Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Fusion PM Night Serum for oily acne-prone skin
Microencapsulated Retinol
Vitamins C
Squalane
Bisabolol
Cyclopentasiloxane
Average
- 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 exfoliation and hydration for your oily skin, with retinol helping to regulate desquamation and squalane providing antioxidant activity.
- While the formula is generally safe and free from harsh ingredients, the benefits are mostly supportive and not directly targeted at your primary concerns of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The product is safe for your oily skin, as it contains soothing ingredients like Bisabolol and avoids harsh components.
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
★4.5Overall rating based on 4.7k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this retinol serum is highly regarded for its anti-aging effects, including smoothing fine lines and improving skin texture, with most users experiencing a radiant and refined complexion without irritation. Some users reported a lack of visible results or found the thin consistency and premium price point to be drawbacks.
Highlights
Non-irritating formula Mostly Mentioned
- “Zero irritation”
- “gentle but effective”
- “no peeling or flaking”
Reduces fine lines Often Mentioned
- “Smile lines fading”
- “fine lines disappeared”
- “wrinkles nearly gone”
Smoother texture Often Mentioned
- “Skin is softer”
- “smoother complexion”
- “refined skin texture”
Absorbs quickly Sometimes Noted
- “Soaks in quickly”
- “dries quickly”
- “silky smooth application”
Radiant complexion Sometimes Noted
- “Face is brighter”
- “skin is radiant”
- “luminous appearance”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “Not worth it”
- “very pricey”
- “expensive for the results”
Lack of results Sometimes Noted
- “No visible changes”
- “did absolutely nothing”
- “no change in skin”
Oily feel Rarely Noted
- “Feels oily”
- “greasy application”
- “leaves residue”
Thin consistency Rarely Noted
- “Very, very watery”
- “feels like dry oil”
- “too thin”
Sources: lovi.care, peterthomasroth.com, ulta.com, dermstore.com, lovelyskin.com, macys.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Retinol Fusion PM Night Serum work for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum works reasonably well for oily skin, but it is not directly targeted at acne and breakouts. An acne-prone skin treatment needs active ingredients that directly target blemishes and excess oil, along with soothing and balancing components that do not cause irritation.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Microencapsulated retinol helps regulate skin shedding, while squalane provides antioxidant activity and bisabolol calms your skin. However, since oily acne-prone skin needs targeted ingredients like niacinamide, propolis, and vitamin C to properly manage breakouts and excess oil, a product of this type needs those focused ingredients to be a great fit.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017Molecules, 2025
What does Microencapsulated Retinol do for oily acne-prone skin?
Microencapsulated Retinol helps clear oily acne-prone skin by reducing both inflamed and non-inflamed breakouts and keeping pores clear. This type of ingredient manages acne effectively while offering good tolerability for everyday use.
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.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing. Oily acne-prone skin of this type needs a product with direct blemish-fighting ingredients and oil-balancing actives.
Can I use this serum with niacinamide, and in what order?
You can use this serum with niacinamide by applying niacinamide first, letting it absorb, and then following with the retinol serum in your evening routine. This combination is generally safe for your oily skin, though an acne treatment needs direct blemish-fighting ingredients and targeted active components to fully address breakouts.
How often should I use this serum?
This serum works safely for your oily acne-prone skin in the evening, though it is mostly supportive rather than directly tackling breakouts. To care for this skin properly, products of this type need targeted acne-fighting ingredients along with soothing and balancing benefits.
Facial Plastic Surgery, 2014International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017
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 has a safe formula with soothing ingredients like bisabolol and avoids harsh components. However, it may cause mild purging or scaling because it contains retinol, which speeds up skin renewal. Oily acne-prone skin needs products with targeted acne-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to directly clear blemishes.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol).
What the research says
Topical 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, 2017Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Topical 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, 2019Peroxidated squalene induces an early activation of NF-kappaB, an increase in PPARalpha levels, and an upregulation of IL-6 production in HaCaT keratinocytes, which is subsequently counteracted by PPARalpha activation.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2006Silicone 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 all-trans-retinol induced epidermal thickening and increased retinoid binding protein expression similar to all-trans-retinoic acid in normal human skin, but without causing significant erythema or measurable retinoic acid levels.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 1995Topical 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, 2003Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.
Journal of Periodontology, 2009Topical 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, 2022Plant-derived squalane protected human dermal fibroblasts against UVA-induced damage by counteracting ROS formation, suppressing apoptosis-related proteins p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP, and restoring the pro-survival p-Akt/mTOR pathway.
Antioxidants, 2025Application of an alpha-bisabolol-containing cream produced a significant skin-lightening effect in pigmented skin compared to a vehicle control in the majority of female subjects after 8 weeks.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2010The combination of allantoin, bisabolol, D-panthenol and dipotassium glycyrrhizinate reduces UVB-induced PGE2, inflammatory cytokines, and mitochondrial superoxide in human epidermal keratinocytes.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024
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
Cyclopentasiloxane, Squalane, Water, Retinol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Bisabolol, Lecithin, Potassium Phosphate, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate-20, Alcohol
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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