Anua NANO RETINOL™ 0.3% + NIACIN RENEWING SERUM for acne-prone skin
Retinol
Niacinamide
Hyaluronic Acid
Panthenol
AllantoinHigh
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for acne-prone skin; a few serums fit it even better.
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
- International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017
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
- This serum is highly suitable for your combination skin, as niacinamide helps regulate sebum production in oily areas while glycerin provides essential hydration for drier zones, effectively addressing your acne and breakouts.
- The inclusion of retinol and niacinamide at moderate concentrations promotes cell turnover and reduces inflammation, further benefiting your skin concerns and minimizing fine lines.
- The product is safe for your acne-prone skin, containing soothing ingredients like niacinamide and panthenol with no harsh or prohibited substances.
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
★4.7Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsUsers find this serum to be an excellent gentle introduction to retinol, effectively smoothing skin texture and refining pores with minimal irritation. While improvements to fine lines and blackheads require consistent use, the formula hydrates and plumps the skin, leaving it glowing and moisturized.
Highlights
Gentle & non-irritating Often Mentioned
- “great for beginners”
- “no harsh peeling”
- “mild formula”
- “zero sensitivity”
Improves texture & pores Often Mentioned
- “pores visibly tightened”
- “glass skin texture”
- “smoother complexion”
- “refined skin”
Brightening effect Sometimes Noted
- “fades dark spots”
- “radiant appearance”
- “brightens dullness”
- “even skin tone”
Elegant texture Sometimes Noted
- “absorbs quickly”
- “lightweight feel”
- “non-sticky”
- “layers well”
Hydrating & plumping Sometimes Noted
- “moisturizing finish”
- “non-drying formula”
- “plump and firm”
- “healthy glow”
Slow results Sometimes Noted
- “not instant fix”
- “takes time”
- “requires patience”
- “cumulative effect”
Initial sensitivity Rarely Noted
- “slight tingling”
- “mild purging”
- “minor redness”
- “start slowly”
Scent preferences Rarely Noted
- “medicinal smell”
- “herbal scent”
- “wish it was unscented”
- “smell lingers”
Small quantity Rarely Noted
- “bottle too small”
- “finished quickly”
- “wish for bigger size”
- “30ml not enough”
Sources: lovi.care, anua.us, iherb.com, stylekorean.com, yesstyle.com, stylevana.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Anua Nano Retinol 0.3% + Niacin Renewing Serum a great fit for acne-prone skin?
This serum is a great fit because niacinamide helps balance oil production while glycerin keeps dry areas hydrated, which actively helps manage breakouts. Additionally, moderate amounts of retinol and niacinamide encourage cell turnover and calm inflammation, and soothing ingredients like panthenol make it very safe and gentle for this skin type.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for acne-prone skin?
This serum is a great fit for your acne-prone skin because niacinamide helps regulate oil in oily areas while glycerin keeps drier zones hydrated, effectively managing breakouts. Additionally, retinol and niacinamide promote cell turnover and reduce inflammation, while soothing ingredients like panthenol keep the skin calm and safe from irritation.
What does Retinol do for acne-prone skin?
Retinol helps acne-prone skin by speeding up cell turnover and clearing pores to reduce breakouts. It regulates skin growth and fights inflammation, though it may cause some mild peeling or stinging when you first start using it.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2022The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017
What does Niacinamide do for acne-prone skin?
Niacinamide helps acne-prone skin by reducing both inflamed and uninflamed breakouts and calming redness. It is also very helpful for keeping oily skin balanced by cutting down on excess oil production, and it is well tolerated by most people.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This treatment serum goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before your moisturizer. Putting it at night gives you extra safety around sun exposure.
Can I use this serum with vitamin C, and in what order?
You can use this serum with vitamin C by applying vitamin C in your morning routine and this treatment at night. Using them at different times of day helps prevent irritation while still giving your skin the full benefits of both ingredients.
How often should I use this serum?
This serum fits your acne-prone skin well and is best used in your evening routine. Start using it once a week, and if your skin feels comfortable and you see good results, you may carefully use it more often.
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 contains soothing ingredients like niacinamide and panthenol with no harsh substances. It helps promote cell turnover while regulating oil, making it unlikely to clog pores, though initial sensitivity may happen.
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, 2017Topical 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, 2017A panthenol-enriched mask significantly decreased erythema and hyperpigmentation, increased sebum and stratum corneum moisture, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to a saline dressing in 60 subjects undergoing facial laser treatment.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Topical 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 stabilized retinol treatment induced HAS gene expression and increased hyaluronic acid production in human skin in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo compared to vehicle.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2017Topical 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 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 dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Topical dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.
Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000Topical gel containing chitosan, 0.2% chlorhexidine, allantoin and dexpanthenol did not improve postoperative comfort regarding swelling and pain, but improved the wound's aesthetic appearance following impacted lower third molar extraction compared to no gel.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2016A topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020An overnight patch containing Allium cepa extract and allantoin safely promotes scar healing after dermatologic surgery, resulting in significantly greater reductions in observer- and patient-assessed POSAS scores compared to no treatment.
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2018
Ingredients
Water, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Hyaluronic Acid, Allantoin, Betaine, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Disodium Edta
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
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