Youth to the People 15% Vitamin C + Clean Caffeine Energy Serum for combination skin
Ascorbic Acid
Clean Caffeine
Squalane
GlycerinAverage
- SuperiorCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for combination skin; other serums fit it better.
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
- This serum offers moderate brightening and antioxidant benefits for your combination skin, with multiple forms of Vitamin C like 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate working to even skin tone and protect against environmental damage. Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate provide essential hydration, supporting overall skin health.
- While caffeine and squalane offer soothing properties and help maintain skin barrier function, the formula does not specifically target your primary concern of oily shine.
- The product has a good safety profile, with no harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing agents that minimize irritation risk for combination skin.
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
★4.7Overall rating based on 1.7k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with dull, tired, or sensitive skin frequently praise this serum for its ability to visibly brighten the complexion and reduce morning puffiness without causing irritation. While many report a "healthy glow" and improved skin tone, results regarding hyperpigmentation vary, and the product is often noted for its unique, lightweight texture that layers well under makeup.
Highlights
Visibly brightens skin Mostly Mentioned
- “skin appeared brighter and had a healthy glow”
- “fading my post-acne dark spots”
- “complexion looks more awake”
- “gave a subtle brightening effect”
Gentle formula Often Mentioned
- “didn't break me out”
- “gentle on sensitive skin”
- “no tingling or stinging”
- “stable vitamin C not sensitizing”
Lightweight texture Often Mentioned
- “absorbs quickly into skin”
- “layers well with no pilling”
- “non-sticky and lightweight”
- “milky gel-like consistency”
High price point Often Mentioned
- “price feels a bit steep”
- “a little overpriced”
- “better options for cheaper”
- “expensive for the size”
Reduces puffiness Sometimes Noted
- “minimized morning puffiness”
- “helps look less puffy in mornings”
- “face looks more awake”
- “great for depuffing eyes”
Strong ginger scent Sometimes Noted
- “strong ginger scent”
- “smells like ginger root”
- “scent is too strong”
- “not a fan of the smell”
Lack of results Rarely Noted
- “no noticeable results after 4 weeks”
- “didn't see a difference”
- “no real results”
- “didn't do anything for me”
Sticky finish Rarely Noted
- “leaves a sticky residue”
- “feels a bit tacky”
- “texture is slightly sticky”
- “sticky finish before drying”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, cultbeauty.com, youthtothepeople.com, spacenk.com, amazon.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Youth to the People 15% Vitamin C + Clean Caffeine Energy Serum work for combination skin?
This serum works moderately well for your combination skin, offering helpful brightening and hydration, though it does not target oily shine. A product of this type needs ingredients like niacinamide and zinc to properly manage oil and balance combination skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for combination skin?
This serum works for combination skin because glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide essential hydration while multiple forms of Vitamin C brighten the skin and protect against environmental damage. Additionally, caffeine and squalane help soothe the skin and maintain the skin barrier. A product of this type needs ingredients like niacinamide, zinc PCA, and propolis to properly manage oily shine and regulate oiliness.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020
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 Caffeine do for combination skin?
For combination skin, topical caffeine helps protect skin cells against sun damage with antioxidant properties and increases microcirculation. It is unlikely to cause irritation and acts as an active compound.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, though some serums may also be used in the morning. Combination skin also needs ingredients that target oily shine.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol by applying the vitamin C first and the retinol later, or by using vitamin C in the morning and retinol at night to avoid irritation. This product is well tolerated and unlikely to cause harsh reactions, but combination skin also needs oil-controlling ingredients to properly manage shine.
How often should I use this serum?
This treatment works best in the evening once a day for simplicity and extra safety around sun exposure, though it may also be used in the morning or twice daily if your skin tolerates it well. To work better for combination skin, this type of product needs ingredients that specifically target oily shine.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This serum is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores on combination skin, as it has a safe formula with low irritation risk. Combination skin needs lightweight hydrators and ingredients that help balance oily areas without heavy oils.
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, 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, 2020Application of squalene/phosphotungstate calcium nanowires (Sql/PWC) oleogel on UVB-irradiated skin decreased epidermal thickness, increased dermal thickness, and promoted the expression of elastin, collagen, and skin barrier markers through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.
Journal of Nanobiotechnology, 2025Topical 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, 2022A topical cosmetic slimming product containing tetrahydroxypropyl ethylenediamine, caffeine, carnitine, forskolin and retinol significantly reduced body circumferences and improved skin aspect compared with placebo in 78 women over 12 weeks.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2011Topical sunscreen formulations containing caffeine combined with UV filters increased in vivo anti-UVB protection by approximately 25% and showed higher SPF values compared to caffeine-free sunscreen, while being well tolerated by the skin of healthy subjects.
Frontiers in Physiology, 2019Caffeine gel combined with choline geranate showed high skin permeation capacity and superior clinical results in cellulite treatment compared to caffeine gel without ionic liquid.
AAPS PharmSciTech, 2021Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Plant-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, 2025The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012
Why other serums fit combination skin better
Niacinamide 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, 2022A panthenol-enriched mask improved skin hydration, regulated sebum, and reduced redness and TEWL across dry sensitive, oily sensitive, and oily acne skin subgroups with excellent tolerance and no adverse reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Ingredients
Water, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid Ascorbic Acid, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate Ascorbic Acid, Propanediol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Squalane, Triethyl Citrate, Gluconolactone, Citric Acid, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caffeine, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Benzoate, Lauroyl Lysine, Passiflora Edulis Extract, Sclerotium Gum, Lecithin, Ilex Guayusa Leaf Extract, Ilex Paraguariensis Leaf Extract, Pullulan, Mannitol, Hylocereus Undatus Fruit Extract, Zingiber Officinale Oil Root, Calcium Gluconate, Silica, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Ergothioneine
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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