Caudalie Premier Cru The Serum for acne-prone skin
Niacinamide
Sodium Hyaluronate
Palmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract
PolyphenolsHigh
- 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, this serum effectively addresses acne and breakouts with niacinamide to regulate oil and reduce inflammation, while Ribose and Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid provide plumping and minimize fine lines.
- Glycerin further supports hydration in your combination skin, ensuring a balanced and comfortable feel.
- The formula is safe for your skin, containing no harsh or irritating ingredients.
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 1.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with dry, mature, and sensitive skin frequently praise this serum for its immediate hydrating and plumping effects, often noting a visible reduction in fine lines and a brighter complexion. While the lightweight texture and "healthy glow" are widely appreciated, results regarding deep wrinkles vary, and the scent is a polarizing feature.
Highlights
Deep hydration & plumping Mostly Mentioned
- “instantly hydrates my dry skin”
- “skin looks smoother and more plump”
- “leaves a dewy, plump feeling”
- “moisture without being heavy”
Lightweight, silky texture Often Mentioned
- “absorbs quickly without feeling sticky”
- “sinks into the skin effortlessly”
- “lightweight but very hydrating”
- “glides onto my skin”
Visible skin improvement Often Mentioned
- “skin feels firmer”
- “pores are minimized”
- “brighter, better complexion”
- “healthy glow”
High price point Often Mentioned
- “very expensive”
- “price is the only con”
- “wish it was cheaper”
- “investment skincare”
Luxurious experience Sometimes Noted
- “smells divine”
- “feels luxurious to use”
- “spa-like scent”
- “beautiful packaging”
Strong fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “smell is a little controversial”
- “too much perfume”
- “floral fragrances are a no”
- “scent is too aggressive”
Lack of dramatic results Rarely Noted
- “didn't see difference in fine lines”
- “not strong enough for maturing skin”
- “results were just okay”
- “expected more for the price”
Texture suitability Rarely Noted
- “too rich for oily skin”
- “a bit tingling at first”
- “felt sticky initially”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, caudalie.com, cultbeauty.com, spacenk.com, lovelyskin.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Caudalie Premier Cru The Serum a great fit for acne-prone skin?
Caudalie Premier Cru The Serum is a great fit because it contains niacinamide to regulate oil and calm breakouts, alongside hydrating ingredients like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate to keep your skin balanced and comfortable. This formula is safe for acne-prone skin, as it contains no harsh or irritating ingredients.
Scientific Reports, 2024Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for acne-prone skin?
This serum is a great fit because it contains niacinamide to regulate oil and calm breakouts, along with glycerin and sodium hyaluronate to keep skin hydrated and balanced.
Scientific Reports, 2024Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
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.
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for acne-prone skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps acne-prone skin by soothing irritation, calming redness, and keeping the skin balanced without clogging pores. When combined with targeted ingredients like zinc oxide, it may also help reduce breakouts.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This serum goes in the evening routine for acne-prone skin, after cleansing and before moisturizing, to keep things simple and safe around sun exposure. Niacinamide helps regulate oil and reduce inflammation to manage breakouts.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol by applying the serum first to help keep your skin balanced, followed by your retinol. This approach is unlikely to cause irritation because the formula avoids harsh ingredients.
How often should I use this serum?
This serum is a great fit for your acne-prone skin and is best used in the evening as part of your routine. This timing helps keep things simple and safe around sun exposure, while niacinamide regulates oil and reduces inflammation.
Scientific Reports, 2024Colloids and Surfaces. B, Biointerfaces, 2022
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for acne-prone skin because it contains niacinamide to regulate oil and reduce inflammation. The formula is safe for your skin, containing no harsh or irritating ingredients that typically trigger breakouts.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum, geraniol, linalool, and citronellol).
What the research says
Treatment with a combination of niacinamide and hyaluronic acid improved skin aging signs and demonstrated a senomorphic effect by decreasing SASP and autocrine signaling genes in women.
Scientific Reports, 2024Polyelectrolyte nanocomplexes of quaternized cyclodextrin grafted chitosan and low molecular weight hyaluronic acid improved skin texture and elasticity by increasing skin hydration in clinical evaluation.
Colloids and Surfaces. B, Biointerfaces, 2022Niacinamide 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, 2002A 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, 2017Topical 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 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, 2019A combination of Vitis vinifera shoot extract and a biotechnological extract demonstrated significant in vitro and in vivo antioxidant effects and improved clinical signs of photoaged skin in female subjects after a 4-week application.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2007Pre-treatment with Vitis vinifera L. water extract (100 ΓΙg/mL) demonstrated antioxidant and scavenger activity against UV-A radiation and exerted an anti-mutagenic effect by maintaining apoptosis in UV-A and UV-B irradiated human keratinocytes (HaCaT).
Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology. B, Biology, 2020A water extract from grapevine leaves inhibited proinflammatory-induced interleukin-8 and vascular endothelial growth factor secretion in human keratinocytes compared to untreated challenged cells.
Antioxidants, 2019
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Methylpropanediol, Betaine, Ribose, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Grape Seed Extract, Palmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Phenylpropanol, Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan, Sorbitan Isostearate, Parfum, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Hydroxide, Geraniol, Linalool, Citronellol
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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