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Peter Thomas Roth Even Smoother Glycolic Retinol Resurfacing Serum for combination skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

Peter Thomas Roth Even Smoother Glycolic Retinol Resurfacing Serum

High

  • SuperiorCombination Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

One of the best serums for combination skin.

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

  • Excellent suitability for your combination skin, as glycolic acid and retinol work synergistically to exfoliate and promote cell turnover, while niacinamide and ceramides support your skin barrier and help regulate oil production.
  • The serum offers moderate exfoliation to address oily shine, with ingredients like jojoba seed oil and squalane providing nourishment without clogging pores.
  • The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components like allantoin and panthenol.

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

★4.6Overall rating based on 600+ reviews

Users report this serum effectively resurfaces skin, leading to smoother texture and reduced fine lines. Many praise its hydrating qualities and ability to even skin tone. A minority of users experienced stickiness upon application or purging breakouts.

Highlights

  • Smoothes skin texture Often Mentioned
    • “Texture is improving and smoothing”
    • “Made my skin smooth and felt amazing”
    • “Rough texture improved significantly”
    • “Skin feels so soft”
  • Evens skin tone Sometimes Noted
    • “Evened out my skin tone overall”
    • “Dark spots are getting lighter”
    • “Skin looked renewed and less dull”
    • “Helped with post-hyperpigmentation”
  • Non-drying and gentle Sometimes Noted
    • “Skin finally feels hydrated and plump”
    • “Doesn't sting like other retinols”
    • “Did not feel tight or dry”
    • “Softness lasts all day”
  • Reduces fine lines Sometimes Noted
    • “Reducing appearance of lines”
    • “Smile lines are not as visible”
    • “Crows feet and expression wrinkles are better”
    • “Diminished look of forehead crinkles”
  • Sticky after application Sometimes Noted
    • “Product felt a little sticky”
    • “Leaves a tacky film on skin”
    • “Sticky right after using”
    • “Takes a while to dry down”
  • Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
    • “Got some deep pimples”
    • “Led to breakouts initially”
    • “Experienced purging”
  • No visible results Rarely Noted
    • “Haven't seen a difference”
    • “Waiting to see any changes”
    • “Did not work for my skin”
  • Unpleasant smell Rarely Noted
    • “Smells like paint”
    • “Has a strong chemical odor”
    • “Scent is unpleasant”

Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, ulta.com, macys.com, lovely.com, qvc.com, and more

Questions and answers

What makes Peter Thomas Roth Even Smoother Glycolic Retinol Resurfacing Serum a great fit for combination skin?

This serum is a great fit for your combination skin because glycolic acid and retinol help smooth the surface and promote cell turnover, while niacinamide and ceramides support your skin barrier and help balance oil. It also features nourishing oils that hydrate without clogging pores, alongside soothing ingredients that help keep your skin calm and comfortable.

International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025

Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for combination skin?

Glycolic acid and retinol help smooth combination skin by encouraging fresh skin to surface, while niacinamide and ceramides help keep your skin barrier strong and your oily shine in check. Squalane and jojoba seed oil add light nourishment that is unlikely to clog your pores, and soothing ingredients like panthenol and allantoin keep your skin calm.

International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025

What does Glycolic Acid do for combination skin?

Glycolic acid helps smooth and brighten combination skin by gently loosening dead skin cells on the surface. It may increase skin turnover, so a product of this type needs a gentle formula and good moisturizers to keep dry areas comfortable while balancing oilier zones.

Acta Dermato-venereologica, 1995Archives of Dermatological Research, 1997

What does Retinol do for combination skin?

Retinol helps smooth out fine lines, improve uneven tone, and keep pores clear for combination skin. It works best when used gradually at night to let your skin adjust while minimizing dryness.

Dermatology and Therapy, 2023International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2008

Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for combination skin?

This serum goes in your evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing. Lovi routines put treatments in the evening for simplicity and extra safety around sun exposure.

Can I use this serum with BHA, and in what order?

Using this serum with BHA is not recommended because combining strong exfoliating acids and retinol may easily cause irritation and dryness on your combination skin. It is best to use them on alternate nights to keep your skin smooth and calm.

How often should I use this serum?

Start by using this treatment once a week in the evening, and if your skin feels comfortable and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often. This serum has an excellent safety profile, with soothing components like allantoin and panthenol that help keep irritation unlikely.

Facial Plastic Surgery, 2014Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025

Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?

This serum is unlikely to cause breakouts on combination skin because it includes nourishing ingredients like squalane and jojoba seed oil that provide moisture without clogging pores. The formula features soothing components like allantoin and panthenol, creating an excellent safety profile with a very low risk of irritation.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol).

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, 2017

  • Clay jojoba oil facial masks reduced total skin lesions by a mean of 54% after 6 weeks in 133 participants with acne-prone, lesioned skin and mild acne compared to baseline.

    Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012

  • A 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, 2025

  • Topical 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, 2002

  • Repeated short-contact 70% glycolic acid peels provided superior results in atrophic acne scars compared to daily low-strength glycolic acid cream or placebo in 58 women over 24 weeks.

    International Journal of Dermatology, 2000

  • Serial glycolic acid peels combined with a modified Kligman formula significantly reduced facial PIH severity in Indian patients compared to the modified Kligman formula alone.

    Dermatologic Surgery, 2017

  • 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, 2019

  • Silicone 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, 2018

  • Topical 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, 2017

  • Topical 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, 2021

  • Topical 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, 2008

  • Topical 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, 2005

  • Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.

    Molecules, 2025

  • Plant-derived squalane protected human dermal fibroblasts against UVA-induced damage by counteracting ROS formation, suppressing apoptosis-related proteins p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP, and restoring the pro-survival p-Akt/mTOR pathway.

    Antioxidants, 2025

  • Topical 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, 2003

  • Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.

    Journal of Periodontology, 2009

  • Topical 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, Glycolic Acid, Propanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Jojoba Seed Oil, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Polyglyceryl-2 Distearate, C9-12 Alkane, Arachidyl Alcohol, Zea Mays Starch, Glyceryl Stearate, Niacinamide, Tocopherol, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Pumpkin Seed Oil, Retinol, Collagen, Adenosine, Squalane, Allantoin, Ascorbic Acid, Panthenol, Lecithin, Ceramide Np, Volcanic Soil, Pullulan, Sodium Phytate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Amylopectin, Polysorbate 20, 1,2-Hexanediol, Silica, Sodium Hyaluronate, Leuconostoc Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Potassium Sorbate, Sclerotium Gum, Coco-Caprylate Caprate, Sodium Benzoate, Xanthan Gum, Lysolecithin, Pentylene Glycol, Potassium Phosphate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Behenyl Alcohol, Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Mica Ci 77019

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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

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Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play