The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% for oily acne-prone skin
Azelaic Acid
Dimethicone
Tocopherol
Chlorphenesin
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Average
- AverageOily 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 suitability for your oily skin as azelaic acid provides anti-inflammatory and mild keratolytic actions to help with acne and uneven skin tone.
- While the formula addresses some of your concerns, it lacks sufficient seboregulating ingredients for optimal results on oily skin.
- The product is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients.
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
★4.3Overall rating based on 4.5k+ reviewsWhile many users report clearer and brighter skin within weeks, a significant portion of reviewers struggle with the formula's tendency to pill under makeup or other skincare layers. This summary is based on a very large amount of data and should be definitely taken into account.
Highlights
Reduces redness Mostly Mentioned
- “calms down the redness immediately”
- “decreases both redness and acne-like bumps”
- “saved my skin from constant flushing”
Pills under makeup Mostly Mentioned
- “crumbles and piles under moisturizer”
- “balls up immediately”
- “cannot layer anything over it”
- “pills hella bad”
- “rolls off my face”
Clears acne Often Mentioned
- “scars and hormonal acne faded”
- “keeps acne at bay”
- “cleared up my chin breakouts”
- “stopped new pimples from forming”
- “great for fungal acne”
Smoothes texture Often Mentioned
- “skin looks smoother and brighter”
- “tiny bumps are gone”
- “texture feels much softer”
- “got rid of closed comedones”
- “face feels like glass”
Fades dark spots Sometimes Noted
- “helped lighten post-acne scars”
- “hyperpigmentation is fading”
- “acne marks are less visible”
- “brightens dull skin tone”
- “spots are much lighter”
Matte finish Sometimes Noted
- “leaves skin feeling matte”
- “good for oily t-zone”
- “dries down to a powder finish”
- “controls oil production”
- “non-greasy finish”
Causes stinging Sometimes Noted
- “stings really bad upon application”
- “itchy tingly feeling”
- “burned my sensitive skin”
- “felt like ants crawling”
- “severe burning sensation”
Drying formula Sometimes Noted
- “incredibly drying”
- “made my skin flaky”
- “sucked the moisture out”
- “too drying for daily use”
- “left dry patches”
Thick texture Sometimes Noted
- “hard to spread”
- “feels like a thick paste”
- “heavy silicone feel”
- “doesn't absorb well”
- “sits on top of skin”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “smell is unbearable”
- “weird chemical smell”
- “smells like glue”
- “earthy scent is off-putting”
- “has a funky odor”
Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, sephora.co.uk, theordinary.com, influenster.com, lookfantastic.ie, and more
Questions and answers
How well does The Ordinary Azelaic Acid work for oily acne-prone skin?
This treatment is an average fit for your oily acne-prone skin because azelaic acid helps calm breakouts and smooth uneven tone, though it lacks enough oil-controlling ingredients for the best results. A product of this type needs effective ingredients like niacinamide, propolis, or benzoyl peroxide to manage excess oil, along with soothing extracts and lightweight hydrators to keep your skin comfortable.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Azelaic acid makes this cream a good fit for oily acne-prone skin by calming inflammation and smoothing rough spots. This treatment needs additional oil-controlling ingredients like niacinamide or balancing extracts to manage excess oil for this skin type.
What does Azelaic Acid do for oily acne-prone skin?
Azelaic acid helps calm angry blemishes, clears out pores, and fades leftover dark marks on oily, acne-prone skin. It targets multiple root causes of breakouts by keeping bacteria in check and reducing swelling, which makes it very helpful for everyday management.
What does Dimethicone do for oily acne-prone skin?
Dimethicone helps protect oily, acne-prone skin from irritation, but it shows varying performance in keeping skin hydrated compared to other protectants. Because it can feel heavy, this type of skin often needs lighter ingredients like natural plant oils with a higher linoleic acid to oleic acid ratio to keep pores clear and the skin barrier strong.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This treatment goes in your evening routine, applied after cleansing and before moisturizing. Oily skin also needs oil-controlling ingredients to get the best results from a routine.
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this treatment alongside retinol, but apply retinol first and let it absorb completely before layering this product on top to keep your skin calm and comfortable.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this treatment in your evening routine once a week to start, and gradually increase the frequency if your skin tolerates it well. Oily skin also needs oil-balancing ingredients to achieve the best results.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This treatment is unlikely to clog pores or cause purging on oily acne-prone skin, as it is generally safe and free of harsh ingredients. However, it can occasionally cause drying or stinging, and a product for this skin type ideally needs stronger oil-balancing ingredients for the best results.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Azelaic 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, 2021Application 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, 2023Azelaic acid 15% gel showed comparable efficacy to adapalene 0.1% gel in reducing lesions, severity, and Dermatology Life Quality Index in women with adult acne, with significantly lower dryness and scaling, and demonstrated superiority during maintenance compared to no further treatment.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2015Wearing an N95 mask alone compared to using dimethicone cream or hydrocolloid dressing caused more adverse skin reactions among 73 military health care workers, with no significant differences in fit test failure rates between groups.
Military Medicine, 2024A dimethicone skin protectant lotion significantly decreased visual scoring and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control and SLS-only treated sites in 12 healthy humans exposed to sodium lauryl sulfate.
Skin Research and Technology, 2000Treatment with a moisturizer containing dimethicone and glycerine increased epidermal thickness by 0.019 mm, improved barrier function by decreasing transepidermal water loss by 13%, decreased melanin intensity, and induced keratins 6 and 16 in fifteen women with moderately photoaged forearms.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2007Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Why other serums fit oily acne-prone skin better
Topical benzoyl peroxide 5% gel treatment improved acne severity, sebum, stratum corneum hydration, and transepidermal water loss, while significantly reducing microbial diversity and the prevalence of Cutibacterium in 33 patients with acne vulgaris.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Niacinamide 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, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Dimethicone, Azelaic Acid, Dimethicone Bis-Isobutyl Ppg-20 Crosspolymer, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polysilicone-11, Isohexadecane, Tocopherol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Isoceteth-20, Polysorbate 60, Triethanolamine, Ethoxydiglycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
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
How does it fit your skin?
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