Dermalogica Retinol Clearing Oil for mature skin
Retinol
Salicylic Acid
Jojoba Seed Oil
Rosa Canina Oil Fruit
Argania Spinosa Kernel OilAverage
- 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 exfoliation and pore decongestion for your normal skin due to salicylic acid and retinyl propionate, which help regulate skin texture and cell turnover. Rosa Canina Oil Fruit and Jojoba Seed Oil provide general hydration, but these ingredients are not primarily targeted towards your main concern of wrinkles and fine lines.
- The formula is safe for your normal skin, as it lacks harsh or irritating ingredients.
- This 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
★4.5Overall rating based on 100+ reviewsBased on limited data, users frequently praise this product as a "game-changer" for adult acne, noting its unique ability to treat breakouts and signs of aging simultaneously without causing the dryness typical of other retinols. While many report waking up to clearer, glowing, and "glass-like" skin, a subset of users experienced purging or found it insufficient for severe, cystic acne.
Highlights
Clears acne Mostly Mentioned
- “cleared my skin”
- “brings gunk to surface”
- “pimples go away quickly”
- “keeps skin clear”
Improves texture Often Mentioned
- “beautiful glow”
- “fresh dewy complexion”
- “glass skin appearance”
- “smooth calm skin”
Lightweight absorption Sometimes Noted
- “absorbs quickly”
- “lightweight”
- “not greasy”
- “silky texture”
Non-drying Sometimes Noted
- “doesn't dry skin out”
- “no irritation”
- “feels hydrated”
- “soothing formula”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “super expensive”
- “expensive”
- “worth it but pricey”
- “price is high”
Purging and irritation Sometimes Noted
- “caused a lot of acne”
- “closed comedones”
- “too harsh”
- “bad reaction”
Unpleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “earthy scent”
- “intense smell”
- “strong scent”
- “smell is pretty intense”
Not for severe acne Rarely Noted
- “not strong enough”
- “didn't work for cystic acne”
- “better for occasional breakouts”
Sources: lovi.care, lovelyskin.com, dermstore.com, sephora.qa, influenster.com, dermalogica.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Dermalogica Retinol Clearing Oil work for mature skin?
This treatment works moderately well for mature skin, offering helpful exfoliation and general hydration while lacking ingredients primarily targeted towards wrinkles and fine lines. A product of this type needs high-quality anti-aging ingredients, potent antioxidants, hydrating components, skin-repairing ingredients, peptides, and humectants that effectively target fine lines and wrinkles while improving elasticity and moisture retention.
Which ingredients make this oil a good fit for mature skin?
Retinol and salicylic acid help smooth skin texture and clear pores, while jojoba seed oil and rosehip oil provide general hydration. However, this oil needs potent antioxidants, peptides, and dedicated anti-aging ingredients to properly target wrinkles and fine lines on mature skin.
What does Retinol do for mature skin?
Retinol helps smooth out fine lines and wrinkles while improving overall skin thickness and firmness over time. It may also cause temporary dryness, scaling, or stinging as your skin gets used to it.
Archives of Dermatology, 2007The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019
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.
Where does this oil go in a skincare routine for mature skin?
This oil goes in your evening routine as a treatment step after cleansing and toning. Mature skin needs treatments with collagen-boosting and firming ingredients, such as peptides and antioxidants, to effectively target wrinkles and fine lines.
Can I use it with niacinamide, and in what order?
You can use this treatment with niacinamide, applying the niacinamide first and letting it absorb before you put on this oil. This helps keep your skin calm while you work on smoothing texture.
How often should I use it?
Start using this treatment once a week in the evening, and if your skin feels comfortable and looks good, you may carefully use it more often. This product of this type needs dedicated anti-aging ingredients like retinoids and peptides to better smooth fine lines and wrinkles on mature skin.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for mature skin?
Yes, this treatment may cause temporary purging and breakouts on your mature skin because it contains retinol and salicylic acid that speed up cell turnover. To better care for mature skin, a product of this type needs powerful ingredients targeted specifically at smoothing wrinkles and fine lines alongside nourishing oils to keep the skin soft and smooth.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024BioMed Research International, 2020
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
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, 2020Twice 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, 2023A novel triple-active cosmetic formulation containing 4-hexylresorcinol, retinyl propionate, and niacinamide improved the visual appearance of photoageing similarly to 0.02% tretinoin and reversed a consensus gene signature associated with ageing in female adults while causing less skin irritation.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024A combination of retinyl propionate and climbazole (RPC) resulted in significant improvement in aging attributes, including deep wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, with significantly less irritation compared to 0.1% retinol in 45 healthy Caucasian females with moderately photodamaged facial skin.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 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, 2018Cryotherapy 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, 2010Treatment 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, 2024Topical 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, 2010Clay jojoba oil facial masks reduced total skin lesions by a mean of 54% after 6 weeks in 133 participants with acne-prone, lesioned skin and mild acne compared to baseline.
Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012Topical application of jojoba wax reduced LPS-induced secretion of IL-6, IL-8, and TNFα by approximately 30% and increased the synthesis of pro-collagen III and hyaluronic acid compared to untreated skin in an ex-vivo human skin organ culture model.
Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024Topical jojoba oil application in male mice decreased exercise-induced pro-inflammatory gene expression (Il-1b and Il-6 in soleus, Il-1b in gastrocnemius) compared to untreated exercised mice.
Biomolecules, 2025Topical treatments containing rosehip extract may reduce the size and erythema of postsurgical scars through macrophage polarization and inflammatory cytokine inhibition, though current clinical evidence remains insufficient to recommend its routine use.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Sunflower and rosehip oil nanoemulsions prepared with a mix of phospholipids and synthetic emulsifiers permeated intact skin to the dermis and showed a more prominent healing effect in a human organotypic skin explant culture wound model compared to nanoemulsions prepared only with phospholipids.
Pharmaceutics, 2023A 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, 2023A combination cream of stimu-tex AS and saccharide isomerate reduced erythema, increased skin capacitance, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to placebo in 20 subjects after fractional CO2 laser procedure without causing serious adverse events.
Lasers in Medical Science, 2025Topical application of an argan oil NLC-based hydrogel formulation increased skin hydration in healthy volunteers over a one-month period through a synergistic effect of NLC occlusion and argan oil hydration.
International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2014Incorporating allantoin into argan oil enriched liposomes improved its accumulation in the dermis (~8.7μg/cm(2)) and permeation through the skin (~33μg/cm(2)) compared to conventional liposomes, water dispersion, and a commercial gel.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2016
Why other serums fit mature skin better
Caviar oil enhanced adipocyte differentiation in vitro, reduced MMP expression while increasing collagen and elastin formation ex vivo, and improved skin moisture, elasticity, and density in 102 participants over four weeks of Cavi Balm usage compared to baseline.
In Vivo, 2023Chronomodulated 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, 2026A topical serum containing vitamin C, vitamin E, and raspberry leaf cell culture extract improved skin color, elasticity, radiance, smoothness, scaliness, and wrinkles compared to the untreated contralateral side in fifty female volunteers.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020
Ingredients
Coconut Alkanes, Ppg-15 Stearyl Ether, Rosa Canina Oil Fruit, Jojoba Seed Oil, C13-15 Alkane, Coco-Caprylate Caprate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Salicylic Acid, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Retinyl Propionate, Butyl Avocadate, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Tanacetum Annuum Oil Flower, Sclareolide, Triolein, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Tocopherol, Bht, Propyl Gallate
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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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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