IOPE PDRN Caffeine Shot Serum for acne-prone skin
Bio-Pdrn
Caffeine
Niacinamide
Adenosine
Lactobacillus Lysate FermentAverage
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for acne-prone skin; other serums fit it 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
- Offers moderate benefits for your acne, blemishes, and breakouts due to Lactobacillus Lysate Ferment and Niacinamide, which provide supportive hydration and soothing effects for your combination skin. Beta-glucan also aids in barrier repair, complementing Niacinamide's seboregulation for your skin type.
- The presence of Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11 offers excellent skin firming and plumping, contributing to overall skin health.
- The product is safe for your combination skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
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
★4.8Overall rating based on 1.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users consistently praise this serum for its lightweight, fast-absorbing texture and its ability to visibly reduce facial puffiness and refine skin texture. While highly effective for "de-puffing" and strengthening the moisture barrier, some users with very dry skin find it requires an additional moisturizer, and the high price point is a frequent point of contention.
Highlights
Lightweight texture Mostly Mentioned
- “absorbs like water”
- “zero stickiness”
- “sinks right in”
- “lightweight and refreshing”
Reduces puffiness Often Mentioned
- “swelling goes down quickly”
- “jawline looks tighter”
- “less puffiness in morning”
- “face looks more contoured”
Expensive product Often Mentioned
- “price gives me pause”
- “wish it were affordable”
- “rationing it due to cost”
- “price-to-amount ratio is steep”
Gentle on skin Sometimes Noted
- “no irritation on sensitive days”
- “works gently”
- “didn't experience blemishes”
- “soothing feel”
Improves skin barrier Sometimes Noted
- “skin barrier feels stronger”
- “pores look managed”
- “skin became smoother”
- “refined skin texture”
Dry skin needs more Sometimes Noted
- “not heavy-duty hydration”
- “need cream afterwards”
- “felt tightness after a few hours”
- “too light for winter”
Minor breakouts Rarely Noted
- “small breakouts on forehead”
- “tiny red bumps”
- “caused minor texture issues”
Subtle anti-aging Rarely Noted
- “haven't noticed major firmness changes”
- “results are preventative”
- “didn't see dramatic transformation”
Sources: lovi.care, oliveyoung.co.kr, sokoglam.com, hwahae.co.kr, reddit.com, yesstyle.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does IOPE PDRN Caffeine Shot work for acne-prone skin?
This serum works reasonably well for acne-prone skin, offering helpful hydration and soothing effects alongside gentle barrier repair and oil control. Treatments that fit this skin better typically need a rich blend of targeted breakout-clearing ingredients like niacinamide and propolis or zinc PCA to provide optimal balance without causing excess oiliness or dryness.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Lactobacillus lysate ferment and niacinamide make this serum a good fit for acne-prone skin by offering soothing hydration, while beta-glucan aids in barrier repair and niacinamide helps balance oil. A product of this type needs effective ingredients like niacinamide and propolis or zinc PCA that provide excellent benefits for acne and blemishes while maintaining the balance of combination skin without causing excess oiliness or dryness.
What does Bio-PDRN do for acne-prone skin?
Bio-PDRN is unlikely to directly clear breakouts, but it helps repair skin and calm redness. For acne-prone skin, a product of this type needs soothing ingredients and lightweight hydration that will not clog pores.
What does Caffeine do for acne-prone skin?
Caffeine helps calm acne-prone skin by reducing redness and swelling while protecting against daily damage with antioxidants. It is generally well tolerated and may help keep your skin feeling smooth and balanced.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2013International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2024
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing. Acne-prone skin works best with products that offer soothing ingredients and oil control.
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol by applying the treatment after your retinol or by using them on alternate nights to keep acne-prone skin calm and hydrated. Because this product features soothing ingredients and barrier-repairing beta-glucan, it is unlikely to irritate your skin when layered carefully.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021
How often should I use this serum?
You can use this treatment in the evening as part of your routine. Acne-prone skin often works best with products containing soothing ingredients like niacinamide and barrier-repairing beta-glucan.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
It is unlikely to cause severe irritation, but some shoppers with acne-prone skin may experience minor breakouts. To better care for this skin type, products need ingredients that help soothe blemishes, balance oil, and repair the skin barrier without clogging pores.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Topical application of Low-Peony PDRN enhanced barrier recovery and improved periorbital skin elasticity in human subjects.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2025Polydeoxyribonucleotide promotes skin regeneration by increasing ERK phosphorylation, collagen accumulation, and cell proliferation and migration in fibroblasts while inhibiting ERK phosphorylation and inflammatory cytokine expression in keratinocytes.
Molecular Medicine Reports, 2023A topical mixture of polydeoxyribonucleotide, vitamin C, and niacinamide delivered via a microneedling therapy system decreased skin pigmentation and increased skin elasticity by attenuating melanogenesis and the destruction of collagen and elastin fibers in a UV-B-radiated animal model.
Molecules, 2022A topical cosmetic slimming product containing tetrahydroxypropyl ethylenediamine, caffeine, carnitine, forskolin and retinol significantly reduced body circumferences and improved skin aspect compared with placebo in 78 women over 12 weeks.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2011Topical sunscreen formulations containing caffeine combined with UV filters increased in vivo anti-UVB protection by approximately 25% and showed higher SPF values compared to caffeine-free sunscreen, while being well tolerated by the skin of healthy subjects.
Frontiers in Physiology, 2019Caffeine gel combined with choline geranate showed high skin permeation capacity and superior clinical results in cellulite treatment compared to caffeine gel without ionic liquid.
AAPS PharmSciTech, 2021Topical 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, 2005Topical adenosine treatment significantly increased the anagen hair growth rate and thick hair rate compared to placebo in Japanese women with female pattern hair loss over 12 months.
The Journal of Dermatology, 2008Topical application of a disodium adenosine monophosphate-based formulation reduced wrinkles and hyperpigmentation while improving hydration, barrier function, skin lifting, and epidermal turnover in female participants.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2026Adenosine and cordycepin stimulate the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway through adenosine receptor and PKA activation, promoting cell proliferation, migration, and growth factor secretion in cultured dermal fibroblasts.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2021Probiotic-derived lotion successfully reduced inflammatory acne lesion counts and erythema index comparably to 2.5% benzoyl peroxide in patients with mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris, while causing fewer side effects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Topical application of Lactobacillus plantarum-GMNL6 enhanced collagen synthesis and SPTSSA gene expression while reducing melanin synthesis, Staphylococcus aureus biofilm, and Cutibacterium acnes proliferation, leading to clinical improvements in skin moisture, color, spots, wrinkles, UV spots, and porphyrins in human volunteers.
International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2021Lactobacillus plantarum extracellular vesicles modulated extracellular matrix related gene expression in vitro and suppressed wrinkle formation and pigmentation in clinical trials.
Current Issues in Molecular Biology, 2022
Ingredients
Lactobacillus Lysate Ferment, Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Caffeine, Dipropylene Glycol, 2-Hexanediol, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Mannitol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Sodium Citrate, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Citric Acid, Disodium Edta, T-Butyl Alcohol, Arginine, Cyclodextrin, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Maltodextrin, Xanthan Gum, Beta-Glucan, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11, Tocopherol
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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