SkinCeuticals Retexturing Activator for oily skin
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Sodium Hyaluronate
Saccharomyces Xylinum Black Tea Ferment
Glycerin
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
Average
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily skin; other serums fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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 hydration for your oily skin due to hydroxyethyl urea and glycerin, which promote skin renewal and moisture retention to help manage oily shine.
- Sodium hyaluronate and Saccharomyces xylinum black tea ferment provide general hydration benefits, supporting your goal of reducing oily shine.
- The formula is safe for your oily skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this serum in your PM routine. Start by applying it 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toning, but right before your moisturizer for the best results.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin. Let it absorb ⏱ for a minute before applying the next product.
- Apply the serum on clean and dry skin since your skin is not sensitive and you want to target oily shine. This helps control excess oil throughout the night.
- Avoid the delicate eye area and do a patch test before using the serum for the very first time.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 600+ reviewsThis dual-action serum is widely praised by users with sensitive, acne-prone, and dehydrated skin for its ability to simultaneously exfoliate and hydrate without the irritation common to other acids. While a minority of users dislike the tacky finish or price point, most report significantly smoother texture, diminished fine lines, and a radiant, "glass-skin" glow.
Highlights
Smooths skin texture Mostly Mentioned
- “skin felt smooth and soft”
- “soften appearance of expression lines”
- “bumps and roughness disappeared”
Deeply hydrating Often Mentioned
- “leaves skin supple”
- “balances moisture levels”
- “plumps the skin”
Gentle exfoliation Often Mentioned
- “zero irritation”
- “great for sensitive skin”
- “gentle alternative to retinol”
Radiant complexion Sometimes Noted
- “brighter appearance”
- “glow that lasts all day”
- “skin looks healthy”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “expensive for the amount”
- “pricey investment”
- “wish it was cheaper”
Sticky consistency Sometimes Noted
- “texture is a bit slimy”
- “tacky finish”
- “needs moisturizer to seal stickiness”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “ended up breaking out”
- “caused small bumps”
Unpleasant smell Rarely Noted
- “strong smell”
- “scent is off-putting”
- “smells like chemicals”
Sources: lovi.care, dermstore.com, lovelyskin.com, influenster.com, bluemercury.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does SkinCeuticals Retexturing Activator work for oily skin?
SkinCeuticals Retexturing Activator works moderately well for oily skin by offering gentle exfoliation and hydration that help manage oily shine without causing irritation. Oily skin often benefits more from products containing ingredients like niacinamide and zinc PCA to actively control oil production and refine pores.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily skin?
This serum fits your oily skin through hydroxyethyl urea and glycerin, which offer moderate exfoliation and moisture retention to help manage oily shine. Oily skin of this type also benefits from ingredients like niacinamide to control sebum production, ferulic acid, and zinc PCA to address excess oil and enlarged pores.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Scientific Reports, 2021
What does Hydroxyethyl Urea do for oily skin?
Hydroxyethyl Urea helps keep oily skin soft and smooth without feeling heavy or greasy. It draws moisture into your skin while remaining light and comfortable for daily wear.
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for oily skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps oily skin by reducing extra oil and sebum production without causing irritation. Clinical studies show it successfully balances oil levels while keeping the skin comfortable.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine, used once a week to start with to see how your skin tolerates it. Oily skin typically benefits most from lightweight treatments featuring gentle exfoliants and hydrators that help manage shine without causing irritation.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this treatment alongside retinol by applying the treatment first in your evening routine, as the formula is safe and unlikely to cause irritation. To get the best fit for oily skin, a product of this type needs gentle exfoliating acids and lightweight hydrators like glycerin and hyaluronic acid to help manage shine without heavy layers.
How often should I use it?
You can use this treatment in your evening routine, starting once a week and carefully using it more often if your skin tolerates it well. Its gentle exfoliating ingredients and moisturizers help manage oily shine safely without causing irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This product is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for your oily skin, as it has a safe formula with a low chance of causing breakouts according to reviewer feedback. To properly care for oily skin, a product of this type needs gentle exfoliating ingredients and light hydration that help manage oily shine without heavy oils.
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, 2017Kombucha Yerba Mate ferments after 14 and 21 days of fermentation showed about a 40% inhibition of lipoxygenase, collagenase, and elastase enzymes, long-lasting skin hydration, and increased cell viability on keratinocyte and fibroblast cell lines compared to unfermented extracts.
Scientific Reports, 2021Model skin tonics containing kombucha-fermented red berry extracts improve skin hydration, TEWL, and skin pH, demonstrating potential value as cosmetic ingredients.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2022Kombucha-mediated fermentation of aloe vera gel for 10 and 20 days enhanced its phenolic and flavonoid content, antioxidant capacity, cytoprotective effects, enzyme inhibition against collagenase, elastase, and hyaluronidase, and moisturizing properties compared to unfermented gel.
Molecules, 2025Daily treatment with a facial serum containing multiple acids reduced post-inflammatory hyperchromia lesion grade and number by 29.4% at 56 days, and decreased skin oiliness by 30.7% at 7 days in Brazilian patients with acne vulgaris.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical 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, 2011Topical 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, 2022Treatment 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, 2019Fermentation of grape stems extract using a Scoby consortium for 10 and 20 days increases phenolic content and antioxidant activity, and when added to model cosmetic creams, improves skin hydration and reduces transepidermal water loss.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2023The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012A novel composition containing salicylic acid, capryloyl salicylic acid, HEPES, glycolic acid, citric acid, and dioic acid showed similar tolerance and efficacy compared with clindamycin 1% and benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in subjects with acne vulgaris.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2013
Ingredients
Water, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Saccharomyces Xylinum Black Tea Ferment, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol
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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