Acetyl Glucosamine and Lactic Acid work to gently exfoliate and reduce hyperpigmentation. Glycerin further supports your skin barrier and provides essential hydration.
  • The formulation is safe for your combination skin, with no harsh ingredients that could cause irritation.
  • This product is suitable for your combination skin and addresses oily shine with mild exfoliation and pore refinement.

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 2.4k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, users with acne-prone and sensitive skin frequently praise this serum for its ability to soothe redness and gradually fade post-acne marks without irritation. Many report improved skin texture and hydration, though some users find the results on older hyperpigmentation to be slow or unnoticeable.

Highlights

  • Soothing and calming Mostly Mentioned
    • “toned down the redness”
    • “beautifully calming on the skin”
    • “soothing for sensitive days”
  • Fades post-acne marks Often Mentioned
    • “helped get rid of my acne scars”
    • “faded blemishes quicker than normal”
    • “large improvements in post-acne marks”
  • Hydrating texture Often Mentioned
    • “skin feels velvety”
    • “nice hydrating slip”
    • “leaves skin plump and dewy”
  • Improves skin texture Sometimes Noted
    • “skin is noticeably smoother”
    • “helped with congestion”
    • “reduced look of pores”
  • Slow or minimal results Sometimes Noted
    • “didn't see any results”
    • “less successful on existing dark spots”
    • “over-promised and under-delivered”
  • Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
    • “broke me out”
    • “caused tiny bumps”
    • “skin hated it”
  • Routine conflicts Rarely Noted
    • “conflicts with direct acids”
    • “hard to fit in routine”
    • “pills with other serums”
  • Sticky finish Rarely Noted
    • “slightly gloopy texture”
    • “can become tacky”
    • “sticky if applied heavily”

Sources: lovi.care, sephora.co.uk, ulta.com, kohls.com, theordinary.com, sephora.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does The Ordinary Aloe 2% + NAG 2% Solution work for combination skin?

This treatment works moderately well for combination skin by providing gentle exfoliation, pore refinement, and hydration. However, combination skin often needs ingredients like niacinamide, zinc PCA, or propolis to better balance oiliness and enhance radiance.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2007Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

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

Acetyl glucosamine and lactic acid help smooth and even your skin tone, while glycerin keeps your skin hydrated. Combination skin needs ingredients like niacinamide, propolis, and zinc PCA to regulate oiliness and enhance radiance without irritation.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2007Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

What does Aloe Vera do for combination skin?

Aloe vera helps keep combination skin hydrated without making it oily. It increases skin water content while supporting the skin barrier.

Skin Research and Technology, 2006

What does N-Acetyl Glucosamine do for combination skin?

N-Acetyl Glucosamine helps fade dark spots and uneven areas while keeping combination skin looking balanced and smooth. It is unlikely to clog pores and works well to improve overall skin tone.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2007Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2006

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

This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing. Combination skin needs products of this type that provide gentle exfoliation, pore refinement, and lightweight hydration.

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

This treatment works well in your evening routine, but using it with retinol may cause irritation since both help renew the skin. To be safe, apply this serum first and follow with your retinol on alternate nights, or use this in the morning and retinol at night.

How often should I use this serum?

Use this serum in your evening routine once a week to start, as it contains gentle exfoliating ingredients. If your combination skin handles it well, you may carefully use it more often. Combination skin of this type needs gentle exfoliating acids and hydrating ingredients like glycerin to help smooth texture and keep pores clear.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2007Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

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

This serum is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores for your combination skin, as it has a safe formula without harsh ingredients that could cause irritation. However, combination skin often needs lightweight hydrators and gentle exfoliants that specifically target excess oil in the T-zone for a better fit.

Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

What the research says

  • Topical 2% N-acetyl glucosamine reduced facial hyperpigmentation in an 8-week split-face clinical test, with an even greater effect observed when combined with 4% niacinamide.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2007

  • A 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, 2017

  • 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, 2018

  • Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.

    Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018

  • Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.

    Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010

  • N-acetylglucosamine dose dependently increased hyaluronan production in cultured keratinocytes, and its combination with retinoic acid or retinol exerted a synergistic effect.

    Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2004

  • Exogenous N-acetylglucosamine promotes hyaluronan production while having no effect on the expression of hyaluronan-synthesizing enzymes 1, 2, and 3 mRNA in cultured human dermal fibroblasts.

    Archives of Dermatological Research, 2009

  • Global gene expression profiling and in vitro biomarker approaches in human skin equivalent cultures successfully detected specific skin barrier, matrix, and hydration responses to topical compounds including niacinamide, hexamidine, Pal-KT, Pal-KTTKS, and N-acetylglucosamine.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2009

  • The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020

  • Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001

  • Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012

Ingredients

Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Acetyl Glucosamine, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Biosaccharide Gum-2, Pentylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Isoceteth-20, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Sodium Lactate, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin

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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

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Prices checked 3 Nov 2026

The Lovi Fit is the same in every country; only the stores and prices differ, and the ones here are for Australia.

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

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