True Botanicals Phyto-Retinol Sleep Serum for oily acne-prone skin
Phyto-Retinol
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil Rosehip Seed Oil
Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceAverage
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
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 benefits for your oily skin, as Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract provides mild astringent properties and Glycerin balances hydration without adding excess oil. While Astaxanthin Powder and Rosehip Seed Oil offer antioxidant and skin-renewing effects, they do not directly target your primary concerns of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The product is highly suitable for oily skin and has a good safety profile, with soothing ingredients like Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice minimizing irritation risk.
- The formulation is safe for your oily skin, lacking harsh ingredients and including beneficial components like Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice to prevent irritation.
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
★4.6Overall rating based on 300+ reviewsUsers find this serum to be a gentle and effective plant-based retinol alternative, frequently reporting smoothed fine lines and improved skin texture without irritation. Many reviewers mention waking up to glowing, hydrated skin, making it a popular choice for sensitive skin types. However, the high price point is a common concern, and a small number of users find the scent too strong or experience breakouts.
Highlights
Gentle & non-irritating Mostly Mentioned
- “no redness or peeling”
- “great for sensitive skin”
- “zero irritation”
- “gentle enough for nightly use”
Hydration & glow Often Mentioned
- “woke up glowing”
- “skin feels hydrated”
- “bouncy and soft”
- “radiant complexion”
Visible anti-aging Often Mentioned
- “softened fine lines”
- “skin looks plumper”
- “smoother texture”
- “wrinkles less visible”
High price point Often Mentioned
- “very expensive”
- “pricey bottle”
- “wish it was cheaper”
- “luxury price tag”
Elegant texture Sometimes Noted
- “absorbs quickly”
- “not greasy”
- “lightweight but nourishing”
- “silky texture”
Luxurious scent Sometimes Noted
- “smells like a spa”
- “relaxing herbal scent”
- “lovely botanical smell”
- “divine fragrance”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “caused breakouts”
- “clogged my pores”
- “skin reacted poorly”
- “bumps appeared”
Slow results Rarely Noted
- “didn't see much difference”
- “results take time”
- “expected more for the price”
Strong scent Rarely Noted
- “smell is too strong”
- “overpowering scent”
- “too much fragrance”
- “scent lingers”
Sources: lovi.care, qvc.com, amazon.com, cultbeauty.com, truebotanicals.com, nordstrom.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does True Botanicals Phyto-Retinol Sleep Serum work for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum works moderately well for oily acne-prone skin, providing balanced hydration and soothing benefits without adding excess oil, though it does not directly target breakouts. Treatments that fit this skin type best need ingredients like niacinamide, propolis, or Vitamin C to actively clear blemishes and control oil.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract provides mild astringent properties and Glycerin balances hydration without adding excess oil, while soothing ingredients like Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice help minimize irritation risk. To work best for oily acne-prone skin, a treatment of this type needs effective ingredients like niacinamide and propolis that target acne and blemishes without any risk of unsuitability.
What does Bakuchiol do for oily acne-prone skin?
Bakuchiol helps clear up breakouts and calms redness when you have oily, acne-prone skin. It is a gentle alternative to retinol that reduces blemishes and dark spots left behind by pimples. A skincare routine for this skin type also needs ingredients that control excess oil and clear pores.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2021Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2015
What does Green Tea Extract do for oily acne-prone skin?
Green tea extract helps calm oily, acne-prone skin by reducing oil and the number of pimples and red bumps. It is unlikely to irritate because topical green tea products have a very safe profile in human studies.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2013Phytotherapy Research, 2021
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, as evening application provides extra safety around sun exposure. Because this product offers only moderate benefits for oily skin and does not directly target breakouts, oily skin that is acne-prone needs a treatment that targets blemishes with 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 serum at night. While it is unlikely to irritate your oily skin due to soothing ingredients like aloe and green tea extract, an oily and breakout-prone skin needs a treatment that directly targets active acne and blemishes.
How often should I use this serum?
This serum works well in your evening routine, starting at once a week to see how your skin adjusts. Oily acne-prone skin needs a product of this type that directly targets breakouts and blemishes with clarifying and blemish-clearing ingredients.
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 lacks harsh ingredients and includes soothing components like Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice that help keep irritation low. However, because it offers only moderate benefits and does not directly target acne or blemishes, oily acne-prone skin needs products containing targeted blemish-fighting ingredients and oil-balancing actives.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (benzyl salicylate, farnesol, linalool, and limonene).
What the research says
Combining oral and topical astaxanthin in 30 healthy females improved skin wrinkles, age spots, elasticity, texture, and moisture, while 6 mg daily oral supplementation in 36 healthy males improved crow's feet wrinkles, elasticity, and transepidermal water loss.
Acta Biochimica Polonica, 2012A 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, 2017An anti-acne hydrogel containing Aloe barbadensis, Garcinia mangostana, and Camellia sinensis extracts showed superior antiacne and antiblotch activities compared to 1% clindamycin gel in sixty subjects with mild-moderate acne.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019A 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, 2018Topical 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, 2019A dermocosmetic containing bakuchiol, Ginkgo biloba extract, and mannitol improves inflammatory lesions, Investigator Global Assessment, and seborrhea intensity when added to adapalene 0.1% gel in patients with acne vulgaris.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2015Topical application of a serum containing supramolecular Bakuchiol and Terminalia chebula extract significantly improved barrier function, reduced redness and sensitivity, and improved wrinkles and elasticity in 34 Chinese subjects with sensitive skin after 28 days.
Health Science Reports, 2025Topical green tea extract significantly improved clinical symptoms, tear breakup times, and meibomian gland health compared to standard treatment in patients with dry eye and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction.
Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 2017Topical low-dose green tea extract reduces UVB-induced p53 expression and apoptosis in human skin keratinocytes compared to placebo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2009Topical application of green tea extract encapsulated chitosan microparticles improved skin elasticity, melanin index, and facial wrinkles compared to a placebo in female volunteers without causing skin irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Topical treatments containing rosehip extract may reduce the size and erythema of postsurgical scars through macrophage polarization and inflammatory cytokine inhibition, though current clinical evidence remains insufficient to recommend its routine use.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Sunflower and rosehip oil nanoemulsions prepared with a mix of phospholipids and synthetic emulsifiers permeated intact skin to the dermis and showed a more prominent healing effect in a human organotypic skin explant culture wound model compared to nanoemulsions prepared only with phospholipids.
Pharmaceutics, 2023A nanoemulsion containing 1 mg/mL kojic dipalmitate and 5% rosehip oil demonstrated high incorporation efficiency, suitable physicochemical stability, antioxidant and depigmenting efficacy close to 1 mM ascorbic acid, and no cytotoxicity at concentrations from 0.06% to 1% in vitro.
Pharmaceutics, 2023Treatment with 10 μg/mL Hippophae rhamnoides seed oil increased AQP3 mRNA and AQP3 and HAS2 protein levels in normal human epidermis keratinocytes and a reconstructed epidermis skin model compared to a negative control.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nanoemulsion-loaded cream and gel formulations of Hippophae rhamnoides fruit oil showed superior wound contraction of 78.96% and 72.59% respectively on the 8th day compared to 62.29% for soframycin in female Sprague-Dawley rats, with no acute dermal toxicity.
Indian Journal of Pharmacology, 2024Sea buckthorn oil and p-methoxycinnamic acid bioconjugates formulated in oleogels achieved 45% of the sun protection factor of an equivalent octinoxate reference oleogel.
Molecules, 2023Topical 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, 2018Topical 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, 2010Formulations containing 0.10%, 0.25%, and 0.50% freeze-dried Aloe vera extract increased stratum corneum water content compared with the vehicle in 20 female subjects, while transepidermal water loss was not modified.
Skin Research and Technology, 2006
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
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Oil, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Primula Veris Flower Extract Primrose Flower Extract, Mauritia Flexuosa Oil Fruit, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil Rosehip Seed Oil, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Astaxanthin Powder, Persea Gratissima Oil Avocado Oil, Sandalwood Oil, Avena Sativa Bran Extract Oat Bran Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Cananga Odorata Oil Flower Ylang Ylang Oil Flower, Boswellia Carterii Oil Gum, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Sclerotium Gum, Tocopherol, Algin, Water, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenethyl Alcohol, Farnesol, Linalool, Limonene
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.