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Mylan Tretinoin for oily skin

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

Mylan Tretinoin

Low

  • HighOily Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

A weak match for oily skin; the serums alongside 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 exfoliation and seboregulation for your oily skin due to the presence of tretinoin, which helps manage oiliness and skin cell turnover. Alcohol in the formula can be drying, which may not be ideal for maintaining optimal skin hydration.
  • The formulation provides general skincare benefits that are supportive for oily shine, though the primary active ingredient is focused on exfoliation rather than direct oil control.
  • The safety profile is good, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.

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

★3.9Overall rating based on 800+ reviews

Users report significant improvements in skin texture and clarity for acne and photoaging after an adjustment period. The cream formulation is generally well-tolerated and smooth, while the gel formulation is frequently described as having a poor, glue-like consistency that pills and has a strong alcohol smell.

Highlights

  • Gel pills Mostly Mentioned
    • “consistency of chunky super glue”
    • “impossible to apply even layer”
    • “pills immediately upon touching”
  • Clears acne Often Mentioned
    • “face is smooth as a baby's”
    • “cleared hormonal cystic breakouts”
    • “acne completely gone”
  • Severe dryness/peeling Often Mentioned
    • “skin became desert dry”
    • “extremely dry and patchy”
    • “face broke out from dryness”
  • Strong alcohol smell Often Mentioned
    • “reeks of alcohol”
    • “fumes burn my eyes”
    • “smells like industrial solvent”
  • Anti-aging results Sometimes Noted
    • “porcelain-like skin texture”
    • “wrinkles slowly going away”
    • “looks 15 years younger”
  • Smooth cream Sometimes Noted
    • “cream consistency is very smooth”
    • “quickly absorbed into skin”
    • “easy to spread”
  • Initial purging Sometimes Noted
    • “purge was horrible”
    • “worse before it got better”
    • “breakouts increased weeks 3-8”

Sources: lovi.care, drugs.com, webmd.com, reddit.com, pickyskincare.com, skinsort.com, and more

Questions and answers

Why is Mylan Tretinoin cream a weak match for oily skin?

Mylan Tretinoin is a weak match because its alcohol content can be too drying, and while tretinoin helps manage oil and skin cell turnover, the formula lacks direct oil control and hydration ingredients. A better product for oily skin needs ingredients like niacinamide, zinc PCA, and soothing extracts to control shine and support hydration comfortably.

Archives of Dermatological Research, 2022Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2020

Which ingredients make this cream a poor fit for oily skin?

Alcohol in this cream can be drying, which may not be ideal for maintaining optimal skin hydration on oily skin. Treatments that are a better fit for oily skin need ingredients like niacinamide, zinc PCA, and ferulic acid to control extra oil and refine pores, along with soothing extracts and lightweight hydrators to keep skin comfortable.

What does Tretinoin do for oily skin?

Tretinoin helps keep oily skin clear by reducing blemishes and clearing clogged pores. It speeds up skin renewal, which may reduce breakouts and leave your skin looking smoother over time.

Archives of Dermatological Research, 2022Clinical Therapeutics, 1992

What does Alcohol do for oily skin?

Alcohol helps reduce excess oil by acting as a solvent in formulations, but it can dry out the skin and may cause irritation. Regular use on oily skin needs gentle balancing ingredients that soothe and hydrate to keep the skin barrier healthy.

Pharmaceutics, 2025

Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily skin?

This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before your moisturizer. Oily skin of this type needs products with oil-controlling and exfoliating ingredients like niacinamide or gentle acids, along with hydrating components that do not dry out the skin.

Can I use it with benzoyl peroxide, and in what order?

You can use it with benzoyl peroxide by applying them at different times, such as benzoyl peroxide in the morning and this treatment at night, to help prevent excessive dryness. Because this product is a weak match for oily skin, an ideal product for this skin type needs gentle exfoliating ingredients alongside hydrating elements that keep the skin comfortable without the drying alcohol found here.

American Family Physician, 2012Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2023

How often should I use it?

Use this treatment in your evening routine, starting just once a week to see how your skin reacts. Since it contains drying alcohol alongside the active ingredient, oily skin needs a gentle formula that balances oil control with extra hydration.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2023The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2005

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

Yes, this treatment may cause initial purging and breakouts when you start using it due to the cell-renewing tretinoin. A product for oily skin should ideally be alcohol-free to prevent severe dryness while managing oiliness.

Archives of Dermatological Research, 2022Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2020

What the research says

  • A galenic compound containing essential oils and tretinoin demonstrated anti-acne efficacy and anti-inflammatory activity, significantly reducing papular erythema and retinoid-induced rashes compared to clindamycin-tretinoin gel in sixty volunteers over 30 days.

    Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2020

  • Topical tretinoin improves clinical appearance of photoaging in terms of wrinkling, mottled hyperpigmentation, sallowness, and lentigines and is safe and well tolerated.

    International Journal of Women's Dermatology, 2022

  • Topical tretinoin daily application for 10 to 12 months produced an 80 percent increase in collagen I formation in photodamaged human skin compared with a 14 percent decrease with vehicle alone.

    The New England Journal of Medicine, 1993

  • Topical cyproterone acetate alcohol lotion at 0.5% and 1% reduced total acne lesions and acne severity index significantly more than placebo in female patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris.

    Dermatology Online Journal, 2006

  • Topical patchouli alcohol significantly accelerated the recovery of UV-induced skin lesions in mice through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions and down-regulation of MMP-1 and MMP-3 expression compared to vehicle.

    European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2014

Ingredients

Tretinoin, Alcohol, Butylated Hydroxytoluene, Hydroxypropyl Cellulose

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

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