Holy Grail Serums for Oily Acne-Prone Skin — Part 1

Effective + Affordable = Double Whammy.

Güzellik.
3 min readJul 7, 2023

Welcome to another article of my holy grail skincare favorites! It has been an uphill journey with my skin ever since I hit puberty. I went on Accutane twice as a result of unrelenting hormonal acne. After 15 years of mistakes and breakthroughs, I present the serums that work best for my skin and have made a permanent place in my routine (and my heart) forever. A few of my favorites have already featured in previous articles, which you can read here:

Clinique Revitalizing Turnaround Lotion: This “Lotion” Changed My Combination Acne-Prone Skin Forever

Sunday Riley Good Genes (US Version): Bougie Skincare Products That Are Worth the Splurge

L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Hyaluronic Acid Face Serum:

Image from lorealparisusa.com

Arguably the most popular active ingredient in the skincare market, hyaluronic acid sits firmly as the frontrunning hydrator at drugstores, luxury stores and every store in between. Products containing hyaluronic acid can range anywhere between a couple of dollars to hundreds of dollars, depending on the formulation and the molecule size (or combination of molecules). I see no reason to credit card an ingredient as ubiquitous as hyaluronic acid, so my pick is the ever reliable L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Serum. Simple, effective, unproblematic and easy on the pocket. This product has been on my beauty vanity for the last six years, and will continue to be for all foreseeable future.

Maelove Glow Maker:

Image from maelove.com

Maelove, co-founded by Jackie Kim and formulated in Silicon Valley, was launched in 2018 and came to prominence with their most beloved product of all time, the Glow Maker. This vitamin C product is proof that a well-formulated and highly efficacious product will stand out even in a crowded, competitive market. It has been featured by the likes of Harper’s Bazaar and Allure, is constantly sold out and has nearly 13,000 reviews at the time of writing. I noticed a visible brightening effect after about a week of use, and to this day the Glow Maker remains my most used vitamin C product. I think for a mid-range price of USD 32.95, this product delivers on all fronts.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of my holy grail serums!

Leave a comment if you have tried any of these products, or let me know what your favorite products are. If you liked this article, make sure to leave some claps and subscribe for more exciting content!

PS. Skincare is personal. What works for me may not work for you. Always make sure to patch test products before using.

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