🇮🇪Ireland

celimax RETINAL SHOT for acne-prone skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

celimax RETINAL SHOT

Average

  • AverageCombination 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 suitability for your combination skin, as Retinal helps regulate desquamation and Panthenol provides humectant action, which are supportive for your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
  • The presence of Retinal and Matrixyl 3000 offers excellent anti-aging benefits by minimizing fine lines and wrinkles, contributing to overall skin repair and hydration.
  • The safety profile is good, with no risks of irritation for your acne-prone skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing Panthenol.

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

★4.7Overall rating based on 1.5k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, this booster treatment is highly praised for its ability to rapidly smooth skin texture and refine pores. Users frequently report a 'glass skin' effect and improved makeup application. The unique tingling sensation from the spicules and the small tube size are common points of discussion.

Highlights

  • Smoother Skin Texture Mostly Mentioned
    • “glass-like smoothness”
    • “refined pores”
    • “softened roughness”
  • Visible Firming & Anti-Aging Often Mentioned
    • “plumper skin”
    • “faded fine lines”
    • “improved elasticity”
  • Prickly/Tingling Sensation Often Mentioned
    • “stinging”
    • “zap-like”
    • “prickly”
  • Small Quantity Often Mentioned
    • “tiny”
    • “finishes too fast”
    • “expensive per ml”
  • Better Makeup Application Sometimes Noted
    • “foundation sits better”
    • “creases less”
    • “looks flawless”
  • Fast Absorption Sometimes Noted
    • “lightweight”
    • “non-greasy”
    • “melts instantly”
  • Initial Irritation Sometimes Noted
    • “redness”
    • “dry patches”
    • “mild purging”
  • Yellow Residue Rarely Noted
    • “slight yellow tint”
    • “stains pillowcases”

Sources: lovi.care, oliveyoung.com, iherb.com, stylekorean.com, celimax.us, youtube.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does celimax Retinal Shot work for acne-prone skin?

This treatment works moderately well for your acne-prone skin because retinal helps manage breakouts and soothing panthenol keeps irritation low. Treatments that fit this skin better typically need ingredients like niacinamide, propolis, or zinc to balance oiliness and provide deep hydration.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017

Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for acne-prone skin?

Retinal and Panthenol make this cream a good fit for your acne-prone skin by helping regulate skin shedding and keeping moisture balanced while soothing the area. To work even better for acne-prone skin, this type of product needs ingredients like niacinamide, propolis, or zinc PCA that target breakouts and control oiliness while keeping the skin hydrated.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017

What does Retinal do for acne-prone skin?

Retinal helps clear acne-prone skin by reducing blemishes, clogged pores, and redness while improving overall skin texture. Side effects are very uncommon when using this ingredient.

International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2026Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 1999

What does Panthenol do for acne-prone skin?

Panthenol helps acne-prone skin by soothing redness and supporting the skin barrier while keeping skin hydrated. It is unlikely to cause irritation and works well to calm angry spots without clogging pores.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?

This treatment goes in your evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, as this timing helps keep your skin safe from sun sensitivity. Because this product offers a moderate fit for your acne-prone skin, a treatment for this skin type needs soothing ingredients like panthenol and blemish-clearing ingredients like retinal to properly calm breakouts.

Can I use this cream with vitamin C, and in what order?

You can use this cream with vitamin C by applying vitamin C in the morning and this treatment at night to help prevent irritation on your acne-prone skin. To manage acne effectively, this skin type needs products with ingredients that clear pores and calm breakouts while keeping the skin smooth and comfortable.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

How often should I use this cream?

You can use this treatment in your evening routine, starting slowly and building up frequency as your skin adjusts. Acne-prone skin of this type needs soothing ingredients like Panthenol and gentle actives such as Retinal to help clear breakouts without causing irritation.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?

This cream is unlikely to cause severe irritation or breakouts for your acne-prone skin, though it offers an average fit compared to other options. It contains Retinal to help clear blemishes and soothing Panthenol to keep skin calm, but an acne-prone skin type needs lightweight, non-pore-clogging hydrators and blemish-clearing ingredients to work best.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017

What the research says

  • Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.

    American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

  • A new topical panthenol-containing emollient significantly improved transepidermal water loss reduction, stratum corneum hydration, and intercellular lipid lamellae length compared with control in healthy subjects without negatively impacting bacterial viability.

    The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017

  • A multi-modal methodology combining MALDI-MSI, in vivo RCM, echography, and histology revealed age-related decreases in extracellular matrix and epidermal-dermal junction proteins and undulation depth, while a blend of palmitoyl oligopeptide and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 improved subepidermal low-echogenic band thickness, density, and extracellular matrix structure compared to placebo.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2015

  • Palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, acetyl hexapeptide-8, palmitoyl tripeptide-1, and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-10 significantly increased type III collagen levels in human dermal fibroblasts following UV exposure, with their combination demonstrating a greater effect in vitro and enhancing type I, III, and IV collagen levels in ex vivo skin tissues compared to individual components.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2026

  • A topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.

    Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020

  • Twice daily application of retinaldehyde 0.1% and 0.05% creams for 3 months improved skin texture and hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss in 40 female Korean volunteers, with only the 0.1% cream significantly improving the melanin index.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2018

  • Topical retinaldehyde demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria both in vitro and in vivo, leading to decreased bacterial counts without inducing resistance.

    Dermatology, 2002

  • Topical 0.05% retinaldehyde applied over 1 year significantly increased epidermal thickness of the temple and cutaneous elasticity compared to an emollient control group in 40 aging skin patients.

    Dermatology, 1999

  • Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019

  • Topical dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.

    Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000

  • Hyaluronic acid, hyaluronic acid plus dexpanthenol, and isotonic saline nasal sprays all significantly improved dry nose symptoms over four weeks in 240 patients, with hyaluronic acid plus dexpanthenol providing superior nasal moisturisation compared to the other two.

    Auris, Nasus, Larynx, 2020

  • Chronomodulated 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, 2026

Ingredients

Retinal, Panthenol, Matrixyl 3000

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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

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Prices checked 10 Oct – 6 Nov 2026

The Lovi Fit is the same in every country; only the stores and prices differ, and the ones here are for Ireland.

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

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