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Youth To The People Retinal + Niacinamide Youth Serum for oily acne-prone skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

Youth To The People Retinal + Niacinamide Youth Serum

Average

  • HighOily Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

Works for oily acne-prone skin; other serums fit it better.

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

  • Offers moderate exfoliation and sebum regulation for your oily skin, as retinal and niacinamide work to refine texture and control oiliness. The inclusion of squalane and hyaluronic acid derivatives provides essential hydration without clogging pores, supporting overall skin health.
  • The formulation includes various botanical extracts and ceramides that offer soothing and barrier-strengthening benefits, which are generally supportive for oily skin.
  • This product is safe for your oily skin, with no reported irritation risks due to its gentle formulation and absence of harsh ingredients.

How to apply

  • Could be used as part of your PM routine. Start 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
  • Apply your serum after cleansing and toning, but before putting on your moisturizer.
  • Gently press 2 to 3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
  • Apply the serum on clean, dry skin to help manage your blemishes safely.
  • Do a patch test before your first use and avoid the delicate eye area.

People Say

★4.7Overall rating based on 1000+ reviews

Users with acne-prone and textured skin report significant improvements in smoothness and clarity, often seeing faster results than with traditional retinols without the typical irritation. While the yellow tint and high price point are common complaints, the majority find it to be a gentle, effective solution for brightening dark spots and refining pores.

Highlights

  • Smoother texture Mostly Mentioned
    • “acne has disappeared”
    • “skin looking super smooth”
    • “smoothing rough skin”
    • “helped with texture”
  • Gentle and non-irritating Often Mentioned
    • “zero irritation redness”
    • “gave me nothing but happy skin”
    • “gentle efficacy”
    • “no discomfort”
  • Yellow tint Often Mentioned
    • “turned skin yellow”
    • “stained my skin”
    • “yellow tint looks odd”
    • “face yellow and tacky”
  • Brightening and glow Sometimes Noted
    • “visibly brighter”
    • “radiant look”
    • “dark spots fading”
    • “even out skin tone”
  • Fast visible results Sometimes Noted
    • “results in one week”
    • “fast acting”
    • “results within couple weeks”
    • “shocked by amount of results”
  • High price Sometimes Noted
    • “very expensive”
    • “pricey side”
    • “costs way too much”
    • “out of budget”
  • Hydrating feel Rarely Noted
    • “plump juicy brighter”
    • “hydrating ingredients”
    • “skin feels better”
    • “not heavy or greasy”
  • Dryness and flaking Rarely Noted
    • “felt dry and flaky”
    • “little drying”
    • “drys out the skin”
    • “skin felt dry”
  • Ineffective for some Rarely Noted
    • “not doing anything”
    • “didn't find added value”
    • “unhelpful for acne”
    • “no change in pores”
  • Pump issues Rarely Noted
    • “pump is awful”
    • “pump hard to press”
    • “stiff pump”
    • “impossible to get little product”

Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, kohls.com, cultbeauty.co.uk, youthtothepeople.com, reddit.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does Youth To The People Retinal + Niacinamide Youth Serum work for oily acne-prone skin?

Youth To The People Retinal + Niacinamide Youth Serum works moderately well for your oily acne-prone skin, offering oil control and texture refinement with minimal irritation risk. A treatment for this skin needs targeted ingredients like niacinamide and vitamin C for oil and blemishes, plus lightweight hydrators and soothing extracts that keep the face comfortable without feeling heavy or causing breakouts.

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

Retinal and niacinamide help refine texture and control oiliness, while squalane and hyaluronic acid derivatives provide lightweight hydration. To work best for oily acne-prone skin, a product of this type needs targeted oil-control ingredients, soothing botanical extracts, and non-clogging hydrators.

What does Retinal do for oily acne-prone skin?

Retinal helps clear clogged pores, reduces bumps and pimples, and helps balance oil production for oily, acne-prone skin. It is generally well tolerated when used regularly as part of an acne skincare routine.

Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 1999European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, 2014

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 treatment serum goes in the evening routine after cleansing and toning, followed by a moisturizer. Oily acne-prone skin often does better with a lightweight product containing retinoids, niacinamide, and ceramides to help control oil, refine texture, and support the skin barrier without clogging pores.

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

You can use this serum with AHA, but to lower the likelihood of irritation you should use AHA in your morning routine and this serum at night. This product helps control oiliness and refine texture, yet an oily acne-prone skin type also needs targeted exfoliating acids and lightweight hydrators to fully clear pores.

How often should I use this serum?

This treatment is used in the evening routine. A product of this type needs ingredients like salicylic acid, glycolic acid, or lightweight clays to better refine texture, control oiliness, and clear pores for oily acne-prone skin.

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

This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts because it uses light hydrators that keep skin soft without heavy oils. To work best for oily acne-prone skin, a product of this type needs pore-clearing ingredients like salicylic acid and oil-controlling elements to properly manage breakouts.

Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

What the research says

  • Application of Body Lotion for 5 weeks on cosmetic dry skin improved barrier properties, increased levels of cholesterol, ceramides, and long-chain fatty acids, increased beneficial skin bacteria, and enhanced microbiome functional potential compared to baseline.

    Scientific Reports, 2022

  • 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 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, 2021

  • Topical 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, 2008

  • Topical 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, 2005

  • 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

Ingredients

Water, Butylene Glycol, Triethylhexanoin, Niacinamide, Squalane, Cyclodextrin, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Grifola Frondosa Fruiting Body Extract, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Arginine, Retinal, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Ganoderma Lucidum Stem Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Cucumis Sativus Seed Oil, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract Honeysuckle Flower Extract, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Letinus Edodes Mycelium Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract Honeysuckle Flower Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Oil Shea Oil, Ceramide Eop, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Capryloyl Glycerin Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Diheptyl Succinate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phytosterols, Propanediol, Benzyl Glycol, Raspberry Ketone

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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

How does it fit your skin?

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How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
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