Advanced Clinicals Retinol Advanced Firming Cream for acne-prone skin
Retinol
Aloe Barbadensis
Camellia Sinensis
Chamomile
GlycerinLow
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A weak match for acne-prone skin; the serums alongside 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
- Offers moderate anti-aging benefits for your combination skin, as retinol helps regulate desquamation and glycerin provides humectant action, but it lacks sufficient oil-controlling ingredients for optimal results.
- While the formula is generally safe and free from harsh ingredients, its primary focus on anti-aging offers general skincare benefits that are mostly supportive rather than directly addressing your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
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
★4.6Overall rating based on 52.4k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this product is highly praised for enhancing skin texture, increasing elasticity, and diminishing fine lines, particularly for aging and sensitive skin types. Some users with very dry skin report it can be drying and may require additional moisturizers. The product is frequently noted for its quick absorption, excellent value, and fragrance-free formulation.
Highlights
Absorbs quickly Often Mentioned
- “Absorbs quickly and feels non-greasy”
- “Quick absorption and lack of fragrance”
- “Absorbs into skin without residue”
- “Spreads and absorbs well”
Great value Often Mentioned
- “Amazing quality for the price”
- “Great value for soft skin”
- “Exceptional retinol product at a wonderful value price”
- “Provides great value at a lower cost”
Improves skin texture Often Mentioned
- “My skin feels firmer, smoother, and well-hydrated”
- “Leaves skin soft to the touch”
- “Makes my skin very soft”
- “Good things about the reduction in lines and the added firmness”
Fragrance-free formula Sometimes Noted
- “It's fragrance-free, gentle even with retinol”
- “Absolutely no smell at all”
- “Lack of fragrance”
- “I believe it is unscented”
Causes skin dryness Sometimes Noted
- “My skin immediately feels dry like it feels dehydrated”
- “Caused my skin to look and feel dry”
- “Insufficiently moisturizing on its own”
- “Dried out my skin”
Faulty pump packaging Rarely Noted
- “One of the pumps does not work”
- “Pump is very large... pumps out a lot of product”
- “Terrible packaging”
- “Lids that were very loosely on”
Watery consistency Rarely Noted
- “Super thin and watery”
- “Very thin and sticky consistency”
- “Takes a while to rub it into your skin”
- “Taking a long time to dry”
Sources: lovi.care, iherb.com, walmart.com, retinol.com, gopicky.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is Advanced Clinicals Retinol Firming Cream a weak match for acne-prone skin?
This cream is a weak match because it focuses mostly on anti-aging rather than directly targeting breakouts, and it lacks enough oil-controlling ingredients. For acne-prone skin, a product of this type needs ingredients like niacinamide, propolis, and zinc PCA to provide balanced hydration while controlling excess oil without causing irritation.
Which ingredients make this cream a poor fit for acne-prone skin?
This cream is a weak match for acne-prone skin because it relies on mineral oil and isopropyl myristate, which tend to feel heavy and may clog pores. A treatment of this type needs ingredients like niacinamide, zinc PCA, and propolis to help control oil and target breakouts while keeping combination skin balanced.
What does Retinol do for acne-prone skin?
Retinol helps acne-prone skin by speeding up cell turnover and clearing pores to reduce breakouts. It regulates skin growth and fights inflammation, though it may cause some mild peeling or stinging when you first start using it.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2022The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017
What does Aloe Vera do for acne-prone skin?
Aloe vera helps calm acne-prone skin by reducing redness, swelling, and the number of blemishes. It works well to soothe irritated areas while keeping the skin smooth and comfortable.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This cream goes in the evening routine as a treatment step, applied after cleansing and before moisturizing. Because it is a weak match for acne-prone skin, a product of this type needs extra oil-controlling ingredients to properly target blemishes.
Can I use this cream with vitamin C, and in what order?
You can use this cream in the evening and vitamin C in the morning to avoid overloading your skin. This product is a weak match for acne-prone skin, so an acne cream of this type needs oil-controlling ingredients and blemish-clearing ingredients to properly care for your skin.
How often should I use this cream?
This treatment is typically used in the evening as part of your routine. Because this cream is a weak match for your acne-prone skin, a product of this type needs more oil-controlling ingredients to properly target breakouts.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This cream is a weak match because it focuses on anti-aging and lacks oil-controlling ingredients, so an acne-prone skin type needs a formula with targeted blemish-fighting and oil-balancing ingredients. It contains mineral oil and isopropyl myristate, which may feel heavy and can clog pores or cause breakouts for some people. Retinol can also cause skin dryness and purging when you first start using it.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Topical 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, 2017Topical 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, 2019Apigenin protects against UVA-induced cytotoxicity and senescence in normal human dermal fibroblasts, decreases MMP-1 expression, and when applied topically as a cream in human subjects, increases dermal density and elasticity while reducing fine wrinkle length, skin evenness, moisture content, and transepidermal water loss compared to control cream.
International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 2016Silicone 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, 2017Topical application of all-trans-retinol induced epidermal thickening and increased retinoid binding protein expression similar to all-trans-retinoic acid in normal human skin, but without causing significant erythema or measurable retinoic acid levels.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 1995A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010Topical green tea extract significantly improved clinical symptoms, tear breakup times, and meibomian gland health compared to standard treatment in patients with dry eye and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction.
Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 2017Topical low-dose green tea extract reduces UVB-induced p53 expression and apoptosis in human skin keratinocytes compared to placebo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2009An anti-acne hydrogel containing Aloe barbadensis, Garcinia mangostana, and Camellia sinensis extracts showed superior antiacne and antiblotch activities compared to 1% clindamycin gel in sixty subjects with mild-moderate acne.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Topical chamomile oil combined with a night splint significantly improved the symptomatic and functional status of patients with severe carpal tunnel syndrome compared to placebo, while electrodiagnostic parameters showed no significant changes.
Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 2015German chamomile solution applied twice a day healed peristomal skin lesions significantly faster than once-a-day 1% hydrocortisone ointment in colostomy patients, with a mean healing time of 8.89 days versus 14.53 days.
Ostomy/wound Management, 2011Topical chamomile reduces the incidence and delays the occurrence of phlebitis due to amiodarone infusion in coronary care patients compared to a placebo of lanoline.
Journal of Integrative Medicine, 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, 2017The 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, 2001
Why other serums fit acne-prone skin better
Topical nicotinamide plus an antibacterial adhesive agent and zinc-pyrrolidone carboxylic acid combined with adapalene significantly reduced noninflammatory acne lesions by the second week of therapy compared to placebo with adapalene in patients with moderate acne vulgaris.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020A panthenol-enriched mask improved skin hydration, regulated sebum, and reduced redness and TEWL across dry sensitive, oily sensitive, and oily acne skin subgroups with excellent tolerance and no adverse reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018
Ingredients
Water, Mineral Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Isopropyl Myristate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Ceteareth-20, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Retinol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium Edta, Maltodextrin, Phenoxyethanol, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide
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
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