Obagi Tretinoin Cream for combination skin
Tretinoin
Stearic Acid
Isopropyl Myristate
Stearyl Alcohol
Xanthan Gum
Average
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for combination skin; other serums fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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 acne lesions and oily shine on your combination skin, as tretinoin in moderate concentrations regulates desquamation and provides retinoid therapy. Stearic acid offers emollient action, balancing the treatment for your skin type.
- The formulation is safe for your combination skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
- The presence of tretinoin in moderate concentrations offers targeted benefits for oily shine and combination skin, providing retinoid therapy for acne lesions.
How to apply
- Use your serum as part of your PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin likes it.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toner, and right before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and wait a minute ⏳for it to soak in.
- Apply the serum on clean and dry skin since your skin is not sensitive.
- Always do a patch test before using the serum for the first time, and avoid the eye area .
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 13.6k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this product is highly effective for acne-prone, sun-damaged, or aging skin, significantly improving hyperpigmentation, fine lines, and skin texture for a smoother, clearer complexion. Users frequently report an adjustment period with peeling, dryness, and irritation, particularly those with sensitive or dry skin.
Highlights
Causes skin peeling Mostly Mentioned
- “starting to peel a little using the high strength”
- “skin dryness, burning, redness, excessive flaking”
- “making you all irritated and red”
- “My skin went crazy I peeled”
Clears acne breakouts Often Mentioned
- “helped clear up my acne significantly”
- “I have had less breakouts!”
- “fixing acne and wrinkles”
- “keeps your pores cleared and keep them from getting clogged”
Fades dark spots Often Mentioned
- “treat my uneven skin tone and texture as well as hyperpigmentation”
- “stubborn pigmentation patches begin to lighten”
- “fewer dark spots”
- “fades hyperpigmentation”
High price point Often Mentioned
- “It's overpriced. No noticeable difference between this and generic”
- “you're just over paying for Obagi”
- “yes it is expensive especially compared to the Indian tretinoin”
- “premium pricing”
Improves skin texture Sometimes Noted
- “smoother skin and a more uniform complexion”
- “My pores are definitely smaller”
- “skin will be softer, calmer and smoother”
- “smoother texture within a few weeks”
Reduces fine lines Sometimes Noted
- “single best ingredient to fight wrinkles”
- “powerful product for anti-aging”
- “skin can become firmer-looking”
- “fixing acne and wrinkles”
Initial acne purging Sometimes Noted
- “holy moly I broke out and purged like never before”
- “Acne may appear worse before it improves”
- “By 3 to 6 weeks, acne may worsen”
- “purging effects”
Sources: lovi.care, skinbemedspa.com, nebula.org, realself.com, reddit.com, them-ethod.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Obagi Tretinoin work for combination skin?
Obagi Tretinoin Cream works moderately well for combination skin by helping manage oily shine and acne breakouts. However, other products fit this skin type better because they contain ingredients like niacinamide, propolis, or zinc PCA that regulate oiliness and provide optimal hydration without any risk of imbalance.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2022Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2020
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for combination skin?
Tretinoin helps manage oily shine and acne lesions by regulating skin shedding, while stearic acid balances the treatment with soft, smoothing benefits. A product of this type needs effective ingredients like niacinamide and zinc PCA to provide balanced hydration and control oiliness without irritation.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2022Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2020
What does Tretinoin do for combination skin?
Tretinoin helps clear breakouts and smooth out uneven texture by speeding up skin renewal. Because it can be drying, combination skin needs a gentle moisturizer and daily sunscreen to protect the skin barrier while using this ingredient.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2022International Journal of Women's Dermatology, 2022
What does Stearic Acid do for combination skin?
Stearic acid helps keep combination skin soft and smooth by supporting the skin's natural barrier so it loses less moisture. It is generally safe for daily use on combination skin, though very rich formulas containing this ingredient may occasionally feel heavy on oily areas.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This cream goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, fitting combination skin safely without irritation. To make this type of product work better for combination skin, it needs soothing and softening ingredients that balance out the treatment.
Can I use this cream with vitamin C, and in what order?
You can use this cream with vitamin C by applying vitamin C in your morning routine and this treatment at night, as the product formulation is safe for your skin with no risks of irritation. However, because this is an average fit for combination skin, a product of this type needs soothing and hydrating ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid to help keep your skin calm and balanced while using strong treatments.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2020
How often should I use this cream?
Use this treatment in your evening routine, starting just once a week. If your skin handles it well, you may carefully use it more often.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
Yes, this cream may cause initial acne purging and peeling on combination skin as the tretinoin actively regulates skin shedding. A product of this type needs non-clogging, balancing ingredients to keep combination skin clear and smooth while managing breakouts.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Stearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Tretinoin-loaded nano lipid carriers resulted in a significantly higher rate of decrease in acne lesions and greater reduction in porphyrin production compared to conventional tretinoin cream in patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2022A 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, 2020Repeated application of concentrated water-in-oil emulsions over four weeks caused no skin irritation, positively affected skin properties, and delivered almost 50% of the applied fluorescein sodium, with isopropyl myristate showing superior penetration performance compared to liquid paraffin in healthy volunteers.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2019A topical xanthan gum nanogel containing gamma-oryzanol-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers and nanosized TiO2 and MBBT filters demonstrated high photoprotection with an SPF of 34 and no skin irritation or sensitization in a rat model.
Pharmaceuticals, 2023Topical 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, 2022Topical 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, 1993Topical tretinoin precursors and tretinoin showed no significant difference in efficacy for moderate to severe facial photodamage in 20 patients, while tretinoin precursors caused erythema six times less frequently.
JAMA Dermatology, 2022Sodium dodecyl sulfate treatment disrupts the ordered intercellular lipid lamellar structure in hairless mouse stratum corneum, and immersion in a ceramide 3, cholesterol, and stearic acid mixture successfully reorganizes this ordered lamellar structure.
Biophysical Chemistry, 2001Increasing the softness of pressure-sensitive adhesives using isopropyl myristate decreased pain and stripped corneocytes during removal without significantly changing human skin dermal peeling force.
Skin Research and Technology, 2007A modern cold cream formulation using a self-emulsionable excipient with isopropyl myristate shows improved preparation ease, stability, rheological qualities, and moisture and emollient power compared to traditional cerates.
Bollettino Chimico Farmaceutico, 1996Biodegradable wound dressings functionalized with silver nanoparticles showed >99% pathogen growth inhibition, bactericidal effects, free radical scavenging, reduced inflammatory response in macrophages, and accelerated wound healing in animals.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2022Dense chitosan-xanthan membranes associated with multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells accelerated wound healing in Wistar rats compared to untreated conditions, demonstrating safety and feasibility for dermo-epidermal wound treatment.
Journal of Biomaterials Applications, 2015Glycerol crosslinked vitamin E loaded xanthan gum and gellan gum nanoemulgels scavenged 88.5% of free radicals, reduced transepidermal water loss by up to 33.3%, and improved moisture content and skin structural characteristics in a murine dry skin model.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2025
Ingredients
Tretinoin, Stearic Acid, Isopropyl Myristate, Peg-40 Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Sorbic Acid, Dibutyl Hydroxy Toluene, Water
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.
-
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-
Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-
Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-
Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-
Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.