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Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Firming Serum for acne-prone skin

Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Firming Serum
  • Black Tea Extract
  • Honeysuckle Leaf Extract
  • Squalane
  • Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
  • Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

High

  • HighCombination Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

A great choice for acne-prone skin; a few serums fit it even 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

  • Highly suitable for your combination skin, this serum utilizes Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 to provide firming and smoothing benefits, while glycerin and pentylene glycol offer essential hydration.
  • Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract and tocopheryl acetate provide antioxidant support, complementing the humectant properties for overall skin health.
  • The formula is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of 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

★4.3Overall rating based on 1.5k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, this serum is frequently praised for its lightweight, fast-absorbing texture that provides immediate hydration and a temporary plumping effect, smoothing fine lines. Many users report a pleasant sensory experience with a nice scent. However, a significant number of reviews indicate that the advertised firming and lifting results are subtle or absent, leading to concerns about the product's high price point not being justified by dramatic anti-aging changes. Some users also find the dropper design to be inconvenient.

Highlights

  • Lightweight texture Mostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs quickly without sticky residue”
    • “layers beautifully under makeup”
    • “silky consistency, not heavy or greasy”
  • Expensive for value Mostly Mentioned
    • “too expensive for just hydration”
    • “not worth the high price tag”
    • “results don't justify the cost”
  • Hydrating and plumping Often Mentioned
    • “skin feels instantly bouncy and hydrated”
    • “plumps up fine lines immediately”
    • “leaves face feeling soft and supple”
  • Lacks firming Often Mentioned
    • “didn't notice any lifting or corset effect”
    • “no change in jawline contour”
    • “firming claims are exaggerated”
  • Pleasant scent Sometimes Noted
    • “smells like fresh tea and flowers”
    • “cooling sensation upon application”
    • “luxurious spa-like scent”
  • Poor dropper Sometimes Noted
    • “dropper doesn't pick up product well”
    • “hard to get the last bit out”
    • “pipette mechanism is frustrating”

Sources: lovi.care, influenster.com, ulta.com, sephora.com, spacenk.com, makeupalley.com, and more

Questions and answers

What makes Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Firming Serum a great fit for acne-prone skin?

This serum is a great fit because it hydrates and smooths your acne-prone skin with ingredients like glycerin and peptides while avoiding harsh irritants. It also delivers antioxidant support to help keep your skin healthy.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2015

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

This serum is a great fit because it uses glycerin and pentylene glycol to provide essential hydration without heaviness, while black tea extract and honeysuckle leaf extract calm the skin. It is also very safe for your skin, as it contains no harsh ingredients that may cause irritation.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

What does Black Tea Extract do for acne-prone skin?

Black tea extract helps calm acne-prone skin by reducing redness and swelling. Clinical studies show that similar botanical extracts can significantly decrease both inflammatory and non-inflammatory breakouts.

Phytotherapy Research, 2021American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2010

What does Honeysuckle Leaf Extract do for acne-prone skin?

Honeysuckle Leaf Extract helps calm angry, breakout-prone skin by reducing irritation and inflammation. It is unlikely to clog pores, making it a soothing choice for keeping skin clear and comfortable.

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

This serum goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, which keeps the routine simple and safe around sun exposure. It is very unlikely to cause irritation because the formula avoids harsh ingredients.

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

Yes, you can use this serum with retinol, applying retinol first and following with this treatment serum. This routine helps deliver firming and smoothing benefits while keeping the skin hydrated, with an excellent safety profile that is unlikely to cause irritation.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2015

How often should I use this serum?

This serum is a great fit for your acne-prone skin and can be used in the evening as part of your routine. The gentle formula has an excellent safety profile, making it unlikely to cause irritation.

Facial Plastic Surgery, 2014Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2015

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

This serum is a great fit for acne-prone skin because it relies on lightweight hydrating ingredients like glycerin and pentylene glycol without harsh elements that trigger breakouts. It is unlikely to clog pores or cause irritation, helping keep your skin calm and smooth.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum, linalool, citronellol, and geraniol).

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, 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
  • Vitamin E in O/W and W/O emulsions significantly increased stratum corneum hydration and enhanced water-binding capacity, with an optimum concentration of 5%.

    Arzneimittel-Forschung, 1998
  • Co-encapsulation of alpha-tocopherol and alpha-tocopheryl acetate in nanostructured lipid carrier gel formulations significantly enhanced moisture retention up to 68% and improved skin elasticity in human volunteers compared to a solution gel.

    Scientific Reports, 2025
  • An anti-acne hydrogel containing Aloe barbadensis, Garcinia mangostana, and Camellia sinensis extracts showed superior antiacne and antiblotch activities compared to 1% clindamycin gel in sixty subjects with mild-moderate acne.

    Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
  • Topical and in vitro application of a Camellia sinensis leaf extract demonstrated immunomodulatory, detoxification, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties while improving mood states, skin hydration, barrier function, rejuvenation, and facial skin health.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025
  • Topical application of standardized black tea extract prior to or after UVB exposure reduced erythema, skinfold thickness, inflammation, and the accumulation of c-fos and p53 proteins in murine and human skin.

    Photochemistry and Photobiology, 1999
  • Lonicera japonica and Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Polyphenolic Extract (LCPE) reduces inflammation-mediating cytokines COX-2 and iNOS and inhibits NF-kB and MAPK pathways in lipopolysaccharide-induced skin keratinocytes.

    Antioxidants, 2023
  • The incorporation of blue honeysuckle powder into cosmetic face masks resulted in stable emulsions that provided proper skin hydration and altered the physical properties of the masks.

    Molecules, 2021
  • Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.

    Molecules, 2025
  • Plant-derived squalane protected human dermal fibroblasts against UVA-induced damage by counteracting ROS formation, suppressing apoptosis-related proteins p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP, and restoring the pro-survival p-Akt/mTOR pathway.

    Antioxidants, 2025
  • Cosmetic products containing 4-t-butylcyclohexanol demonstrated a faster and more pronounced soothing effect on capsaicin-induced burning compared to those containing acetyl dipeptide-1 cetyl ester in volunteers with sensitive skin.

    Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2016
  • 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

Ingredients

Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Jojoba Peg-150 Esters Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Peg-6 Caprylic Capric Glycerides, Acacia Senegal Gum, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Rhizobian Gum, Xanthan Gum, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Blackberry Leaf Extract, Lonicera Japonica Leaf Extract Honeysuckle Leaf Extract, Litchi Chinensis Seed Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Peg-150, Squalane, Lecithin, Carbomer, Sorbitan Laurate, Sorbitol, Parfum, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Maltodextrin, Algin, Sodium Hydroxide, Polyquaternium-51, Adenosine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Lactic Acid, Bht, Cellulose Gum, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Biotin, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Linalool, Citronellol, Geraniol

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.

How does it fit your skin?

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