SOME BY MI Yuja Niacin Blemish Care Serum for acne-prone skin
Yuja Extract
Niacinamide
Glutathione
Arbutin
Licorice Root ExtractHigh
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
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 serum is highly suitable for your combination skin, as niacinamide helps regulate oil production and arbutin works to even out skin tone, addressing your concerns with acne and blemishes.
- The inclusion of sodium ascorbyl phosphate and panthenol further supports your skin by targeting inflammation and promoting a clearer complexion.
- The product has a favorable safety profile with no reported irritation risks for combination skin.
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 900+ reviewsThis serum is highly effective at brightening dull skin and fading dark spots and hyperpigmentation, with users frequently noting its lightweight, fast-absorbing texture and refreshing citrus scent. It is particularly well-suited for oily, combination, and sensitive skin types. Some users with dry skin found it necessary to layer with a moisturizer, and a small number reported minimal results or slight irritation.
Highlights
Lightweight, fast-absorbing Mostly Mentioned
- “It's lightweight, absorbs instantly, and makes my skin feel hydrated all day.”
- “I love how quickly this serum sinks in - I don't have a lot of time to wait around in the mornings.”
- “It's super lightweight, absorbs quickly, and my sensitive skin hasn't reacted negatively to it at all.”
- “Its light, weightless gel texture absorbs instantly without leaving a sticky or greasy residue.”
Brightens dull skin Often Mentioned
- “My skin looks visibly brighter, too.”
- “I can definitely see it brightened my skin a lot and helped me reduce the redness of acne scars.”
- “When I started to use the product my skin is brighter and no more pimples.”
- “Yuja Niacin Blemish serum rejuvenated my dull, tired skin giving it a fresh dewy feel and look.”
Fades dark spots Often Mentioned
- “This serum brightened my dark spots and evened out my skin tone beautifully.”
- “I especially noticed a difference in those stubborn dark spots that seemed impossible to get rid of.”
- “The 82.3% Yuja extract has worked wonders in brightening my complexion and fading dark spots.”
- “Go to serum at night for fading blemishes, the right percentage of Niacinamide for my skin.”
Refreshing citrus scent Sometimes Noted
- “The product has a gel consistency and a refreshing citrus scent.”
- “It has a refreshing citrus scent that uplifts your mood whether you are using the serum during the day or at night.”
- “Good serum, has a nice scent!”
- “The refreshing citrus scent is just an added bonus.”
Minimal dramatic results Rarely Noted
- “My results are pretty minimal to be very honest. My acne scars are still present, my freckles haven't changed in the slightest.”
- “I did NOT have the results nearly as dramatic and drastic as SOME BY MI claims.”
- “The previous serums I've tried that have less drastic claims as this serum actually worked significantly better.”
- “I truly question the validity of all their advertisements about this serum as these results don't seem reasonably obtainable.”
Needs extra moisturizer Rarely Noted
- “Those with dry skin paired it with a heavier moisturizer for added hydration.”
- “I have dry skin and needed to follow up with a thick cream.”
- “It's lightweight but not moisturizing enough on its own for winter.”
- “Needs to be layered with other hydrating products if you have dry skin.”
Potential breakouts Rarely Noted
- “After using this serum for a few days, I got a few pimples.”
- “I wouldn't apply this over active breakouts due to potentially irritating ingredients such as peppermint extract and citrus peel oil.”
- “Vitamin C can sometimes trigger sensitivity in some people.”
- “Irritation potential: high.”
Sources: lovi.care, gopicky.com, lemon8-app.com, kbeautyhobbit.com, boniik.com.au, littlewonderland.eu, and more
Questions and answers
What makes SOME BY MI Yuja Niacin Blemish Care Serum a great fit for acne-prone skin?
SOME BY MI Yuja Niacin Blemish Care Serum is a great fit for acne-prone skin because niacinamide helps balance oil while sodium ascorbyl phosphate and panthenol work to calm redness and clear breakouts. It also features arbutin to help fade dark spots left behind by acne, and it has a safe formula that is unlikely to cause irritation.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2009American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for acne-prone skin?
This serum is a great fit because niacinamide helps regulate oil, while sodium ascorbyl phosphate and panthenol target inflammation for a clearer complexion. Arbutin also works to even out skin tone and fade blemishes, and the product has a very safe profile with no irritation risks.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2009American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
What does Yuja Extract do for acne-prone skin?
Yuja Extract helps support dry or irritated skin by boosting moisture and improving overall smoothness. It is unlikely to cause heavy greasy buildup, but acne-prone skin still needs ingredients that deeply clean pores and calm redness.
What does Niacinamide do for acne-prone skin?
Niacinamide helps acne-prone skin by reducing both inflamed and uninflamed breakouts and calming redness. It is also very helpful for keeping oily skin balanced by cutting down on excess oil production, and it is well tolerated by most people.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This serum goes in your evening routine, applied after cleansing and before your moisturizer. Using it at night helps keep things simple and keeps your skin safe from the sun while the active ingredients work.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
Yes, you can use this serum with retinol, applying this treatment first and following with your retinol after it absorbs. This product is unlikely to cause irritation on acne-prone skin, helping you layer active ingredients safely while targeting breakouts and uneven tone.
How often should I use this serum?
This serum is a great fit for your acne-prone skin and is generally used in your evening routine. It has a very safe profile with little to no risk of irritation, helping to calm inflammation and clear blemishes smoothly.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This serum is a great fit for acne-prone skin because niacinamide helps balance oil and sodium ascorbyl phosphate targets inflammation to keep skin clear. It has a very safe profile and is unlikely to clog pores, with only a low chance of causing breakouts for this skin type.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2009American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (limonene and linalool).
What the research says
Topical combination of 5% sodium ascorbyl phosphate and 0.2% retinol reduced inflammatory acne lesions by 29.28% at 4 weeks and 63.10% at 8 weeks, outperforming either agent alone.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2009Topical 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, 2002A non-hydroquinone topical formulation (SKNB19) improved hyperpigmentation by 28.5% in patient self-assessment and 27% in independent reviewer assessment compared with 4% hydroquinone in 18 adult subjects, while showing significantly less irritation and better tolerability.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020Citrus junos callus extract decreased melanin content in melanocytes 1.85-fold compared with arbutin and promoted the proliferation of and procollagen synthesis by human fibroblasts by 154% and 176% at 500 μg/mL.
Molecules, 2017Yuja-peel fractions (ethyl acetate, hexane, and butanol) inhibited MMP expression, induced moisturizing factors filaggrin and serine palmitoyltransferase, and decreased melanin content in UVB-irradiated HaCaT, HDF, and α-MSH-treated B16F10 cells.
Antioxidants, 2022Upcycled low-molecular-weight anionic peptides from Citrus junos seeds protected UVR-irradiated keratinocytes and reconstructed skin tissue by scavenging reactive oxygen species, reducing paracrine cytokines, inhibiting melanin synthesis and TRP-2 expression, and increasing filaggrin, laminin-5, and type I collagen expression.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2024Topical 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, 2005Glutathione amino acid precursors effectively increase cellular glutathione levels, reducing oxidative stress, ATP depletion, and DNA damage in human keratinocytes, clinical subjects, and ex vivo skin compared to controls.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2024Topical oxidized glutathione significantly decreases the skin melanin index and improves moisture content, smoothness, wrinkle formation, and elasticity compared to placebo in healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2014Topical glutathione improves hyperpigmentation, reduces ultraviolet-induced erythema and wrinkles, decreases transepidermal water loss, and enhances antioxidant capacity.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2025Encapsulation of alpha arbutin in an optimized ethosomal gel significantly improved skin melanin reduction, moisture content, and elasticity in human volunteers compared to conventional formulations.
Heliyon, 2023Combining a home-based radiofrequency device and arbutin cream reduced mMASI scores by 25.6% and melanin index by 22.8% at 8 weeks compared to baseline in 38 participants.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Polyvinyl pyrrolidone-K90/Eudragit RL100 dissolving microneedle patches loaded with alpha-arbutin and resveratrol enhanced intradermal delivery by approximately 2.6 times compared to cream and slightly decreased the melanin index in human participants without causing skin irritation.
Biomaterials Science, 2023Combining 755 nm alexandrite laser with topical licorice gel significantly reduces terminal hair counts compared to alexandrite laser with placebo in women with idiopathic hirsutism.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015Licochalcone A activated Nrf2 signaling, elevated cytoprotective enzymes, increased the reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio, and decreased reactive oxygen species in human fibroblasts and neutrophils, while a LicA-rich licorice extract lowered UVA-induced oxidative processes in vivo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2015Bioactive glycyrrhizic acid and oxymatrine ionic liquid self-assembled nanomicelles significantly promoted the transdermal permeation, subcutaneous retention, and anti-photoaging efficacy of palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 in cellular and animal models compared to unformulated peptide.
Advanced Science, 2025
Ingredients
Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Propanediol, C12-14 Pareth-12, Water, Trehalose, C12-14 Pareth-7, Carbomer, Citrus Junos Peel Oil, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Coptis Chinensis Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Agrimonia Eupatoria Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cellulose Gum, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Disodium Edta, Arbutin, Perilla Frutescens Leaf Extract, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Saussurea Involucrata Extract, Glucose, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Peppermint Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Panthenol, Glutathione, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Maltodextrin, Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract Avocado Fruit Extract, Pancratium Maritimum Extract, Folic Acid, Biotin, Pyridoxine, Tocopherol, Cyanocobalamin, Linoleic Acid, Thiamine Hcl, Beta-Carotene, Riboflavin, Inositol, Limonene, Linalool
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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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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