Vivant DERM-A-GEL for combination skin
Retinyl Propionate
Niacinamide
Kojic Acid
Glycereth-26
Lactic AcidAverage
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for combination skin; other serums fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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 combination skin, as niacinamide helps regulate oil and lactic acid provides mild exfoliation, though these benefits are not directly targeted at your primary concern of oily shine.
- The formula includes retinyl propionate and lactic acid for fine line and wrinkle reduction, which are supportive but not the main focus for your oily shine concerns.
- The product is safe for your combination skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components like niacinamide.
How to apply
- Use your serum as part of your PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin likes it.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toner, and right before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and wait a minute ⏳for it to soak in.
- Apply the serum on clean and dry skin since your skin is not sensitive.
- Always do a patch test before using the serum for the first time, and avoid the eye area .
People Say
★4.9Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsThis retinoid serum is highly praised for its ability to significantly improve skin texture, reduce acne, and diminish fine lines, with most users experiencing a clearer complexion quickly. Some users report a mild adjustment period with dryness or purging. The data is based on approximately 175 reviews.
Highlights
Clears acne breakouts Mostly Mentioned
- “Helps with clearing acne”
- “less breakouts”
- “targets active acne”
Gentle on skin Often Mentioned
- “Gentle yet powerful”
- “even on sensitive skin”
- “didn't cause major side effects”
Improves skin texture Often Mentioned
- “Skin is smoother”
- “refine skin texture”
- “smoother surface”
Promotes glowing skin Sometimes Noted
- “My face is glowing”
- “restored youthful glow”
- “rosy glow”
Reduces fine lines Sometimes Noted
- “Reduced lines and pores”
- “softens fine lines”
- “anti-aging”
Initial skin purging Sometimes Noted
- “Did induce purging”
- “purging can occur”
- “expect initial purging”
Mild dryness/peeling Sometimes Noted
- “Mild peeling around mouth”
- “feeling of drier skin”
- “mild dryness”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “Scent is rather strong”
- “kinda unpleasant”
- “least favorite thing”
Sources: lovi.care, vivantskincare.com, judge.me, theskincareculture.com, lazskincare.com, sarahford.co, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Vivant Derm-A-Gel work for combination skin?
Vivant DERM-A-GEL works moderately well for combination skin because niacinamide helps balance oil and lactic acid provides gentle exfoliation, though these benefits do not directly target your primary concern of oily shine. It is unlikely to cause irritation and includes ingredients that help smooth fine lines, but combination skin needs a treatment with ingredients like niacinamide and zinc PCA to properly manage oily shine and provide balanced hydration without feeling heavy.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for combination skin?
Niacinamide and lactic acid make this serum a fit for combination skin because niacinamide helps regulate oil and lactic acid provides mild exfoliation, though these benefits are not directly targeted at your primary concern of oily shine. A treatment for this skin needs ingredients like niacinamide, propolis, and zinc PCA that manage oily shine, provide balanced hydration, and enhance radiance.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024
What does Retinyl Propionate do for combination skin?
Retinyl propionate helps smooth the look of lines and evens out skin tone while being much less likely to cause irritation or dryness compared to stronger retinoids. It works well on combination skin to improve the appearance of aging and dark spots by supporting healthy skin renewal with high comfort.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024
What does Niacinamide do for combination skin?
Niacinamide helps balance oily areas by reducing excess shine and pore size while keeping dry patches hydrated and smooth. It also works to calm redness and even out skin tone, making it very suitable for combination skin.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, starting at once a week and increasing slowly if your skin tolerates it well. Combination skin needs products with oil-balancing ingredients and direct oil-control benefits to manage oily shine effectively.
Can I use this serum with glycolic acid, and in what order?
This treatment should not be used in the same routine with glycolic acid because using multiple exfoliating ingredients together greatly increases your likelihood of skin irritation and dryness. Instead, use them on alternate nights or keep glycolic acid for your morning routine and apply this treatment at night.
How often should I use this serum?
Use this treatment in your evening routine once a week to start, as exfoliating steps begin slowly before you carefully build up frequency if your skin tolerates it well. A product of this type needs targeted oil-control ingredients to properly manage oily shine on combination skin.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This treatment may cause initial moderate skin purging as your skin adjusts to the ingredients, but it is unlikely to cause irritation due to soothing components like niacinamide. Combination skin dealing with oily shine needs a product with ingredients specifically targeted to control excess oil and clear pores directly.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A cosmetic niacinamide/peptide/retinyl propionate regimen significantly improved periorbital wrinkle appearance relative to a 0.02% tretinoin regimen at 8 weeks with comparable benefits at 24 weeks, while demonstrating significantly better tolerability in 196 women.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010A novel triple-active cosmetic formulation containing 4-hexylresorcinol, retinyl propionate, and niacinamide improved the visual appearance of photoageing similarly to 0.02% tretinoin and reversed a consensus gene signature associated with ageing in female adults while causing less skin irritation.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024A combination of retinyl propionate and climbazole (RPC) resulted in significant improvement in aging attributes, including deep wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, with significantly less irritation compared to 0.1% retinol in 45 healthy Caucasian females with moderately photodamaged facial skin.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017Over-the-counter retinol products provided only weak evidence for a mild ameliorating effect on fine facial skin wrinkle lines in randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled trials, and major methodological flaws call the validity of positive results into question.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2021Topical retinyl propionate cream produced no statistically significant differences compared to placebo for any clinical, histological, or profilometric parameters of skin photoageing in 80 subjects.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 1998A vitamin A palmitate and antioxidant-containing oil-based moisturizer improved fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation, tone, texture, dryness, firmness, and clarity across various body sites compared to a no-treatment group over 12 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2013Topical 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, 2005A topical formulation containing kojic acid, emblica extract, and glycolic acid demonstrated efficacy parity compared with hydroquinone 4% in multiethnic participants with mild to moderate facial dyschromia.
Cutis, 2010A nanoemulsion containing 1 mg/mL kojic dipalmitate and 5% rosehip oil demonstrated high incorporation efficiency, suitable physicochemical stability, antioxidant and depigmenting efficacy close to 1 mM ascorbic acid, and no cytotoxicity at concentrations from 0.06% to 1% in vitro.
Pharmaceutics, 2023Topical application of iron chelators kojic acid and deferiprone significantly accelerated wound healing in rats compared to control groups, with deferiprone showing superior efficacy due to higher antioxidant and iron chelation abilities.
International Wound Journal, 2013Application of a cream containing lactic acid 12% and pramoxine HCl 1% significantly improved skin dryness, hydration, and itch compared with a nontreated control in 24 women with a history of dry itchy skin.
Cutis, 2004Topical 12% ammonium lactate produced a significant sparing of epidermal and dermal atrophy induced by clobetasol propionate in human volunteers, without influencing the corticosteroid's bioavailability or antiinflammatory properties.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1992A lactic acid/ceramide lotion significantly improved skin moisturization and desquamation compared to no treatment in women with dry, rough skin on the anterior shins.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020
Why other serums fit combination 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, 2022A panthenol-enriched mask improved skin hydration, regulated sebum, and reduced redness and TEWL across dry sensitive, oily sensitive, and oily acne skin subgroups with excellent tolerance and no adverse reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Ingredients
Water, Glycereth-26, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Retinyl Propionate, Ethylhexyl Dimethyl Paba, Carbomer, Kojic Acid, Bht, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Pca, Glycine, Fructose, Urea, Niacinamide, Inositol, Sodium Benzoate, Lactic Acid, Disodium Edta, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
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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