Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment for acne-prone skin
Retinol
Peptides
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate Ascorbic Acid
Sodium Hyaluronate
Ceramide 2
High
- 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
- This treatment offers excellent wrinkle reduction and skin smoothing for your combination skin, as retinol and palmitoyl hexapeptide-12 work to reduce the appearance of fine lines and improve skin texture. Willow bark extract and niacinamide further support your goal of managing acne and breakouts by promoting exfoliation and regulating oil production.
- The inclusion of oat kernel extract and licorice root extract provides soothing benefits, enhancing overall skin comfort.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of calming components.
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
★4.4Overall rating based on 6.1k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users report significant improvements in skin texture, reduction in fine lines, and fading of hyperpigmentation. Many users experience a harsh adjustment period with peeling and irritation, so slow introduction is recommended.
Highlights
Smoother skin texture Mostly Mentioned
- “skin becomes very smooth”
- “texture has smoothed out”
- “glowy, smooth skin”
- “soft and smooth”
Anti-aging results Often Mentioned
- “softens lines and wrinkles”
- “firm and lifted”
- “younger looking skin”
- “fewer lines”
Dryness and peeling Often Mentioned
- “peeling and flaking”
- “skin might start to become drier”
- “shedding again”
- “dry patches”
Effective packaging Sometimes Noted
- “air-tight pump bottle”
- “vacuum pump is great”
- “dispenses exactly what you need”
- “sturdy and practical”
Even skin tone Sometimes Noted
- “hyperpigmentation is fading”
- “lighten acne marks”
- “skin tone is more even”
- “faded discolorations”
Lightweight formula Sometimes Noted
- “absorbs quickly”
- “light, silky texture”
- “spreads easily”
- “non-greasy”
High price Sometimes Noted
- “price is quite high”
- “bit steep”
- “expensive”
- “pricy for the amount”
Severe irritation Sometimes Noted
- “burnt skin off”
- “scaling like a snake”
- “raw and puffy”
- “absolutely burns”
Breakouts/Purging Rarely Noted
- “causing red acne”
- “gave me little breakouts”
- “red bumps”
- “badly broke me out”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “chemical smell”
- “sour smell”
- “weird scent”
- “smells like glue”
Sources: lovi.care, paulaschoice.com, amazon.com, sephora.com.au, dermstore.com, influenster.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Paula's Choice 1% Retinol Treatment a great fit for acne-prone skin?
This treatment is a great fit because retinol smooths your skin while willow bark extract helps manage acne by clearing pores and controlling oil. Soothing ingredients like oat kernel and licorice root help keep your skin calm and comfortable.
Which ingredients make this treatment a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Willow bark extract helps manage acne and breakouts by encouraging gentle exfoliation and balancing oil production. Soothing ingredients like oat kernel and licorice root extract keep your skin calm and comfortable.
What does Retinol do for acne-prone skin?
Retinol helps acne-prone skin by speeding up cell turnover and clearing pores to reduce breakouts. It regulates skin growth and fights inflammation, though it may cause some mild peeling or stinging when you first start using it.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2022The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017
What do Peptides do for acne-prone skin?
Peptides help calm acne-prone skin by reducing redness and soothing inflammation while supporting the skin barrier. Certain advanced peptide formulas also work to target acne-causing bacteria and help balance oil production.
Biochemical Pharmacology, 2025Bioresources and Bioprocessing, 2026
Where does this treatment go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This treatment goes in your evening routine, applied after cleansing and before moisturizing. Putting it in the evening keeps things simple and provides extra safety around sun exposure.
Can I use this treatment with niacinamide, and in what order?
You can use this treatment with niacinamide by applying your niacinamide product first in your routine and following with this treatment. This pairing helps manage breakouts and smooth your skin while maintaining an excellent safety profile with very low risks of irritation.
How often should I use this treatment?
This treatment is a great fit for your acne-prone skin and is used in the evening. Start by applying it once a week, and if your skin feels comfortable and you see good results, you may carefully use it more often.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Facial Plastic Surgery, 2014
Can this treatment clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This treatment is unlikely to cause new breakouts, though mild purging may happen at first as retinol helps clear out pores. Soothing ingredients like oat kernel extract and licorice root root extract help keep irritation low.
Is this treatment fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Behenyl alcohol and arachidyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Topical bakuchiol 0.5% applied twice daily compared with retinol 0.5% applied daily significantly decreased wrinkle surface area and hyperpigmentation with no statistical difference between the compounds in 44 patients over 12 weeks, while retinol users reported more facial skin scaling and stinging.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019A botanical face cleanser with hops and willow bark extract continuously reduced skin sebum levels without reactive seborrhea after treatment in 21 healthy volunteers compared to a sodium laureth sulfate cleanser, with neither cleanser causing skin irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Topical 0.4% retinol significantly increased epidermal thickness, dermal vascularity, and extracellular matrix production by stimulating keratinocyte proliferation, endothelial cell proliferation, and fibroblast activation in naturally aged human skin compared to vehicle.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017Silicone particles encapsulating retinol increased its half-life by 9-fold and yielded 12-23% lower skin irritation in human subjects compared to Microsponge particles while maintaining biological activity.
Journal of Controlled Release, 2018Topical stabilized retinol treatment induced HAS gene expression and increased hyaluronic acid production in human skin in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo compared to vehicle.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2017Topical 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, 2003Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.
Journal of Periodontology, 2009Topical 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, 2022Topical 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, 2019
Ingredients
Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Castor Isostearate Succinate, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Peg-33, Polysorbate 20, Behenyl Alcohol, Retinol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Ceramide 2, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract Oat Kernel Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Willow Bark Extract, Glycine Soja Soybean Sterols, Lecithin, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Sorbitan Laurate, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Disodium Edta, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Hydroxide, Tribehenin, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Peg-100 Stearate, Peg-75 Shea Glycerides Butter, Ppg-12, Peg-10 Phytosterol, Peg-8 Dimethicone, Peg-14, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Sclerotium Gum, Arachidyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol
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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