🇨🇦Canada

Anua Green Lemon Vita C Blemish Serum for oily acne-prone skin

High

  • AverageOily Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

A great choice for oily acne-prone skin; a few serums fit it even 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

  • This serum offers moderate suitability for your oily skin, as sodium ascorbyl phosphate and niacinamide target inflammation and oil production to address your acne and breakouts. Barosma betulina leaf extract further aids in seboregulation, though the inclusion of humectant ingredients like sodium hyaluronate may not provide optimal results for all aspects of oiliness.
  • The formulation is safe for your oily skin, with soothing ingredients like Alpha-Bisabolol and Allantoin preventing irritation.
  • Overall, the product provides relevant benefits for your skin concerns and type with a good safety profile.

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

★4.3Overall rating based on 400+ reviews

Users report significant skin brightening and a reduction in dark spots and hyperpigmentation, with many seeing results within a few weeks. The product is noted for improving skin texture and providing a hydrating, glowing finish. A major drawback is the product's instability, leading to rapid oxidation and a short shelf life, often requiring refrigeration. Many also find the texture sticky and the scent unpleasant.

Highlights

  • Brightens skin Mostly Mentioned
    • “visible reduction in dark spots”
    • “skin tone is much fairer”
    • “noticeably brighter and clearer complexion”
  • Rapid oxidation Mostly Mentioned
    • “oxidizes pretty quickly”
    • “change in colour after 1 month”
    • “only has 3 months shelf life”
  • Sticky texture Often Mentioned
    • “texture is relatively richer and stickier”
    • “feels slightly sticky after application”
    • “adheres to skin but feels thin”
  • Fast results Sometimes Noted
    • “difference after just 2 weeks”
    • “worked its magic over a short period”
    • “immediate results”
  • Hydrating glow Sometimes Noted
    • “gives healthy skin and glow”
    • “leaves everything feeling hydrated”
    • “glass skin effect”
  • Improves texture Sometimes Noted
    • “pores around my nose are smaller”
    • “skin feels so smooth”
    • “lifting effect on sagging skin”
  • Inconvenient storage Sometimes Noted
    • “troublesome to use -> need to refrigerate”
    • “refrigerating it is a pain”
    • “hard to remember to put back”
  • Unpleasant scent Sometimes Noted
    • “smells like rotten orange”
    • “iconic metallic scent”
    • “bitter smell than normal lemon”
  • Potential irritation Rarely Noted
    • “felt my skin getting worse”
    • “tingling sensation”
    • “acne marks got darker”

Sources: lovi.care, iherb.com, stylekorean.com, skinsort.com, hikoco.co.nz, yesstyle.com, and more

Questions and answers

What makes Anua Green Lemon Vita C Blemish Serum a great fit for oily acne-prone skin?

This serum is a great fit for your oily acne-prone skin because ingredients like sodium ascorbyl phosphate and niacinamide help calm inflammation and balance oil production. It also includes soothing agents like alpha-bisabolol and allantoin to help prevent irritation and keep your skin comfortable.

International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2009Drug Research, 2017

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

This serum is a great fit because ingredients like sodium ascorbyl phosphate and niacinamide help calm breakouts and manage oil production. Soothing additions like alpha-bisabolol and allantoin are also very unlikely to cause irritation on your skin.

International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2009Drug Research, 2017

What does Vitamin C do for oily acne-prone skin?

Vitamin C helps brighten skin, smooth out texture, and improve uneven spots for oily acne-prone skin. It may also help fade marks left behind by blemishes.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023

What does Green Lemon Extract do for oily acne-prone skin?

Green lemon extract helps calm oily, acne-prone skin because lemon peel extracts possess antimicrobial properties that may target the bacteria causing breakouts. It also offers antioxidant benefits to support clearer, healthier skin.

The Analyst, 2026Molecules, 2023

Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?

This serum goes in your evening routine, placed after cleansing and toning and before moisturizing, for simplicity and extra safety around sun exposure. Some serums like this may also be used in the morning or twice a day.

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

You can use this serum in your evening routine alongside retinol, applying the treatment first and following with your moisturizer. Using active ingredients together may sometimes cause dryness or irritation, so it helps to introduce them slowly to see how your skin reacts.

How often should I use this serum?

This serum fits well into an evening routine, applied during your PM steps. Using it in the evening offers extra safety around sun exposure, though treatments like this may also be used in the morning or twice a day depending on your skin's response.

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

This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on oily acne-prone skin, as it contains ingredients that help target inflammation and control excess oil production. Soothing agents in the formula further help prevent irritation while keeping your skin calm.

International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2009Drug Research, 2017

Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (limonene, linalool, and citral).

What the research says

  • Topical combination of 5% sodium ascorbyl phosphate and 0.2% retinol reduced inflammatory acne lesions by 29.28% at 4 weeks and 63.10% at 8 weeks, outperforming either agent alone.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2009
  • Combined ascorbyl palmitate and sodium ascorbyl phosphate treatment significantly reduced facial sebum secretions in healthy female volunteers compared to a placebo control over 90 days.

    Drug Research, 2017
  • A topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.

    Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020
  • Topical application of 5% vitamin C cream significantly improved global clinical scores, increased skin microrelief density, and induced elastic tissue repair in photoaged skin compared to excipient control in healthy female volunteers.

    Experimental Dermatology, 2003
  • Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.

    Journal of Periodontology, 2009
  • Topical application of VC-IP cream twice daily for 8 weeks reduces periorbital wrinkles in female subjects compared to a placebo cream.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
  • 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
  • Glutathione 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, 2024
  • Topical 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, 2014
  • Topical glutathione improves hyperpigmentation, reduces ultraviolet-induced erythema and wrinkles, decreases transepidermal water loss, and enhances antioxidant capacity.

    The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2025
  • Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011
  • Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.

    Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022
  • Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.

    BMC Oral Health, 2019

Ingredients

Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Sodium Hydroxide, C12-14 Alketh-12, Alpha-Bisabolol, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Water, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Dimethicone Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Glycerin, Glutathione, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil Flower, Litsea Cubeba Oil Fruit, Adenosine, Grapefruit Peel Oil, Disodium Edta, Bergamot Oil Fruit, Spearmint Oil Leaf, Tocopherol, Ferulic Acid, Barosma Betulina Leaf Extract, N-Butyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Sorbitol, Panthenol, Beta-Glucan, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil, Sucrose Stearate, Glyceryl Stearates, Beta-Carotene, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Niacinamide, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Thioctic Acid, Lycopodium Clavatum Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Pyridoxine, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Folic Acid, Biotin, Ceramide Np, Ubiquinone, Cyanocobalamin, Thiamine Hcl, Riboflavin, Linoleic Acid, Hesperidin, Ergothioneine, Limonene, Linalool, Citral

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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