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Pond's Clarant B3 for oily skin

High

  • HighOily Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

A great choice for oily skin; a few serums fit it even better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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 oily skin, this product effectively addresses oily shine with niacinamide and sodium ascorbyl phosphate, which help regulate sebum production and brighten the complexion.
  • The formula offers moderate brightening benefits, further enhancing skin tone and providing antioxidant protection.
  • The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin 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 build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
  • Apply the serum after cleansing and toning, but right before your moisturizer for the best results.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin. Let it absorb ⏱ for a minute before applying the next product.
  • Apply the serum on clean and dry skin since your skin is not sensitive and you want to target oily shine. This helps control excess oil throughout the night.
  • Avoid the delicate eye area and do a patch test before using the serum for the very first time.

People Say

★4.5Overall rating based on 8.5k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, this daily moisturizer is praised for its high moisturizing capabilities and affordability, with many users reporting gradual fading of dark spots and hyperpigmentation over several weeks. Some users with oily or acne-prone skin note it can feel greasy or lead to breakouts, and the moderate floral fragrance may be an issue for those with sensitive skin.

Highlights

  • Affordable and long-lasting Often Mentioned
    • “Very worth the price and useful.”
    • “Inexpensive yet so valuable.”
    • “Price point that makes luxury brightening serums look silly.”
    • “It is huge it's 7 oz. so this thing will last forever.”
  • Fades dark spots Often Mentioned
    • “I feel like my dark spots are starting to fade slightly.”
    • “With continued use, my skin looks brighter and more even, and dark spots appear less noticeable.”
    • “Meaningful spot fading closer to six or eight weeks.”
    • “Making my skin colour lighter and seemingly more evened out.”
  • Highly moisturizing Often Mentioned
    • “Provides long-lasting hydration throughout the day without causing dryness.”
    • “I don't get that sort of dry flaky winter skin.”
    • “Keeps the skin at the right level of moisture.”
    • “Functions as a competent daily moisturizer for normal to dry skin.”
  • Absorbs quickly Sometimes Noted
    • “It's so light and creamy.”
    • “Absorbs quickly without pilling and layers well under makeup.”
    • “Doesn't leave the skin feeling sticky or oily after application.”
    • “Really easy to put on.”
  • Slow to show results Sometimes Noted
    • “Cannot say I have seen improvement in dark spots yet, it is too early.”
    • “I think I need a few more weeks to see real results.”
    • “This is not an overnight miracle, and anyone expecting dramatic change in days will be disappointed.”
    • “I don't necessarily think this really rapidly speeds up that process.”
  • Strong floral scent Sometimes Noted
    • “Definitely does have a strong floral scent to it.”
    • “If you are sensitive to scents this might not be a good fit.”
    • “Pretty significant floral scent.”
    • “The formulation is old-school — parabens, fragrance.”
  • Can cause breakouts Rarely Noted
    • “Every new pimple I got, it left a spot.”
    • “My pimples started to leave spots all over my face.”
    • “Doesn't work as a primer... makes my face more oily.”
  • Can feel greasy Rarely Noted
    • “Makes my face look just a bit oily.”
    • “Makes my face more oily and makes my makeup last shorter.”
    • “I have oily skin... never used it in my face again.”

Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, target.com, dermapproved.com, reviewstream.com, youtube.com, and more

Questions and answers

What makes Pond's Clarant B3 Cream a great fit for oily skin?

Pond's Clarant B3 is a great fit because it uses niacinamide and sodium ascorbyl phosphate to help manage oily shine and brighten your complexion. The formula has an excellent safety profile with no harsh ingredients, making it very unlikely to irritate your skin.

Drug Research, 2017

Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for oily skin?

Niacinamide B3 and sodium ascorbyl phosphate make this cream a great fit for oily skin because they help regulate oil production and brighten your complexion. The formula also has a very safe profile with no harsh ingredients, meaning it is unlikely to cause irritation.

Drug Research, 2017

What does Niacinamide do for oily skin?

Niacinamide helps control oily skin by reducing how much oil your face produces throughout the day. Using it regularly keeps your skin looking more balanced and less shiny.

Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2017

What does Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate do for oily skin?

Sodium ascorbyl phosphate helps control oily skin by reducing facial sebum secretions and preventing sebum oxidation. This ingredient provides effective antimicrobial action that is beneficial for keeping breakouts at bay.

Drug Research, 2017International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2005

Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily skin?

This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, though some treatments can also be used in the morning or twice a day. It is very suitable for oily skin and is unlikely to cause irritation.

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

You can use this cream with retinol by applying your retinol product first at night, followed by this treatment to help brighten your skin and control oily shine. This product has an excellent safety profile with very low risks of irritation for oily skin, but combining active treatments may still cause dryness.

How often should I use this cream?

This treatment is great for your oily skin and fits into your evening routine. It has a very safe formula that is unlikely to cause irritation.

Drug Research, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?

This cream is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores on oily skin because it has an excellent safety profile without harsh ingredients. It helps control oily shine using niacinamide and sodium ascorbyl phosphate.

Drug Research, 2017

Is this cream 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

  • Combined ascorbyl palmitate and sodium ascorbyl phosphate treatment significantly reduced facial sebum secretions in healthy female volunteers compared to a placebo control over 90 days.

    Drug Research, 2017
  • Treatment with 14% ferulic acid and 12% l-ascorbic acid significantly reduced pigmentation and erythema while improving hydration and elasticity in 20 women with photoaged skin, with neither acid proving definitively more effective overall though ascorbic acid showed slightly greater skin lightening.

    Dermatologic Therapy, 2022
  • Topical 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, 2003
  • Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.

    Journal of Periodontology, 2009
  • Topical treatment of nicotinamide, alone or in combination with other active ingredients, reduces the progression of skin aging and hyperpigmentation in clinical trials while being well tolerated.

    Antioxidants, 2021
  • Topical 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, 2021
  • Topical 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, 2008
  • Topical 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, 2005
  • Topical 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, 2022
  • Topical treatment with 5% vitamin C and 0.1% madecassoside significantly improved clinical scores for wrinkles, suppleness, firmness, roughness, and skin hydration, along with functional and structural remodeling of the elastic fiber network in 20 female volunteers with photoaged skin after 6 months compared to baseline.

    Experimental Dermatology, 2008
  • Topical ascorbic acid application resulted in a statistically significant improvement in Ra and shadows north-south facial axis values as well as clinical, photographic, and patient self-appraisal scores compared with vehicle control in nineteen patients with mild to moderately photodamaged facial skin.

    Archives of Otolaryngology--head & Neck Surgery, 1999
  • 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
  • The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020
  • Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001
  • Sodium dodecyl sulfate treatment disrupts the ordered intercellular lipid lamellar structure in hairless mouse stratum corneum, and immersion in a ceramide 3, cholesterol, and stearic acid mixture successfully reorganizes this ordered lamellar structure.

    Biophysical Chemistry, 2001
  • Replacing 20% of the chemical UV filter octyl methoxycinnamate with urucum oil in solid lipid nanoparticles maintained the skin protection factor without inducing toxic responses or significant skin penetration in human volunteers.

    Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2018
  • Liposomal encapsulation of octyl methoxycinnamate increases its safety, skin affinity, and in vivo solar photoprotection factor while slowing its release and enhancing retention in the stratum corneum compared to a conventional formulation.

    International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2013
  • Encapsulation of ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate and butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane in lipid microparticles significantly reduced their in vivo human skin penetration compared to nonencapsulated filters.

    Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2011

Ingredients

Water, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Niacinamide, Stearic Acid, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Glycerin, Triethanolamine, Tapioca Starch, Cetyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Acrylates Crosspolymer, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Disodium Edta, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

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?

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