Allies of Skin Retinal & Peptides Repair Night Cream for combination skin
Retinaldehyde
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Niacinamide
Glutathione
Ellagic Acid
Average
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for combination skin; other moisturizers 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 suitability for your combination skin, as retinal and niacinamide provide antioxidant activity and seboregulation, while glycerin and sodium hyaluronate offer hydration to support oily shine.
- The multiple peptides, including palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, contribute to plumping and reducing the appearance of fine lines, enhancing overall skin rejuvenation.
- The product is safe for your combination skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid.
How to apply
- Use this moisturizer in your AM and PM routine every day to control shine. Always pair with SPF in the morning.
- Apply this moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your morning SPF.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin and avoid harsh rubbing. Let it ⏳absorb for a minute.
- Apply the moisturizer on slightly damp skin to help it lock in moisture better. This keeps your combination skin balanced.
- Avoid the eye area when applying the moisturizer. Do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 1.2k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users find this night cream to be a holy grail for sensitive skin, effectively clearing acne and smoothing fine lines without irritation. The formula is frequently described as hydrating and transformative, leading to brighter, clearer, and plumper skin by morning.
Highlights
Gentle, non-irritating Mostly Mentioned
- “Best retinol for sensitive skin”
- “No morning-after redness”
- “Doesn't irritate my skin at all”
Clears acne Often Mentioned
- “Dramatic impact on acne”
- “Skin feels so clear”
- “Hyperpigmentation disappearing faster”
Improves texture Often Mentioned
- “Woke up looking well-rested”
- “Smoother and firmer”
- “Leaves skin glowing and supple”
High price point Often Mentioned
- “Extremely pricey”
- “Too expensive”
- “Would purchase less expensive alternatives”
Hydrating formula Sometimes Noted
- “Sinks in perfectly”
- “Really moisturizing”
- “Absorbs fast and nourishes”
Initial purging Rarely Noted
- “Skin may be in purging stage”
- “Pushed impurities out”
- “Minor breakouts at start”
Slow results Rarely Noted
- “Nothing significant”
- “Don't get the hype”
- “Takes longer to see wrinkle changes”
Sources: lovi.care, allies.shop, dermstore.com, spacenk.com, cultbeauty.com, sephora.sg, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Allies of Skin Retinal & Peptides Repair Night Cream work for combination skin?
This cream offers moderate suitability for your combination skin, as retinal and niacinamide help manage oily shine while glycerin and hyaluronic acid provide hydration. It is safe and unlikely to cause irritation, though a product for this skin needs to balance deep hydration and brightening with a lightweight feel that avoids excess oil.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for combination skin?
Retinaldehyde and niacinamide help balance oily shine, while glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide hydration. Multiple peptides like palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 smooth fine lines, and soothing ingredients keep the cream safe for your skin.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2015
What does Retinal do for combination skin?
Retinal helps smooth the skin and reduces signs of aging or breakouts when used regularly. It is unlikely to cause severe irritation when introduced gradually, keeping combination skin feeling calm and smooth.
European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, 2014Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2011
What does Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 do for combination skin?
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 helps improve firmness and reduce signs of aging in combination skin. This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation and works well to keep the skin looking smooth and resilient.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2026Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2015
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This cream goes in the evening routine as a treatment step, applied after cleansing and toning and before your moisturizer. It is unlikely to cause irritation on combination skin, but to get a better fit, this skin type needs a product that balances oil production and hydration without feeling heavy.
Can I use this cream with AHA, and in what order?
You can use this cream in your evening routine after your AHA treatment, as long as your skin does not feel irritated. Combination skin needs a product with balanced hydration and gentle soothing ingredients to keep oily shine managed while supporting the skin barrier.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this cream in your evening routine as a treatment, applying it after cleansing and before your moisturizer. For combination skin, a product of this type needs balancing ingredients like niacinamide for oil control alongside lightweight hydrators such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid to keep the skin comfortable.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This cream is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on combination skin, and initial purging is rare. Combination skin needs products that balance oil and hydration with lightweight hydrators like glycerin and hyaluronic acid, alongside gentle pore-clearing ingredients.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
This cream is safe to use on the delicate skin around the eyes, though combination skin generally does better with lighter hydrating fluids and targeted eye treatments. The skin around the eyes and on the body benefits from rich moisturizers with hyaluronic acid and peptides that lock in moisture and smooth out fine lines.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (geraniol, limonene, and linalool).
What the research says
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, 2017Treatment with a combination of niacinamide and hyaluronic acid improved skin aging signs and demonstrated a senomorphic effect by decreasing SASP and autocrine signaling genes in women.
Scientific Reports, 2024A multi-modal methodology combining MALDI-MSI, in vivo RCM, echography, and histology revealed age-related decreases in extracellular matrix and epidermal-dermal junction proteins and undulation depth, while a blend of palmitoyl oligopeptide and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 improved subepidermal low-echogenic band thickness, density, and extracellular matrix structure compared to placebo.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2015Chronomodulated daytime application of baicalin and nighttime application of palmitoyl tripeptide-1 synergistically improved skin luminance by 16.29%, nasolabial fold depth by -36.35%, and firmness by 24.35% in 30 female participants.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026Twice 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, 1999Palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, acetyl hexapeptide-8, palmitoyl tripeptide-1, and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-10 significantly increased type III collagen levels in human dermal fibroblasts following UV exposure, with their combination demonstrating a greater effect in vitro and enhancing type I, III, and IV collagen levels in ex vivo skin tissues compared to individual components.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2026Topical 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, 2021Topical 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, 2008Topical 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, 2005Glutathione amino acid precursors effectively increase cellular glutathione levels, reducing oxidative stress, ATP depletion, and DNA damage in human keratinocytes, clinical subjects, and ex vivo skin compared to controls.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2024Topical oxidized glutathione significantly decreases the skin melanin index and improves moisture content, smoothness, wrinkle formation, and elasticity compared to placebo in healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2014Topical glutathione improves hyperpigmentation, reduces ultraviolet-induced erythema and wrinkles, decreases transepidermal water loss, and enhances antioxidant capacity.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2025A novel formulation of hydroxyphenoxy propionic acid, ellagic acid, yeast extract, and salicylic acid demonstrated parity in improving pigmentation, skin tone, spot intensity, and spot size compared to standard prescription 4% hydroquinone and 0.025% tretinoin in 82 subjects, with superior tolerability.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2013A topical product containing 0.5% ellagic acid and 0.1% salicylic acid demonstrated comparable tolerance and efficacy in reducing hyperpigmentation and dark spots in fifty-four multiethnic subjects over 12 weeks when compared against a benchmark prescription 4% hydroquinone product.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2013Platycarya strobilacea fruit extract and its isolated ellagic acid derivatives demonstrated anti-wrinkle and antiaging potential by scavenging free radicals, inhibiting elastase, reducing MMP-1, and increasing type I collagen synthesis in human fibroblast cells, with clinical testing showing significant improvements compared to placebo.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2010
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Hydrolyzed Candida Saitoana Extract, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Galactoarabinan, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3, Cassia Angustifolia Polysaccharide Seed, Sodium Hyaluronate, Oxycoccus Palustris Seed Oil Arctic Cranberry Seed Oil, Rubus Chamaemorus Berry Seed Oil Cloud Berry Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Callus Culture Extract, Retinal Retinaldehyde, Pterostilbene, Ellagic Acid, Phenyl T-Butylnitrone Spin Trap, Ergothioneine, Glutathione, Mirabilis Jalapa Stem Extract Flower Leaf, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Chrysin, Glutamylamidoethyl Imidazole, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract Honeysuckle Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract Honeysuckle Flower Extract, Lavandula Hybrida Oil Lavendin Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Cyclodextrin, Caprylyl Glycol, Steareth-20, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Dextran, Acetyl Tributyl Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool
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
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