StriVectin AR™ Night Treatment for oily skin
Advanced Retinol
Sodium Hyaluronate
Peptides
Niacinamide
Vitamin EAverage
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily skin; other serums fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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 suitability for your oily skin as niacinamide helps with seboregulation and glycerin provides hydration, though stronger oil-controlling ingredients are absent.
- Retinol and sodium hyaluronate offer excellent effectiveness in minimizing fine lines and wrinkles and hydrating your skin, but these benefits are not directly relevant to managing oily shine.
- The product is safe for your oily skin with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this serum in your PM routine. Start by applying it 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toning, but right before your moisturizer for the best results.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin. Let it absorb ⏱ for a minute before applying the next product.
- Apply the serum on clean and dry skin since your skin is not sensitive and you want to target oily shine. This helps control excess oil throughout the night.
- Avoid the delicate eye area and do a patch test before using the serum for the very first time.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 1.3k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this retinol treatment is highly regarded by users, particularly those with mature and dry skin. It is frequently praised for its effectiveness in reducing fine lines and wrinkles, and for providing deep hydration without causing irritation. Many users report smoother, softer, and plumper skin by morning. Some users experience mild peeling or dryness, and a few mention an unpleasant scent or breakouts, but these are less common concerns.
Highlights
Deeply hydrating Often Mentioned
- “intense hydration”
- “skin feels moisturized, nourished”
- “hydrated very well”
- “rich creamy texture left my skin feeling great”
Reduces fine lines Often Mentioned
- “minimizing my fine lines”
- “fine lines are not as noticeable”
- “reduces the depth of wrinkles”
- “deeper lines have improved somewhat”
Gentle on skin Sometimes Noted
- “gentle enough to use every day”
- “doesn't cause me any irritation or redness”
- “no dry skin or peeling”
- “great retinol for sensitive skin”
Improves skin texture Sometimes Noted
- “smoother texture”
- “skin feels so soft and smooth”
- “refines texture and the look of pores”
- “rough texture has also improved”
Causes breakouts Rarely Noted
- “broke me out almost immediately”
- “caused some breakouts”
- “woke up with blemishes”
Causes peeling/dryness Rarely Noted
- “new formula is causing peeling or drying”
- “experienced slight irritation from the retinol”
- “can only use it a couple nights a week or peeling begins”
Greasy residue Rarely Noted
- “oily residue that never really absorbed”
- “way too heavy for me”
- “woke up feeling really greasy”
High price Rarely Noted
- “comes at a pretty steep price”
- “price is too high for the regular size”
- “wish it was more affordable”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “could not get over the scent”
- “didn't love the color and scent”
- “has a noticeable fragrance”
Sources: lovi.care, macys.com, costco.com, dermstore.com, boots.com, lovelyskin.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does StriVectin AR Night Treatment work for oily skin?
This treatment works moderately well for your oily skin, as niacinamide helps balance oil and glycerin keeps skin hydrated. A product of this type needs stronger oil-controlling ingredients, along with ingredients like ferulic acid, zinc PCA, ceramide NP, and panthenol to manage shine and support the skin barrier.
Which ingredients make this treatment a good fit for oily skin?
Niacinamide helps control excess oil while glycerin provides hydration, making this treatment a moderate fit for your oily skin. Treatments that fit oily skin best need ingredients like zinc PCA and ferulic acid to manage shine and enlarged pores.
What does Retinol do for oily skin?
Retinol helps oily skin by reducing excess sebum secretion and smoothing the skin. It is unlikely to cause heavy irritation when properly formulated, though it may take time to adjust to your routine.
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for oily skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps oily skin by reducing extra oil and sebum production without causing irritation. Clinical studies show it successfully balances oil levels while keeping the skin comfortable.
Where does this treatment go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and toning, and before moisturizing. Oily skin of this type needs stronger oil-controlling ingredients to manage shine.
Can I use this treatment with glycolic acid, and in what order?
It is best to use glycolic acid and this treatment on separate nights to help avoid potential skin irritation. Using them together can overload oily skin with too many strong exfoliating and renewing ingredients at once.
How often should I use this treatment?
You can use this treatment in the evening as part of your nighttime routine. Oily skin needs a product with stronger oil-controlling ingredients to manage shine better.
Can this treatment clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This treatment is unlikely to cause breakouts for oily skin as it has a safe profile with no harsh ingredients, though occasional minor breakouts are rarely reported. Oily skin works best with products that include stronger oil-controlling ingredients to help manage shine.
Is this treatment fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum). Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
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, 2017Topical hyaluronic acid filler serum combined with Botulinum toxin type A lengthened the duration of the toxin's effect in reducing wrinkles compared to Botulinum toxin type A alone.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Topical 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, 2017Topical 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, 2019Silicone 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 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, 2019Topical 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 application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Why other serums fit oily skin better
Niacinamide and ferulic acid incorporated in a stable multiple emulsion successfully reduced melanin, sebum, and skin erythema while improving skin elasticity and hydration in human skin compared to a placebo.
BioMed Research International, 2022
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Retinol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Niacinamide, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Ceteareth-20, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Panthenol, Allantoin, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium Edta, Parfum
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.
-
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-
Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-
Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-
Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-
Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.