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Vivant DERM-A-GEL for oily acne-prone skin

Average

  • HighOily 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 exfoliation and hydration suitable for oily skin, with niacinamide and lactic acid helping to manage oiliness and support skin texture.
  • While the product provides general skincare benefits like soothing and hydration, its primary active ingredients are not specifically targeted towards your main concerns of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
  • The safety profile is good, with no indications of irritation for oily skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components.

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

★4.9Overall rating based on 200+ reviews

This retinoid serum is highly praised for its ability to significantly improve skin texture, reduce acne, and diminish fine lines, with most users experiencing a clearer complexion quickly. Some users report a mild adjustment period with dryness or purging. The data is based on approximately 175 reviews.

Highlights

  • Clears acne breakouts Mostly Mentioned
    • “Helps with clearing acne”
    • “less breakouts”
    • “targets active acne”
  • Gentle on skin Often Mentioned
    • “Gentle yet powerful”
    • “even on sensitive skin”
    • “didn't cause major side effects”
  • Improves skin texture Often Mentioned
    • “Skin is smoother”
    • “refine skin texture”
    • “smoother surface”
  • Promotes glowing skin Sometimes Noted
    • “My face is glowing”
    • “restored youthful glow”
    • “rosy glow”
  • Reduces fine lines Sometimes Noted
    • “Reduced lines and pores”
    • “softens fine lines”
    • “anti-aging”
  • Initial skin purging Sometimes Noted
    • “Did induce purging”
    • “purging can occur”
    • “expect initial purging”
  • Mild dryness/peeling Sometimes Noted
    • “Mild peeling around mouth”
    • “feeling of drier skin”
    • “mild dryness”
  • Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
    • “Scent is rather strong”
    • “kinda unpleasant”
    • “least favorite thing”

Sources: lovi.care, vivantskincare.com, judge.me, theskincareculture.com, lazskincare.com, sarahford.co, and more

Questions and answers

How well does Vivant DERM-A-GEL serum work for oily acne-prone skin?

Vivant DERM-A-GEL works moderately well for oily acne-prone skin, offering basic exfoliation and hydration with a low risk of irritation, though its ingredients do not specifically target breakouts. An ideal treatment for this skin needs targeted blemish-fighting ingredients like benzoyl peroxide or strong soothing and oil-controlling elements like niacinamide and propolis.

International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010

Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?

Niacinamide and lactic acid make this serum a fit by helping manage oiliness and supporting skin texture. To work best for oily and acne-prone skin, a treatment of this type needs dedicated breakout-fighting ingredients like benzoyl peroxide alongside soothing and oil-controlling components.

International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010

What does Retinyl Propionate do for oily acne-prone skin?

Retinyl propionate helps maintain skin and sebaceous glands by supporting the normal turnover of cells. It helps improve the look of aging and skin texture while generally causing less irritation than stronger prescription options.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024

What does Niacinamide do for oily acne-prone skin?

Niacinamide helps balance oil production, calms redness, and is unlikely to irritate oily, acne-prone skin while improving blemishes. Clinical tests show it reduces excess oil and helps clear up both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne breakouts.

Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

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, followed by your moisturizer. Oily acne-prone skin needs a product of this type that specifically targets breakouts and blemishes with stronger active ingredients while still keeping skin calm and balanced.

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

This treatment is unlikely to cause irritation on oily skin, but combining it with glycolic acid may be too strong and cause dryness. If you use both, apply this treatment first and follow with glycolic acid on alternating nights to keep your skin smooth and calm.

How often should I use this serum?

Start by using this treatment once a week in the evening, and if your skin feels comfortable and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often. Oily acne-prone skin needs a treatment that specifically targets acne, blemishes, and breakouts.

Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?

Yes, you may experience initial skin purging and mild dryness when using this treatment on oily acne-prone skin. While it offers moderate exfoliation and hydration, its ingredients are not specifically targeted toward breakouts, so an acne-prone skin routine also needs stronger blemish-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.

Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

What the research says

  • A 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, 2024
  • A 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, 2010
  • A combination of retinyl propionate and climbazole (RPC) resulted in significant improvement in aging attributes, including deep wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, with significantly less irritation compared to 0.1% retinol in 45 healthy Caucasian females with moderately photodamaged facial skin.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017
  • Over-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, 2021
  • Topical retinyl propionate cream produced no statistically significant differences compared to placebo for any clinical, histological, or profilometric parameters of skin photoageing in 80 subjects.

    Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 1998
  • A vitamin A palmitate and antioxidant-containing oil-based moisturizer improved fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation, tone, texture, dryness, firmness, and clarity across various body sites compared to a no-treatment group over 12 weeks.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2013
  • Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021
  • Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.

    The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008
  • Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.

    Dermatologic Surgery, 2005
  • A topical formulation containing kojic acid, emblica extract, and glycolic acid demonstrated efficacy parity compared with hydroquinone 4% in multiethnic participants with mild to moderate facial dyschromia.

    Cutis, 2010
  • A nanoemulsion containing 1 mg/mL kojic dipalmitate and 5% rosehip oil demonstrated high incorporation efficiency, suitable physicochemical stability, antioxidant and depigmenting efficacy close to 1 mM ascorbic acid, and no cytotoxicity at concentrations from 0.06% to 1% in vitro.

    Pharmaceutics, 2023
  • Topical application of iron chelators kojic acid and deferiprone significantly accelerated wound healing in rats compared to control groups, with deferiprone showing superior efficacy due to higher antioxidant and iron chelation abilities.

    International Wound Journal, 2013
  • Application of a cream containing lactic acid 12% and pramoxine HCl 1% significantly improved skin dryness, hydration, and itch compared with a nontreated control in 24 women with a history of dry itchy skin.

    Cutis, 2004
  • Topical 12% ammonium lactate produced a significant sparing of epidermal and dermal atrophy induced by clobetasol propionate in human volunteers, without influencing the corticosteroid's bioavailability or antiinflammatory properties.

    Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1992
  • A lactic acid/ceramide lotion significantly improved skin moisturization and desquamation compared to no treatment in women with dry, rough skin on the anterior shins.

    The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020

Why other serums fit oily acne-prone skin better

  • Adapalene 0.1%-benzoyl peroxide 2.5% fixed-dose combination gel provided significantly greater, synergistic efficacy and a faster onset of action compared with the vehicle, adapalene monotherapy, and benzoyl peroxide monotherapy in patients with acne vulgaris.

    The British Journal of Dermatology, 2009
  • Topical benzoyl peroxide 5% gel treatment improved acne severity, sebum, stratum corneum hydration, and transepidermal water loss, while significantly reducing microbial diversity and the prevalence of Cutibacterium in 33 patients with acne vulgaris.

    Dermatologic Therapy, 2022
  • 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

Ingredients

Water, Glycereth-26, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Retinyl Propionate, Ethylhexyl Dimethyl Paba, Carbomer, Kojic Acid, Bht, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Pca, Glycine, Fructose, Urea, Niacinamide, Inositol, Sodium Benzoate, Lactic Acid, Disodium Edta, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol

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?

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