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Sunday Riley U.F.O. Ultra-Clarifying Face Oil for mature skin

Average

  • AverageNormal Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

Works for mature skin; other serums fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with mature skin: fine lines, wrinkles, and loss of firmness. 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 normal skin, as salicylic acid provides exfoliation while Silybum Marianum Seed Oil and Nigella Sativa Seed Oil offer general moisturizing benefits for your wrinkles and fine lines. The presence of hexylresorcinol and salicylic acid also aids in reducing blemishes, making it beneficial for acne-prone skin.
  • While the formula provides good support for acne and general hydration, it lacks sufficient humectant ingredients like hyaluronic acid for optimal hydration of normal skin.
  • The product is safe for your normal 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 work up to daily use if your skin likes it.
  • Apply this serum after your toner and before your moisturizer.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
  • You can apply the serum on dry skin for the best results against fine lines.
  • Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid the sensitive eye area.

People Say

★4.6Overall rating based on 1000+ reviews

This medicated dry oil is widely praised by users with oily and acne-prone skin for its ability to rapidly clear cystic acne and congestion without causing dryness. While many users report smoother texture and diminished redness overnight, results regarding blackhead removal are mixed, and the product's potent herbal scent is a polarizing feature.

Highlights

  • Rapidly clears acne Mostly Mentioned
    • “shrinks pimples overnight”
    • “vanished in 2-3 days”
    • “cleared hormonal breakouts”
    • “stopped cystic acne”
  • Strong medicinal scent Mostly Mentioned
    • “smells like oregano”
    • “pungent herbal smell”
    • “scent is repulsing”
    • “smells like dirt”
  • Fast absorption Often Mentioned
    • “sinks in immediately”
    • “dry oil texture”
    • “not greasy at all”
    • “mattified appearance”
  • High price point Often Mentioned
    • “very expensive”
    • “hefty price tag”
    • “not budget friendly”
    • “pricey for the size”
  • Fades scars/redness Sometimes Noted
    • “diminished facial redness”
    • “faded acne scars”
    • “evened skin tone”
    • “calms inflammation”
  • Non-drying formula Sometimes Noted
    • “doesn't dry out skin”
    • “hydrating but clarifies”
    • “no flaky patches”
    • “leaves skin soft”
  • Caused breakouts/purging Rarely Noted
    • “caused tiny bumps”
    • “broke me out”
    • “irritated my skin”
    • “made acne worse”
  • Ineffective for blackheads Rarely Noted
    • “didn't clear blackheads”
    • “pores look same”
    • “no change in congestion”

Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, spacenk.com, sephora.sg, sephora.co.uk, cultbeauty.co.uk, and more

Questions and answers

How well does Sunday Riley U.F.O. work for mature skin?

Sunday Riley U.F.O. Ultra-Clarifying Face Oil works moderately well for mature skin, as salicylic acid provides exfoliation while seed oils offer general moisturizing for wrinkles and fine lines. However, it lacks sufficient hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid to keep mature skin fully plump and hydrated. To truly thrive, mature skin needs products rich in peptides, potent antioxidants, and deep moisture-locking humectants.

Which ingredients make this oil a good fit for mature skin?

Salicylic acid, Silybum Marianum seed oil, and Nigella Sativa seed oil make this oil work for mature skin by providing exfoliation and general moisturizing benefits for wrinkles and fine lines. However, mature skin needs products featuring peptides and moisture-holding ingredients like hyaluronic acid for optimal moisture retention and elasticity.

What does Salicylic Acid do for mature skin?

Salicylic acid helps smooth and firm mature skin by boosting collagen and elasticity while reducing roughness and wrinkles. It is unlikely to cause irritation when used correctly, but this skin type also needs extra hydrating ingredients to stay soft and plump.

Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2025

What does Licorice Root Extract do for mature skin?

Licorice Root Extract helps calm mature skin and may reduce dark spots and redness. It contains antioxidants that protect skin from daily stress and support a more even, bright, and smooth look.

Experimental Dermatology, 2015Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020

Where does this oil go in a skincare routine for mature skin?

This oil acts as an evening treatment, meaning it goes on in the PM after cleansing and toning, and before your moisturizer. Because it works for mature skin but lacks deep moisture-boosting ingredients like hyaluronic acid, this skin type needs extra hydration and nourishing oils to keep wrinkles and fine lines looking soft and smooth.

Can I use this oil with retinol, and in what order?

This oil can be used alongside retinol by applying the retinol first and following it with this treatment oil in your evening routine. A product of this type works for mature skin when it includes deep moisture-boosting ingredients like hyaluronic acid to keep the skin plump and soft.

How often should I use this oil?

This oil can be used as an evening treatment once a week to start, and people who tolerate it well may carefully use it more often. A product of this type needs extra hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid to keep mature skin soft and smooth.

Can this oil clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for mature skin?

This oil is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for mature skin, as it has a safe formula with a low complaint rate for purging. Reviewers rarely report breakouts, and ingredients like salicylic acid help clear blemishes while plant oils keep skin smooth.

BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

Is this oil fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It contains fragrance (linalool, limonene, farnesol, and geraniol) and drying alcohol (isopropyl alcohol).

What the research says

  • A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.

    BioMed Research International, 2020
  • Twice daily application of a multitargeted dermocosmetic cream provided comparable efficacy to benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in reducing inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesions in 150 Caucasian subjects with mild-to-moderate acne over 56 days, while demonstrating superior skin tolerability.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
  • The use of a salicylic acid-based dermocosmetic significantly reduces the needed quantity of benzoyl peroxide without impacting efficacy in mild to moderate acne, and as maintenance post-benzoyl peroxide allows a significant reduction of acne relapse compared to vehicle.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023
  • Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.

    CMAJ, 2010
  • Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
  • Topical 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid achieved the greatest lesion reduction at early 2 to 4 week time points compared to benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin, and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin, while 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin showed similar efficacy at 10 to 12 weeks in acne patients.

    Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2010
  • Combining 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, 2015
  • Licochalcone 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, 2015
  • Bioactive 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, 2025
  • Thymoquinone-loaded liposomal chitosan gel demonstrated superior in vivo anti-inflammatory activity over thymoquinone gel and a comparable effect to marketed indomethacin gel in rats with carrageenan-induced paw edema.

    AAPS PharmSciTech, 2018
  • Thymoquinone pre-treatment attenuated UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and mitochondrial apoptosis in human HaCaT keratinocytes through COX-2 inhibition via the activation of the NrF2/ARE pathway.

    Molecular Immunology, 2021
  • Topical application of thymoquinone treated with cold plasma significantly improved wound healing potential, augmenting skin regeneration indices, reducing tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and enhancing hyaluronic acid, collagen type I, interleukin-10, alpha smooth muscle actin, and vascular endothelial growth factor compared to thymoquinone alone in a rat wound model.

    International Immunopharmacology, 2023
  • Silybum marianum flower extract increased human hair follicle dermal papilla cell proliferation and VEGF production while suppressing cellular senescence, and in a clinical study using hair shampoo, it significantly increased hair density and total hair count at 16 and 24 weeks compared with a placebo group.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
  • Topical 0.5% silymarin-loaded antioxidant serum applied twice daily significantly reduced clinical acne severity, lesion counts, and melanin pigmentation in 22 Korean acne patients over 4 weeks without associated adverse events.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023
  • Topical silymarin cream 1.4% showed comparable results to salicylic acid 30% peels in reducing acne severity in 30 patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris.

    Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, 2024

Ingredients

Silybum Marianum Seed Oil Milk, Nigella Sativa Seed Oil, Cucumis Sativus Seed Oil, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Cranberry Seed Oil, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Licorice Root Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Apricot Kernel Oil, Hexylresorcinol, Ethyl Linoleate, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Oil Flower, Citrus Aurantium Amara Oil Flower, Melia Azadirachta Neem Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus Sunflower Seed Oil, 4-Terpineol, Linalool, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Limonene, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Amber Powder, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Isopropyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Rosemary Leaf Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Water, Grapefruit Peel Oil, Ocimum Basilicum Leaf Extract Flower, Salicylic Acid

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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