innisfree Retinol Cica Repair Ampoule for oily acne-prone skin
Average
- HighOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
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 benefits for your oily skin and acne concerns, as niacinamide and salicylic acid help regulate oil and exfoliate pores, though retinol's anti-aging focus is not your primary goal.
- Beta-glucan and allantoin provide soothing effects, which are beneficial for maintaining skin comfort.
- The product is safe for your skin, with no identified risks of irritation due to its gentle formulation and absence of harsh ingredients.
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
★4.6Overall rating based on 5.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this ampoule is highly recommended as a gentle introduction to retinol, particularly for sensitive skin. Users frequently report that it effectively hydrates and soothes, leading to smoother texture and fewer blemishes without causing irritation. However, individuals with advanced retinol experience may find the concentration too low for significant anti-aging effects, and some note that results can be subtle and require patience.
Highlights
Extremely gentle formula Mostly Mentioned
- “0.0 irritation response for sensitive skin”
- “super gentle, didn't dry out my skin”
- “good beginner intro to retinol”
- “no stinging sensation”
Hydrating and moisturizing Often Mentioned
- “leaves my skin very moisturized”
- “hydrating formula”
- “feels like a regular moisture serum”
- “skin felt hydrated and plump”
Lightweight absorption Often Mentioned
- “absorbs quickly”
- “lightweight and cooling”
- “non-sticky finish”
- “glides on like butter”
Improves texture/blemishes Sometimes Noted
- “smoothed out tiny bumps”
- “faded blemishes slightly”
- “pores looked smaller”
- “reduced redness from mask-wearing”
Slow or subtle results Sometimes Noted
- “didn't notice much difference”
- “takes time to see effects”
- “too weak for wrinkles”
- “results are not dramatic”
Not for advanced Rarely Noted
- “concentration is too low”
- “did zilch for my skin”
- “weak retinol”
- “better for beginners only”
Pricey for amount Rarely Noted
- “pricey for amount”
- “wish they sold refills”
- “expensive for the size”
- “quantity is too less”
Sources: lovi.care, yesstyle.com, oliveyoung.com, reddit.com, sephora.in, nykaa.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Innisfree Retinol Cica work for oily acne-prone skin?
This treatment works moderately well for your oily acne-prone skin, as ingredients like salicylic acid and niacinamide help regulate oil and clear pores, while soothing components maintain skin comfort. It is safe for your skin, though an oily acne-prone skin type often needs products rich in targeted ingredients like propolis, Vitamin C, and oil-controlling agents to better manage excess oil and blemishes.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Niacinamide and salicylic acid help regulate oil and clear out pores for oily, acne-prone skin. To fit this skin even better, products of this type need effective ingredients like propolis or vitamin C that control oil and manage blemishes without any risk of irritation.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
What does Retinol do for oily acne-prone skin?
Retinol helps clear breakouts and smooth oily skin by managing the causes of acne and improving overall skin texture. It is unlikely to directly reduce how much oil your skin makes, but it effectively keeps pores clear and reduces blemishes.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2019Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2018
What does Centella Asiatica do for oily acne-prone skin?
Centella asiatica helps calm redness, reduce acne breakouts, and improve moisture while supporting skin barrier repair. It may also help decrease inflammation and excess oil.
Molecules, 2023Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016
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, and before moisturizing. Oily acne-prone skin needs a product of this type to include ingredients like salicylic acid and niacinamide to regulate oil and clear pores, alongside soothing agents to keep skin calm.
Can I use this serum with vitamin C, and in what order?
You can use this treatment with vitamin C by applying vitamin C in your morning routine and this product at night. This gentle formula is unlikely to cause irritation, but using them at different times of day helps your skin stay calm and comfortable.
How often should I use this serum?
You can use this treatment in your evening routine. Oily acne-prone skin needs products with ingredients like niacinamide and salicylic acid to help regulate oil and clear out pores.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This treatment is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for your oily acne-prone skin, as it has a gentle formulation with no identified risks of irritation. An average fit for your skin needs ingredients like salicylic acid and niacinamide to help regulate oil and keep pores clear.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020Twice daily application of a multitargeted dermocosmetic cream provided comparable efficacy to benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in reducing inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesions in 150 Caucasian subjects with mild-to-moderate acne over 56 days, while demonstrating superior skin tolerability.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024The use of a salicylic acid-based dermocosmetic significantly reduces the needed quantity of benzoyl peroxide without impacting efficacy in mild to moderate acne, and as maintenance post-benzoyl peroxide allows a significant reduction of acne relapse compared to vehicle.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023Skin care regimens containing beta-glucan improved hemoglobin index, skin hydration, and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in 20 patients undergoing fractional laser therapy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical 0.4% retinol significantly increased epidermal thickness, dermal vascularity, and extracellular matrix production by stimulating keratinocyte proliferation, endothelial cell proliferation, and fibroblast activation in naturally aged human skin compared to vehicle.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017Topical bakuchiol 0.5% applied twice daily compared with retinol 0.5% applied daily significantly decreased wrinkle surface area and hyperpigmentation with no statistical difference between the compounds in 44 patients over 12 weeks, while retinol users reported more facial skin scaling and stinging.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019Silicone particles encapsulating retinol increased its half-life by 9-fold and yielded 12-23% lower skin irritation in human subjects compared to Microsponge particles while maintaining biological activity.
Journal of Controlled Release, 2018Topical 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, 2020A 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, 2017Moisturizer 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, 2019Topical 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, 2005Topical 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, 2011Topical 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, 2022Treatment 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
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Dibutyl Adipate, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Vp Copolymer, Sunflower Seed Oil, Cholesterol, Allantoin, Soybean Oil, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate, Propanediol, Carrot Extract, Ethylhexyl-Glycerin, Adenosine, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Seed Extract, Asiatic Acid, Retinol, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Mannitol, Ceramide Np, Beta-Glucan, Beta-Carotene, Phytosphingosine, Bht, Salicylic Acid, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11
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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