Rohto Mentholatum Melano CC Vitamin C Essence for oily acne-prone skin
Ascorbic Acid Active Vitamin C
Tocopheryl Acetate Vitamin E Derivative
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate- Vitamin C Tetraisopalmitate
Alpinia Katsumadai Seed Extract
High
- HighOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for oily acne-prone skin; a few serums fit it even 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 high suitability for your oily skin, addressing acne, blemishes, and breakouts with Ascorbic Acid and Vitamin C Tetraisopalmitate, which target inflammation and regulate oil production.
- The formulation also provides excellent brightening and evening of skin tone, further enhancing your complexion.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of prohibited or 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
★4.6Overall rating based on 5.7k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users consistently praise this essence for its ability to fade post-acne marks and brighten skin tone without rapid oxidation. While some find the initial texture oily, it generally absorbs well, though it may be best for spot treatment or layering. A significant number of reviews highlight its effectiveness on dark spots and the smart packaging that prevents oxidation. Moderate feedback points to its lightweight absorption and good value, while some users note an oily residue, and a low number report breakouts, dispensing issues, or fragrance sensitivity.
Highlights
Effective on dark spots Mostly Mentioned
- “Faded my acne scars”
- “lightened hyperpigmentation significantly”
- “spots are barely visible”
- “brightens overall complexion”
Smart packaging Often Mentioned
- “Tube prevents oxidation”
- “stays clear for months”
- “nozzle dispenses one drop”
- “great for travel”
Great value Sometimes Noted
- “Lasts a long time”
- “little goes a long way”
- “affordable price point”
- “unbeatable for the cost”
Lightweight absorption Sometimes Noted
- “Absorbs quickly”
- “non-sticky finish”
- “sinks into skin”
- “layers well under makeup”
Oily texture Sometimes Noted
- “Feels greasy at first”
- “leaves an oily film”
- “too shiny for day use”
- “slippery consistency”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Caused closed comedones”
- “broke me out”
- “gave me small bumps”
- “clogged my pores”
Difficult dispensing Rarely Noted
- “Hard to squeeze out”
- “dispenses too slowly”
- “drop-by-drop is annoying”
- “struggle to get product”
Fragrance sensitivity Rarely Noted
- “Strong citrus scent”
- “smells like yuzu”
- “irritated my sensitive skin”
- “wish it was fragrance-free”
Sources: lovi.care, stylevana.com, iherb.com, yesstyle.com, reddit.com, amazon.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Melano CC Vitamin C Essence a great fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Rohto Mentholatum Melano CC Vitamin C Essence is a great fit for oily acne-prone skin because its active ingredients help calm inflammation and control oil production. It also brightens dark spots and evens out your complexion without causing irritation.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Ascorbic Acid and Vitamin C Tetraisopalmitate make this serum a great fit by helping to calm inflammation and control excess oil. These ingredients target acne and blemishes while keeping the skin safe and unlikely to experience irritation.
European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 2017
What does Ascorbic Acid do for oily acne-prone skin?
Ascorbic Acid helps brighten dark spots and smooth out skin texture on oily, acne-prone skin. It also works as an antioxidant that may help calm inflammation when used as part of your daily skincare routine.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2024
What does Tocopheryl Acetate do for oily acne-prone skin?
Tocopheryl acetate is unlikely to clog pores or trigger breakouts on oily, acne-prone skin. It helps protect the skin from damage while maintaining a safe and gentle profile for everyday use.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This treatment goes in your evening routine, applied after cleansing and before moisturizing. Putting it in the evening keeps things simple and helps avoid extra safety concerns around sun exposure.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum in your evening routine, but apply it before your retinol and wait a few minutes to let it absorb. Because both ingredients are active, using them together may occasionally cause dryness or irritation on oily acne-prone skin, so you might want to start slowly by alternating nights.
How often should I use this serum?
You can use this treatment in the evening as part of your routine. It is a great fit for your oily acne-prone skin, helping to manage breakouts and brighten your complexion without causing irritation.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum is a great fit for your oily acne-prone skin and is unlikely to cause breakouts, as it uses vitamin C to calm redness and help control oil without harsh ingredients. Reviewers rarely report breakouts, and its safety profile is very high.
European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 2017Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Topical formulations containing ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate, coenzyme Q10, green tea polyphenols, and resveratrol reduced the release of inflammatory cytokines and attenuated inflammatory signs compared to untreated skin and vehicle in 25 Japanese volunteers exposed to sodium dodecyl sulfate.
European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 2017A 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 3-in-1 anti-aging topical night serum-in-oil applied once daily decreased wrinkles by 11%, increased skin firmness by 8%, reduced redness by 70%, and improved overall skin quality and complexion in 103 female subjects over 28 to 84 days compared to baseline.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Dermatological 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 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, 2022Topical 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, 2025Topical 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, 2024A topical antioxidant serum significantly reduced air pollution-induced skin pigmentation and proinflammatory gene expression ex vivo, and improved skin aging signs in 40 healthy adult females after 90 days of daily use.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Combining 755 nm alexandrite laser with topical licorice gel significantly reduces terminal hair counts compared to alexandrite laser with placebo in women with idiopathic hirsutism.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015Licochalcone A activated Nrf2 signaling, elevated cytoprotective enzymes, increased the reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio, and decreased reactive oxygen species in human fibroblasts and neutrophils, while a LicA-rich licorice extract lowered UVA-induced oxidative processes in vivo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2015Bioactive glycyrrhizic acid and oxymatrine ionic liquid self-assembled nanomicelles significantly promoted the transdermal permeation, subcutaneous retention, and anti-photoaging efficacy of palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 in cellular and animal models compared to unformulated peptide.
Advanced Science, 2025Cardamonin suppressed pigmentation and decreased intracellular melanin production by inhibiting the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway and suppressing MITF and tyrosinase expression in human normal melanocytes.
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 2009
Ingredients
Ascorbic Acid Active Vitamin C, Tocopheryl Acetate Vitamin E Derivative, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Isopropyl Methylphenol, Vitamin C Tetraisopalmitate, Ethoxydiglycol, Alpinia Katsumadai Seed Extract Alpinia White Seed Extract, Bg, Edetate
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.