🇮🇹Italy

COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum for acne-prone skin

COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum

Average

  • SuperiorCombination Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

Works for acne-prone skin; other moisturizers fit it 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

  • Offers excellent moisturizing for your combination skin due to high concentrations of sodium hyaluronate and glycerin, which hydrate and plump effectively without overwhelming oily areas, complemented by ceramide NP and cholesterol for barrier repair.
  • While the formula provides general skincare benefits, it lacks specialized ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to directly target your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
  • The product is safe for your combination skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.

How to apply

  • Use your moisturizer twice a day in your AM and PM routines. Apply it daily to help keep breakouts under control.
  • Apply after your cleanser and toner, and make sure to use your SPF right after in the morning.
  • Gently spread a small amount of moisturizer over your face using soft motions. Let it absorb into the skin for a minute before getting dressed or applying makeup.
  • Apply on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra moisture. This keeps your combination skin balanced without feeling heavy.
  • Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use. Stop using if you feel any irritation.

People Say

★4.7Overall rating based on 1.2k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, this serum is highly praised for its ability to deeply hydrate and plump the skin, providing an immediate dewy effect. Many users value its hydrating properties and fast absorption, with moderate mentions of it strengthening the skin barrier and improving texture. A significant number of reviewers find the bottle size to be too small, leading to it running out quickly, and some note a sticky finish. There are also moderate comments regarding the price and low mentions of packaging issues.

Highlights

  • Small bottle size Mostly Mentioned
    • “only 20mls... significantly less product”
    • “ran out fast compared to other serums”
    • “bottle only lasts about a month”
    • “wish the size was bigger”
  • Deep hydration Often Mentioned
    • “skin felt firm and plump”
    • “leaves my skin feeling super hydrated”
    • “hydration hits your skin instantly”
    • “makes my skin feel plump and smooth”
  • Fast absorption Often Mentioned
    • “absorbs fast into the skin”
    • “extremely lightweight serum that isn't greasy”
    • “dries down really silky smooth”
    • “penetrates the skin quickly”
  • Improves skin texture Sometimes Noted
    • “smooths out and plumps”
    • “dry patches... stayed smooth”
    • “makeup applies more smoothly”
    • “leaves a smooth and hydrated finish”
  • Strengthens skin barrier Sometimes Noted
    • “effective at supporting my skin barrier”
    • “soothing effect on my skin barrier”
    • “ceramides help strengthen compromised skin”
    • “protects against dryness and dehydration”
  • Price per value Sometimes Noted
    • “expensive for me”
    • “price point is pretty steep”
    • “costs so much money relative to the original”
    • “would probably only grab this during a sale”
  • Sticky finish Sometimes Noted
    • “feels slightly sticky”
    • “slightly tacky feel”
    • “formula does lean a bit sticky”
    • “sticky residue that bothers me”
  • Packaging issues Rarely Noted
    • “packaging is terrible”
    • “cannot get the last drops”
    • “wish the cap were a bit more sturdy”
    • “too heavy bottle”

Sources: lovi.care, iherb.com, cosrx.com, lookfantastic.ie, walmart.com, ulta.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does COSRX Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum work for acne-prone skin?

This serum works well for hydration, but it lacks ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to directly target blemishes and breakouts. To better manage acne, a product of this type needs targeted ingredients like niacinamide and salicylic acid for blemishes while keeping the skin balanced and comfortable.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2022

Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for acne-prone skin?

Sodium hyaluronate, glycerin, and ceramide NP make this serum a good fit by hydrating and helping repair your skin. However, an acne-prone skin product of this type needs specialized ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to directly target breakouts and blemishes.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2022

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.

Biomedicines, 2025Drug Delivery, 2017

What do Ceramides do for acne-prone skin?

Ceramides help acne-prone skin by restoring a weak water barrier, which is often damaged and low in these protective lipids in people with acne. Using them helps reduce dryness, redness, and irritation caused by acne treatments while keeping the skin calm and smooth.

Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023Archives of Dermatological Research, 1995

Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?

This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, though it can also be used in the morning or twice a day. It is safe for this skin and hydrates well, but an acne-prone skin type needs a product that includes targeted blemish-clearing ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide.

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

You can use this serum with retinol by applying the serum first to hydrate your skin before putting on your retinol. Using a hydrating product with barrier-supporting ingredients like ceramides helps keep your skin calm and lowers the chances of irritation from strong treatments.

Cutis, 2006Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2022

How often should I use this serum?

You can use this serum in the evening as part of your routine. It is safe for your skin, though it needs added ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to directly target breakouts.

Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?

This serum is unlikely to cause irritation or breakouts on acne-prone skin, as it contains gentle ingredients with a safe profile. However, because it lacks specialized blemish-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide, this skin type needs products that include those targeted components to truly clear up breakouts.

Skin Research and Technology, 2003

Can I use this serum around the eyes or on my body?

You can safely use this moisturizing treatment around the eyes and on the body because its ingredients have a very good safety profile with no harsh elements. The sodium hyaluronate, glycerin, and ceramide NP help hydrate and smooth thin areas like the eyelids and rough body skin without irritation.

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol).

What the research says

  • 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
  • A lipid mixture enriched by ceramide NP with fatty acids of diverse chain lengths significantly improved skin barrier recovery rate, stratum corneum integrity, and hydration compared to a vehicle cream in healthy adult male volunteers with corticosteroid-impaired skin.

    Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2022
  • Soaps containing betaine caused the least skin irritation compared to other tested soaps in twenty-eight healthy subjects, though irritation did not decrease with increasing concentrations of betaine.

    Skin Research and Technology, 2003
  • A combination of Aloe barbadensis leaf extract and trimethylglycine in a 1:1 mass ratio synergistically increased aquaporin 3 expression by up to 380% in keratinocytes and safely improved skin hydration in healthy volunteers.

    Molecules, 2024
  • Topical 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, 2011
  • Topical 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, 2022
  • Treatment 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, 2019
  • 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
  • Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012
  • Topical dry mouth products containing olive oil, betaine, and xylitol significantly increased unstimulated whole salivary flow rates, reduced xerostomia complaints, and improved quality of life in adults with polypharmacy-induced xerostomia compared to their normal routine care, with no clinically significant adverse events.

    Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, 2007
  • Mixed surfactant systems of sodium dodecyl sulfate and dimethyl dodecyl amido betaine significantly reduce acute skin irritation potential in human volunteers compared with the individual surfactants, demonstrating that irritation potential cannot be predicted by simple summation.

    Food and Chemical Toxicology, 1998
  • Polyhexanide/betaine may be nontoxic and effective in enhancing wound healing, whereas the majority of other topical cleaning agents are locally toxic and of limited or no proven efficacy.

    Advances in Skin & Wound Care, 2013

Why other moisturizers fit acne-prone skin better

  • A peel-off facial mask containing myoinositol and trehalose-loaded liposomes improved adult female acne by decreasing lesion counts, sebum production, GAGS scores, and local androgen levels while increasing beclin-1 levels.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2017

Ingredients

Water, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Betaine, Xanthan Gum, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Pca, Sodium Lactate, Pca, Glyceryl Acrylate Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Sodium Phytate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Pvm Ma Copolymer, Glutamic Acid, Citric Acid, Lysine Hcl, Threonine, Arginine, Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate, Proline, Ceramide Np, Cholesterol, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Phytosphingosine, Stearic Acid, Oleic Acid, Alcohol, Tocopherol, Lactic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid

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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Prices checked 15 Oct 2026

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