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Glow Recipe Strawberry BHA Pore-Smooth Blur Drops for acne-prone skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

Glow Recipe Strawberry BHA Pore-Smooth Blur Drops

Average

  • HighCombination Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

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

  • Suitable for combination skin, this formula offers moderate exfoliation and pore-smoothing benefits due to salicylic acid and willow bark extract, which help regulate sebum and refine texture. Strawberry leaf extract provides antioxidant activity, supporting overall skin health.
  • While beneficial for general hydration and soothing with ingredients like sodium hyaluronate and bisabolol, these components are not specifically targeted to address your primary concerns of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
  • The product is safe for your acne-prone skin, with no risk of irritation from harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing agents like bisabolol.

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

★4.4Overall rating based on 1.9k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, this product is frequently praised for its ability to control oil and create a smooth base for makeup, with users appreciating its lightweight, silicone-free feel. Some users with dry skin find it lacks sufficient hydration, and a moderate number of reviews mention that the pore-blurring effect is subtle.

Highlights

  • Controls oil Often Mentioned
    • “effectively does its job in terms of prolonging makeup and controlling oiliness throughout the day”
    • “kept shine under control the entire day”
    • “effective in softly mattifying the skin while avoiding a dry or flat look”
    • “absorbs excess oil for a mattifying blur effect”
  • Smooth makeup Often Mentioned
    • “applies without causing pilling”
    • “makeup remains fresh all day with its use”
    • “no peeling no flaking... when I was applying the foundation”
    • “looks so beautiful under foundation and throughout the day”
  • Lightweight feel Sometimes Noted
    • “does not feel heavy”
    • “silicone-free formulation is not like your typical mattifying primer”
    • “doesn't feel suffocating which some dimethicone rich primers tend to feel”
    • “thin consistency that dries down pretty quickly”
  • Lacks hydration Sometimes Noted
    • “formulation is not hydrating enough”
    • “definitely needs to be topped with a moisturizer for some hydration”
    • “almost seems too drying for the rest of the year”
    • “dries down so much that it makes foundation harder to apply over it”
  • Subtle pore blurring Sometimes Noted
    • “didn't notice a pore-blurring effect”
    • “pore-blurring effect is quite subtle for me”
    • “blurring effect is a bit too subtle for me to call it a primer”
    • “hardly makes any difference in the look of texture/pores in the short term”
  • Tricky packaging Rarely Noted
    • “good-sized dob of it squirted out... ended up on my wall”
    • “somewhat tricky to control how much comes out”
    • “find myself squeezing more product out 2-3 additional times”
    • “flimsy plastic top”

Sources: lovi.care, glowrecipe.com, sephora.sg, walmart.ca, beauty-detective.com, thehappysloths.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does Glow Recipe Strawberry BHA Blur Drops work for acne-prone skin?

This treatment works reasonably well for acne-prone skin, though other products fit it better, because it contains salicylic acid and willow bark extract to help smooth pores and regulate oil without causing irritation. To work best for this skin, a product of this type needs effective ingredients like niacinamide and propolis or zinc PCA that target blemishes directly while keeping the skin balanced and calm.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for acne-prone skin?

Salicylic acid and willow bark extract make this serum a fit for acne-prone skin by helping regulate sebum and refine texture. To work best for this skin, a product of this type needs ingredients like niacinamide, propolis, or zinc PCA that directly target breakouts and blemishes while providing balanced hydration without excess oiliness.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

What does Bha do for acne-prone skin?

BHA helps clear acne-prone skin by clearing out pores to reduce both inflammatory and non-inflammatory breakouts. It also helps calm redness and lower oil production, and is unlikely to cause harsh side effects when used regularly.

BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

What does Strawberry Extract do for acne-prone skin?

Strawberry extract helps acne-prone skin by reducing redness and swelling through its calming antioxidants. It is unlikely to irritate dry or oily skin, though an acne-prone routine also needs ingredients that clear pores and balance oil.

Food Research International, 2019

Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?

This treatment goes in your evening routine, applied after cleansing and before moisturizing. Acne-prone skin needs products with targeted active ingredients that directly tackle breakouts and blemishes to achieve the best results.

Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this treatment alongside retinol by applying this product first to smooth pores, followed by your retinol. This approach helps refine your skin texture while keeping your acne-prone skin comfortable.

How often should I use this serum?

Start using this treatment once a week in the evening, and if your skin feels comfortable and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often. Acne-prone skin needs targeted active ingredients like salicylic acid to properly clear breakouts and smooth texture.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?

This treatment is unlikely to clog pores or cause irritation on acne-prone skin, as it contains soothing ingredients like bisabolol and gentle exfoliants that help clear texture without harsh reactions. However, because it lacks targeted blemish-fighting strength, acne-prone skin often does better with a dedicated blemish treatment featuring stronger clearing ingredients and oil-balancing agents.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum).

What the research says

  • A botanical face cleanser with hops and willow bark extract continuously reduced skin sebum levels without reactive seborrhea after treatment in 21 healthy volunteers compared to a sodium laureth sulfate cleanser, with neither cleanser causing skin irritation.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019

  • Twice daily application of a multitargeted dermocosmetic cream provided comparable efficacy to benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in reducing inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesions in 150 Caucasian subjects with mild-to-moderate acne over 56 days, while demonstrating superior skin tolerability.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

  • The use of a salicylic acid-based dermocosmetic significantly reduces the needed quantity of benzoyl peroxide without impacting efficacy in mild to moderate acne, and as maintenance post-benzoyl peroxide allows a significant reduction of acne relapse compared to vehicle.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023

  • Cryotherapy 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, 2010

  • A 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, 2020

  • Treatment 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, 2024

  • Fragaria vesca extract-based hydrogel exhibited antioxidant efficacy, cutaneous compatibility, acceptability, and stability suitable for topical application.

    Antioxidants, 2020

  • Supercritical CO2 extract from strawberry seeds at concentrations up to 2% successfully provides moisturizing and skin-softening effects in mild cleansing compositions without significantly affecting their stability, cleansing, or foaming properties.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2015

  • Treatment with strawberry seed extract and tiliroside increased stratum corneum total ceramide content and specific ceramide species in human epidermal equivalents by enhancing the expression of ceramide-related enzymes.

    PloS One, 2018

  • Topical 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, 2011

  • Topical 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, 2022

  • Treatment 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, 2019

Why other serums fit acne-prone skin better

Ingredients

Water, Tapioca Starch, Isopentyldiol, Nylon-12, C9-12 Alkane, Distarch Phosphate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Vp Copolymer, Saccharide Isomerate, Strawberry Leaf Extract, Salicylic Acid, Willow Bark Extract, Strawberry Fruit Extract, Leuconostoc Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bisabolol, Coco-Caprylate Caprate, Triheptanoin, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate, Dilinoleic Acid Butanediol Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Dipalmitate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Castor Ipdi Copolymer Oil, Citric Acid, 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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

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