Bioderma Sébium Lotion for oily acne-prone skin
Salicylic Acid
Zinc Gluconate
Fomes Officinalis Extract Mushroom Extract
Capryloyl Glycine
Glycerin
Average
- SuperiorOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other toners fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. 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 exfoliation and pore refinement for your oily skin, with glycerin and xylitol providing excellent hydration to balance the effects of salicylic acid. Fomes Officinalis Extract and salicylic acid offer mild pore-refining and exfoliation, which are supportive but not directly targeted at your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- Zinc gluconate contributes to seboregulation, which is beneficial for managing oiliness or shiny skin.
- The formula is safe for your oily skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin feels fine.
- Apply your hydrating toner after cleansing and before putting on your moisturizer or SPF.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the hydrating toner into your skin with your hands. Let it ⏱absorb for a minute before adding your next product.
- Applying the hydrating toner on slightly damp skin helps your face absorb it better. This keeps your oily skin balanced and hydrated.
- Be sure to avoid the eye area when applying. Do a patch test before your first use to check for any reaction.
People Say
★4.3Overall rating based on 300+ reviewsUsers with combination to oily skin frequently praise this lotion for its effectiveness in regulating sebum and reducing shine, while also providing lightweight hydration. Many reviewers report a visible reduction in breakouts and refined pore texture, noting it as a beneficial prep step for balanced skin. A moderate number of users find the fragrance to be strong or artificial, and a low number report a sticky residue or minor irritation.
Highlights
Effective oil control Mostly Mentioned
- “kept my oils at bay all day”
- “skin isn't looking oily by evening”
- “mattifies naturally even after a long day”
Lightweight hydration Often Mentioned
- “hydrates without being sticky”
- “leaves skin super soft”
- “doesn't leave face feeling dry and tight”
Reduces breakouts Sometimes Noted
- “reduction in hormonal breakouts”
- “cleared up my chin pimples”
- “stops the process which causes pimples”
Refines pores Sometimes Noted
- “pores are not as clogged”
- “pores look tightened”
- “skin texture is refined”
Strong fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “smell is hard to get used to”
- “fragrance feels too artificial”
- “smells like men's aftershave and cucumber”
Eye/skin irritation Rarely Noted
- “stings badly if it gets in eyes”
- “tingling sensation on cheeks”
- “caused a bit of redness initially”
Price point Rarely Noted
- “way too small for the price”
- “pricey for a toner”
- “can only buy it during sales”
Sticky residue Rarely Noted
- “can feel a bit sticky”
- “leaves a tacky feeling”
- “takes a while to absorb fully”
Sources: lovi.care, influenster.com, hometesterclub.com, lookfantastic.com, bioderma.us, boots.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Bioderma Sébium Lotion work for oily acne-prone skin?
Bioderma Sébium Lotion works moderately well for oily acne-prone skin, offering mild pore refinement and hydration, though it lacks direct blemish-fighting strength. To fit this skin type best, a product needs targeted acne-fighting ingredients, lightweight and non-comedogenic components, and a strong focus on balancing oil without heavy textures.
Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Salicylic acid and mushroom extract help refine pores, while zinc gluconate and capryloyl glycine manage oiliness, and glycerin with xylitol keep your skin hydrated. This toner for oily acne-prone skin needs ingredients that directly target breakouts and blemishes while remaining lightweight and non-comedogenic.
What does Salicylic Acid do for oily acne-prone skin?
Salicylic acid helps clear breakouts and keeps oily skin balanced by reducing oil levels and calming inflammation. It is well suited for oily, acne-prone skin because it targets pimples while helping keep the skin hydrated and protected.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Experimental Dermatology, 2019
What does Zinc Gluconate do for oily acne-prone skin?
Zinc gluconate helps calm red, angry breakouts and controls extra oil on oily, acne-prone skin. It is unlikely to cause harsh side effects, making it a gentle option for clearing up blemishes.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026Dermatologic Therapy, 2018
Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
Bioderma Sébium Lotion goes in your morning routine right after your cleanser and before your moisturizer. Oily acne-prone skin needs a product of this type that also offers direct blemish-fighting ingredients and targeted breakout care.
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this toner with your retinol, applying it right after cleansing to hydrate your skin and help balance the exfoliating effects of the ingredients. A product of this type works well for oily acne-prone skin when it includes soothing hydrators, but this skin type also needs targeted blemish-fighting ingredients to properly manage breakouts.
How often should I use it?
Start using this toner once a week, and if your skin handles it well and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often. The gentle exfoliating ingredients help refine your pores, while glycerin and xylitol provide hydration.
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This toner is unlikely to clog pores or cause irritation on oily skin, but because its exfoliating ingredients are mild, a product of this type needs stronger blemish-targeting ingredients and direct acne treatments to effectively clear breakouts.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum).
What the research says
A formulation containing glycerol (5%) and xylitol (5%) applied twice daily for 14 days increased skin hydration, filaggrin protein quantity, interdigitation index, and biomechanical properties, and decreased transepidermal water loss compared to untreated and vehicle-treated skin in twelve volunteers with dry skin.
Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2017A 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, 2017Daily use of a deep cleansing gel containing salicylic acid 2%, zinc gluconate 0.2% and lipohydroxy acid 0.05% significantly reduced total lesion count by 56.3% after 84 days in 35 subjects with mild to moderate truncal acne.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2023A mixture of propanediol, xylitol, and caprylic acid demonstrated in vitro antimicrobial activity against C. acnes and S. aureus, reduced 5-alpha reductase expression, and decreased skin oiliness, porphyrin, and inflammatory lesions in participants over 28 days.
Molecules, 2021Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.
CMAJ, 2010A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024A dermocosmetic cream containing Punica granatum Pericarp extract, Salicylic acid, Niacinamide, Zinc gluconate, and Aqua Posae Filiformis significantly decreased inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesion counts in subjects with mild to moderate acne compared to untreated hemi-faces after 15 days.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026Different strains of Propionibacterium acnes modulate cutaneous innate immunity with varying pro-inflammatory potentials, with P. acnes type III showing the highest and P. avidum the weakest, and zinc gluconate down-regulates the expression of most induced immune markers.
Experimental Dermatology, 2013Zinc gluconate induced alpha2, alpha3, alphaV, and alpha6 integrins, copper gluconate induced alpha2, alpha6, and beta1, and manganese gluconate induced most studied integrins in cultured keratinocytes.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 1999White button mushroom extract treatment increased VEGF densities, EGF, PCNA, and collagen fibers, while decreasing apoptotic cells and limiting TGF-beta and CD4 reactions in ICR mice and chorioallantoic culture, indicating beneficial effects on skin regeneration and injury.
Microscopy Research and Technique, 2012Topical application of a formulation containing capryloyl glycine 4% significantly decreased hair density, median hair length, and terminal hair density on the forearms compared to placebo in female patients with hypertrichosis after 120 days.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021The 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, 2012
Why other toners fit oily acne-prone skin better
Co-delivery of paeonol and madecassoside via nanoemulsions improved transdermal delivery, promoted barrier repair proteins, inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in cellular and 3D models, and reduced transepidermal water loss and acne in human facial skin compared to free components.
Molecules, 2023
Ingredients
Water, Peg-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Fomes Officinalis Extract Mushroom Extract, Capryloyl Glycine, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Citrate, Zinc Gluconate, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Mannitol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Xylitol, Rhamnose, Pyridoxine Hcl, Propyl Gallate, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Fructooligosaccharides, Phenoxyethanol, 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.