Obagi Professional-C Serum 20% for oily acne-prone skin
Ascorbic Acid
Sodium Hyaluronate
Zinc Chloride
Propylene GlycolHigh
- HighOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
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
- Offers excellent brightening and antioxidant protection for your oily skin, as ascorbic acid and ascorbyl glucoside work to even skin tone and shield from environmental stressors.
- The presence of zinc chloride further supports oil control, making it highly suitable for your concerns with oiliness and breakouts.
- The formula is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or 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 2.9k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with normal to oily skin report this high-potency serum provides a significant glow and brightens the complexion while improving skin texture. Many reviewers praise its effectiveness in fading hyperpigmentation, acne scars, and sun spots. Some users note it can be drying or irritating for sensitive skin types.
Highlights
Brightens complexion Mostly Mentioned
- “skin looks radiant”
- “gives an instant glow”
- “complexion is brighter”
- “skin looks vibrant”
Fades dark spots Often Mentioned
- “lightened my sun spots”
- “helped with hyperpigmentation”
- “acne scars are fading”
- “evened out skin tone”
Absorbs quickly Sometimes Noted
- “sinks right in”
- “not greasy at all”
- “absorbs instantly”
- “layers well under makeup”
Smoothes skin texture Sometimes Noted
- “skin feels softer”
- “texture is much smoother”
- “pores look smaller”
- “face feels like silk”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “very expensive”
- “pricey for the size”
- “wish it was cheaper”
- “cost is a downside”
Oxidizes quickly Sometimes Noted
- “turned orange fast”
- “arrived already yellow”
- “color changed in weeks”
- “unstable formula”
Reduces fine lines Rarely Noted
- “softened my wrinkles”
- “lines are less visible”
- “skin looks firmer”
- “plumps the skin”
Causes dryness/irritation Rarely Noted
- “dried out my skin”
- “stung upon application”
- “caused peeling”
- “too strong for me”
Poor packaging Rarely Noted
- “cap doesn't seal tight”
- “leaked in transit”
- “dropper is flimsy”
- “bottle design causes spills”
Sources: lovi.care, dermstore.com, lovelyskin.com, obagi.com, walmart.com, oprahdaily.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Obagi Professional-C Serum 20% a great fit for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum is a great fit because its vitamin C brightens your skin and protects it from daily stress, while zinc chloride helps control excess oil. The formula is also very safe for your skin with no harsh ingredients that might cause irritation.
Journal of Periodontology, 2009International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2024
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Ascorbic acid and ascorbyl glucoside make this serum a great fit by brightening and shielding your oily skin from daily environmental stress. Additionally, zinc chloride helps control oil to support your breakouts, while the formula is safe and unlikely to cause irritation.
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.
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for oily acne-prone skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps calm oily acne-prone skin by reducing sebum production and lipid synthesis in sebaceous glands. It also supports skin barrier function and improves hydration while helping deliver treatments without causing irritation.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2017Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum goes in the evening routine, placed after cleansing and before moisturizing. Putting treatments in the evening provides simplicity and extra safety around sun exposure.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol, but it is best to apply them at different times of day to keep your skin calm and avoid irritation. Use this vitamin C serum in the morning for antioxidant protection and brightening, and save your retinol for your evening routine.
How often should I use this serum?
Use this serum in the evening as part of your routine for simplicity and extra safety around sun exposure. It helps brighten your skin tone and control oil while being very safe for oily and acne-prone skin.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily acne-prone skin, as it contains zinc chloride to help control excess oil and features a gentle formula without harsh ingredients. It does not contain cell-turnover ingredients that trigger purging.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol).
What the research says
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, 2009Treatment with ascorbyl glucoside-arginine complex lotion significantly decreased pigmentation scores and melanin index while increasing lightness in solar lentigos of Japanese females compared to placebo over 24 weeks.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2024Topical 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, 2003Topical 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, 2022Topical treatment with 5% vitamin C and 0.1% madecassoside significantly improved clinical scores for wrinkles, suppleness, firmness, roughness, and skin hydration, along with functional and structural remodeling of the elastic fiber network in 20 female volunteers with photoaged skin after 6 months compared to baseline.
Experimental Dermatology, 2008Topical 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, 2019An aloe-alginate film dressing showed no statistical difference in wound contraction but demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity, stimulated angiogenesis, and increased collagen type I fibers while decreasing type III fibers compared to sterile gauze in rats with incisional skin wounds.
Acta Cirurgica Brasileira, 2020Treatment with a combination of propylene glycol, ethanol, water, and shampoo was found effective, easy to use, and cosmetically attractive with no observed side effects in patients with dandruff.
Cutis, 1988A moisturizer containing glycerol and propylene glycol reduced transepidermal water loss, decreased epidermal thickness, increased stratum corneum thickness, and reduced dermal inflammatory infiltrate compared to untreated disrupted skin in six healthy beagle dogs.
Veterinary Dermatology, 2020
Ingredients
Propylene Glycol, Water, Ascorbic Acid, Alcohol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Ethoxydiglycol, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Zinc Chloride, Calcium Hydroxide
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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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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