Glow Recipe Blackberry Retinol Blemish Serum for dry sensitive skin
Blackberry Extract
Retinol
Squalane
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
BisabololCaution
- LowDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- RiskySafety
A poor match for dry sensitive skin; the serums alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry sensitive skin: flakiness, tightness, redness, fine lines, and wrinkles. 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 for your dry or flaky skin due to the presence of retinyl linoleate and retinol, which promote cell turnover but may lead to dryness.
- The inclusion of glycerin and squalane provides some hydration, but the potent retinoids can still cause irritation for your sensitive skin.
How to apply
- Use this PM routine for your evening skincare. Start using the serum 3 times a week and increase to daily use if your skin feels comfortable.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer. This step locks in deep hydration for dry skin.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin using your palms. Let it absorb completely for a minute ⏱ before applying your next product.
- Since your skin is sensitive, apply the serum on completely dry skin for better tolerance and less irritation.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Always do a patch test before your first use to ensure your skin reacts well.
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 600+ reviewsThis serum is widely praised as a gentle yet effective entry-level retinol that clears acne and smooths texture without the irritation typical of stronger retinoids. While many users with sensitive skin report excellent results in fading dark spots and reducing breakouts, a notable minority experienced adverse reactions to the fragrance or found the formula too weak for advanced needs.
Highlights
Gentle, non-irritating Mostly Mentioned
- “gentle enough for nightly use”
- “no sensitivity or dryness”
- “didn't irritate my skin”
- “great for sensitive skin”
Clears acne Often Mentioned
- “spots shrank and faded”
- “skin cleared up a ton”
- “noticed less acne”
- “breakouts way less noticeable”
Improves texture Often Mentioned
- “skin looks brighter”
- “texture feels smoother”
- “faded dark spots”
- “pores look smaller”
Fast absorption Sometimes Noted
- “sinks in instantly”
- “lightweight texture”
- “not sticky or tacky”
- “layers well under moisturizer”
Hydrating formula Sometimes Noted
- “milky hydrating serum”
- “moisturizing for a retinol”
- “leaves skin dewy”
- “doesn't dry me out”
Strong fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “scent is overpowering”
- “smells artificial”
- “hate the added fragrance”
- “irritating for fragrance-sensitive”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “caused worst breakout”
- “bad reaction”
- “cystic acne flared up”
- “skin purged badly”
High price point Rarely Noted
- “a bit too pricey”
- “expensive for the amount”
- “price is high”
- “wish it was cheaper”
Too weak Rarely Noted
- “nowhere near clinical strength”
- “didn't see crazy results”
- “too gentle for me”
- “better for beginners”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, glowrecipe.com, kohls.com, cultbeauty.co.uk, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise caution with Glow Recipe Blackberry Retinol Blemish Serum for dry sensitive skin?
Lovi advises caution because the potent retinoids inside may cause dryness and irritation on your sensitive skin. Treatments that fit dry sensitive skin better need gentle hydrating ingredients that lock in moisture and soothe the skin barrier without any risk of irritation.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019
Which ingredients make this serum a poor fit for dry sensitive skin?
The retinol and retinyl linoleate make this serum a poor fit because they promote cell turnover but may lead to dryness and irritation on sensitive skin. A product of this type needs gentle hydrating and nourishing ingredients, along with ceramides, to protect dry skin and provide moisture without any risk of irritation.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019
What does Blackberry Extract do for dry sensitive skin?
Blackberry extract helps calm dry sensitive skin by reducing irritation and protecting against daily damage from the sun and environment. It may also help support skin healing and keep your skin feeling smooth and comfortable.
Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 2015Food Research International, 2019
What does Retinol do for dry sensitive skin?
Retinol is often too strong for dry sensitive skin because it may cause scaling and stinging, so a product of this type needs gentle soothing ingredients and extra moisture to keep the skin calm and smooth.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019Toxicology Letters, 2003
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This serum goes in the evening routine after your soothing toner and before your moisturizer. Because this type of product uses potent ingredients that may cause dryness and irritation on dry sensitive skin, it needs gentle hydrators and soothing ingredients to keep skin calm and comfortable.
Can I use this serum with vitamin C, and in what order?
It is best to use vitamin C in your morning routine and this serum at night to help prevent dryness and irritation on your sensitive skin. If you do use them together, apply your vitamin C first, let it absorb completely, and follow with a rich moisturizer containing soothing ingredients like squalane and glycerin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019
How often should I use this serum?
This serum is a poor match for your dry sensitive skin because potent retinoids can cause irritation and dryness. A product of this type for your skin needs soothing, calming ingredients and plenty of hydration to keep your skin soft and smooth.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2023
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This serum may cause breakouts and dryness for your dry sensitive skin because potent retinoids can lead to irritation and flaky skin. A product of this type needs gentle hydrating ingredients like glycerin and squalane along with soothing agents to keep skin calm and smooth.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum).
What the research says
Topical 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, 2019A 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, 2017A blackberry and dill extract combination synergistically increased skin elasticity and induced elastogenesis compared to each ingredient alone and placebo.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020Tropical highland blackberry juice reduced UVB-mediated DNA damage and increased apoptosis in human epidermal keratinocytes and a reconstituted skin equivalent model.
Photochemistry and Photobiology, 2013Strawberry and blackberry crude extracts, anthocyanin-enriched fractions, and proanthocyanidin-enriched fractions demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects through ROS reduction, gene expression inhibition, and NO suppression, while anthocyanin fractions promoted fibroblast migration in vitro.
Food Research International, 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, 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 all-trans-retinol induced epidermal thickening and increased retinoid binding protein expression similar to all-trans-retinoic acid in normal human skin, but without causing significant erythema or measurable retinoic acid levels.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 1995Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Plant-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, 2025A 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, 2018Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010Application of an alpha-bisabolol-containing cream produced a significant skin-lightening effect in pigmented skin compared to a vehicle control in the majority of female subjects after 8 weeks.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2010The combination of allantoin, bisabolol, D-panthenol and dipotassium glycyrrhizinate reduces UVB-induced PGE2, inflammatory cytokines, and mitochondrial superoxide in human epidermal keratinocytes.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Squalane, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Ectoin, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Blackberry Fruit Extract, Bisabolol, Retinyl Linoleate, Epilobium Angustifolium Stem Extract Flower Leaf, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Retinal, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Fruit Extract, Retinol, Tocopherol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Sorbitan Isostearate, Erythritol, Citric Acid, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Phytate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Glycine Soja Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
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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