ISDIN Flavo-C Serum for oily acne-prone skin
Ascorbic Acid
Ginkgo Biloba
Lactic Acid
Propylene GlycolHigh
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for oily acne-prone skin; a few serums fit it even 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 high suitability for oily skin due to the presence of Ascorbic Acid with antioxidant activity and Lactic Acid with keratolytic action, which help to refine texture and provide antioxidant protection.
- While the product offers general skincare benefits like hydration and cleansing, it lacks targeted ingredients such as salicylic acid or niacinamide to effectively address your primary concerns of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your PM routine. Start 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply your serum after cleansing and toning, but before putting on your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2 to 3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the serum on clean, dry skin to help manage your blemishes safely.
- Do a patch test before your first use and avoid the delicate eye area.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsThis serum is highly regarded for its ability to brighten dull skin, reduce hyperpigmentation, and smooth fine lines, making it particularly effective for mature, dehydrated, or sun-damaged complexions. The formula is frequently praised for being lightweight and fast-absorbing, and for providing significant hydration. A small number of users with sensitive skin have reported experiencing irritation or redness.
Highlights
Brightens skin tone Often Mentioned
- “My hyperpigmentation has lightened and skin looks more even, even shines more.”
- “Gives a flawless and illuminating results.”
- “I've seen good results with skin brightening, hydration and smoothing of fine lines.”
- “This boosts collagen and makes the face brighter and tones the skin.”
Hydrates and smooths Often Mentioned
- “I am more on a dehydrated side and this helps me look hydrated and smooth.”
- “Helps reduce wrinkles and hydrate all day and all night.”
- “I've seen good results with skin brightening, hydration and smoothing of fine lines.”
- “Feel vibrant and refreshed with supple, moisturized skin.”
Lightweight, fast-absorbing Sometimes Noted
- “I like how it is light not thick... love it.”
- “The serum absorbs quickly so you can apply your moisturizer right away.”
- “Its lightweight formula absorbs quickly, making it an excellent addition to any morning skincare routine.”
- “No scent....which I like. The serum absorbs quickly.”
Frustrating packaging Rarely Noted
- “I like the actual product, but the packaging is awful, I've already lost three bottles the applicator pops off.”
- “I had been using the Flavo-C ampoules and loved the serum inside. But I've nicked myself one too many times while snapping the glass top off.”
- “The serum is too thick for me and I feel I waste a lot of the product when tipping the vial.”
- “Challenging packaging.”
Irritates sensitive skin Rarely Noted
- “I think the serum is too strong for my face as it has burned and left very rough and a peeling face.”
- “When i put the Day and night cream on it stings so I am afraid I am not able to use this product.”
- “Super Irritating... Most Vitamin C serums oxidize and leave a yellow/orange cast on face.”
- “If you have sensitive skin, you might experience some redness after the first application.”
Unpleasant smell Rarely Noted
- “While I do like the product, the smell is very off-putting.”
- “It's a very strong, unpleasant herbal-like scent.”
- “It is so bad that I emailed customer service to see if it was in fact spoiled.”
- “So I'm holding my nose and continuing to use it up.”
Sources: lovi.care, judge.me, dermapproved.com, newbeauty.com, walmart.com, frenchpharmacy.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes ISDIN Flavo-C a great fit for oily acne-prone skin?
ISDIN Flavo-C Serum is a great fit for oily skin because it contains Ascorbic Acid for antioxidant protection and Lactic Acid to help refine texture. It has an excellent safety profile with no harsh ingredients, making it very unlikely to cause irritation.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Ascorbic Acid and Lactic Acid make this serum a good fit for oily skin by providing antioxidant protection and helping to refine texture. It has an excellent safety profile with no risks of irritation for your oily skin.
What does Vitamin C do for oily acne-prone skin?
Vitamin C helps brighten skin, smooth out texture, and improve uneven spots for oily acne-prone skin. It may also help fade marks left behind by blemishes.
What does Ginkgo Biloba Extract do for oily acne-prone skin?
Ginkgo biloba extract helps calm oily acne-prone skin by reducing redness and soothing irritated areas. It also helps protect the skin from everyday stress and damage that can make breakouts worse.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2016Archives of Dermatological Research, 2010
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This treatment serum goes in your evening routine, applied after cleansing and before moisturizing. This placement keeps your routine simple and avoids extra sun sensitivity while you use it.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol by applying it in the morning and saving your retinol for your evening routine. This approach helps you get antioxidant protection during the day while avoiding potential irritation from using strong active ingredients together.
How often should I use this serum?
You can use this treatment in your evening routine once a week to start, and then carefully use it more often if your skin tolerates it well and you see good results. The safety profile is excellent with no harsh ingredients, though this routine step helps keep your skin smooth and protected rather than directly targeting breakouts.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum is unlikely to cause irritation for your oily skin due to its safe ingredients, but it lacks targeted blemish-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to actively prevent breakouts. To truly clear acne and keep pores clear, this skin type needs targeted ingredients that help control oil and clear out pores.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A topical serum containing vitamin C, vitamin E, and raspberry leaf cell culture extract improved skin color, elasticity, radiance, smoothness, scaliness, and wrinkles compared to the untreated contralateral side in fifty female volunteers.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Topical application of 5% vitamin C cream significantly improved global clinical scores, increased skin microrelief density, and induced elastic tissue repair in photoaged skin compared to excipient control in healthy female volunteers.
Experimental Dermatology, 2003Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.
Journal of Periodontology, 2009Topical application of VC-IP cream twice daily for 8 weeks reduces periorbital wrinkles in female subjects compared to a placebo cream.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Topical application of a 2% cream containing combined fruit extracts for 56 days significantly reduced wrinkle depth by 11.5%, length by 10.07%, and area by 29.55% in 21 female subjects compared to a placebo.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2015A dermocosmetic containing bakuchiol, Ginkgo biloba extract, and mannitol improves inflammatory lesions, Investigator Global Assessment, and seborrhea intensity when added to adapalene 0.1% gel in patients with acne vulgaris.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2015Topical application of Ginkgo biloba cream for two weeks reduced wrinkles and improved skin shape, texture, and tautness in human volunteers compared to baseline.
Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy, 2023Application 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, 2020Treatment with a combination of propylene glycol, ethanol, water, and shampoo was found effective, easy to use, and cosmetically attractive with no observed side effects in patients with dandruff.
Cutis, 1988A moisturizer containing glycerol and propylene glycol reduced transepidermal water loss, decreased epidermal thickness, increased stratum corneum thickness, and reduced dermal inflammatory infiltrate compared to untreated disrupted skin in six healthy beagle dogs.
Veterinary Dermatology, 2020
Ingredients
Propylene Glycol, Water, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Polysorbate 20, 2-Hexanediol, Polysorbate 80, Phenoxyethanol, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Ginkgo Biloba
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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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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