🇩🇪Germany

The Ordinary Buffet + Copper Peptides 1% for acne-prone skin

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

The Ordinary Buffet + Copper Peptides 1%

Average

  • SuperiorCombination Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

Works for acne-prone skin; other serums fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. 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 excellent plumping and firming effects for your combination skin due to Copper Tripeptide-1 and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, which improve elasticity and reduce fine lines. Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer provide essential humectant action, supporting overall skin hydration.
  • While the formula offers general hydration benefits from ingredients like Glycerin and Allantoin, it does not specifically target your concerns of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
  • The product is safe for your combination skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components.

How to apply

  • Use your serum as part of your PM routine and start 3x/week before working up to daily use.
  • Apply this treatment after cleansing and toner, and before your moisturizer.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
  • Apply the product on clean, dry skin to help manage your breakouts safely.
  • Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use.

People Say

★4.5Overall rating based on 3.2k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, users consistently praise this serum for its "well-aging" benefits, reporting significant improvements in skin firmness, elasticity, and radiance. Many users also appreciate its ability to refine skin texture and pores, leading to a smoother complexion. While the unique blue color and metallic scent are polarizing, the majority find the plumping and smoothing effects justify the higher price point. Some users note that the serum can be difficult to incorporate into routines with other active ingredients and a small number experienced breakouts or texture issues.

Highlights

  • Firming and plumping Mostly Mentioned
    • “skin feels bouncier”
    • “face looks snatched”
    • “noticeably plumper cheeks”
    • “restored elasticity”
  • Radiance and glow Often Mentioned
    • “instant healthy glow”
    • “skin looks brighter”
    • “removed dullness”
    • “radiant complexion”
  • Smoother texture Often Mentioned
    • “glass skin texture”
    • “softened forehead lines”
    • “pores look smaller”
    • “makeup glides on”
  • Unpleasant scent Often Mentioned
    • “smells like vinegar”
    • “strong metallic scent”
    • “smells like rust”
    • “unpleasant copper odor”
  • Healing properties Sometimes Noted
    • “healed picking scars”
    • “calmed redness quickly”
    • “faded post-acne marks”
    • “soothed irritation”
  • Lightweight absorption Sometimes Noted
    • “absorbs instantly”
    • “layers well”
    • “not greasy”
    • “lightweight gel texture”
  • High price point Sometimes Noted
    • “priciest TO item”
    • “expensive for the size”
    • “bottle runs out fast”
    • “pricey but worth it”
  • Usage conflicts Sometimes Noted
    • “hard to layer”
    • “conflicts with everything”
    • “can't use with Vitamin C”
    • “complicated routine”
  • Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
    • “caused cystic acne”
    • “broke me out”
    • “gave me whiteheads”
    • “clogged my pores”
  • Texture issues Rarely Noted
    • “leaves sticky residue”
    • “too runny”
    • “blue color is weird”
    • “feels tacky”

Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, ulta.com, lookfantastic.ie, theordinary.com, skinsort.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does The Ordinary Buffet + Copper Peptides 1% work for acne-prone skin?

This product works well enough for your skin, though other treatments fit it better because it does not specifically target acne, blemishes, and breakouts. An acne-prone skin type needs a product containing ingredients like niacinamide, zinc PCA, or propolis to help manage breakouts while maintaining balance.

Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for acne-prone skin?

This serum works for acne-prone skin because it contains soothing components like Allantoin that keep the skin safe from irritation, though it does not target breakouts specifically. Treatments that fit this skin better need ingredients like niacinamide, propolis, and zinc PCA to target blemishes while maintaining balance and hydration.

What do Copper Peptides do for acne-prone skin?

Copper tripeptide-1 GHK-Cu helps acne-prone skin by reducing redness and soothing inflammation while protecting against damage. It also helps improve overall skin barrier health.

Skin Research and Technology, 2026

What does Argireline do for acne-prone skin?

Argireline is not typically targeted for acne-prone skin, as it is primarily used to smooth fine lines and reduce wrinkles by relaxing facial movements. While it helps keep skin smooth, acne-prone skin generally needs ingredients that clear pores, calm redness, and balance oil production.

Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?

This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, as evening application provides simplicity and extra safety around sun exposure. Because this formula does not specifically target breakouts, acne-prone skin needs a product of this type that also includes blemish-fighting ingredients and soothing components.

Can I use this serum with vitamin C, and in what order?

You can use this serum with vitamin C by applying vitamin C first in your morning routine and this treatment in your evening routine to keep your skin calm and avoid overloading it. This product works well for your skin type, though acne-prone skin needs ingredients that directly target breakouts and blemishes alongside soothing components.

How often should I use this serum?

This treatment works well in the evening for your acne-prone skin, keeping your routine simple and safe. To care for breakouts, this skin type needs products with acne-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.

Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?

This serum is unlikely to cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin, as it contains no harsh ingredients and includes soothing components. However, because it does not specifically target acne, blemishes, and breakouts, this skin type needs a product that includes targeted blemish-fighting ingredients and balancing benefits.

Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

What the research says

  • A 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, 2017

  • Argireline treatment twice daily for 4 weeks produced a significant anti-wrinkle effect with 48.9% total efficacy and decreased skin roughness in Chinese subjects compared with 0% efficacy and no decrease in roughness in the placebo group.

    American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2013

  • Topical application of Bifida Ferment Lysate strengthens the skin barrier function by upregulating barrier and antimicrobial peptide genes, exhibiting strong antioxidant properties, and decreasing inflammatory cytokine secretion in vitro.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023

  • Topical copper tripeptide complex on CO2 laser-resurfaced skin caused no significant reduction in erythema or objective improvement in wrinkles compared to controls, but significantly increased patient satisfaction regarding overall skin quality.

    Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery, 2006

  • A novel regimen combining a hydroxy acid-based scrub and copper tripeptide serum significantly reduced adherent scalp flaking by 61.24%, increased hair density by 12.48%, increased hair thickness by 25.36%, and improved scalp skin hydration by 76.24% in adults with mild to moderate dandruff over 15 days.

    Cureus, 2024

  • The combination of Thermus thermophilus and Bacillus subtilis mixed-culture ferment extract and copper tripeptide-1 GHK-Cu reduced inflammatory cytokines, protected skin explants from UV-induced damage, and improved wrinkles and skin barrier conditions compared to individual components or controls.

    Skin Research and Technology, 2026

  • Treatment with cross-linked hyaluronic acid-based microneedle patches combined with acetyl hexapeptide-8 or epidermal growth factor significantly improved wrinkles and skin hydration compared to the patch alone in Korean females over 29 days.

    Annals of Dermatology, 2019

  • Acetyl hexapeptide-3 and tripeptide-10 citrulline demonstrated antiwrinkle efficacy and decreased transepidermal water loss in twenty-four healthy volunteers compared to control groups, though synergistic effects between the two peptides remained unclear.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2017

  • Daily topical acetyl hexapeptide-8 showed a trend toward a longer time until return to baseline Jankovic Blepharospasm Rating Scale scores compared to placebo (3.7 months vs. 3.0 months) in 24 patients with blepharospasm receiving botulinum toxin therapy.

    European Journal of Neurology, 2013

  • 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

Why other serums fit acne-prone skin better

Ingredients

Water, Glycerin, Lactococcus Lysate Ferment, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Pentapeptide-18, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Acetylarginyltryptophyl Diphenylglycine, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Trehalose, Fructose, Glucose, Maltose, Urea, Sodium Pca, Pca, Sodium Lactate, Citric Acid, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 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.

  • 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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Prices checked 6 Nov 2026

The Lovi Fit is the same in every country; only the stores and prices differ, and the ones here are for Germany.

How does it fit your skin?

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

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