BYOMA Sensitive Retinol Oil for oily acne-prone skin
Barrier Lipids
Vitamin A
Squalane
Bisabolol
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other moisturizers 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 suitability for your oily skin, as squalane and cetyl ethylhexanoate provide emollient action, though it lacks sufficient ingredients for optimal oil control.
- The product provides excellent moisturizing and treatment with squalane and bisabolol, which hydrate and soothe your skin, but these ingredients are mostly supportive and not directly targeted for your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The safety profile is good, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components like bisabolol.
How to apply
- Use this AM and PM routine every day to help clear your skin. Always remember to finish with SPF in the morning.
- Apply the moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your SPF during the day.
- Gently press a small amount into your skin and avoid rubbing to keep pores clear.
- Apply on clean, slightly damp skin to help the product absorb better and control oil.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a simple patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 300+ reviewsThis lightweight oil is praised as an excellent retinol for sensitive skin, with users frequently reporting softer, brighter, and smoother complexions without irritation. Most users find it absorbs quickly and hydrates well, though a moderate number of users with oily skin experience absorption issues and a low number find it too gentle for dramatic results.
Highlights
Gentle, non-irritating Mostly Mentioned
- “no irritation at all”
- “didn't experience any flaky skin”
- “great for sensitive skin”
- “skin felt calmer”
Improves texture Often Mentioned
- “skin was soft the next morning”
- “texture greatly improved”
- “visibly improving skin's tone”
- “complexion looked brighter”
Lightweight, absorbs fast Often Mentioned
- “absorbs quickly”
- “felt practically weightless”
- “non-greasy”
- “sinking into skin”
Hydrating, barrier support Sometimes Noted
- “hydrates while delivering benefits”
- “nourish the skin barrier”
- “hydrated as can be”
- “reduces moisture loss”
Absorption issues Sometimes Noted
- “sat over my skin like a glaze”
- “would not absorb”
- “tacky residue”
- “lingering stickiness”
Adverse reactions Rarely Noted
- “made my wrinkles worse”
- “hated every minute”
- “caused breakouts”
- “clogged pores”
Packaging complaints Rarely Noted
- “packaging feels a little cheap”
- “hard to read directions”
- “impossible to read the bottle”
Subtle results Rarely Noted
- “didn't notice much difference”
- “too gentle”
- “weak for experienced users”
- “ok but not a favourite”
Sources: lovi.care, boots.com, spacenk.com, ulta.com, independent.co.uk, cultbeauty.co.uk, and more
Questions and answers
How well does BYOMA Sensitive Retinol Oil work for oily acne-prone skin?
This oil works moderately well for your oily acne-prone skin, providing soothing moisture while helping keep irritation low. However, it lacks sufficient ingredients for optimal oil control and breakout care. A product of this type needs ingredients like Niacinamide, low molecular weight hyaluronic acid, and ceramides to manage blemishes and provide lightweight hydration without clogging pores.
Which ingredients make this oil a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Squalane and bisabolol make this oil a good fit by softening and calming your skin. To better fit oily acne-prone skin, a product of this type needs ingredients like niacinamide or hyaluronic acid that control oil and target breakouts without clogging pores.
What do Barrier Lipids do for oily acne-prone skin?
Barrier lipids help balance oily acne-prone skin by strengthening the skin barrier and keeping moisture locked in while managing surface oils and irritation. Using products with ceramides and niacinamide supports clear skin and prevents dryness when managing breakouts.
What does Vitamin A do for oily acne-prone skin?
Vitamin A helps oily acne-prone skin by clearing out pores and calming inflammation to keep skin smooth and clear. It maintains healthy skin cells and oil glands, though it may cause dryness when you first start using it.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2022Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta, 2012
Where does this oil go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This oil goes in your evening routine as a treatment step after cleansing and before moisturizing. It works well for your skin, though an oily acne-prone skin needs a product with ingredients that provide oil control and directly target blemishes.
Can I use this oil with vitamin C, and in what order?
How often should I use this oil?
You can use this treatment in the evening as part of your routine. It provides good moisture and calming care for your skin, though an oily skin type also needs ingredients that directly target oil control and breakouts.
Can this oil clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This oil is unlikely to clog pores or cause irritation on oily acne-prone skin, as it leaves out harsh ingredients and includes soothing components like bisabolol. However, it lacks direct ingredients for oil control and blemishes, so an oily acne-prone skin still needs lightweight hydrators and ingredients that target breakouts.
Can I use this oil around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizing treatment on your body, but exercise caution around the delicate eye area where skin is much thinner. A product of this type needs lightweight hydrators and soothing ingredients to care for thin or body skin safely.
Is this oil fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Topical application of a vitamin C-squalene bioconjugate significantly increased epidermal thickness, type III collagen production, and glycosaminoglycans production in human skin explants compared to free vitamin C and vitamin C-palmitate.
Scientific Reports, 2020Application of an alpha-bisabolol-containing cream produced a significant skin-lightening effect in pigmented skin compared to a vehicle control in the majority of female subjects after 8 weeks.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2010Over-the-counter retinol products provided only weak evidence for a mild ameliorating effect on fine facial skin wrinkle lines in randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled trials, and major methodological flaws call the validity of positive results into question.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2021A cosmetic niacinamide/peptide/retinyl propionate regimen significantly improved periorbital wrinkle appearance relative to a 0.02% tretinoin regimen at 8 weeks with comparable benefits at 24 weeks, while demonstrating significantly better tolerability in 196 women.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010A novel triple-active cosmetic formulation containing 4-hexylresorcinol, retinyl propionate, and niacinamide improved the visual appearance of photoageing similarly to 0.02% tretinoin and reversed a consensus gene signature associated with ageing in female adults while causing less skin irritation.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Plant-derived squalane protected human dermal fibroblasts against UVA-induced damage by counteracting ROS formation, suppressing apoptosis-related proteins p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP, and restoring the pro-survival p-Akt/mTOR pathway.
Antioxidants, 2025The combination of allantoin, bisabolol, D-panthenol and dipotassium glycyrrhizinate reduces UVB-induced PGE2, inflammatory cytokines, and mitochondrial superoxide in human epidermal keratinocytes.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024A topical serum containing hydroxypinacolone retinoate and peptides used twice daily for 16 weeks achieved parity or statistically significantly better improvement in facial aging parameters compared to a single fractional CO2 laser treatment in women with moderate global photodamage.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Combined probiotic supplementation and topical azelaic acid with hydroxypinacolone retinoate reduced non-inflammatory lesions from 11.5 to 7.3 and decreased microscopic acne features measured by reflectance confocal microscopy and dynamic optical coherence tomography in 20 patients over 12 weeks.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2023Hydroxypinacolone retinoate and retinyl propionate at a 5:9 weight ratio synergistically enhanced antiaging gene expressions in vitro and improved skin wrinkles, smoothness, transepidermal water loss, and elasticity in 42 Chinese urban women over an 8-week period without adverse reactions compared to retinol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023
Why other moisturizers fit oily acne-prone skin better
Gluconolactone 14% solution significantly improved mild to moderate acne by reducing inflamed and non-inflamed lesions similarly to 5% benzoyl peroxide, but with fewer side-effects in 150 patients.
The Australasian Journal of Dermatology, 1992A panthenol-enriched mask improved skin hydration, regulated sebum, and reduced redness and TEWL across dry sensitive, oily sensitive, and oily acne skin subgroups with excellent tolerance and no adverse reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024A peel-off facial mask containing myoinositol and trehalose-loaded liposomes improved adult female acne by decreasing lesion counts, sebum production, GAGS scores, and local androgen levels while increasing beclin-1 levels.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2017
Ingredients
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Squalane, Glycine Soja Oil Soybean Oil, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil Carrot Seed Oil, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Bisabolol, Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil
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.