Trader Joe's Retinol Night Serum for oily acne-prone skin
Retinol
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Sodium Hyaluronate
Tocopherol
Salicylic Acid
High
- SuperiorOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for oily acne-prone skin; a few serums fit it even 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 excellent suitability for your oily skin, as salicylic acid provides keratolytic action and sodium hyaluronate offers humectant benefits, addressing your concerns about oiliness and breakouts.
- Retinol and salicylic acid work effectively to minimize fine lines and wrinkles while also exfoliating and controlling oil for your acne-prone skin.
- The formulation is safe for your oily skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your PM routine. Start 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply your serum after cleansing and toning, but before putting on your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2 to 3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the serum on clean, dry skin to help manage your blemishes safely.
- Do a patch test before your first use and avoid the delicate eye area.
People Say
★4.0Overall rating based on 100+ reviewsBased on limited data, this serum is frequently praised as a gentle and affordable option for those new to retinol, with users often noting its lightweight feel and positive effects on fine lines and skin texture. Many users find the baobab oil helps mitigate dryness, though some sensitive skin types report initial peeling or stinging, and experienced retinol users sometimes find it too mild for significant results.
Highlights
Gentle for beginners Mostly Mentioned
- “good entry-level”
- “super mild”
- “no bad reaction”
Affordable price Often Mentioned
- “bang for buck”
- “unbeatable price”
- “budget friendly”
Pleasant texture Often Mentioned
- “absorbs quickly”
- “lightweight gel”
- “non-greasy”
Quality packaging Sometimes Noted
- “glass bottle”
- “pump dispenser”
- “opaque container”
Visible improvements Sometimes Noted
- “smoother texture”
- “brighter skin”
- “softened fine lines”
Dryness and peeling Sometimes Noted
- “skin peeling”
- “drying”
- “flaky patches”
Availability issues Rarely Noted
- “hard to find”
- “stock issues”
- “discontinued fears”
Initial irritation Rarely Noted
- “burning sensation”
- “stinging”
- “redness”
Lack of potency Rarely Noted
- “no noticeable change”
- “too gentle”
- “weak for pros”
Sources: lovi.care, traderjoesreviews.com, reddit.com, becomebetty.com, dcgirlinpearls.com, youtube.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Trader Joe's Retinol Night Serum a great fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Salicylic acid and retinol make this serum a great fit for your oily acne-prone skin because they help clear breakouts and control oil, while sodium hyaluronate keeps your skin comfortable without clogging pores. This formulation is safe for your skin with a low risk of irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023
What does Retinol do for oily acne-prone skin?
Retinol helps oily acne-prone skin by clearing up breakouts and smoothing the skin, though it may occasionally cause some mild scaling or stinging. This ingredient works by addressing the root causes of acne, making it a reliable choice for keeping pores clear and skin smooth.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2019Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2018
What does Baobab Seed Oil do for oily acne-prone skin?
Baobab seed oil is an average fit for oily acne-prone skin because it can feel too heavy and may clog pores easily. For this skin type, a product needs lightweight ingredients like green tea extract to help calm breakouts without adding extra grease.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, and it is usually started just once a week. The formulation is safe for your oily skin and helps control breakouts while keeping your skin calm.
Can I use this serum with niacinamide, and in what order?
Yes, you can use this serum with niacinamide, applying niacinamide first after cleansing and before this serum. This combination is generally well tolerated, as the formulation is safe for your oily skin and helps smooth and clear breakouts without harsh irritation.
How often should I use this serum?
Apply this evening treatment once a week to start, and carefully use it more often if your skin tolerates it well and shows good results. It helps control oil, unclog pores, and smooth fine lines with a safe profile for your oily skin.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum is a great fit for your oily acne-prone skin and helps clear breakouts without clogging pores, thanks to salicylic acid and retinol that control oil and gently exfoliate. You may experience mild initial dryness or peeling as your skin adjusts to the ingredients.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
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, 2024The 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, 2023Topical 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, 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, 2017Topical 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, 2019Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Cryotherapy 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, 2010A 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, 2020Treatment 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
Ingredients
Water, Propanediol, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate Succinate, Sorbitan Oleate, Sodium Ascorbate, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Vp Copolymer, Retinol Vitamin A, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Retinyl Palmitate Vitamin A Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate Vitamin E Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate Vitamin C Palmitate, Salicylic Acid, Sorbic 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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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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