numbuzin 5 Glutathione Vitamin Concentrated Serum for acne-prone skin
Glutathione
Niacinamide
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Tranexamic Acid
Alpha-ArbutinHigh
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- 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, niacinamide and tranexamic acid work to regulate oil production and reduce hyperpigmentation, addressing your acne and blemishes effectively.
- The inclusion of glutathione and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid further enhances skin brightening and tone, complementing the primary concerns of your skin.
- The product is safe for your skin, with no harsh ingredients that could cause irritation.
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 2.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with dullness, hyperpigmentation, and sensitive skin frequently praise this serum for its ability to fade acne scars and even out skin tone without causing irritation. The majority report a "glass skin" glow and rapid absorption, while a small minority experienced breakouts or found the brightening effects too slow to appear.
Highlights
Fades dark spots Mostly Mentioned
- “Acne marks faded noticeably”
- “Helps with pigmentation issues”
- “Sunspots have faded”
- “Clear up hyperpigmentation”
- “Reduces appearance of spots”
Gentle on skin Often Mentioned
- “No irritation”
- “Great for sensitive skin”
- “Gentle yet effective”
- “No stinging”
- “Soothing ingredients”
Lightweight texture Often Mentioned
- “Absorbs instantly”
- “Non-sticky formula”
- “Lightweight milky texture”
- “Sinks in quickly”
- “Does not feel heavy”
Hydrating glow Sometimes Noted
- “Natural glass-skin glow”
- “Leaves skin soft”
- “Very hydrating”
- “Restores natural glow”
- “Dewy finish”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Caused tiny bumps”
- “More acne on my skin”
- “Triggered whiteheads”
- “Broke me out”
- “Clogged my pores”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “Dropper is messy”
- “Hard to get last drops”
- “Bottle leaks slightly”
Slow results Rarely Noted
- “Did nothing to brighten”
- “No big improvement”
- “Takes a long time”
- “Saw no difference”
- “Overhyped results”
Tacky finish Rarely Noted
- “Left a slightly tacky feeling”
- “Sticky residue”
- “Felt heavy initially”
- “Greasy after application”
Sources: lovi.care, oliveyoung.com, iherb.com, stylevana.com, yesstyle.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes numbuzin 5 Serum a great fit for acne-prone skin?
This serum is a great fit because niacinamide and tranexamic acid help regulate oil and fade dark spots, while glutathione and vitamin C brighten your tone. It is safe and unlikely to cause irritation on your skin.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for acne-prone skin?
This serum is a great fit for acne-prone skin because niacinamide and tranexamic acid help control extra oil and fade dark spots left by breakouts. Glutathione and vitamin C further brighten your overall skin tone while keeping things calm and smooth.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2014The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002
What does Glutathione do for acne-prone skin?
Glutathione helps protect acne-prone skin against everyday environmental stress and oxidation. This ingredient is unlikely to clear breakouts on its own, so acne-prone skin needs a product that also targets pores, calms redness, and balances oil with ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2024
What does Niacinamide do for acne-prone skin?
Niacinamide helps acne-prone skin by reducing both inflamed and uninflamed breakouts and calming redness. It is also very helpful for keeping oily skin balanced by cutting down on excess oil production, and it is well tolerated by most people.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This serum goes in your evening routine as a treatment step, applied after cleansing and toning and before your moisturizer. This timing helps keep your skin safe around sun exposure while letting the active ingredients work effectively.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol by applying the serum first and following it with your retinol product, or by using them on alternate nights to keep your skin calm. This helps you address blemishes and uneven tone while keeping the routine safe and comfortable.
How often should I use this serum?
This serum is a great fit for your acne-prone skin and is used in the evening routine. Ingredients like niacinamide and glutathione help balance oil and brighten skin safely without harsh irritation.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2014The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This serum is a great fit for acne-prone skin because ingredients like niacinamide and tranexamic acid help regulate oil and fade dark spots without causing irritation. Breakouts from this product are unlikely, though a few reviewers have reported them.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Behenyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Niacinamide significantly decreased hyperpigmentation and increased skin lightness compared with vehicle alone after 4 weeks of use in women by inhibiting melanosome transfer.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Topical oxidized glutathione significantly decreases the skin melanin index and improves moisture content, smoothness, wrinkle formation, and elasticity compared to placebo in healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2014Glutathione at 500 mg/day orally or 2.0% topically may brighten skin color in sun-exposed areas measured by melanin index, though current evidence remains inconclusive.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019A multi-component dissolving microneedle patch loaded with glabridin, 3-O-ethyl-L-ascorbic acid, and tranexamic acid effectively reduced chloasma and age spots while demonstrating safety in clinical evaluation, alongside significant antioxidant, anti-tyrosinase, and melanin-reduction effects in vitro and in vivo.
Polymers, 2023Glutathione amino acid precursors effectively increase cellular glutathione levels, reducing oxidative stress, ATP depletion, and DNA damage in human keratinocytes, clinical subjects, and ex vivo skin compared to controls.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2024Topical glutathione improves hyperpigmentation, reduces ultraviolet-induced erythema and wrinkles, decreases transepidermal water loss, and enhances antioxidant capacity.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2025RayGel reduced skin reaction severity with a lower average score of 93.7 compared to 123.3 for the placebo group in patients undergoing whole breast external-beam irradiation.
American Journal of Surgery, 2005Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005Topical application of 5% vitamin C cream significantly improved global clinical scores, increased skin microrelief density, and induced elastic tissue repair in photoaged skin compared to excipient control in healthy female volunteers.
Experimental Dermatology, 2003Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.
Journal of Periodontology, 2009Topical application of VC-IP cream twice daily for 8 weeks reduces periorbital wrinkles in female subjects compared to a placebo cream.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022A non-hydroquinone topical formulation (SKNB19) improved hyperpigmentation by 28.5% in patient self-assessment and 27% in independent reviewer assessment compared with 4% hydroquinone in 18 adult subjects, while showing significantly less irritation and better tolerability.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020Encapsulation of alpha arbutin in an optimized ethosomal gel significantly improved skin melanin reduction, moisture content, and elasticity in human volunteers compared to conventional formulations.
Heliyon, 2023Combining a home-based radiofrequency device and arbutin cream reduced mMASI scores by 25.6% and melanin index by 22.8% at 8 weeks compared to baseline in 38 participants.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025
Ingredients
Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Tranexamic Acid, Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprate, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Sorbitol, Bifida Ferment Filtrate, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Alpha-Arbutin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Alpha Bisabolol, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Allantoin, Glutathione, Ceramide Np, Beta-Glucan, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tocopherol, L Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Ubiquinone, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Behenyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Disodium Edta
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
How does it fit your skin?
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