🇬🇧United Kingdom

NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR for oily skin

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

NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR

Average

  • HighOily Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

Works for oily skin; other serums fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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 exfoliation and oil control for your oily skin, as salicylic acid and niacinamide work to reduce acne lesions and blemishes. Glycerin and panthenol provide hydration and soothing effects, which are supportive but not primary for managing oily shine.
  • The formula is highly suitable for oily skin due to the keratolytic action of salicylic acid and the seboregulating properties of niacinamide.
  • The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.

How to apply

  • Use this serum in your PM routine. Start by applying it 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
  • Apply the serum after cleansing and toning, but right before your moisturizer for the best results.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin. Let it absorb ⏱ for a minute before applying the next product.
  • Apply the serum on clean and dry skin since your skin is not sensitive and you want to target oily shine. This helps control excess oil throughout the night.
  • Avoid the delicate eye area and do a patch test before using the serum for the very first time.

People Say

★4.4Overall rating based on 1.1k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, this range for oily and blemish-prone skin is highly effective at reducing active acne and improving skin texture, with many users noting clearer pores and balanced oil production without dryness. Some users with very oily skin experienced increased shine, and a small number reported initial breakouts or had mixed feelings about the scent and consistency.

Highlights

  • Clears active blemishes Mostly Mentioned
    • “cleared my complexion in 7 days”
    • “helped settle down new spots”
    • “reduced redness and inflammation”
  • Smoother skin texture Often Mentioned
    • “skin feels squeaky clean and soft”
    • “refines pores significantly”
    • “left face smooth and not stripped”
  • Good value for money Sometimes Noted
    • “absolute steal for the price”
    • “performs better than expensive options”
    • “budget-friendly holy grail”
  • Non-drying formula Sometimes Noted
    • “doesn't leave skin dry or stretched”
    • “leaves a hydrating film”
    • “no stinging or irritation”
  • Increases skin shine Rarely Noted
    • “made my face slightly shiny”
    • “left a hydrating film I didn't like”
    • “too glowy for my oily skin”
  • Initial skin purging Rarely Noted
    • “caused a breakout at first”
    • “skin got worse before better”
    • “brought spots to the surface”
  • Scent preferences Rarely Noted
    • “smells like men's hairspray”
    • “scent was too weak”
    • “fragrance is a bit strong”
  • Sticky consistency Rarely Noted
    • “consistency is sticky”
    • “felt heavy on the skin”
    • “gelatinous texture”

Sources: lovi.care, boots.com, superdrug.com, hometesterclub.com, nykaa.com, amazon.co.uk, and more

Questions and answers

How well does NIVEA Derma Skin Clear work for oily skin?

NIVEA Derma Skin Clear works for your oily skin, though other products fit it better. It offers moderate exfoliation and oil control, while glycerin and panthenol provide soothing hydration. A product for oily skin needs ingredients like niacinamide and zinc to control shine and address pores without irritation.

BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

Which ingredients make this treatment a good fit for oily skin?

Salicylic acid and niacinamide make this treatment a fit for your oily skin by helping reduce blemishes and control shine. A treatment for this skin needs ingredients that control oil and manage pores while supporting comfort with soothing and hydrating agents.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024BioMed Research International, 2020

What does Salicylic Acid do for oily skin?

Salicylic acid helps oily skin by reducing excess oil and keeping pores clear. It may also improve overall skin hydration while managing breakouts.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Experimental Dermatology, 2019

What does Niacinamide do for oily skin?

Niacinamide helps balance oily skin by significantly reducing excess oil production and shine. It is well tolerated and may improve skin texture without clogging pores.

Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006Antioxidants, 2021

Where does this treatment go in a skincare routine for oily skin?

This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing. Oily skin works well with a product of this type when it includes salicylic acid and niacinamide to clear blemishes and control oil, alongside soothing glycerin and panthenol.

Can I use this treatment with retinol, and in what order?

This treatment helps clear oily skin with salicylic acid and niacinamide, but combining it directly with retinol may cause too much irritation. To use both safely, apply your retinol on alternate nights or separate them into different routines, such as using retinol at night and this treatment at another time.

How often should I use this treatment?

Start using this treatment once a week in your evening routine, and if your skin feels comfortable and looks good, you may carefully use it more often. This product is unlikely to cause irritation for your oily skin, though an oily skin routine often needs stronger oil-balancing and deep-cleansing ingredients to get the best results.

BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

Can this treatment clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?

Yes, this treatment may cause initial skin purging for oily skin as the salicylic acid clears out your pores, though this complaint is rare among reviewers. It is unlikely to cause new breakouts since it helps reduce blemishes, but an oily skin routine also needs stronger oil-absorbing ingredients and lightweight, oil-free hydrators to truly stay matte.

BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

Is this treatment fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

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

What the research says

  • A 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, 2020

  • Twice daily application of a multitargeted dermocosmetic cream provided comparable efficacy to benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in reducing inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesions in 150 Caucasian subjects with mild-to-moderate acne over 56 days, while demonstrating superior skin tolerability.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

  • The use of a salicylic acid-based dermocosmetic significantly reduces the needed quantity of benzoyl peroxide without impacting efficacy in mild to moderate acne, and as maintenance post-benzoyl peroxide allows a significant reduction of acne relapse compared to vehicle.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023

  • Cryotherapy 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, 2010

  • Treatment 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, 2024

  • Topical 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, 2010

  • 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

  • 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, 2017

  • The 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, 2020

  • Ten 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, 2001

  • 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

  • Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019

  • Topical dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.

    Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000

  • A novel composition containing salicylic acid, capryloyl salicylic acid, HEPES, glycolic acid, citric acid, and dioic acid showed similar tolerance and efficacy compared with clindamycin 1% and benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in subjects with acne vulgaris.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2013

  • Daily treatment with a facial serum containing multiple acids reduced post-inflammatory hyperchromia lesion grade and number by 29.4% at 56 days, and decreased skin oiliness by 30.7% at 7 days in Brazilian patients with acne vulgaris.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021

  • Topical 20% citric acid lotion increases viable epidermal thickness and dermal glycosaminoglycan content in sun-damaged skin compared to vehicle alone.

    Dermatologic Surgery, 1997

Ingredients

Water, Glycerin, Salicylic Acid, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Panthenol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 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.

  • 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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Prices checked 10 Oct – 4 Nov 2026

The Lovi Fit is the same in every country; only the stores and prices differ, and the ones here are for the United Kingdom.

How does it fit your skin?

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