Skin Script Glycolic and Retinol Pads for oily skin
Glycolic Acid
Retinol
Kojic Acid
ArbutinAverage
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for oily skin; other products fit it 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
- Offers moderate exfoliation and oil control for your oily skin due to the presence of glycolic acid and retinol, which help to smooth texture and reduce fine lines.
- Witch hazel water provides soothing benefits, while arbutin and kojic acid offer additional brightening effects suitable for your skin.
- The product is safe for your oily skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of witch hazel water.
How to apply
- Use this exfoliant product as part of your PM routine once a week. Start slowly and build up frequency only if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin and let it absorb fully. Avoid any harsh rubbing to keep your skin calm.
- Apply the exfoliant directly onto completely dry skin to get the best balance and results. Clean, dry skin helps the product work evenly.
- Always avoid the delicate eye area when applying. Be sure to use a broad-spectrum SPF 30+ daily while using exfoliating acids.
Questions and answers
How well does Skin Script Glycolic and Retinol Pads work for oily skin?
Skin Script Glycolic and Retinol Pads offer moderate exfoliation and oil control for your oily skin, though other products fit it better. To fit oily skin best, this type of product needs ingredients like niacinamide and zinc PCA to control excess oil and manage shine without irritation.
Which ingredients make this exfoliant a good fit for oily skin?
Glycolic acid and retinol help smooth texture and control oil, while arbutin and kojic acid brighten the skin. Oily skin often benefits even more from ingredients like niacinamide and zinc PCA to manage shine and pore size.
What does Glycolic Acid do for oily skin?
Glycolic acid helps clear away dead skin and excess oil for a smooth, clean feel. It gently removes buildup from the surface, which keeps pores clear and skin looking fresh.
Molecules, 2023Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2011
What does Retinol do for oily skin?
Retinol helps oily skin by keeping pores clear and balancing sebum production, which may reduce shine and breakouts. Because it can sometimes cause dryness or peeling in the beginning, starting slowly is recommended.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This exfoliant treatment goes in the evening routine, starting at once a week so your oily skin can adjust safely. An oily skin routine of this type needs products with glycolic acid and retinol for moderate exfoliation and oil control, plus ingredients like witch hazel water, arbutin, and kojic acid to soothe and brighten.
Can I use this exfoliant with vitamin C, and in what order?
You can use this exfoliant with vitamin C by applying vitamin C in the morning and this treatment at night, as using active acids and retinoids together with vitamin C at the same time may cause irritation on oily skin. Spacing them out helps your skin stay calm while still getting the smoothing and brightening benefits of both ingredients.
How often should I use it?
Start by using this exfoliant treatment once a week in the evening routine, and if your skin tolerates it well and shows good results, you can carefully use it more often. Oily skin of this type needs products containing glycolic acid and retinol for moderate exfoliation and oil control, along with soothing witch hazel water.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Facial Plastic Surgery, 2014
Can this exfoliant clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This exfoliant is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily skin, as it contains witch hazel water and lacks harsh ingredients that typically trigger irritation. Glycolic acid and retinol help clear dead skin cells, which may occasionally cause mild initial purging as your skin adjusts to the treatment.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Hamamelis bark proanthocyanidins strongly increased the proliferation of cultured human keratinocytes and reduced transepidermal water loss and erythema formation in SLS-irritated skin, whereas the polysaccharide fraction had no effect.
Phytochemistry, 2001Repeated short-contact 70% glycolic acid peels provided superior results in atrophic acne scars compared to daily low-strength glycolic acid cream or placebo in 58 women over 24 weeks.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2000Serial glycolic acid peels combined with a modified Kligman formula significantly reduced facial PIH severity in Indian patients compared to the modified Kligman formula alone.
Dermatologic Surgery, 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, 2018A topical formulation containing kojic acid, emblica extract, and glycolic acid demonstrated efficacy parity compared with hydroquinone 4% in multiethnic participants with mild to moderate facial dyschromia.
Cutis, 2010A 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, 2023Topical application of iron chelators kojic acid and deferiprone significantly accelerated wound healing in rats compared to control groups, with deferiprone showing superior efficacy due to higher antioxidant and iron chelation abilities.
International Wound Journal, 2013A 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
Witch Hazel Water, Water, Arbutin, Kojic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Lemon Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Ssp, Amara Oil Citrus Aurantium Amara Oil, Retinol
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?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.