Glow Recipe Blackberry Retinol Blemish Serum for dry skin
Blackberry Extract
Retinol
Squalane
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
BisabololCaution
- LowDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A poor match for dry skin; the serums alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. 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
How to apply
- Apply this serum PM, starting 3×/week and working up to daily use as your skin adjusts.
- Place the serum after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the serum on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra moisture.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 600+ reviewsThis serum is widely praised as a gentle yet effective entry-level retinol that clears acne and smooths texture without the irritation typical of stronger retinoids. While many users with sensitive skin report excellent results in fading dark spots and reducing breakouts, a notable minority experienced adverse reactions to the fragrance or found the formula too weak for advanced needs.
Highlights
Gentle, non-irritating Mostly Mentioned
- “gentle enough for nightly use”
- “no sensitivity or dryness”
- “didn't irritate my skin”
- “great for sensitive skin”
Clears acne Often Mentioned
- “spots shrank and faded”
- “skin cleared up a ton”
- “noticed less acne”
- “breakouts way less noticeable”
Improves texture Often Mentioned
- “skin looks brighter”
- “texture feels smoother”
- “faded dark spots”
- “pores look smaller”
Fast absorption Sometimes Noted
- “sinks in instantly”
- “lightweight texture”
- “not sticky or tacky”
- “layers well under moisturizer”
Hydrating formula Sometimes Noted
- “milky hydrating serum”
- “moisturizing for a retinol”
- “leaves skin dewy”
- “doesn't dry me out”
Strong fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “scent is overpowering”
- “smells artificial”
- “hate the added fragrance”
- “irritating for fragrance-sensitive”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “caused worst breakout”
- “bad reaction”
- “cystic acne flared up”
- “skin purged badly”
High price point Rarely Noted
- “a bit too pricey”
- “expensive for the amount”
- “price is high”
- “wish it was cheaper”
Too weak Rarely Noted
- “nowhere near clinical strength”
- “didn't see crazy results”
- “too gentle for me”
- “better for beginners”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, glowrecipe.com, kohls.com, cultbeauty.co.uk, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise caution with Glow Recipe Blackberry Retinol Serum for dry skin?
Lovi advises caution because this treatment contains retinol and retinal, which may cause dryness and irritation for your dry skin. While it includes soothing and hydrating ingredients like glycerin, squalane, bisabolol, and ectoin, a product for dry skin needs deep hydration, barrier support, and nourishing ingredients like propolis, niacinamide, ceramides, or peptides without any risk of irritation.
Which ingredients make this serum a poor fit for dry skin?
Retinol and retinal make this serum a poor fit for your dry skin because they can cause dryness and irritation, although glycerin and squalane provide some hydration. A product of this type needs highly effective, soothing ingredients that provide significant hydration, skin barrier support, and a healthy glow without any risk of irritation.
What does Blackberry Extract do for dry skin?
Blackberry extract helps protect dry skin from sun damage and irritation. It may also calm redness and keep the skin smooth by fighting off daily oxidative stress.
What does Retinol do for dry skin?
Retinol is a poor fit for dry skin because it frequently causes scaling, stinging, and dryness. To care for dry skin properly, a product needs gentle, hydrating ingredients like ceramides, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture and keep the skin barrier calm and smooth.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing. Because it contains retinol, it may cause dryness and irritation on dry skin, so this skin type needs extra hydration and soothing ingredients like glycerin, squalane, and bisabolol to stay comfortable.
Can I use this serum with vitamin C, and in what order?
You should use this serum at night and apply your vitamin C serum in the morning to avoid combining potent actives that may irritate your dry skin. A product for this skin needs nourishing hydrators and calming ingredients like glycerin, squalane, and bisabolol to keep it soft and comfortable.
How often should I use this serum?
This serum is used in the evening routine, starting just once a week to see how your dry skin reacts since the active ingredients may cause dryness and irritation. A product of this type needs extra soothing and hydrating ingredients like squalane, glycerin, and ceramides to keep dry skin calm and comfortable.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This serum is unlikely to cause breakouts for dry skin, though reviews rarely report them. Retinol and retinal help clear blemishes, but they may cause dryness and irritation on dry skin that a product of this type needs soothing ingredients like bisabolol and ectoin to calm.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum).
What the research says
Topical 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 blackberry and dill extract combination synergistically increased skin elasticity and induced elastogenesis compared to each ingredient alone and placebo.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020Tropical highland blackberry juice reduced UVB-mediated DNA damage and increased apoptosis in human epidermal keratinocytes and a reconstituted skin equivalent model.
Photochemistry and Photobiology, 2013Strawberry and blackberry crude extracts, anthocyanin-enriched fractions, and proanthocyanidin-enriched fractions demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects through ROS reduction, gene expression inhibition, and NO suppression, while anthocyanin fractions promoted fibroblast migration in vitro.
Food Research International, 2019Topical 0.4% retinol significantly increased epidermal thickness, dermal vascularity, and extracellular matrix production by stimulating keratinocyte proliferation, endothelial cell proliferation, and fibroblast activation in naturally aged human skin compared to vehicle.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017Silicone particles encapsulating retinol increased its half-life by 9-fold and yielded 12-23% lower skin irritation in human subjects compared to Microsponge particles while maintaining biological activity.
Journal of Controlled Release, 2018Topical stabilized retinol treatment induced HAS gene expression and increased hyaluronic acid production in human skin in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo compared to vehicle.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2017Squalane 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, 2025A 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 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, 2010Application 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, 2010The 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, 2024
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Squalane, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Ectoin, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Blackberry Fruit Extract, Bisabolol, Retinyl Linoleate, Epilobium Angustifolium Stem Extract Flower Leaf, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Retinal, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Fruit Extract, Retinol, Tocopherol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Sorbitan Isostearate, Erythritol, Citric Acid, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Phytate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Glycine Soja Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
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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