Shiseido Activating Essence for oily skin
Hyaluronic Acid
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Rosa Roxburghii Fruit Extract
Lactobacillus Ferment
Average
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily skin; other serums fit it better.
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
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
- Suitable for oily skin as Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract and Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract offer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits to manage excess sebum and potential irritation.
- Glycerin and Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate provide moderate hydration, which is supportive for oily skin and oily shine, but the formula lacks targeted ingredients to address this primary concern.
- The product is safe for your skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components like Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract.
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
★4.7Overall rating based on 1.6k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users across various skin types consistently report that this essence leaves their skin feeling softer, smoother, and more radiant. It is widely valued for its lightweight, non-sticky texture that effectively hydrates and prepares the skin for subsequent products, though some users note its strong fragrance and alcohol content. This should definitely be taken into account.
Highlights
Deeply hydrating Mostly Mentioned
- “Skin feels more hydrated”
- “infuses skin with moisture”
- “instantly soft and replenished”
Lightweight texture Often Mentioned
- “Sinks right into the skin”
- “not sticky”
- “runny, serum-y consistency”
Improves radiance Sometimes Noted
- “Complexion appeared more luminous”
- “skin looks more radiant”
- “glowy”
Refillable packaging Sometimes Noted
- “Refills are available”
- “reduces plastic”
- “easy to configure”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “Very high priced”
- “pricey for my budget”
- “not worth the $$”
Strong fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “Noticeable fragrance”
- “too harsh a scent”
- “heavily fragranced”
Alcohol content Rarely Noted
- “Contains alcohol”
- “smell alcohol”
- “sensitive to alcohol”
Lack of pump Rarely Noted
- “Wish it had a pump”
- “screw top is inconvenient”
Sources: lovi.care, influenster.com, shiseido.co.uk, macys.com, reallyree.com, walmart.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Shiseido Activating Essence work for oily skin?
Shiseido Activating Essence works for oily skin, though other products fit it better because it lacks targeted ingredients to control excess oil and shine. A product of this type needs ingredients like niacinamide, zinc PCA, and tea tree extract to effectively manage sebum and pores while providing a healthy glow.
Experimental Dermatology, 2009Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Which ingredients make this essence a good fit for oily skin?
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract and Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract make this essence a good fit for oily skin by offering antioxidant and calming benefits that help manage excess oil and potential irritation. Glycerin and Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate also provide supportive hydration, but oily skin typically needs ingredients like niacinamide, zinc PCA, or tea tree extract for better oil control and pore management.
Experimental Dermatology, 2009Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for oily skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps oily skin by reducing extra oil and sebum production without causing irritation. Clinical studies show it successfully balances oil levels while keeping the skin comfortable.
What does Green Tea Extract do for oily skin?
Green tea extract helps oily skin by significantly lowering oil production when applied regularly over several weeks. It also calms inflammation and reduces breakouts, making it a great addition to a routine for managing greasy skin.
Bosnian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences, 2010Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2016
Where does this essence go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This treatment goes in your evening routine, after cleansing and before moisturizing, for simplicity and extra safety around sun exposure. It is safe for your skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components.
Can I use this essence with retinol, and in what order?
Yes, you can use this essence with retinol, applying the essence first to damp skin and following with your retinol once it absorbs. This product is generally safe and helps calm skin, though oily skin often needs targeted ingredients to control excess shine.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
How often should I use this essence?
This treatment works for oily skin in the evening routine. To manage excess shine, this skin type needs targeted oil-controlling ingredients.
Can this essence clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This essence is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on oily skin, as it has a safe profile without harsh ingredients. However, because it lacks targeted ingredients to actively manage excess oil and shine, an oily skin type needs lightweight hydrating and balancing ingredients like green tea and niacinamide.
Experimental Dermatology, 2009Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
Is this essence fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum).
What the research says
An anti-acne hydrogel containing Aloe barbadensis, Garcinia mangostana, and Camellia sinensis extracts showed superior antiacne and antiblotch activities compared to 1% clindamycin gel in sixty subjects with mild-moderate acne.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019A 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, 2017Topical low-dose green tea extract reduces UVB-induced p53 expression and apoptosis in human skin keratinocytes compared to placebo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2009Topical 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, 2019Topical green tea extract significantly improved clinical symptoms, tear breakup times, and meibomian gland health compared to standard treatment in patients with dry eye and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction.
Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 2017Topical application of green tea extract encapsulated chitosan microparticles improved skin elasticity, melanin index, and facial wrinkles compared to a placebo in female volunteers without causing skin irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022A moisturizing cream containing 2% l-carnitine and 5% EGCG significantly reduced sebum levels and improved skin hydration in ninety subjects with seborrhea over 4 weeks, showing greater anti-sebum efficacy in the combination group compared to the l-carnitine group alone.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023Motor baicalin encapsulated in bio-vesicles enhanced water solubility, stability, transdermal penetration, antioxidant activity, and clinical skin antiaging efficacy compared to liposome baicalin and baicalin raw material.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025A nighttime topical antioxidant containing resveratrol, baicalin, and vitamin E significantly improved fine lines, wrinkles, firmness, elasticity, laxity, hyperpigmentation, radiance, roughness, and dermal thickness in subjects with mild to moderately photodamaged skin over 12 weeks.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2014Glycyrrhizin micellar nanocarriers significantly improved topical penetration and follicular accumulation of baicalin in porcine skin, enhanced human dermal papilla cell proliferation, and promoted hair recovery through Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation and upregulation of VEGF, α-MSH, and IL-10.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2022Rosa roxburghii fruit extract and its isolated ellagitannins, strictinin and casuarictin, suppressed poly(I:C)-induced interleukin-8 mRNA expression and release in normal human epidermal keratinocytes compared to stimulated controls.
Journal of Natural Medicines, 2021Probiotic-derived lotion successfully reduced inflammatory acne lesion counts and erythema index comparably to 2.5% benzoyl peroxide in patients with mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris, while causing fewer side effects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Topical application of Lactobacillus plantarum-GMNL6 enhanced collagen synthesis and SPTSSA gene expression while reducing melanin synthesis, Staphylococcus aureus biofilm, and Cutibacterium acnes proliferation, leading to clinical improvements in skin moisture, color, spots, wrinkles, UV spots, and porphyrins in human volunteers.
International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2021Lactobacillus plantarum extracellular vesicles modulated extracellular matrix related gene expression in vitro and suppressed wrinkle formation and pigmentation in clinical trials.
Current Issues in Molecular Biology, 2022
Why other serums fit oily skin better
A panthenol-enriched mask improved skin hydration, regulated sebum, and reduced redness and TEWL across dry sensitive, oily sensitive, and oily acne skin subgroups with excellent tolerance and no adverse reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024An O/W cosmetic formula containing 2% Orthosiphon stamineus leaf extract reduced the oily appearance of skin, pore size, and improved complexion evenness and radiance in Caucasian and Asian volunteers compared to a formula with 1% zinc gluconate.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2011Niacinamide and ferulic acid incorporated in a stable multiple emulsion successfully reduced melanin, sebum, and skin erythema while improving skin elasticity and hydration in human skin compared to a placebo.
BioMed Research International, 2022
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Peg Ppg-14 7 Dimethyl Ether, Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Parfum, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Disodium Edta, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Tocopherol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Rosa Roxburghii Fruit Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment
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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