Mederma PM Intensive Overnight Scar Cream for oily skin
Low
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A weak match for oily skin; the serums alongside 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 scar treatment for your oily skin due to onion bulb extract and copper tripeptide-1, but the presence of glycerin and pentylene glycol may exacerbate oiliness, posing risks for your main goal of reducing oily shine.
- While it provides some humectant action with glycerin, the formula lacks sufficient seboregulating ingredients to fully address your oily skin concerns.
How to apply
- Use this serum in your PM routine. Start by applying it 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toning, but right before your moisturizer for the best results.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin. Let it absorb ⏱ for a minute before applying the next product.
- Apply the serum on clean and dry skin since your skin is not sensitive and you want to target oily shine. This helps control excess oil throughout the night.
- Avoid the delicate eye area and do a patch test before using the serum for the very first time.
People Say
★4.1Overall rating based on 17.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users report this cream is effective at softening and flattening scars from surgery, acne, and injuries with consistent use over months. Many appreciate the convenient, non-greasy application. However, results can take a long time to become noticeable, and a significant number of users find the scent unpleasant.
Highlights
Effective on scars Often Mentioned
- “flattened scar”
- “less pink”
- “healed nicely”
- “barely visible”
Slow results Often Mentioned
- “takes months”
- “be patient”
- “slow process”
- “weeks to see change”
Unpleasant smell Often Mentioned
- “smells like celery”
- “onions”
- “strong fragrance”
- “scent is off-putting”
Convenient application Sometimes Noted
- “once a night”
- “easy regimen”
- “works while sleeping”
- “better than 3x daily”
Good absorption Sometimes Noted
- “non-greasy”
- “absorbs well”
- “goes on nicely”
- “lightweight”
Improves texture Sometimes Noted
- “softer”
- “smoother”
- “less bumpy”
- “flattened raised tissue”
Price vs quantity Sometimes Noted
- “expensive”
- “small jar”
- “pricier side”
- “tiny amount”
Skin reactions Rarely Noted
- “caused breakouts”
- “itching”
- “migraine trigger”
- “redness”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, walmart.com, target.com, iherb.com, influenster.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is Mederma PM Intensive Overnight Scar Cream a weak match for oily skin?
This cream is a weak match for oily skin because ingredients like glycerin and pentylene glycol may increase oily shine. Treatments that fit oily skin better need ingredients like salicylic acid or willow bark extract to target blemishes and manage oil.
Which ingredients make this cream a poor fit for oily skin?
Glycerin and pentylene glycol are the main ingredients that make this cream a weak match, as they may worsen your oily shine. Oily skin types need products that target blemishes and manage shine without irritation, using ingredients like salicylic acid or willow bark extract.
What does Dimethicone do for oily skin?
Dimethicone helps protect skin and lock in moisture, though it may have limited performance compared to petrolatum. For oily skin, a product of this type needs a lightweight, oil-free formula that hydrates without clogging pores.
What does Onion Bulb Extract do for oily skin?
Onion bulb extract helps calm redness and inflammation while supporting the skin barrier, which makes it useful for managing oily and irritated skin. It is unlikely to cause greasiness, but oily skin still needs a lightweight formula containing ingredients that balance oil and soothe irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology, 2025
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after your cleansing toner and before your moisturizer. Because this product is a weak match for oily skin, an oil-prone routine needs ingredients that help control oil and balance shine.
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this treatment alongside retinol by applying the retinol first, letting it absorb, and then using this cream. This product of this type needs oil-balancing and shine-controlling ingredients to properly fit oily skin.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this cream in the evening as a nighttime treatment, starting slowly to see how your skin reacts. Because it contains heavy moisturizing ingredients, it may add too much shine to oily skin, so a product of this type needs lightweight hydrators and oil-controlling ingredients like niacinamide or salicylic acid to properly balance oily skin.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This cream may exacerbate oiliness and clog pores on oily skin because ingredients like glycerin and pentylene glycol add extra moisture that this skin type does not need. To properly care for oily skin, a treatment of this type needs lightweight hydrators and oil-controlling ingredients that do not trigger breakouts or unwanted shine.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol and isopropyl alcohol).
What the research says
Topical onion extract improved scar colour compared to silicon gel, while silicon gel was superior in decreasing scar height in 60 patients with hypertrophic and keloid scars, with the most effective results obtained from combining onion extract and silicon gel.
Journal of Wound Care, 2007Topical 12% onion extract gel applied early on Pfannenstiel's cesarean section scars in Asians improved scar height and scar symptoms compared to placebo, with no significant difference in scar redness, pliability, or overall appearance.
Dermatology Research and Practice, 2012A 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, 2017Wearing an N95 mask alone compared to using dimethicone cream or hydrocolloid dressing caused more adverse skin reactions among 73 military health care workers, with no significant differences in fit test failure rates between groups.
Military Medicine, 2024A dimethicone skin protectant lotion significantly decreased visual scoring and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control and SLS-only treated sites in 12 healthy humans exposed to sodium lauryl sulfate.
Skin Research and Technology, 2000Treatment with a moisturizer containing dimethicone and glycerine increased epidermal thickness by 0.019 mm, improved barrier function by decreasing transepidermal water loss by 13%, decreased melanin intensity, and induced keratins 6 and 16 in fifteen women with moderately photoaged forearms.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2007Silicone derivative plus onion extract gel reduced pain, itching, and pigmentation compared to placebo in patients after median sternotomy.
International Wound Journal, 2012Onion extract gel significantly improved scar softness, redness, texture, and global appearance compared to no treatment in 60 subjects with postsurgical scars on the upper chest over 10 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008An overnight patch containing Allium cepa extract and allantoin safely promotes scar healing after dermatologic surgery, resulting in significantly greater reductions in observer- and patient-assessed POSAS scores compared to no treatment.
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2018Topical copper tripeptide complex on CO2 laser-resurfaced skin caused no significant reduction in erythema or objective improvement in wrinkles compared to controls, but significantly increased patient satisfaction regarding overall skin quality.
Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery, 2006A novel regimen combining a hydroxy acid-based scrub and copper tripeptide serum significantly reduced adherent scalp flaking by 61.24%, increased hair density by 12.48%, increased hair thickness by 25.36%, and improved scalp skin hydration by 76.24% in adults with mild to moderate dandruff over 15 days.
Cureus, 2024The combination of Thermus thermophilus and Bacillus subtilis mixed-culture ferment extract and copper tripeptide-1 GHK-Cu reduced inflammatory cytokines, protected skin explants from UV-induced damage, and improved wrinkles and skin barrier conditions compared to individual components or controls.
Skin Research and Technology, 2026A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010Topical application of TAC/Collagen postbiotics gel improved skin moisture score and inflammation index, and reduced porphyrins and brown spots in 20 volunteers with acne vulgaris.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Topical collagen tripeptide application improved skin wrinkles, elasticity, and density while reducing advanced glycated end products in 22 Asian women over 4 weeks.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2022Marine collagen extracted from Greenland halibut skin showed a non-cytotoxic effect on fibroblast cells and provided a slight skin hydration effect when incorporated into cosmetic hydrogel formulations at dosages of 0.1, 0.25, and 0.5% in 23 healthy volunteers.
Marine Drugs, 2023
Why other serums fit oily skin better
Topical benzoyl peroxide 5% gel treatment improved acne severity, sebum, stratum corneum hydration, and transepidermal water loss, while significantly reducing microbial diversity and the prevalence of Cutibacterium in 33 patients with acne vulgaris.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Application of Galactomyces ferment filtrate skin care formula significantly reduced the net values and daily fluctuation of facial pore area, roughness, and redness in young Japanese women.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2021
Ingredients
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Pentylene Glycol, Cyclomethicone, Arachidyl Alcohol, Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Onion Bulb Extract, Copper Tripeptide-1, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf, Cetearyl Glucoside, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Glycine, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Peg-400, Arginine Hcl, Leucine, Lysine Hydrochloride, Alanine, Sodium Lactate, Aspartic Acid, Glucose, Glutamic Acid, Isopropyl Alcohol, Mannitol, Sorbitol, Tromethamine, Valine, Histidine Hydrochloride, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
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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