BYOMA Hydrating Serum for acne-prone skin
Tri-Ceramide Complex
Squalane
Glycerin
Ceramide Np
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
High
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for acne-prone skin; a few moisturizers 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
- Highly suitable for your combination skin, this serum effectively moisturizes with high concentrations of glycerin and squalane, which hydrate and support barrier resilience without overwhelming oily areas.
- The inclusion of lactic acid offers mild exfoliation, providing moderate benefits for your acne and blemishes.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components like glycerin and squalane.
How to apply
- Use your moisturizer twice a day in your AM and PM routines. Apply it daily to help keep breakouts under control.
- Apply after your cleanser and toner, and make sure to use your SPF right after in the morning.
- Gently spread a small amount of moisturizer over your face using soft motions. Let it absorb into the skin for a minute before getting dressed or applying makeup.
- Apply on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra moisture. This keeps your combination skin balanced without feeling heavy.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use. Stop using if you feel any irritation.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 2.6k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with dry, dehydrated, and sensitive skin frequently praise this serum for its ability to repair a damaged skin barrier and reduce redness, often describing the outcome as "bouncy" and "plump" skin. While many appreciate its lightweight, milky texture for daily maintenance, some users with extremely dry skin note that it requires layering with a rich moisturizer to be fully effective.
Highlights
Strengthens skin barrier Mostly Mentioned
- “helped heal my barrier”
- “calmed my redness”
- “skin feels less reactive”
Instant hydration Often Mentioned
- “skin looks dewy”
- “leaves face feeling plump”
- “got rid of dry patches”
Lightweight & fast-absorbing Often Mentioned
- “sinks in immediately”
- “not greasy at all”
- “perfect under makeup”
Poor dropper design Often Mentioned
- “dropper barely works”
- “hard to get product out”
- “struggle to pick up serum”
Affordable price point Sometimes Noted
- “great value for money”
- “beats expensive serums”
- “budget-friendly staple”
Gentle & fragrance-free Sometimes Noted
- “no irritation on sensitive skin”
- “doesn't sting”
Bottle feels empty Sometimes Noted
- “arrived half full”
- “finished too quickly”
- “deceptive packaging size”
Insufficient hydration alone Sometimes Noted
- “need to layer it”
- “not enough for winter”
- “skin felt dry later”
Sticky texture Rarely Noted
- “leaves a tacky film”
- “feels a bit gluey”
- “sticky until it dries”
Sources: lovi.care, target.com, boots.com, cultbeauty.co.uk, ulta.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes the BYOMA Hydrating Serum a great fit for acne-prone skin?
This serum is a great fit for acne-prone skin because it hydrates and supports skin barrier strength using glycerin and squalane without overwhelming oily areas. It also features mild exfoliation from lactic acid to help with blemishes, and has an excellent safety profile with soothing ingredients that are unlikely to cause irritation.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Glycerin and squalane make this serum a great fit by hydrating and supporting your skin without overwhelming oily areas. Additionally, lactic acid offers mild exfoliation to help manage blemishes while soothing ingredients keep the risk of irritation very low.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Molecules, 2025
What do Ceramides do for acne-prone skin?
Ceramides help acne-prone skin by restoring a damaged water barrier, which reduces dryness, redness, and flaking caused by harsh acne treatments. Using ceramides also may lower inflammation and improve overall skin comfort while keeping breakouts in check.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
What does Squalane do for acne-prone skin?
Squalane may help keep acne-prone skin soft and smooth, but peroxidated forms can trigger inflammation in skin cells. For a better fit on acne-prone skin, products need non-clogging, soothing ingredients that balance oil without causing irritation.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This serum goes in the evening routine after cleansing and toning, and before moisturizing. Putting treatments in the evening keeps things simple and adds extra safety around sun exposure.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol, applying the serum first to help keep your skin calm and hydrated while minimizing dryness or irritation. Barrier-supporting ingredients like ceramides and glycerin help protect your skin during active treatments.
How often should I use this serum?
This serum is a great fit for your acne-prone skin and is typically used in the evening as part of your routine. Daily application helps hydrate and support your skin barrier while improving blemishes without overwhelming oily areas.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This serum is a great fit for acne-prone skin because it hydrates with glycerin and squalane without overwhelming oily areas, while lactic acid offers mild exfoliation that helps with blemishes. It is very unlikely to cause irritation or breakouts due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Molecules, 2025
Can I use this serum around the eyes or on my body?
You can safely use this serum on the thin skin around your eyes and on your body, as its gentle formula provides light hydration without irritation. The skin on the body and around the eyes requires lightweight moisture and soothing ingredients to stay soft and protected.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
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, 2017Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Topical application of a ceramide complex cream significantly ameliorated lactic acid sensations and increased stratum corneum total ceramide content in 39 female subjects with sensitive skin compared with placebo.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2018A canine-specific ceramide complex consisting of a 4:1 ratio of CER [NS] to [EOP] reduced proinflammatory cytokine expression, upregulated skin barrier-related genes and enzymes, improved stratum corneum organization, and accelerated skin barrier repair in vitro and in vivo.
Animals, 2026Plant-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, 2025The 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, 2020Ten 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, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012Combining 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
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Squalane, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Vp Copolymer, Dipropylene Glycol, Ceramide Np, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Stearic Acid, Oleic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Oleate, Lactic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Alcohol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Phytate, Xanthan Gum, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tocopherol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid
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
How does it fit your skin?
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