SpaLife retinol night serum for oily acne-prone skin
Retinol
Hyaluronic Acid
GlycerinAverage
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other serums fit it 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 moderate treatment for minimizing fine lines and wrinkles due to the presence of retinol for smoothing texture, which is also supportive for acne and oiliness on your oily skin.
- Hyaluronic acid provides hydration, which is beneficial for oily skin, but the formula lacks specialized ingredients to directly target your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The product is safe for your oily skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components like Hyaluronic Acid.
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
★0.0Overall rating based on 100+ reviewsThe product is designed to target fine lines, uneven skin texture, and dark spots through a lightweight, retinol-infused formula. Because there is a lack of consumer feedback, its real-world efficacy for specific skin conditions remains unverified by user experience. This summary is based on limited data.
Highlights
Adds luminosity Rarely Noted
- “Dissolving pearls to leave skin luminous”
- “pop of radiance”
Improves texture Rarely Noted
- “Target skin tone & texture”
- “smoother complexion”
Lightweight formula Rarely Noted
- “Instantly melts into skin”
- “without leaving sticky residue”
Limited availability Rarely Noted
- “Sold out”
Potential irritation Rarely Noted
- “Peeling or irritation may occur during first weeks”
Weak active ingredients Rarely Noted
- “Is retinol too low in this ingredient list?”
Sources: lovi.care, spalifebeauty.com, noon.com, skinsafeproducts.com, popshelf.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does SPALIFE Retinol Night Serum work for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum works moderately well for your oily acne-prone skin, smoothing texture with retinol while keeping skin hydrated with hyaluronic acid and glycerin. However, it lacks specialized ingredients to directly target breakouts. Products that fit this skin better need ingredients like niacinamide, propolis, or Vitamin C to control excess oil and clear blemishes.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Retinol and hyaluronic acid make this serum a good fit by helping smooth texture, balance oiliness, and provide lightweight hydration. Because it lacks specialized blemish-fighting ingredients, an oily acne-prone skin type needs products with ingredients like niacinamide, propolis, or vitamin C to specifically target breakouts and excess oil.
What does Retinol do for oily acne-prone skin?
Retinol helps oily acne-prone skin by clearing up breakouts and smoothing the skin, though it may occasionally cause some mild scaling or stinging. This ingredient works by addressing the root causes of acne, making it a reliable choice for keeping pores clear and skin smooth.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2019Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2018
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 treatment serum goes in your evening routine after cleansing and toning, and before moisturizing. It is safe for oily skin, but to properly care for acne and breakouts, this skin type needs targeted ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.
Can I use this serum with vitamin C, and in what order?
You can use this serum with vitamin C by applying vitamin C in your morning routine and this retinol serum at night to avoid overwhelming your skin. This product of this type needs specialized acne-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to directly target breakouts on oily, acne-prone skin.
How often should I use this serum?
Apply this serum in your evening routine, starting just once a week to see how your skin responds. This product of this type needs specialized blemish-fighting ingredients to properly care for oily 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 on oily skin, as it avoids heavy, pore-blocking ingredients and includes soothing components. However, because it contains retinol, it may cause mild initial peeling or purging as your skin adjusts to the smoothing treatment. An oily acne-prone skin type needs a formula that actively targets blemishes and breakouts alongside gentle hydrating ingredients.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum).
What the research says
Topical bakuchiol 0.5% applied twice daily compared with retinol 0.5% applied daily significantly decreased wrinkle surface area and hyperpigmentation with no statistical difference between the compounds in 44 patients over 12 weeks, while retinol users reported more facial skin scaling and stinging.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019Topical 0.4% retinol significantly increased epidermal thickness, dermal vascularity, and extracellular matrix production by stimulating keratinocyte proliferation, endothelial cell proliferation, and fibroblast activation in naturally aged human skin compared to vehicle.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017Silicone particles encapsulating retinol increased its half-life by 9-fold and yielded 12-23% lower skin irritation in human subjects compared to Microsponge particles while maintaining biological activity.
Journal of Controlled Release, 2018Topical stabilized retinol treatment induced HAS gene expression and increased hyaluronic acid production in human skin in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo compared to vehicle.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2017Topical 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, 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, 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, 2001
Why other serums fit oily acne-prone skin better
A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Niacinamide 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, Peg Ppg-17 6 Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Agar, Calcium Alginate, Carbon Black, Ci 60725, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Retinol, Xanthan Gum, Hyaluronic Acid, Disodium Edta, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Parfum
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.