The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG for oily acne-prone skin
Caffeine
Egcg Epigallocatechin Gallate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Oxidized Glutathione
GlycerinAverage
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- Low RiskSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other eye cares fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. 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 suitability for your oily skin due to caffeine and epigallocatechin gallatyl glucoside, which provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, but it lacks sufficient ingredients for optimal oil control.
- While it offers general hydration from sodium hyaluronate, the formula does not directly address your primary concerns of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The product is generally safe for your oily skin, with a low risk of irritation from lactic acid.
People Say
★4.1Overall rating based on 6.3k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this serum is highly regarded for its affordability and effectiveness in reducing morning puffiness and making eyes appear more awake. While it offers some brightening for tired eyes and has a pleasant lightweight texture, its impact on dark circles is inconsistent, with many users finding it ineffective for pigmentation or hollows. Additionally, a moderate number of users report a drying effect, particularly those with dry skin, who may need to layer with a moisturizer.
Highlights
Reduces puffiness Mostly Mentioned
- “deflates morning bags”
- “helps swollen eyes”
- “noticeable depuffing”
- “great for fluid retention”
Unbeatable value Mostly Mentioned
- “extremely affordable”
- “bottle lasts forever”
- “great price point”
- “cheap but effective”
Ineffective dark circles Often Mentioned
- “no change in pigment”
- “didn't fix genetic circles”
- “useless for hollows”
- “darkness remained”
Brightens tired eyes Sometimes Noted
- “looks more awake”
- “helps tired look”
- “subtle brightening”
- “refreshed appearance”
Lightweight texture Sometimes Noted
- “absorbs quickly”
- “cooling sensation”
- “nice gel consistency”
- “not greasy”
Drying effect Sometimes Noted
- “dried out skin”
- “emphasized fine lines”
- “made wrinkles worse”
- “crusty residue”
Texture issues Sometimes Noted
- “sticky finish”
- “pills under makeup”
- “tacky residue”
- “concealer separates on top”
Irritation Rarely Noted
- “caused burning”
- “redness and stinging”
- “rash around eyes”
- “sensitive skin reaction”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.co.nz, sephora.co.uk, ulta.com, cultbeauty.co.uk, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does The Ordinary Caffeine Solution work for oily acne-prone skin?
This eye care works okay for oily acne-prone skin because caffeine and green tea extract help calm the area and provide antioxidants, but it does not control oil or treat breakouts. A better choice for this skin type needs safe, non-clogging soothing ingredients and oil-balancing help that keep pores clear while adding light moisture.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Caffeine and epigallocatechin gallatyl glucoside help make this serum a fit for your oily skin by providing antioxidant and calming benefits, though an eye care product for this skin also needs ingredients for oil control and blemishes.
What does Caffeine do for oily acne-prone skin?
Topical caffeine helps calm oily, acne-prone skin by protecting cells against UV damage and preventing excessive fat accumulation. It is also well tolerated and may boost your sunscreen protection when used together with UV filters.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2013Frontiers in Physiology, 2019
What does Egcg do for oily acne-prone skin?
Egcg helps control oily, acne-prone skin by reducing excess oil production and calming inflammation. It may also help clear up breakouts by fighting the bacteria that cause acne and shrinking oil glands.
Antioxidants, 2016The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2013
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum goes in the evening routine as a treatment step, though it may also be used in the morning. Oily acne-prone skin needs a product of this type to also include ingredients that actively target blemishes, breakouts, and excess oil.
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 treatment. It is unlikely to cause irritation on oily skin, but this type of skin also needs dedicated blemish-fighting ingredients and oil-control components to fully address breakouts.
How often should I use this serum?
You can use this eye serum daily, but because it is an average fit for oily acne-prone skin, a product of this type needs extra ingredients for oil control and blemish care.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily acne-prone skin, as it has a safe profile with a low risk of irritation, though it does not directly address acne or blemishes. Because it lacks sufficient ingredients for optimal oil control, a product of this type needs added oil-absorbing or blemish-fighting ingredients to truly fit this skin.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (benzyl alcohol).
What the research says
A topical cosmetic slimming product containing tetrahydroxypropyl ethylenediamine, caffeine, carnitine, forskolin and retinol significantly reduced body circumferences and improved skin aspect compared with placebo in 78 women over 12 weeks.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2011Topical sunscreen formulations containing caffeine combined with UV filters increased in vivo anti-UVB protection by approximately 25% and showed higher SPF values compared to caffeine-free sunscreen, while being well tolerated by the skin of healthy subjects.
Frontiers in Physiology, 2019Caffeine gel combined with choline geranate showed high skin permeation capacity and superior clinical results in cellulite treatment compared to caffeine gel without ionic liquid.
AAPS PharmSciTech, 2021Topical green tea extract significantly improved clinical symptoms, tear breakup times, and meibomian gland health compared to standard treatment in patients with dry eye and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction.
Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 2017Topical low-dose green tea extract reduces UVB-induced p53 expression and apoptosis in human skin keratinocytes compared to placebo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2009An 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, 2019Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019Glutathione 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 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, 2014Topical glutathione improves hyperpigmentation, reduces ultraviolet-induced erythema and wrinkles, decreases transepidermal water loss, and enhances antioxidant capacity.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2025A 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, 2017The 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, 2020Ten 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
Why other eye cares fit oily acne-prone skin better
Topical UP256 cream containing 0.5% bakuchiol administered twice daily significantly reduced inflammatory lesions and improved acne-related post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation in 13 subjects with mild or moderate facial acne.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2021Topical combination of 5% sodium ascorbyl phosphate and 0.2% retinol reduced inflammatory acne lesions by 29.28% at 4 weeks and 63.10% at 8 weeks, outperforming either agent alone.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2009Sodium ascorbyl phosphate provides effective antimicrobial action, prevents sebum oxidation, and demonstrates superior clinical efficacy compared to a standard acne treatment in patients with acne vulgaris.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2005
Ingredients
Water, Caffeine, Maltodextrin, Glycerin, Propanediol, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Gallyl Glucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Oxidized Glutathione, Melanin, Glycine Soja Seed Extract Soybean Seed Extract, Urea, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Xanthan Gum, Lactic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Propyl Gallate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Benzyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol
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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