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Obagi Clear for combination skin

High

  • HighCombination Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

A great choice for combination skin; a few serums fit it even 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 excellent brightening and evening of skin tone due to hydroquinone and ascorbic acid, which effectively reduce pigment for your combination skin.
  • Glycerin and tocopheryl acetate provide general hydration, while lactic acid offers mild exfoliation, supporting your skin's needs without addressing oily shine.
  • The formula is safe for your combination skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients.

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 鈴砯or 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 .

Questions and answers

What makes Obagi Clear a great fit for combination skin?

Obagi Clear is a great fit for your combination skin because hydroquinone and ascorbic acid effectively brighten and even out your skin tone. Glycerin and tocopheryl acetate add general hydration, and lactic acid gives mild exfoliation to support your skin without causing extra oily shine.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020

Which ingredients make this treatment a good fit for combination skin?

Hydroquinone and ascorbic acid make this treatment a great fit by effectively brightening and evening out your skin tone. Glycerin and tocopheryl acetate also help by keeping your skin hydrated, while lactic acid provides mild exfoliation.

What does Hydroquinone do for combination skin?

Hydroquinone is a strong skin-lightening ingredient that helps fade stubborn dark spots and uneven patches on combination skin. It works to reduce excess pigment, though products of this type for combination skin also need gentle, balancing ingredients to keep dry areas smooth and oily zones calm without causing irritation.

What does Vitamin C do for combination skin?

Vitamin C helps brighten dull areas and smooth out uneven texture on combination skin while protecting against daily environmental stress. It may also help keep pores clear and skin firm by supporting collagen production, though drier spots may need an added moisturizer to stay comfortable.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023

Where does this treatment go in a skincare routine for combination skin?

Apply this treatment in the evening after cleansing and toning as part of your routine for combination skin. The formula helps brighten your skin tone and keeps it hydrated safely without causing irritation.

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

It is best to use this treatment in your evening routine after cleansing and before your moisturizer. Using both this treatment and retinol at the same time may increase the likelihood of skin irritation.

How often should I use this treatment?

You can use this treatment in your evening routine, starting once a week and carefully using it more often if your skin tolerates it well.

Can this treatment clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?

This treatment is a great fit for your combination skin because it brightens and evens out skin tone without clogging pores or causing breakouts. Its safe formula hydrates and gently exfoliates while keeping your skin clear and smooth.

Is this treatment fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.

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, 2020
  • Vitamin E in O/W and W/O emulsions significantly increased stratum corneum hydration and enhanced water-binding capacity, with an optimum concentration of 5%.

    Arzneimittel-Forschung, 1998
  • Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.

    Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021
  • TFC-1067 and 2% hydroquinone both significantly lightened facial dyschromia after 8 and 12 weeks in 48 healthy female subjects, but only hydroquinone also lightened normal skin.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020
  • Topical 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, 2003
  • Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.

    Journal of Periodontology, 2009
  • Topical 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, 2022
  • 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, 2017
  • The 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, 2020
  • Ten 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, 2001
  • Application 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, 2004
  • Topical 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, 1992
  • A 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
  • Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025
  • Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
  • A topical antioxidant serum significantly reduced air pollution-induced skin pigmentation and proinflammatory gene expression ex vivo, and improved skin aging signs in 40 healthy adult females after 90 days of daily use.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022

Ingredients

Hydroquinone Usp, Ascorbic Acid, Bht, Butylparaben, Cetyl Alcohol, Disodium Edta, Glycerin, Lactic Acid, Methylparaben, Phenyl Trimethicone, Ppg-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate, Propylparaben, Saponins, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Stearyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Water

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.

How does it fit your skin?

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How does it fit your skin?

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