NEOGEN Dermalogy Real Vitamin C Serum for oily skin
Ascorbic Acid
Kakadu C-Plex
Niacinamide
Sodium Hyaluronate
Ferulic AcidHigh
- HighOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for oily skin; a few serums fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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
- This serum offers excellent brightening and evening of skin tone for your oily skin, as Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate and Ascorbic Acid work effectively to improve complexion and control sebum production.
- Niacinamide and Panthenol further support your skin by providing soothing effects and antioxidant activity, contributing to a balanced and radiant appearance.
- The formula is safe for your oily skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of beneficial components.
How to apply
- Use this serum in your PM routine. Start by applying it 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toning, but right before your moisturizer for the best results.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin. Let it absorb ⏱ for a minute before applying the next product.
- Apply the serum on clean and dry skin since your skin is not sensitive and you want to target oily shine. This helps control excess oil throughout the night.
- Avoid the delicate eye area and do a patch test before using the serum for the very first time.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 1.4k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this serum is widely praised for its stable, lightweight formula that effectively brightens dull complexions and fades hyperpigmentation while providing hydration. While generally well-tolerated, a subset of users with sensitive skin reported breakouts or irritation, and some experienced issues with the product arriving oxidized.
Highlights
Brightens skin tone Mostly Mentioned
- “visibly brightens skin”
- “fades dark spots”
- “glowy complexion”
- “helps with pigmentation”
- “evened out tone”
Lightweight texture Often Mentioned
- “absorbs quickly”
- “non-greasy finish”
- “watery consistency”
- “layers well”
- “not sticky”
Gentle/Stable Sometimes Noted
- “no irritation”
- “stable vitamin C”
- “didn't sting”
- “good for beginners”
- “doesn't oxidize quickly”
Hydrating formula Sometimes Noted
- “leaves skin plump”
- “moisturizing effect”
- “doesn't dry out”
- “softens skin”
- “good for dry skin”
Causes breakouts Rarely Noted
- “caused cystic acne”
- “tiny bumps appeared”
- “broke me out”
- “clogged pores”
- “skin reaction”
Oxidation issues Rarely Noted
- “arrived dark orange”
- “turned yellow fast”
- “already oxidized”
- “bad batch”
- “color changed”
Sensitizing Rarely Noted
- “stinging sensation”
- “redness after use”
- “burned my face”
- “too strong”
- “irritated barrier”
Sticky residue Rarely Noted
- “feels tacky”
- “sticky finish”
- “leaves a film”
- “takes time to dry”
- “slightly sticky”
Sources: lovi.care, iherb.com, stylekorean.com, sokoglam.com, yesstyle.com, neogenlab.us, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Neogen Real Vitamin C Serum a great fit for oily skin?
This serum is a great fit because Ascorbic Acid and Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate help brighten your complexion while keeping oil production under control. Niacinamide and Panthenol add soothing care to keep your skin balanced and calm, with a very low risk of irritation.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily skin?
This serum is a great fit for oily skin because Ascorbic Acid and Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate work effectively to control sebum production and brighten your complexion. Niacinamide and Panthenol further support your skin by providing soothing effects, while the absence of harsh ingredients helps ensure a safe, irritation-free experience.
What does Vitamin C do for oily skin?
Vitamin C helps brighten skin tone and smooth texture while providing antioxidant protection that prevents sebum oxidation. For oily skin, this type of product typically needs to be paired with oil-controlling or pore-clearing ingredients like salicylic acid or plant extracts.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2005Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023
What does Kakadu Plum do for oily skin?
Kakadu Plum is a safe plant extract that helps provide antioxidant benefits for oily skin. It is rich in nourishing compounds that support overall skin health.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This serum goes in your evening routine after cleansing and toning, and before moisturizing. Putting it in the PM routine keeps things simple and helps avoid extra sensitivity around sun exposure.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol by applying the serum in your morning routine and your retinol product at night to avoid irritation. This approach helps you get the brightening and oil-controlling benefits of vitamin C while safely using your evening retinol treatment.
How often should I use this serum?
This treatment serum fits your oily skin well and is used in the evening as part of your routine. The formula helps brighten your complexion while controlling excess oil, with very low risk of irritation.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This serum is a great fit for oily skin and is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores, as it helps control oil production while brightening your complexion. Its soothing ingredients also keep the formula gentle and safe for your skin type with very low risks of irritation.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Combined ascorbyl palmitate and sodium ascorbyl phosphate treatment significantly reduced facial sebum secretions in healthy female volunteers compared to a placebo control over 90 days.
Drug Research, 2017A 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, 2020A panthenol-enriched mask significantly decreased erythema and hyperpigmentation, increased sebum and stratum corneum moisture, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to a saline dressing in 60 subjects undergoing facial laser treatment.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002A new topical panthenol-containing emollient significantly improved transepidermal water loss reduction, stratum corneum hydration, and intercellular lipid lamellae length compared with control in healthy subjects without negatively impacting bacterial viability.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017Topical 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 post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005Topical 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, 2011Topical 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, 2022Treatment 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, 2019Treatment with 14% ferulic acid and 12% l-ascorbic acid significantly reduced pigmentation and erythema while improving hydration and elasticity in 20 women with photoaged skin, with neither acid proving definitively more effective overall though ascorbic acid showed slightly greater skin lightening.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Combining fractional microneedle radiofrequency with a topical antioxidant serum significantly reduced wrinkle severity by 29.9% versus 18.0%, increased elasticity by 12.9% versus 2.3%, and improved aesthetic outcomes in 31 participants compared to radiofrequency and placebo.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2025Pretreatment with a topical antioxidant mixture of vitamin C, ferulic acid, and phloretin attenuated ultraviolet-induced sunburn cell formation, thymine dimer formation, matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression, p53 protein expression, and the suppression of CD1a-expressing Langerhans cells in human skin compared to vehicle control.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Isopentyldiol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Dipropylene Glycol, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Morinda Citrifolia Extract, Celery Stem Extract, Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract, Cichorium Intybus Leaf Extract, Citric Acid, Octyldodeceth-16, Xanthan Gum, Panthenol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ascorbic Acid, Ferulic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Dextrin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Persea Gratissima Oil Avocado Oil, Pistacia Vera Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
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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