Obagi Professional-C Serum 10% for oily acne-prone skin
Ascorbic Acid
Propylene Glycol
Propylene Carbonate
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- Low RiskSafety
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 brightening for your oily skin due to 10% ascorbic acid, which is effective for evening skin tone and provides antioxidant activity.
- While it offers general skincare benefits, it lacks specialized ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to effectively target your acne, blemishes, and breakouts or provide optimal oil control.
- The formula is generally safe for your oily skin, with a low risk of irritation from the ascorbic acid.
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
★4.7Overall rating based on 600+ reviewsThis serum is highly favored by users with sensitive or dry skin for its ability to brighten the complexion and smooth texture without causing irritation. While many report a noticeable "glow" and faded dark spots, some users are disappointed by the high price point and occasional issues with the product oxidizing (turning orange) or having faulty packaging.
Highlights
Brightens skin Often Mentioned
- “instantly brightens”
- “skin is glowing”
- “radiant”
- “more vibrant”
Gentle formula Often Mentioned
- “perfect for sensitive skin”
- “no irritation”
- “gentle on my skin”
- “no burning”
Absorbs quickly Sometimes Noted
- “absorbs super quick”
- “goes on smoothly”
- “fast-absorbing”
- “no residue”
Fades dark spots Sometimes Noted
- “improved my dark spots”
- “fades hyperpigmentation”
- “sun spots faded”
- “even skin tone”
Improves texture Sometimes Noted
- “skin feels like silk”
- “super smooth”
- “soft”
- “refined pores”
High price Sometimes Noted
- “expensive”
- “pricey”
- “too expensive”
- “high cost”
No results Rarely Noted
- “don't see any improvement”
- “just ok”
- “did not see difference”
- “average serum”
Packaging problems Rarely Noted
- “dropper detaching”
- “cheap packaging”
- “bottle leaks”
- “cap issues”
Product oxidation Rarely Noted
- “turning orange”
- “turned dark yellow”
- “oxidized”
- “brown liquid”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “bad smell”
- “chemical-y”
- “cannot tolerate scent”
- “smells like hot dog”
Sources: lovi.care, lovelyskin.com, dermstore.com, obagi.com, walmart.com, skincareessentials.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Obagi Professional-C Serum 10% work for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum offers moderate brightening for your oily skin, but it lacks specialized ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to effectively target breakouts and provide optimal oil control. A treatment of this type needs ingredients like niacinamide, propolis, and soothing extracts to control excess oil and clear breakouts without causing irritation.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Ascorbic acid makes this serum a fit for your oily skin by providing moderate brightening and evening your skin tone. However, because it lacks ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to target breakouts and control excess oil, a treatment for this skin needs ingredients that address blemishes while offering oil control and soothing extracts.
What does Vitamin C do for oily acne-prone skin?
Vitamin C helps brighten skin, smooth out texture, and improve uneven spots for oily acne-prone skin. It may also help fade marks left behind by blemishes.
What does Propylene Glycol do for oily acne-prone skin?
Propylene glycol may work for oily, acne-prone skin, as it has a very low risk of causing irritation or allergic reactions on healthy skin. However, since this type of skin tends to clog easily, a product here needs ingredients that feel light and do not block pores.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
Apply this serum in your evening routine, as treatments with active ingredients are placed at night for simplicity and extra safety around sun exposure. While it provides moderate brightening, this skin needs products with ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to effectively target acne, blemishes, and breakouts and provide optimal oil control.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum in your routine, but apply it in the morning and your retinol at night to avoid irritation on your oily skin.
How often should I use this serum?
This serum is used in the evening routine, starting at once a week and gradually increasing only if your skin handles it well. To better manage breakouts and oil on this skin type, a product of this type needs ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This serum is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores on oily skin, as it has a low risk of irritation and is generally safe for your skin type. However, because it lacks ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide, it does not target acne or control oil the way oily acne-prone skin needs.
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, 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, 2022Treatment with a combination of propylene glycol, ethanol, water, and shampoo was found effective, easy to use, and cosmetically attractive with no observed side effects in patients with dandruff.
Cutis, 1988A moisturizer containing glycerol and propylene glycol reduced transepidermal water loss, decreased epidermal thickness, increased stratum corneum thickness, and reduced dermal inflammatory infiltrate compared to untreated disrupted skin in six healthy beagle dogs.
Veterinary Dermatology, 2020
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
Propylene Glycol, Water, Propylene Carbonate, Ascorbic 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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