Paula's Choice 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment for combination skin
Retinol
Bakuchiol
Peptides
Ascorbic Acid
Ceramide Ng
High
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- 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 anti-aging benefits for your combination skin, as retinol and bakuchiol work synergistically to minimize fine lines and wrinkles while also helping to control oiliness.
- Licorice root extract and oat kernel extract provide soothing properties, ensuring comfort for your combination skin.
- The formulation is safe for your skin, with no harsh ingredients and a good balance of beneficial and soothing components.
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 ⏳for 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 .
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 500+ reviewsUsers find this treatment to be a gentle and effective beginner-friendly retinol, especially beneficial for sensitive or dry skin. Many report improved skin texture and a reduction in fine lines, with a healthy glow and no typical retinol irritation. Some users experienced issues with the packaging pump and found the price point to be high.
Highlights
Gentle, non-irritating Mostly Mentioned
- “no irritation or redness”
- “gentle enough for daily use”
- “great for sensitive skin”
- “didn't dry me out”
- “zero peeling”
Smoother skin texture Often Mentioned
- “skin feels so smooth”
- “texture is refined”
- “softens rough patches”
- “face feels like silk”
- “bumps disappeared”
Good for beginners Sometimes Noted
- “perfect starter retinol”
- “great introduction product”
- “good step up from 0.1%”
- “easy to incorporate”
- “beginner friendly”
Hydrating, glowing Sometimes Noted
- “gives a nice glow”
- “moisturizing formula”
- “skin looks radiant”
- “dewy finish”
- “not drying at all”
Reduces fine lines Sometimes Noted
- “softened forehead lines”
- “crows feet look better”
- “lines are less visible”
- “plumps up wrinkles”
- “youthful appearance”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “very expensive”
- “pricey for the amount”
- “wish it was cheaper”
- “luxury price tag”
- “waiting for a sale”
Packaging pump issues Sometimes Noted
- “pump stopped working”
- “hard to get product out”
- “dispenser is faulty”
- “bottle design is poor”
- “product gets stuck”
Initial breakouts Rarely Noted
- “caused some breakouts”
- “purged for a few weeks”
- “small pimples appeared”
- “skin got worse before better”
- “minor congestion”
Slow results Rarely Noted
- “didn't see a difference”
- “too weak for me”
- “need something stronger”
- “results take a long time”
- “no dramatic change”
Texture/smell Rarely Noted
- “smell is odd”
- “texture is too thick”
- “feels slightly heavy”
- “scent isn't great”
- “takes time to absorb”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com.au, paulaschoice.it, dermstore.com, influenster.com, cultbeauty.co.uk, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Paula's Choice 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment a great fit for combination skin?
This treatment is a great fit for your combination skin because retinol and bakuchiol work together to smooth out fine lines and help keep oiliness under control. Licorice root and oat extracts soothe the skin to keep it comfortable, while a gentle overall formula ensures a safe and balanced experience.
Which ingredients make this treatment a good fit for combination skin?
Retinol and bakuchiol make this treatment a great fit by smoothing fine lines and helping to control oiliness in combination skin. Licorice root extract and oat kernel extract also add soothing properties to keep your skin calm and comfortable.
What does Retinol do for combination skin?
Retinol helps smooth fine lines, even out skin tone, and improve firmness in combination skin. It works by encouraging faster skin renewal and boosting collagen, though it may occasionally cause mild dryness or scaling while your skin adjusts.
What does Bakuchiol do for combination skin?
Bakuchiol helps smooth wrinkles, fade dark spots, and calm redness while supporting a balanced skin barrier. This plant-based ingredient works well for combination skin by improving firmness and elasticity without causing the scaling or stinging often linked to traditional anti-aging options.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019Health Science Reports, 2025
Where does this treatment go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine, applied after cleansing and before moisturizing for simplicity and extra safety around sun exposure. Some treatments can also be used in the morning or twice a day when your skin tolerates them well.
Can I use this treatment with niacinamide, and in what order?
Yes, you can use this treatment alongside niacinamide by applying niacinamide first and following with this treatment once it absorbs. This combination helps smooth fine lines while keeping your skin calm and comfortable.
How often should I use this treatment?
Apply this treatment in your evening routine. You may start using it once a week, and if your skin tolerates it well and shows good results, you can carefully use it more often.
Can this treatment clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This treatment is unlikely to clog pores, but initial breakouts are a low possibility as your skin adjusts to the active ingredients. Retinol and bakuchiol help smooth fine lines and control oiliness while soothing extracts keep your skin comfortable.
Is this treatment fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Arachidyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol, and cetearyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Topical 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, 2019Barrier disruption increases UV sensitivity and shifts the UVB-induced unfolded protein response toward pro-apoptotic and proinflammatory signals in healthy volunteers, while topical pseudoceramide protects against these UV-induced inflammatory responses and excessive endoplasmic reticulum stress.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2017Topical application of a serum containing supramolecular Bakuchiol and Terminalia chebula extract significantly improved barrier function, reduced redness and sensitivity, and improved wrinkles and elasticity in 34 Chinese subjects with sensitive skin after 28 days.
Health Science Reports, 2025Topical 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, 2017Silicone 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, 2017A 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, 2015Bakuchiol functions as an anti-aging compound through retinol-like regulation of gene expression, producing significant improvements in lines, wrinkles, pigmentation, elasticity, firmness, and photo-damage after 12 weeks of twice-a-day facial application without usual retinol therapy-associated undesirable effects.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2014A nature-based bakuchiol-containing cleanser and moisturizer improved visual and tactile smoothness, clarity, radiance, overall appearance, global anti-aging, and skin moisture content by 16% in 60 female subjects with sensitive mild to moderate photodamaged skin over 4 weeks.
Journal of Drugs in 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, 2022
Ingredients
Water, Dimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisoostearate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Butylene Glycol, Bakuchiol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Peg-75 Shea Glycerides Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Polysorbate 20, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Retinol, Ceramide Ng, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract Oat Kernel Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Willow Bark Extract, Glycine Soja Soybean Sterols, Lecithin, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Sodium Hydroxide, Tribehenin, Caprylyl Glycol, Dipeptide-2, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Peg-10 Phytosterol, Peg-8, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Chrysin, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Steareth-20, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coco-Glucoside, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Disodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin
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
How does it fit your skin?
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