Isntree Green Tea Fresh Serum for oily acne-prone skin
Jeju Green Tea Extract
Niacinamide
Squalane
PanthenolHigh
- SuperiorOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for oily acne-prone skin; a few moisturizers fit it even better.
- The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2013
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
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
- Excellent suitability for your oily skin is provided by Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract and Epigallocatechin Gallate, which offer potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, alongside niacinamide for seboregulation to address your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The serum offers excellent moisturizing and treatment due to the presence of these key ingredients in concentrations that hydrate and improve your skin tone.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing ingredients like Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract and Niacinamide.
How to apply
- Use this AM and PM routine every day to help clear your skin. Always remember to finish with SPF in the morning.
- Apply the moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your SPF during the day.
- Gently press a small amount into your skin and avoid rubbing to keep pores clear.
- Apply on clean, slightly damp skin to help the product absorb better and control oil.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a simple patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsThis serum is highly recommended for oily, combination, and acne-prone skin, with users frequently praising its lightweight, fast-absorbing texture and effectiveness in controlling sebum and reducing redness. While it offers excellent oil regulation and hydration for these skin types, it is often found to be not moisturizing enough for dry skin.
Highlights
Lightweight texture Mostly Mentioned
- “sinks in immediately”
- “feels like water”
- “perfect for humid weather”
- “layers well under makeup”
Oil control Often Mentioned
- “less oily by midday”
- “helped control my sebum”
- “woke up with matte skin”
- “great for summer oiliness”
Clean ingredients Sometimes Noted
- “love the 77% green tea”
- “clean ingredient list”
- “no artificial fragrance”
- “great antioxidant boost”
Soothing effect Sometimes Noted
- “calmed my angry breakouts”
- “reduced redness overnight”
- “soothing on sensitive skin”
Natural scent Sometimes Noted
- “smells like dirt”
- “strong herbal scent”
- “scent takes getting used to”
- “smells like soy sauce”
Brown color staining Rarely Noted
- “stained my white sink”
- “leaves brown drops if not careful”
- “looks like soy sauce”
- “can stain pillow if not absorbed”
Insufficient hydration Rarely Noted
- “too light for winter”
- “skin felt tight after”
- “need a heavier moisturizer on top”
- “did nothing for my dry patches”
Texture issues Rarely Noted
- “a bit sticky at first”
- “too runny”
- “hard to control dropper”
- “feels like brown water”
Sources: lovi.care, iherb.com, yesstyle.com, stylevana.com, reddit.com, femaledaily.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Isntree Green Tea Fresh Serum a great fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Isntree Green Tea Fresh Serum is a great fit because green tea extract provides antioxidant and calming benefits, while niacinamide helps balance oil to address breakouts. It is very unlikely to cause irritation for your oily skin, and the formula hydrates while improving your skin tone.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum is a great fit for your oily skin thanks to green tea extract and epigallocatechin gallate, which help calm breakouts and balance oil production. Niacinamide is also included to improve your skin tone and help manage blemishes safely.
What does Green Tea Extract do for oily acne-prone skin?
Green tea extract helps calm oily acne-prone skin by reducing excess oil production and clearing up skin eruptions. Regular use is unlikely to irritate, and it may significantly improve both red and bump-filled blemishes over time.
What does Niacinamide do for oily acne-prone skin?
Niacinamide helps balance oil production, calms redness, and is unlikely to irritate oily, acne-prone skin while improving blemishes. Clinical tests show it reduces excess oil and helps clear up both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne breakouts.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum goes in your evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, though some serums can also be used in the morning or twice a day. It is a great fit for your oily acne-prone skin because green tea extract and epigallocatechin gallate calm redness while niacinamide helps balance oil and clear breakouts.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2013
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 and then following with retinol. This combination is unlikely to cause irritation because the serum contains soothing ingredients like green tea extract and niacinamide, which help keep your skin calm.
How often should I use this serum?
You can use this serum in the evening as part of your routine, and some people may also use it in the morning or twice a day. Green tea extract and niacinamide help calm oily skin and keep breakouts under control without causing irritation.
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. It features soothing green tea and niacinamide, which help calm the skin and control oil without harsh ingredients that irritate or trigger blemishes.
Can I use this serum around the eyes or on my body?
This serum is unlikely to irritate thin areas like the skin around your eyes and body because it has an excellent safety profile with soothing ingredients and no harsh components. While the skin around the eyes and on different body regions varies significantly in thickness, gentle moisturizing treatments generally apply well as long as they are well-tolerated.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Epigallocatechin-3-gallate significantly improved acne in patients compared to the control side during an 8-week clinical trial.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2013An 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, 2019Niacinamide 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, 2002Regular consumption and topical application of green tea and its compounds improve skin parameters, enhance antioxidant capacity, alleviate cognitive decline, and promote physical and mental health by reducing oxidative stress and modulating aging-related pathways.
Mini Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry, 2025Topical 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, 2009Topical application of green tea extract encapsulated chitosan microparticles improved skin elasticity, melanin index, and facial wrinkles compared to a placebo in female volunteers without causing skin irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Topical 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, 2005Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Plant-derived squalane protected human dermal fibroblasts against UVA-induced damage by counteracting ROS formation, suppressing apoptosis-related proteins p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP, and restoring the pro-survival p-Akt/mTOR pathway.
Antioxidants, 2025Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Topical dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.
Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000
Ingredients
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Squalane, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Vp Copolymer, Allantoin, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Betaine, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Adenosine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Bacillus Ferment, Vigna Radiata Seed Extract, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract Sprout
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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