True Botanicals Vitamin C Booster for combination skin
Ascorbic Acid
Ferulic Acid
Tapioca Starch- I-Ascorbic Acid
Botanicals
High
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
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
- Offers high suitability for your combination skin, as ascorbic acid and ferulic acid work synergistically to provide antioxidant benefits and regulate melanogenesis, effectively addressing oily shine and uneven skin tone.
- The tapioca starch in the formula helps to absorb excess oil, further complementing your combination skin concerns.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
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 鈴砯or 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 .
Questions and answers
What makes True Botanicals Vitamin C Booster a great fit for combination skin?
This booster is a great fit because ascorbic acid and ferulic acid team up to fight oily shine and even out your skin tone, while tapioca starch soaks up extra oil. It has a very gentle safety profile with no harsh ingredients, making it comfortable to use.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2008
Which ingredients make this treatment a good fit for combination skin?
Ascorbic acid and ferulic acid make this treatment a great fit by working together to balance oily shine and even out your skin tone. Additionally, the tapioca starch in the formula helps to absorb excess oil for a smoother look.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2008
What does Vitamin C do for combination skin?
Vitamin C helps brighten dull areas and smooth out uneven texture on combination skin while protecting against daily environmental stress. It may also help keep pores clear and skin firm by supporting collagen production, though drier spots may need an added moisturizer to stay comfortable.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023
What does Ferulic Acid do for combination skin?
Ferulic acid helps protect combination skin from sun damage and everyday environmental stress while boosting the performance of vitamins C and E. For combination skin to get the best results, this ingredient needs to be paired with antioxidants and lightweight hydrators that balance oil and dry areas without clogging pores.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2008Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008
Where does it go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
Put this treatment in your evening routine, applying it after your cleansing toner and before your moisturizer. Treatments with active ingredients go in the evening for simplicity and extra safety around sun exposure, though some may also be used in the morning or twice a day.
Can I use this treatment with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this treatment with retinol by applying this vitamin C booster in your morning routine and your retinol in the evening. This helps protect your skin during the day with antioxidants while avoiding any potential irritation from using strong actives at the same time.
How often should I use it?
This treatment fits into your evening routine once a week to start, as active treatments are best introduced gradually. Once your skin handles it well, you may carefully use it more often.
Can this treatment clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This treatment is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for your combination skin. It has a very safe formula with gentle ingredients, and the starch helps soak up extra oil without irritation.
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, 2020A topical antioxidant solution of 15% L-ascorbic acid, 1% alpha-tocopherol, and 0.5% ferulic acid provides significant photoprotection against solar-simulated UV radiation in human skin compared to its vehicle.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2008Pretreatment 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, 2008Topical 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 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, 2025Topical ferulic acid-containing formulations effectively reduce skin erythema, hyperpigmentation, and signs of aging in adults compared to baseline or alternative conditions.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2025
Ingredients
Tapioca Starch, Ascorbic Acid, Ferulic 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. Sof铆a Perea P茅rez, 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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