The Ordinary Buffet Serum for acne-prone skin
Peptides
Sodium Hyaluronate
Amino Acids
Lactococcus Lysate Ferment
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Average
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for acne-prone skin; other serums fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. 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 hydration and skin barrier support for your combination skin, with ingredients like Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer providing excellent humectant action. While beneficial for overall skin health, the formulation lacks targeted ingredients to directly address your primary concerns of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The multiple peptides, such as Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, contribute to plumping and firming effects, offering general anti-aging benefits that complement your skin's needs.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your combination skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use your serum as part of your PM routine and start 3x/week before working up to daily use.
- Apply this treatment after cleansing and toner, and before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the product on clean, dry skin to help manage your breakouts safely.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 7.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this serum is widely praised as an affordable, effective all-in-one treatment that significantly hydrates and plumps the skin, leading to a softer texture and reduced appearance of fine lines for many users. A moderate number of users report a sticky finish, and a low to moderate number experienced breakouts or irritation, particularly those with sensitive or acne-prone skin.
Highlights
Hydrates and plumps Mostly Mentioned
- “skin feels plump”
- “leaves face dewy”
- “very hydrating”
- “bouncy skin feel”
Great value Often Mentioned
- “unbeatable price”
- “affordable anti-aging”
- “great bang for buck”
- “wallet-friendly effective skincare”
Smoothes texture Often Mentioned
- “glass skin effect”
- “texture is softer”
- “makeup applies smoother”
- “smoother complexion”
Sticky finish Often Mentioned
- “feels very tacky”
- “sticky residue”
- “takes forever to dry”
- “left face sticky”
Reduces lines Sometimes Noted
- “softened forehead lines”
- “crow's feet diminished”
- “lines look filled”
- “youthful appearance”
Caused breakouts Sometimes Noted
- “broke me out”
- “caused cystic acne”
- “clogged my pores”
- “tiny bumps appeared”
Slow results Sometimes Noted
- “didn't do much”
- “no visible difference”
- “just a hydrator”
- “results are minimal”
Pilling issues Rarely Noted
- “pills under makeup”
- “balls up”
- “hard to layer”
- “conflicts with Vitamin C”
Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, sephora.com, deciemchatroom.com, reddit.com, cultbeauty.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does The Ordinary Buffet work for acne-prone skin?
The Ordinary Buffet Serum works reasonably well for acne-prone skin by offering moderate hydration and firming benefits, but it lacks targeted ingredients for breakouts. Acne-prone skin needs products with ingredients like niacinamide and zinc pca to help clear blemishes and control oiliness while keeping the skin balanced.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2013
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for acne-prone skin?
This serum is an average fit for acne-prone skin because it offers moderate hydration and firming peptides, but it lacks targeted ingredients for breakouts. To properly care for acne-prone skin, a treatment of this type needs calming and balancing ingredients like niacinamide, propolis, and zinc PCA to control oiliness while keeping skin clear.
What do Peptides do for acne-prone skin?
Peptides help calm acne-prone skin by reducing redness and soothing inflammation while supporting the skin barrier. Certain advanced peptide formulas also work to target acne-causing bacteria and help balance oil production.
Biochemical Pharmacology, 2025Bioresources and Bioprocessing, 2026
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for acne-prone skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps acne-prone skin by soothing irritation, calming redness, and keeping the skin balanced without clogging pores. When combined with targeted ingredients like zinc oxide, it may also help reduce breakouts.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing. Acne-prone skin needs a product of this type that also includes targeted ingredients to directly address breakouts and blemishes.
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
Yes, you can use this serum with retinol, applying the treatment before your moisturizer. It is unlikely to cause irritation due to its gentle formula, but acne-prone skin needs ingredients that directly target breakouts and blemishes.
How often should I use this serum?
This treatment is typically used in the evening for simplicity and safety, though it may also be used in the morning or twice a day. It is safe for your skin with no risk of irritation, but acne-prone skin needs products with targeted ingredients that directly clear breakouts.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This serum works for acne-prone skin, though some reviewers moderately complain that it caused breakouts. It is unlikely to irritate your skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients, but acne-prone skin needs products with targeted ingredients that directly address breakouts and blemishes.
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, 2017Topical hyaluronic acid filler serum combined with Botulinum toxin type A lengthened the duration of the toxin's effect in reducing wrinkles compared to Botulinum toxin type A alone.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Chronomodulated daytime application of baicalin and nighttime application of palmitoyl tripeptide-1 synergistically improved skin luminance by 16.29%, nasolabial fold depth by -36.35%, and firmness by 24.35% in 30 female participants.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026Argireline treatment twice daily for 4 weeks produced a significant anti-wrinkle effect with 48.9% total efficacy and decreased skin roughness in Chinese subjects compared with 0% efficacy and no decrease in roughness in the placebo group.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2013Treatment with cross-linked hyaluronic acid-based microneedle patches combined with acetyl hexapeptide-8 or epidermal growth factor significantly improved wrinkles and skin hydration compared to the patch alone in Korean females over 29 days.
Annals of Dermatology, 2019Topical 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, 2019Acetyl hexapeptide-3 and tripeptide-10 citrulline demonstrated antiwrinkle efficacy and decreased transepidermal water loss in twenty-four healthy volunteers compared to control groups, though synergistic effects between the two peptides remained unclear.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2017Daily topical acetyl hexapeptide-8 showed a trend toward a longer time until return to baseline Jankovic Blepharospasm Rating Scale scores compared to placebo (3.7 months vs. 3.0 months) in 24 patients with blepharospasm receiving botulinum toxin therapy.
European Journal of Neurology, 2013Argireline applied twice daily for 4 weeks achieved a total anti-wrinkle efficiency of 48.9% and notably reduced wrinkle depth compared to placebo in Chinese subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2013
Why other serums fit acne-prone skin better
Topical nicotinamide plus an antibacterial adhesive agent and zinc-pyrrolidone carboxylic acid combined with adapalene significantly reduced noninflammatory acne lesions by the second week of therapy compared to placebo with adapalene in patients with moderate acne vulgaris.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020A 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, 2018Niacinamide and ferulic acid incorporated in a stable multiple emulsion successfully reduced melanin, sebum, and skin erythema while improving skin elasticity and hydration in human skin compared to a placebo.
BioMed Research International, 2022
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Lactococcus Lysate Ferment, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Pentapeptide-18, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Acetylarginyltryptophyl Diphenylglycine, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Trehalose, Fructose, Glucose, Maltose, Urea, Sodium Pca, Pca, Sodium Lactate, Citric Acid, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Ppg-26-Buteth-26, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Ethoxydiglycol, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
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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