NATURIUM Retinaldehyde Cream Serum 0.05% for oily acne-prone skin
Retinaldehyde
Biofermented Oligopeptide- Retinal
Amino Acids
Punica Granatum Seed Extract
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other serums fit it 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 moderate suitability for your oily skin as retinaldehyde promotes cell turnover and provides antioxidant benefits, while glycerin offers hydration. However, the formula lacks sufficient ingredients specifically targeting oil regulation for your primary concerns of acne and oiliness.
- The yeast extract and apricot kernel oil contribute to soothing and general skincare benefits, but they do not directly address your main issues of blemishes and breakouts.
- The product is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components.
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 400+ reviewsThis serum is widely praised as an excellent, gentle introduction to retinaldehyde, with users reporting visible improvements in skin texture, brightness, and acne control without the harsh irritation often associated with retinoids.
Highlights
Gentle & Non-irritating Mostly Mentioned
- “zero irritation”
- “skin friendly”
- “gentle formula”
- “no sensitivity”
Improves Texture & Tone Often Mentioned
- “skin is glowing”
- “smoother texture”
- “even tone”
- “faded dark spots”
Pleasant Texture Often Mentioned
- “lightweight”
- “absorbs well”
- “creamy serum”
- “hydrating feel”
Effective for Acne Sometimes Noted
- “holygrail for acne”
- “reduction in breakouts”
- “unclogs pores”
- “fades post-acne marks”
Great Value Sometimes Noted
- “affordable price”
- “great price point”
- “well priced”
- “good value”
Slow results Sometimes Noted
- “taken weeks/months”
- “slow progress”
- “not huge difference”
- “needs time”
Breakouts/Purging Rarely Noted
- “tiny bumps appeared”
- “small pimples”
- “caused breakout”
- “purging phase”
Dryness Rarely Noted
- “makes skin dry”
- “caused flakiness”
- “not hydrating enough”
- “dried out patches”
Skin irritation Rarely Noted
- “burning and itching”
- “caused rashes”
- “redness after use”
Sources: lovi.care, naturium.com, target.com, spacenk.com, reddit.com, youtube.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Naturium Retinaldehyde work for oily acne-prone skin?
Naturium Retinaldehyde Cream Serum 0.05% works moderately well for oily acne-prone skin, as it helps promote cell turnover while offering hydration and soothing benefits. It is safe and unlikely to cause irritation, though a product of this type needs ingredients like niacinamide, propolis, or Vitamin C to better manage excess oil and breakouts.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2023
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Retinaldehyde, retinal, and glycerin make this serum a fit by promoting cell turnover and providing hydration, though a product of this type needs ingredients like niacinamide, propolis, or Vitamin C to better target oil regulation, excess oil, and blemishes.
What does Retinal do for oily acne-prone skin?
Retinal helps clear clogged pores, reduces bumps and pimples, and helps balance oil production for oily, acne-prone skin. It is generally well tolerated when used regularly as part of an acne skincare routine.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 1999European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, 2014
What does Biofermented Oligopeptide do for oily acne-prone skin?
Biofermented oligopeptide helps balance oily skin by reducing excess oil production and managing breakouts while keeping the skin calm. It also helps smooth out fine lines with a lower chance of the irritation often linked to strong anti-aging treatments.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum goes in the evening routine after cleansing and toning, and before moisturizing. Oily acne-prone skin needs a product of this type that also includes ingredients to control excess oil and clear breakouts.
Can I use this serum with glycolic acid, and in what order?
Using this serum with glycolic acid may easily lead to dryness or irritation, so it is best to use them on alternate nights rather than together. When combining potent exfoliating acids and retinoids, applying them separately helps protect your skin barrier from becoming too sensitive.
How often should I use this serum?
You can use this treatment in the evening as part of your routine. It offers moderate suitability for your oily skin, though an oily acne-prone skin type needs oil-regulating ingredients to better manage blemishes and breakouts.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum is unlikely to cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin, as it has a very low risk of causing blemishes and contains soothing components with a safe profile. However, because it offers only moderate suitability for your skin, an ideal product of this type also needs ingredients that actively control oil and directly target blemishes.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
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, 2017Topical moisturizers improved skin barrier function and surface moisture, while a postbiotic moisturizer with yeast extract uniquely supported microbiome balance and modulated biomarkers of skin barrier, structure, and inflammation in participants and ex vivo explants exposed to environmental aggressors.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2023Twice daily application of retinaldehyde 0.1% and 0.05% creams for 3 months improved skin texture and hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss in 40 female Korean volunteers, with only the 0.1% cream significantly improving the melanin index.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2018Topical retinaldehyde demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria both in vitro and in vivo, leading to decreased bacterial counts without inducing resistance.
Dermatology, 2002Topical 0.05% retinaldehyde applied over 1 year significantly increased epidermal thickness of the temple and cutaneous elasticity compared to an emollient control group in 40 aging skin patients.
Dermatology, 1999Phenolic-rich pomegranate peel extract formulated into a serum and mask showed significantly better facial skin lightening efficacy than placebo in 30 volunteers over 28 days.
Planta Medica, 2020Topical 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 topical microemulsion containing Punica granatum extract significantly reduced skin erythema and melanin compared to a placebo in healthy Asian subjects over 12 weeks.
Postepy Dermatologii I Alergologii, 2014
Why other serums fit oily acne-prone skin better
A 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, 2018Niacinamide and ferulic acid incorporated in a stable multiple emulsion successfully reduced melanin, sebum, and skin erythema while improving skin elasticity and hydration in human skin compared to a placebo.
BioMed Research International, 2022
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Triheptanoin, C13-15 Alkane, Coco-Caprylate Caprate, Carbomer, Yeast Extract, Apricot Polyglyceryl-6 Esters Kernel Oil, Amino Acids, Punica Granatum Seed Extract, Cetyl Diglyceryl Tris Trimethylsiloxy Silylethyl Dimethicone, Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract, Olivine Extract, Dilinoleic Acid Butanediol Copolymer, Cellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitan Oleate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Retinal, Guanosine, Uracil, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, C9-12 Alkane, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Dipalmitate, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Tocopherol, Pvm Ma Copolymer, Adenosine Phosphate, Castor Ipdi Copolymer Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Hexadecene, Sodium Benzoate, T-Butyl Alcohol
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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