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ilso Super Melting Serum Softener for oily skin

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

ilso Super Melting Serum Softener

Average

  • HighOily Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

Works for oily skin; other serums fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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 treatment for your oily skin as Sebum Remove Complex and Carica Papaya Fruit Extract help cleanse pores and smooth texture, though they do not specifically target oily shine.
  • Centella Asiatica Extract provides soothing benefits, ensuring a comfortable experience for your oily skin.
  • The product is safe for your oily skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components.

How to apply

  • Use this serum in your PM routine. Start by applying it 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
  • Apply the serum after cleansing and toning, but right before your moisturizer for the best results.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin. Let it absorb ⏱ for a minute before applying the next product.
  • Apply the serum on clean and dry skin since your skin is not sensitive and you want to target oily shine. This helps control excess oil throughout the night.
  • Avoid the delicate eye area and do a patch test before using the serum for the very first time.

People Say

★4.6Overall rating based on 1.8k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, users with oily and combination skin find this product highly effective for removing sebum and blackheads, often describing the process as satisfying and gentle enough for sensitive skin. However, achieving optimal results typically requires additional tools and can make the routine time-consuming.

Highlights

  • Effective sebum removal Mostly Mentioned
    • “melts blackheads away”
    • “gunk comes out”
    • “pores look cleaner”
    • “removed stubborn whiteheads”
    • “satisfying extraction”
  • Gentle and non-irritating Often Mentioned
    • “no stinging”
    • “soothing formula”
    • “safe for sensitive skin”
    • “doesn't rip skin”
    • “calming sensation”
  • Requires extra tools Often Mentioned
    • “need scraper tool”
    • “pads not included”
    • “bought tool separately”
    • “need cotton pads”
    • “hard without applicator”
  • Smoother skin texture Sometimes Noted
    • “nose feels smooth”
    • “soft skin”
    • “better makeup application”
    • “glass skin effect”
    • “texture improved”
  • Incomplete extraction Sometimes Noted
    • “deep blackheads remained”
    • “didn't get everything”
    • “surface level only”
    • “some gunk left”
    • “multiple uses needed”
  • Time consuming process Sometimes Noted
    • “takes 15 minutes”
    • “multi-step process”
    • “requires prep time”
    • “long wait”
    • “tedious routine”
  • Versatile application Rarely Noted
    • “use on chin”
    • “great for forehead”
    • “better than strips”
    • “target specific areas”
    • “customizable usage”
  • Mild irritation Rarely Noted
    • “skin peeled later”
    • “slight redness”
    • “high pH dryness”
    • “tingling sensation”
    • “over-exfoliation risk”

Sources: lovi.care, oliveyoung.com, iherb.com, stylekorean.com, reddit.com, instyle.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does ilso Super Melting Serum Softener work for oily skin?

This treatment offers moderate care for your oily skin because its ingredients help clean out pores and smooth texture, though they do not specifically target oily shine. It is safe and soothing to use, but an oily skin type needs products with ingredients like niacinamide, zinc pca, or tea tree extract that actively control oil and manage shine.

Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2015

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

Sebum Remove Complex, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, and Centella Asiatica Extract help cleanse pores, smooth texture, and calm your skin. Oily skin often needs products with ingredients like niacinamide, zinc PCA, and tea tree extract for strong oil control and managing excess shine.

Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2015

What does Sebum Remove Complex do for oily skin?

Sebum Remove Complex helps manage oily skin by reducing excess oil and keeping the face feeling fresh and balanced. It supports oil control through ingredients that target pathways responsible for oil production.

International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2023Molecules, 2022

What does Centella Asiatica Extract do for oily skin?

Centella Asiatica Extract helps calm redness and keeps oily skin feeling balanced by soothing irritation and supporting moisture levels. It is unlikely to feel heavy, and products of this type for oily skin need ingredients that control excess shine while maintaining hydration.

Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Molecules, 2023

Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily skin?

Use this treatment in your evening routine, applying it after your cleansing toner and before your moisturizer. Oily skin works best with products that contain ingredients targeting oil control and shine reduction.

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

You can use this treatment alongside retinol by applying it first to help cleanse pores and smooth texture, followed by your retinol product. Because this combination can be strong for your skin, oily skin types also need ingredients that target excess shine and soothe potential irritation to keep it feeling comfortable.

How often should I use it?

Use this treatment in your evening routine once a week to start, and you may carefully use it more often if your skin tolerates it well. This type of product needs pore-cleansing and oil-balancing ingredients for oily skin, along with soothing components to keep the experience comfortable.

Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2015

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

This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for your oily skin, as it helps cleanse pores and smooth texture with gentle ingredients. However, a product of this type needs ingredients that specifically target oily shine to be a better fit for this skin.

Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2015International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2023

What the research says

  • A fixed combination of hydroxypinacolone retinoate, retinol glycospheres, and papain glycospheres in aqueous gel applied once daily for 12 weeks achieved a 41% mean reduction in GAGS score and a 40.8% mean reduction in total lesions, with 15.3% of patients experiencing mild to moderate local side effects, in 94 evaluable patients with comedonal-papular, mild to moderate acne of the face.

    Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2015

  • Incorporating 1, 2, and 5 percent papain into starch- and carboxymethyl cellulose-based films preserved proteolytic and skin exfoliation activity while improving mechanical properties and water solubility compared to control films, with immobilized enzyme maintaining stability for up to 90 days.

    International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2023

  • Cosmetic formulations containing 5% Centella asiatica extract showed the best efficacy in improving skin moisture and decreasing transepidermal water loss, while also exhibiting antiinflammatory properties in 25 volunteers compared to baseline measurements.

    Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016

  • Co-delivery of paeonol and madecassoside via nanoemulsions improved transdermal delivery, promoted barrier repair proteins, inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in cellular and 3D models, and reduced transepidermal water loss and acne in human facial skin compared to free components.

    Molecules, 2023

  • Chitosan-based hydrogels loaded with asiaticoside-rich Centella asiatica extract achieved controlled drug release, skin permeability, antimicrobial activity, and synergistic wound healing effects in an in vitro model.

    International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2023

  • Topical application of 0.05% w/w ECa 233 gel reduced erythema index by 0.03 U and improved early crusting and general wound appearance compared to placebo in thirty individuals undergoing facial laser resurfacing.

    Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2020

  • 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

  • Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019

  • Topical papain treatment may slightly decrease pain within 30 minutes in humans stung by Chrysaora chinensis compared to placebo.

    Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 2016

  • Reflux extraction of Carica papaya leaves yielded higher antioxidant capacity and superior in vitro wound-healing activities including fibroblast proliferation, cell migration, and collagen synthesis in human skin fibroblasts compared to ultrasonic-assisted extraction and agitation.

    Molecules, 2020

  • Carica papaya leaf extracts obtained via supercritical fluid and conventional methods demonstrated antioxidant and cytoprotective effects on skin fibroblasts against oxidative stress, driven by their respective lipophilic and hydrophilic constituents.

    Molecules, 2021

Why other serums fit oily skin better

Ingredients

Sebum Remove Complex, Centella Asiatica Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract

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

How does it fit your skin?

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How does it fit your skin?

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

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play