Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster for oily skin
Azelaic Acid
Salicylic Acid
Licorice Root Extract
Glycerin
AdenosineHigh
- HighOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for oily skin; a few serums fit it even 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
- Highly suitable for your oily skin, this formulation leverages azelaic acid and salicylic acid to effectively regulate sebum and provide moderate exfoliation, addressing oily shine and pore concerns.
- The inclusion of licorice root extract and allantoin further enhances its benefits by calming redness and promoting a smoother skin tone.
- The product is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components like allantoin and bisabolol.
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
★4.5Overall rating based on 6.6k+ reviewsMost find the lightweight texture effective for smoothing bumps and clearing breakouts, though some users find the small tube size expensive and the natural scent off-putting.
Highlights
Fades dark spots Often Mentioned
- “acne scars faded”
- “hyperpigmentation is gone”
- “brightened dark spots”
- “marks disappearing quickly”
Reduces redness Often Mentioned
- “calmed redness immediately”
- “soothed my cheeks”
- “less flushed look”
Expensive for size Often Mentioned
- “tiny tube”
- “pricey for amount”
- “runs out fast”
- “wish it was bigger”
Clears acne Sometimes Noted
- “stopped hormonal breakouts”
- “shrunk cystic acne”
- “cleared stubborn pimples”
- “prevented new zits”
Lightweight consistency Sometimes Noted
- “absorbs instantly”
- “layers well”
- “non-greasy finish”
- “lightweight gel-cream”
Smooths texture Sometimes Noted
- “skin feels softer”
- “smoothed bumpy texture”
- “glass skin results”
- “reduced sebaceous filaments”
Unpleasant smell Sometimes Noted
- “smells like grain”
- “earthy scent”
- “weird funk”
- “overpowering smell”
Breakouts/Purging Rarely Noted
- “caused cystic acne”
- “bad purging”
- “broke me out”
- “worsened my skin”
Causes irritation Rarely Noted
- “stung my face”
- “caused dryness”
- “too strong”
- “damaged skin barrier”
Product pilling Rarely Noted
- “pills under makeup”
- “balls up”
- “rolls off skin”
- “doesn't layer well”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, paulaschoice.co.uk, sephora.co.uk, dermstore.com, spacenk.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Paula's Choice Azelaic Acid Booster a great fit for oily skin?
This product is a great fit for your oily skin because it uses azelaic acid and salicylic acid to control oily shine and help with pores. It also includes soothing ingredients like licorice root extract and allantoin to calm redness and keep your skin feeling smooth and comfortable without irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023
Which ingredients make this treatment a good fit for oily skin?
This treatment is a great fit for oily skin because it uses azelaic acid and salicylic acid to control oil and gently exfoliate. Licorice root extract and allantoin also help calm redness and create a smoother skin tone without causing irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023
What does Azelaic Acid do for oily skin?
Azelaic acid helps calm acne and clear out pores without changing how much oil your skin makes. It targets multiple causes of breakouts and helps fade dark spots left behind by pimples.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Acta Dermato-venereologica. Supplementum, 1989
What does Salicylic Acid do for oily skin?
Salicylic acid helps oily skin by reducing excess oil and keeping pores clear. It may also improve overall skin hydration while managing breakouts.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Experimental Dermatology, 2019
Where does this treatment go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before your moisturizer. You can start using it once a week, and if your skin handles it well, you may carefully use it more often.
Can I use this treatment with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this treatment with retinol by applying the treatment first in your routine, but you should introduce them gradually to avoid possible irritation. Because both products help clear pores and smooth skin, using them together requires watching how your skin feels and scaling back if redness occurs.
How often should I use this treatment?
Start by using this treatment once a week in the evening, and if your skin feels comfortable and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often. It helps control oily shine, clears out pores, and calms redness without harsh irritation.
Can this treatment clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This treatment is a great fit for oily skin because azelaic acid and salicylic acid help regulate oil and clear out pores. It is unlikely to cause irritation or breakouts, as it avoids harsh ingredients and includes soothing components like allantoin and bisabolol.
Is this treatment fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Twice 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, 2023Azelaic acid nanocrystal hydrogel 10% achieved a higher success rate and greater lesion reduction than azelaic acid cream 20% in patients with mild to moderate facial acne.
Pharmaceutics, 2021A topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020Application of 15% azelaic acid gel significantly reduced post-inflammatory erythema and hyperpigmentation, decreased hemoglobin and melanin content, improved quality of life, and contributed to acne improvement in patients with mild to moderate acne compared to placebo.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2024Topical application of a dermocosmetic containing Myrtus communis extract and azelaic acid reduced acne relapses and helped maintain remission compared to a light moisturizing cream in adult females in the acne maintenance phase over 16 weeks.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2023Topical administration of 20% azelaic acid cream and 5% tranexamic acid solution comparably improved acne-related postinflammatory hyperpigmentation in patients with acne vulgaris, while tranexamic acid demonstrated a significantly better safety profile at week 4.
Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 2023Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.
CMAJ, 2010A 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, 2020Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Combining 755 nm alexandrite laser with topical licorice gel significantly reduces terminal hair counts compared to alexandrite laser with placebo in women with idiopathic hirsutism.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015Licochalcone A activated Nrf2 signaling, elevated cytoprotective enzymes, increased the reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio, and decreased reactive oxygen species in human fibroblasts and neutrophils, while a LicA-rich licorice extract lowered UVA-induced oxidative processes in vivo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2015Bioactive glycyrrhizic acid and oxymatrine ionic liquid self-assembled nanomicelles significantly promoted the transdermal permeation, subcutaneous retention, and anti-photoaging efficacy of palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 in cellular and animal models compared to unformulated peptide.
Advanced Science, 2025A 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, 2017The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Topical adenosine treatment significantly increased the anagen hair growth rate and thick hair rate compared to placebo in Japanese women with female pattern hair loss over 12 months.
The Journal of Dermatology, 2008Topical application of a disodium adenosine monophosphate-based formulation reduced wrinkles and hyperpigmentation while improving hydration, barrier function, skin lifting, and epidermal turnover in female participants.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2026Adenosine and cordycepin stimulate the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway through adenosine receptor and PKA activation, promoting cell proliferation, migration, and growth factor secretion in cultured dermal fibroblasts.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2021
Ingredients
Water, Azelaic Acid, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Salicylic Acid, Adenosine, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol
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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