Farmacy 10% Waterless Vitamin C Serum for oily acne-prone skin
Ascorbic Acid
Alpha-Arbutin
Ferulic Acid
Betaine
Citrus Extracts
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 antioxidant effects suitable for oily skin, with ascorbic acid and lactic acid providing mild skin tone evenness and hydration.
- The presence of alpha-arbutin and ferulic acid further supports brightening and protection, though these ingredients do not directly address your primary concern of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The product is safe for your oily skin, as it contains no harsh ingredients that would cause 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 600+ reviewsUsers with dry or dull skin frequently praise this serum for its ability to visibly brighten the complexion and fade dark spots without causing irritation, thanks to its gentle, waterless formula. Those with oily or combination skin often find the texture too heavy and greasy, noting that it leaves an oily residue that takes a significant amount of time to fully absorb.
Highlights
Visibly brightens skin Mostly Mentioned
- “Gave my skin an incredible glow”
- “Results showed improvement in dark spots”
- “Visibly brighter skin after 1 use”
Hydrating texture Often Mentioned
- “Feels smoother after application”
- “Provides a nice layer of hydration”
- “My skin feels noticeably softer”
Greasy residue Often Mentioned
- “Leaves an oily finish”
- “Takes a long time to sink in”
- “Felt like an oil slick”
Gentle and non-irritating Sometimes Noted
- “Experienced no sensitivity whatsoever”
- “Gentle on skin”
- “Did not irritate my sensitive skin”
Stable packaging/formula Sometimes Noted
- “Love that it is fully recyclable”
- “Waterless formula is more stable”
- “Pump is convenient and sanitary”
Slow absorption Sometimes Noted
- “Hard to layer with other products”
- “Products slip and slide on top”
- “Takes about an hour to sink in”
Unpleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “Smells like hot dog water”
- “Has a weird metallic scent”
- “Scent is not the best”
Leaky packaging Rarely Noted
- “Bottle leaks oil everywhere”
- “Packaging does leak a bit”
- “Messy pump mechanism”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, farmacybeauty.com, amazon.com, skinsort.com, spacenk.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Farmacy Waterless Vitamin C Serum work for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum works moderately well for oily skin by offering brightening and antioxidant effects, but it does not directly target breakouts and blemishes. A treatment of this type needs effective ingredients like niacinamide and propolis to properly address acne concerns while keeping oily skin comfortable.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2008Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Ascorbic acid and lactic acid make this serum a reasonable fit for oily skin by offering moderate exfoliation and antioxidant effects, along with mild hydration and skin tone evenness. However, because it does not directly address acne and breakouts, a treatment for this skin needs ingredients like niacinamide and propolis to manage blemishes while keeping the skin calm and comfortable.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2008Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008
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.
What does Alpha-Arbutin do for oily acne-prone skin?
Alpha-arbutin does not target acne or oiliness directly, but it helps fade dark spots left behind by breakouts on oily skin. Because it works gently, it is unlikely to clog pores or trigger new pimples while evening out your skin tone. Oily, acne-prone skin still needs ingredients that clear pores and calm redness to fully address breakouts alongside dark spots.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum goes in your evening routine, applied after cleansing and before your moisturizer. You can start using it once a week, and if your skin handles it well, you may use it more often. To truly fit oily and acne-prone skin, a product of this type needs blemish-fighting ingredients that actively clear breakouts.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this treatment alongside retinol, but apply it in the morning and reserve retinol for your nighttime routine to keep your skin calm. This product is safe for your oily skin and helps brighten and protect it, though a routine for this skin needs ingredients that directly target breakouts and blemishes.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2008Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008
How often should I use this serum?
You can use this serum in your evening routine once a week to start, and gradually use it more often if your skin tolerates it well. This product of this type needs blemish-fighting ingredients and oil-balancing benefits to better fit oily acne-prone skin.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum is unlikely to cause irritation on oily skin, but because it does not directly target acne or breakouts, you may want a product that includes acne-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to keep pores clear.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A topical serum containing vitamin C, vitamin E, and raspberry leaf cell culture extract improved skin color, elasticity, radiance, smoothness, scaliness, and wrinkles compared to the untreated contralateral side in fifty female volunteers.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020A topical antioxidant solution of 15% L-ascorbic acid, 1% alpha-tocopherol, and 0.5% ferulic acid provides significant photoprotection against solar-simulated UV radiation in human skin compared to its vehicle.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2008Pretreatment 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, 2008Soaps containing betaine caused the least skin irritation compared to other tested soaps in twenty-eight healthy subjects, though irritation did not decrease with increasing concentrations of betaine.
Skin Research and Technology, 2003Topical 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, 2022A non-hydroquinone topical formulation (SKNB19) improved hyperpigmentation by 28.5% in patient self-assessment and 27% in independent reviewer assessment compared with 4% hydroquinone in 18 adult subjects, while showing significantly less irritation and better tolerability.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020Encapsulation of alpha arbutin in an optimized ethosomal gel significantly improved skin melanin reduction, moisture content, and elasticity in human volunteers compared to conventional formulations.
Heliyon, 2023Combining a home-based radiofrequency device and arbutin cream reduced mMASI scores by 25.6% and melanin index by 22.8% at 8 weeks compared to baseline in 38 participants.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Treatment 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, 2022Combining 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, 2025Topical 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, 2025Topical dry mouth products containing olive oil, betaine, and xylitol significantly increased unstimulated whole salivary flow rates, reduced xerostomia complaints, and improved quality of life in adults with polypharmacy-induced xerostomia compared to their normal routine care, with no clinically significant adverse events.
Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, 2007A combination of Aloe barbadensis leaf extract and trimethylglycine in a 1:1 mass ratio synergistically increased aquaporin 3 expression by up to 380% in keratinocytes and safely improved skin hydration in healthy volunteers.
Molecules, 2024Mixed surfactant systems of sodium dodecyl sulfate and dimethyl dodecyl amido betaine significantly reduce acute skin irritation potential in human volunteers compared with the individual surfactants, demonstrating that irritation potential cannot be predicted by simple summation.
Food and Chemical Toxicology, 1998
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, 2018
Ingredients
Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Ascorbic Acid, Betaine, Alpha-Arbutin, Ferulic Acid, Citrus Aurantium Amara Fruit Extract, Citrus Reticulata Fruit Extract Tangerine Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Sinensis Peel Extract, Glycerin, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid
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
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