Skin Script Glycolic and Retinol Pads for combination skin
Glycolic Acid
Retinol
Kojic Acid
ArbutinAverage
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for combination skin; other products fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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 pore-refining benefits for your oily skin due to the presence of glycolic acid and retinol, which promote skin renewal and texture smoothing. Arbutin and kojic acid further aid in regulating melanogenesis, complementing your combination skin type.
- Witch hazel water provides soothing properties, and the absence of harsh ingredients ensures a gentle experience for your combination skin.
- The product is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to its well-balanced formulation.
How to apply
- Use this exfoliant product in your PM routine starting once a week, then increase frequency carefully if your skin feels fine.
- Apply this exfoliant step after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin and wait a minute before layering.
- Apply the exfoliant to clean, dry skin to help control your oily shine comfortably.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use.
Questions and answers
How well do Skin Script Glycolic and Retinol Pads work for combination skin?
Skin Script Glycolic and Retinol Pads work moderately well for combination skin, offering smooth texture and pore-refining benefits without causing irritation. However, combination skin needs an exfoliant treatment rich in ingredients like niacinamide, propolis, or zinc PCA that balance oiliness and maintain proper hydration without excess shine.
Which ingredients make this exfoliant a good fit for combination skin?
Glycolic acid and retinol help smooth texture and refine pores on oily areas, while witch hazel water soothes. To fit combination skin even better, an exfoliant of this type needs ingredients like niacinamide and zinc PCA to manage shine while providing balanced hydration without excess oiliness.
What does Glycolic Acid do for combination skin?
Glycolic acid helps smooth and brighten combination skin by gently loosening dead surface cells to speed up skin renewal. This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation when used properly, but it needs a reliable sunscreen during the day since it makes skin more sensitive to the sun.
Acta Dermato-venereologica, 1995Archives of Dermatological Research, 1997
What does Retinol do for combination skin?
Retinol helps smooth fine lines, even out skin tone, and improve firmness in combination skin. It works by encouraging faster skin renewal and boosting collagen, though it may occasionally cause mild dryness or scaling while your skin adjusts.
Archives of Dermatology, 2007The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019
Where does this exfoliant go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This exfoliant goes in the evening routine after cleansing and toning, starting just once a week. This type of skin needs gentle exfoliating ingredients and soothing hydrators that refine pores while maintaining a balanced feel.
Can I use this exfoliant with vitamin C, and in what order?
You can use this exfoliant with vitamin C by applying vitamin C in the morning and this treatment in the evening to keep your skin calm. Because both ingredients renew the skin, separating them helps you avoid irritation and keeps your combination skin smooth.
How often should I use this exfoliant?
Start by using this exfoliant treatment once a week, and if your combination skin handles it well with good results, you may carefully use it more often. Combination skin needs products that balance oil and hydration while smoothing texture without causing dryness.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Can this exfoliant clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This exfoliant is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for your combination skin because it has a well-balanced formula without harsh ingredients. It helps smooth texture and calm the skin, though a product of this type for combination skin also needs lightweight hydrators to keep oily and dry zones balanced.
Is this exfoliant fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A 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, 2020Polyvinyl pyrrolidone-K90/Eudragit RL100 dissolving microneedle patches loaded with alpha-arbutin and resveratrol enhanced intradermal delivery by approximately 2.6 times compared to cream and slightly decreased the melanin index in human participants without causing skin irritation.
Biomaterials Science, 2023Hamamelis bark proanthocyanidins strongly increased the proliferation of cultured human keratinocytes and reduced transepidermal water loss and erythema formation in SLS-irritated skin, whereas the polysaccharide fraction had no effect.
Phytochemistry, 2001Repeated short-contact 70% glycolic acid peels provided superior results in atrophic acne scars compared to daily low-strength glycolic acid cream or placebo in 58 women over 24 weeks.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2000Serial glycolic acid peels combined with a modified Kligman formula significantly reduced facial PIH severity in Indian patients compared to the modified Kligman formula alone.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2017Topical 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, 2017Topical 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, 2019Silicone 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, 2018A topical formulation containing kojic acid, emblica extract, and glycolic acid demonstrated efficacy parity compared with hydroquinone 4% in multiethnic participants with mild to moderate facial dyschromia.
Cutis, 2010A nanoemulsion containing 1 mg/mL kojic dipalmitate and 5% rosehip oil demonstrated high incorporation efficiency, suitable physicochemical stability, antioxidant and depigmenting efficacy close to 1 mM ascorbic acid, and no cytotoxicity at concentrations from 0.06% to 1% in vitro.
Pharmaceutics, 2023Topical application of iron chelators kojic acid and deferiprone significantly accelerated wound healing in rats compared to control groups, with deferiprone showing superior efficacy due to higher antioxidant and iron chelation abilities.
International Wound Journal, 2013Encapsulation 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, 2025Aziderm cream, Neostrata Pigment Lightening Gel, and an arbutin 5% formulation significantly reduced skin pigmentation in healthy female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2022
Ingredients
Witch Hazel Water, Water, Arbutin, Kojic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Lemon Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Ssp, Amara Oil Citrus Aurantium Amara Oil, Retinol
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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