🇮🇹Italy

Medik8 Crystal Retinal 1 for oily skin

High

  • SuperiorOily Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

A great choice for oily skin; a few serums fit it even 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

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

★4.7Overall rating based on 3.2k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, users consistently praise this serum as an exceptional entry-level retinal for sensitive or reactive skin, noting visible improvements in skin texture and brightness without the irritation typical of retinoids. Many reviewers report significant reductions in hormonal breakouts and fine lines, describing the formula as a "game changer" that leaves skin smoother, plumper, and clearer.

Highlights

  • Gentle on skin Mostly Mentioned
    • “perfect for beginners”
    • “no stinging or redness”
  • Smoothes texture Often Mentioned
    • “skin feels like glass”
    • “bumps disappeared”
    • “face is much softer”
  • High price point Often Mentioned
    • “very expensive for the size”
    • “pricey investment”
    • “wish it was cheaper”
  • Absorbs fast Sometimes Noted
    • “sinks in immediately”
    • “creamy and moisturizing”
    • “non-greasy finish”
  • Reduces acne Sometimes Noted
    • “cleared my hormonal acne”
    • “stops spots forming”
    • “keeps blemishes in check”
  • Initial purging Rarely Noted
    • “broke out the first week”
    • “had a few spots initially”
    • “skin got worse before better”
  • Mild dryness Rarely Noted
    • “slight tingle upon application”
    • “needed extra moisturizer”
    • “dry patches around nose”
  • Packaging issues Rarely Noted
    • “pump stopped working”
    • “hard to get last bit out”
    • “tube topples over easily”

Sources: lovi.care, cultbeauty.co.uk, dermstore.com, spacenk.com, womenshealthmag.com, alexaskin.com, and more

Questions and answers

What makes Medik8 Crystal Retinal 1 a great fit for oily skin?

Medik8 Crystal Retinal 1 is a great fit for oily skin because retinal and 3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid promote cell turnover and brighten your skin tone without adding extra oil. In addition, sodium hyaluronate and eclipta prostrata extract offer supportive hydration and calming benefits, while soothing plant extracts help keep the skin safe from irritation.

Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 2025Journal of Liposome Research, 2025

Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily skin?

Retinal and 3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid are a great fit for your oily skin because they help with cell renewal and brighten your tone without making you too oily. Sodium hyaluronate and eclipta prostrata extract also give your skin light hydration and a calm feel.

Polymers, 2023Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 2025

What does Retinal do for oily skin?

Retinal helps oily skin by reducing excess oil and clearing clogged pores when used daily. This ingredient is well-suited for managing breakouts while keeping skin smooth and calm.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021

What does Hyaluronic Acid do for oily skin?

Hyaluronic acid helps oily skin by reducing extra oil and sebum production without causing irritation. Clinical studies show it successfully balances oil levels while keeping the skin comfortable.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2017

Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily skin?

This treatment goes in your evening routine, applied after cleansing and before moisturizing. Putting it at night keeps things simple and adds safety around sun exposure.

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

You can use this treatment alongside niacinamide by applying niacinamide first and letting it absorb before putting on this serum. This combination helps keep your oily skin balanced and calm while supporting cell renewal.

American Family Physician, 2012Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 2025

How often should I use it?

Use this treatment in your evening routine. It helps improve your skin tone and texture while keeping your oily skin calm and balanced.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Facial Plastic Surgery, 2014

Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?

This treatment is a great fit for oily skin and is unlikely to cause clogged pores, though mild dryness or initial purging may occasionally happen. Retinal and 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid promote cell turnover and brighten skin tone without adding extra oiliness, while sodium hyaluronate provides lightweight, supportive hydration.

Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (coumarin). Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.

What the research says

  • A multi-component dissolving microneedle patch loaded with glabridin, 3-O-ethyl-L-ascorbic acid, and tranexamic acid effectively reduced chloasma and age spots while demonstrating safety in clinical evaluation, alongside significant antioxidant, anti-tyrosinase, and melanin-reduction effects in vitro and in vivo.

    Polymers, 2023
  • Concurrent treatment with 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid and cannabigerol in UVB-irradiated human keratinocytes prevents membrane structure alterations, promotes cell survival, enhances antioxidant enzyme activity and GSH- and Trx-dependent systems, reduces lipid and protein oxidative modifications, and exerts anti-inflammatory effects.

    Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 2025
  • Liposomal formulation of 3-O-ethyl-L-ascorbic acid enhanced skin retention and reduced UV-induced extracellular matrix degradation in skin explants compared to free EAA.

    Journal of Liposome Research, 2025
  • Topical hyaluronic acid filler serum combined with Botulinum toxin type A lengthened the duration of the toxin's effect in reducing wrinkles compared to Botulinum toxin type A alone.

    Dermatologic Therapy, 2022
  • Hyaluronic acid extracts are safe and efficacious products for skin repair when used in tissue regeneration alone or in combination with herbal or Western medicine.

    Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015
  • Twice daily application of retinaldehyde 0.1% and 0.05% creams for 3 months improved skin texture and hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss in 40 female Korean volunteers, with only the 0.1% cream significantly improving the melanin index.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2018
  • Topical retinaldehyde demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria both in vitro and in vivo, leading to decreased bacterial counts without inducing resistance.

    Dermatology, 2002
  • Topical 0.05% retinaldehyde applied over 1 year significantly increased epidermal thickness of the temple and cutaneous elasticity compared to an emollient control group in 40 aging skin patients.

    Dermatology, 1999
  • 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
  • Topical application of 5% vitamin C cream significantly improved global clinical scores, increased skin microrelief density, and induced elastic tissue repair in photoaged skin compared to excipient control in healthy female volunteers.

    Experimental Dermatology, 2003
  • Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.

    Journal of Periodontology, 2009
  • Topical application of VC-IP cream twice daily for 8 weeks reduces periorbital wrinkles in female subjects compared to a placebo cream.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
  • Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.

    Molecules, 2025
  • Plant-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, 2025
  • 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
  • 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

Ingredients

Water, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Isododecane, Cetearyl Olivate, Sodium Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ppg-12 Smdi Copolymer, Sorbitan Olivate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Titanium Dioxide, Squalane, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Cyclodextrin, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Alumina, Isostearic Acid, Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Disodium Edta, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Stearic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil Carrot Seed Oil, Sodium Polyaspartate, Climbazole, Retinal, Dipteryx Odorata Extract Tonka Extract Bean Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract Honeysuckle Flower Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract Honeysuckle Flower Extract, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Pentylene Glycol, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract Vanilla Fruit Extract, Decylene Glycol, Bht, 1,2-Hexanediol, Coumarin

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 10 Oct 2026

The Lovi Fit is the same in every country; only the stores and prices differ, and the ones here are for Italy.

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