🇩🇪Germany

Pixi Vitamin-C Serum for oily skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

Pixi Vitamin-C Serum

High

  • HighOily Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

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

  • Offers high suitability for your oily skin as Ascorbic Acid and Retinol work synergistically to regulate desquamation and provide antioxidant benefits, addressing oily shine.
  • The inclusion of Ferulic Acid further enhances the brightening and evening of skin tone, complementing the primary ingredients for a more radiant complexion.
  • The product is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.

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

★4.3Overall rating based on 900+ reviews

The serum is a popular choice for achieving a brighter complexion and improved skin texture. Many users with normal, combination, or oily skin appreciate its quick absorption and gentle formula. Some individuals, however, report a heavy or sticky residue and potential sensitivity due to added fragrance and essential oils.

Highlights

  • Absorbs quickly Often Mentioned
    • “Absorbs fairly quickly into the skin.”
    • “Sinks in very quickly.”
    • “Absorbs quick, I don't need to wait about for this to dry.”
  • Brightens skin tone Often Mentioned
    • “My skin looked visibly clearer and brighter.”
    • “Improved brightness and skin texture within weeks.”
    • “With in 4 weeks my pigmentation reduced visibly.”
  • Lightweight texture Sometimes Noted
    • “This serum is light and absorbs fairly quickly.”
    • “Light on skin and make you feel clean and healthy.”
    • “It's very light on the skin making it perfect for all skin types.”
  • Pleasant citrus scent Sometimes Noted
    • “This whole vitamin-c collection smells absolutely amazing.”
    • “Has a light, pleasant citrus scent.”
    • “It also has a really delicious Grapefruit scent.”
  • Fragrance and essential oils Sometimes Noted
    • “Absolutely not a fan of all the fragrance added.”
    • “Definitely avoid this [if you avoid fragrance].”
    • “Addition of essential oils... not great for sensitised/angry skins.”
  • Heavy or sticky feel Sometimes Noted
    • “I just could not get past this heavy feel.”
    • “Some note it feels sticky.”
    • “It leaves this oily feeling on my skin which I do not enjoy.”
  • Pilling under makeup Rarely Noted
    • “It doesn't work with my makeup at all.”
    • “It turns clumpy under my moisturiser and foundation.”
    • “Doesn't seem to ball up”
  • Rapid oxidation Rarely Noted
    • “Sadly oxidizes pretty quickly.”
    • “Light yellow started to turn to orange.”
    • “Because of the colouring I can't tell when this oxidises.”

Sources: lovi.care, doctoranne.de, shopwithkendallyn.com, kherblog.com, youtube.com, cvs.com, and more

Questions and answers

What makes Pixi Vitamin-C Serum a great fit for oily skin?

This serum is a great fit because Ascorbic Acid and Retinol work together to control oily shine while delivering antioxidant benefits. Ferulic Acid further brightens and evens out your skin tone for a radiant finish. It is safe for your skin and is unlikely to cause irritation.

International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017

Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily skin?

Ascorbic acid and retinol make this serum a great fit for oily skin by working together to balance shedding and calm oily shine. Ferulic acid adds extra brightening power to help even out your skin tone.

What does Vitamin C do for oily skin?

Vitamin C helps brighten skin tone and smooth texture while providing antioxidant protection that prevents sebum oxidation. For oily skin, this type of product typically needs to be paired with oil-controlling or pore-clearing ingredients like salicylic acid or plant extracts.

International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2005Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023

What does Ferulic Acid do for oily skin?

Ferulic acid helps protect oily skin from sun damage and environmental stress when used as part of a daytime antioxidant serum. It is often combined with vitamins C and E to boost overall defense and keep skin healthy.

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2008Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008

Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for oily skin?

This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and toning, and before moisturizing. Putting it in the evening keeps things simple and provides extra safety around sun exposure.

Can I use it with niacinamide, and in what order?

You can use this serum with niacinamide by applying niacinamide first, letting it absorb, and then following with this treatment. This combination is generally well tolerated, though you may want to introduce them slowly if your skin is sensitive.

How often should I use it?

This treatment is applied in the evening, starting once a week to see how your skin reacts. If your skin feels comfortable and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often.

Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?

This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on oily skin, as it contains no harsh or prohibited ingredients that trigger irritation. The active ingredients work to keep pores clear and regulate oily shine while helping brighten your complexion.

Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying 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, 2017

  • Combining fractional microneedle radiofrequency with a topical antioxidant serum significantly reduced wrinkle severity by 29.9% versus 18.0%, increased elasticity by 12.9% versus 2.3%, and improved aesthetic outcomes in 31 participants compared to radiofrequency and placebo.

    The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2025

  • Topical 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, 2003

  • Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.

    Journal of Periodontology, 2009

  • Topical 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, 2022

  • Treatment with 14% ferulic acid and 12% l-ascorbic acid significantly reduced pigmentation and erythema while improving hydration and elasticity in 20 women with photoaged skin, with neither acid proving definitively more effective overall though ascorbic acid showed slightly greater skin lightening.

    Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

  • Pretreatment with a topical antioxidant mixture of vitamin C, ferulic acid, and phloretin attenuated ultraviolet-induced sunburn cell formation, thymine dimer formation, matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression, p53 protein expression, and the suppression of CD1a-expressing Langerhans cells in human skin compared to vehicle control.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008

  • Topical ferulic acid-containing formulations effectively reduce skin erythema, hyperpigmentation, and signs of aging in adults compared to baseline or alternative conditions.

    The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2025

  • 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, 2018

  • Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.

    Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018

  • Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.

    Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010

  • Topical 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, 2011

  • Topical 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, 2022

  • Treatment 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, 2019

  • 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, 2019

  • Silicone 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, 2018

  • Topical 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, 2017

Ingredients

Water, Ascorbic Acid, Ethoxydiglycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Grapefruit Water, Sodium Hydroxide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lemon Peel Extract, Citrus Nobilis Fruit Extract Mandarin Orange Fruit Extract, Ferulic Acid, Tocopherol, Caffeine, Microcitrus Australis Fruit Extract, Microcitrus Australasica Fruit Extract, Beta-Carotene, Lecithin, Citrus Glauca Fruit Extract, Panthenol, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract Carrot Root Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Grapefruit Fruit Extract, Citrus Junos Peel Extract, Peppermint Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Tree Stem Extract Flower Leaf, Retinol, Xanthan Gum, Leuconostoc Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Punica Granatum Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Polysorbate 20, Glycine Soja Oil Soybean Oil, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin

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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

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How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play