Glow Recipe Strawberry Smooth BHA + AHA Salicylic Serum for combination skin
Salicylic Acid Bha
Mandelic Acid Aha
Strawberry Extract
Niacinamide
Azelaic AcidSuperior
- SuperiorCombination Skin Fit
- SuperiorEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
One of the best products 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 and oily shine concerns is provided by salicylic acid, mandelic acid, and azelaic acid, which effectively control sebum and exfoliate pores, complemented by niacinamide for barrier support.
- The serum's potent blend of exfoliating acids and hydrating ingredients like sodium hyaluronate ensures a smooth, refined texture and optimal moisture balance.
- The product is safe for your skin, featuring soothing agents like allantoin and bisabolol to prevent irritation.
How to apply
- Use this exfoliant product in your PM routine starting once a week, then increase frequency carefully if your skin feels fine.
- Apply this exfoliant step after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin and wait a minute before layering.
- Apply the exfoliant to clean, dry skin to help control your oily shine comfortably.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 1.8k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this serum is highly praised for its gentle exfoliation and smoothing effects, particularly for sensitive and acne-prone skin. Users frequently report significant improvements in breakouts, pore appearance, and skin texture, alongside a pleasant sensory experience. Some reviewers, however, find the product to be expensive for the quantity provided and have noted issues with the packaging and a potentially sticky finish.
Highlights
Clears acne and pores Often Mentioned
- “cleared my breakouts”
- “reduced pore congestion”
- “stopped hormonal acne”
- “blackheads are gone”
Gentle and non-irritating Often Mentioned
- “no tingling sensation”
- “great for sensitive skin”
- “very soothing”
- “didn't dry me out”
Improves skin texture Often Mentioned
- “skin feels softer”
- “smooths rough bumps”
- “glass skin effect”
- “refined texture”
Pleasant sensory experience Sometimes Noted
- “smells like real strawberries”
- “lightweight gel texture”
- “absorbs quickly”
- “yummy scent”
Price and value Sometimes Noted
- “too expensive”
- “small bottle”
- “finished too quickly”
- “pricey for the amount”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “caused cystic acne”
- “broke me out bad”
- “bad reaction”
- “purging never stopped”
Packaging design Rarely Noted
- “hard to hold”
- “pump stopped working”
- “cute but impractical”
- “slippery bottle”
Scent disliked Rarely Noted
- “smells artificial”
- “fragrance is too strong”
- “sickly sweet smell”
- “scent lingers”
Sticky finish Rarely Noted
- “leaves a sticky residue”
- “feels tacky”
- “takes time to dry”
- “slightly sticky”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, kohls.com, cultbeauty.co.uk, glowrecipe.com, youtube.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Glow Recipe Strawberry Smooth BHA + AHA Salicylic Serum one of the best fits for combination skin?
Salicylic acid, mandelic acid, and azelaic acid give this serum an excellent suitability for combination skin by controlling oily shine and exfoliating pores, while niacinamide supports your skin barrier. The blend of acids and sodium hyaluronate helps keep your skin smooth and properly moisturized, and soothing ingredients like allantoin and bisabolol are unlikely to cause irritation.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for combination skin?
Salicylic acid, mandelic acid, and azelaic acid make this serum a great fit for your combination skin by controlling oily shine and clearing pores. Niacinamide supports your skin barrier, while soothing ingredients like allantoin and bisabolol help prevent irritation.
What does Salicylic Acid do for combination skin?
Salicylic acid helps clear clogged pores and balance oily areas while remaining gentle enough for dry spots on combination skin. It reduces breakouts and oiliness effectively with a low likelihood of irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023
What does Mandelic Acid do for combination skin?
Mandelic acid helps clear breakouts and fade dark spots in combination skin while generally causing fewer side effects than other similar ingredients. For the best fit on combination skin, this type of product needs gentle exfoliating acids that balance oil without causing irritation in drier areas.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2009Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, 2019
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This treatment serum goes in your evening routine, applied after cleansing and before moisturizing. Lovi routines place treatments in the evening for simplicity and extra safety around sun exposure, starting them once a week.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol, but it is best to apply them on alternate nights to avoid irritation. Using both exfoliating acids and retinol at the same time may be too harsh and can dry out your skin.
How often should I use this serum?
Start by using this serum once a week in your evening routine, and if your skin tolerates it well and you see good results, you may carefully use it more often. This gentle approach helps your combination skin adjust to the exfoliating acids while keeping your moisture balance steady.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on combination skin because salicylic acid and mandelic acid help clear out pores and control oil. It may cause mild purging when you first start using it as the acids speed up skin renewal, while soothing ingredients like allantoin and bisabolol help prevent irritation.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum).
What the research says
Azelaic acid nanocrystal hydrogel 10% achieved a higher success rate and greater lesion reduction than azelaic acid cream 20% in patients with mild to moderate facial acne.
Pharmaceutics, 2021A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020Treatment with 45% mandelic acid peel showed nearly equal overall efficacy as 30% salicylic acid peel in patients with mild-to-moderate facial acne vulgaris, but with fewer adverse effects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Topical hyaluronic acid filler serum combined with Botulinum toxin type A lengthened the duration of the toxin's effect in reducing wrinkles compared to Botulinum toxin type A alone.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Hyaluronic acid extracts are safe and efficacious products for skin repair when used in tissue regeneration alone or in combination with herbal or Western medicine.
Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.
CMAJ, 2010Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid achieved the greatest lesion reduction at early 2 to 4 week time points compared to benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin, and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin, while 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin showed similar efficacy at 10 to 12 weeks in acne patients.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2010Chemical peels using 35% glycolic acid, 20% salicylic-10% mandelic acid, and phytic acid reduce acne scores by 70.55%, 74.14%, and 69.7% respectively, and significantly decline the postacne hyperpigmentation index in Asian patients with mild to moderate acne.
Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, 2019Commonly used chemical peels showed no significant differences in effectiveness for acne vulgaris in most comparisons, though combined salicylic and mandelic acid peeling was superior to glycolic acid and glycolic acid was superior to placebo, based on twelve randomized controlled trials.
BMJ Open, 2018Treatment with 30% lactic acid peel showed a significantly greater reduction in pigmentation and higher patient satisfaction compared to 30% mandelic acid peel in patients with periorbital melanosis.
Indian Dermatology Online Journal, 2025Fragaria vesca extract-based hydrogel exhibited antioxidant efficacy, cutaneous compatibility, acceptability, and stability suitable for topical application.
Antioxidants, 2020Supercritical CO2 extract from strawberry seeds at concentrations up to 2% successfully provides moisturizing and skin-softening effects in mild cleansing compositions without significantly affecting their stability, cleansing, or foaming properties.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2015Treatment with strawberry seed extract and tiliroside increased stratum corneum total ceramide content and specific ceramide species in human epidermal equivalents by enhancing the expression of ceramide-related enzymes.
PloS One, 2018Topical 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, 2021Topical 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, 2008Topical 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, 2005Application of 15% azelaic acid gel significantly reduced post-inflammatory erythema and hyperpigmentation, decreased hemoglobin and melanin content, improved quality of life, and contributed to acne improvement in patients with mild to moderate acne compared to placebo.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2024Topical application of a dermocosmetic containing Myrtus communis extract and azelaic acid reduced acne relapses and helped maintain remission compared to a light moisturizing cream in adult females in the acne maintenance phase over 16 weeks.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2023Topical administration of 20% azelaic acid cream and 5% tranexamic acid solution comparably improved acne-related postinflammatory hyperpigmentation in patients with acne vulgaris, while tranexamic acid demonstrated a significantly better safety profile at week 4.
Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 2023
Ingredients
Water, Methylpropanediol, C9-12 Alkane, Strawberry Fruit Extract, Hydroxypropyl Phosphate Starch, Salicylic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Mandelic Acid, Succinic Acid, Strawberry Leaf Extract, Azelaic Acid, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bisabolol, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract Prickly Pear Flower Extract, Niacinamide, Glucosamine, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Saccharomyces Ferment, Dextrin, Polydextrose, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Coco-Caprylate Caprate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Amylopectin, Butylene Glycol, Succinoglycan, Leuconostoc Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Lauroyl Lysine, Sodium Phytate, Lecithin, Aminomethyl Propanol, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Parfum
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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