2024's "5 Best" Serums For Combination Skin On The Market
How To Pick A Face Serum That Works And Get It At A Great Price
We sorted through hundreds of face serums to narrow down the top ones to test. These are the best face serums for combination skin to try now.
After over 16 years of extensive research in beauty and dermatology, my biggest passion is finding the most effective products that can make a positive difference in people’s lives. I’ve incorporated all my knowledge and expertise in our Top 5 Review Series, where we investigate the leading skincare and beauty brands.
While there are several skin types like dry, oily and even sensitive skin that have plenty of products catering to the special needs of their skin, one of the most confusing skin types is combination skin.
Combination skin is literally what the name says, a combination of two skin types -dry and oily. Understanding the needs of this skin type is almost as confusing as picking the right skincare products for it. While you try to pick products for the excessive oily parts of your skin, you could be drying out the dry areas further. Skincare products for combination skin types ensure a balance in your skin and treat the oiliness as well as the dryness effectively.
But, we found that many serums in the industry, regardless of how big the brand is, had questionable ingredients along with other red flags that could be increasing your skin concerns rather than eliminating them.
A good number of products, even from well-known brands, do not show any drastic results for their premium price points. Even with patented formulations, they fail to deliver results.
Our team of researchers and testers researched and tried hundreds of face serums on the market to find the best of the best. Testers looked at various factors, including company ethics, quality, efficacy, results, and value. They also looked for the most effective moisturizers and other skin-benefitting ingredients. These “Top 5” face serums for combination skin stood out.
What Is Combination Skin?
If you have ever noticed your skin to be dry in certain patches and excessively oily in other areas like the T-zone and the chin, you most definitely have combination skin. Its astounding how the same facial skin can have varying skin types with completely different needs and picking the right products is surely no piece of cake.
Combination skin could be the result of overactive oil glands at the T-zone caused by hormones, stress, climate and even the excessive dryness of your skin which has led to the glands trying to overcompensate the hydration.
Oily T-zones mean enlarged pores, blackheads and acne in that region while the dry areas of your face could feel tight, flaky and dull. The only way to work with combination skin is by creating a balance in your skincare routine to target all of your skincare concerns.
How Can A Serum Help Your Skin?
Serums are one of the best products that are packed with several skin-benefitting ingredients in the right proportions to deliver faster and more prominent results.
This is because serums are high concentrations of active ingredients. They are packed with skin-benefiting ingredients like antioxidants, peptides, vitamins, etc., with most of the fluid eliminated from the formulation, thus, increasing the potency of the product on your skin. They can be easily absorbed by the skin and use its high concentration of nutrients to target various concerns and deliver a bright, flawless complexion.
What Kind Of Serum To Pick?
Serums consists of skin-benefitting and balancing ingredients packed into a small concentrated formulation that requires a single drop to work its benefits on your skin. It is important that this single drop consists of as many nutrients and skin-benefiting ingredients as possible for the maximum benefit of your skin.
A hyaluronic acid formula that has hydrating and skin-balancing properties would result in unfathomable shine-free skin while ensuring the skin is plump and hydrated to keep it even and smooth.
While it is unsaid, opt for a natural, clean and sustainable serum that is formulated with vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free and gluten-free ingredients sourced from nature.
Alpha lipoic acid is rich in antioxidants that can renew your skin to visibly improve its texture and tone. Vitamin-rich serums can target multiple skin concerns while reducing the dark spots and patches, and keeping the skin healthy.
It is better to avoid serums with synthetic ingredients and fragrances to help your skin retain its natural moisture and keep it balanced without causing irritations.
How To Find The Best Face Serums For Combination Skin?
Searching for the best face serums for combination skin among thousands of serums can be a mammoth task if you do not know what, where, and how to look. So, we are going to tell you exactly how you can discover these skin-balancing gems.
- Review other reviews. Customer reviews on the brand’s website can give a lot of insight into the product and its efficiency. Although some reviews could be solely for advertisement purposes, a product with several reviews is highly likely to be accurate and honest.
- Money-back guarantees by the company ensure security and increase the trust consumers are willing to put in the product.
- Third-party testing by the company can be expensive for them, but it ensures quality control and supports the promises of the results the serums claim to deliver.
Choosing the right serum seems like a taxing task, especially with thousands of ineffective products in the market. While there could be false advertising, customer reviews never lie. So, we have tested these products and sorted through multiple trustworthy reviews to give you our top picks along with their pros and cons.

Model Off Duty Beauty
Youth Glow Day Serum
- High-Quality Ingredients
- Risk-Free Trial
- Affordable Price
- Powerful Testimonials
- Reputable History
The Youth Glow Day Serum is rich in vitamins and antioxidants that work together with skin-balancing ingredients like niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and vitamin C to soothe, hydrate and even the skin while ensuring it is nourished.
The serum is packed with the best ingredients to target multiple skin concerns like Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Hyaluronic Acid, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Carrot seed oil, ProVitamin A, ProVitamin B5, Retinyl Palmitate and many more. No other product has been seen to have that many ingredients to combat several skin concerns.
This could be one of the, if not the only, best serum with the highest consumer 5-star feedback rate.
Out of all the products researched and tested, Model Off Duty Beauty Youth Glow Day Serum impressed our experts with their innovative and high-quality formula. The results were exceptional in balancing, hydrating and brightening the skin.
Hand-selected all-natural ingredients like intensely hydrating hyaluronic acid and niacinamide keep your skin firm, elastic, and supple. While the serum hydrates the skin, aloe vera strengthens the lipid barrier to keep the moisture locked in along with healing and soothing dry skin.
The potent vitamin C in the serum battles stubborn spots, patches and hyperpigmentation as well as delivers an undefeated glow.
Alpha lipoic acid restores the skin to give a renewed appearance that has a visibly improved tone and texture. CoQ10 is known to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and helps to stimulate collagen and elastin production.
Model Off Duty beauty wears its status as a clean, cruelty-free, vegan, and all-natural brand with pride, along with its recyclable packing. The serum is gentle, natural, and non-comedogenic, making it suitable for all ages and skin types.
The product has multiple positive reviews on both platforms, easily making it a consumer-favorite vegan serum!
All purchases are backed by a 30-day Risk-Free 100% Money Back Guarantee. That is the best guarantee that we have seen from any manufacturer. This shows how confident they are in their product.
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Pros
- Hyaluronic acid intensely hydrates and balances the skin.
- Vitamin C brightens and visibly evens the skin tone.
- Niacinamide prevents moisture loss and increases keratin content in the skin.
- Aloe vera soothes and heals the skin.
- Vitamin A reduces multiple signs of aging.
- Clinically tested and developed by skincare experts for the highest quality
- The ingredients used are natural and synthetic-free
- The serum is Non-GMO, Paraben Free, Phthalate Free, and Non-Toxic.
- The product is vegan and cruelty-free.
- MODB is 100% sustainable.
- The brand uses recyclable packing.
- Several positive reviews make it evident that the serum is a cult favorite.
- The clean formulation is suitable for any age or skin type.
- Made in USA
- The potent serum is fast-acting and delivers results almost instantly.
- It gives you long-lasting dewy and firm skin.
- The company offers free shipping and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- The product is worth the price.
Cons
- High product demand may create out of stock issues

Skinfix
Barrier+ Triple Lipid + Collagen + Niacinamide Activating Serum
The multi-benefit formula combines several beneficial ingredients, including niacinamide, triple lipids, collagen, and other skin-nourishing components to balance the oily areas and hydrate the dry regions of combination skin.
Niacinamide helps regulate oil production, improve the appearance of pores, reduce redness and inflammation, and enhance the skin's barrier function. Niacinamide also has antioxidant properties and can promote a more even skin tone.
Triple lipids and collagen in the serum contributes to the skin's hydration, elasticity, and overall firmness.
The serum has a lightweight and non-greasy texture, allowing for easy absorption into the skin.
This makes it suitable for all skin types, including oily and combination skin, without leaving a heavy or sticky residue.
The product is free from fragrance, parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and other potentially irritating ingredients.
While Skinfix aims to create products suitable for sensitive skin, the product can irritate extremely sensitive skin types.
The serum may be relatively higher priced compared to similar serums in the market.
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Pros
- Suitable for all skin types, including oily and combination skin.
- Niacinamide helps regulate oil production and improve the appearance of pores.
- Triple lipids and collagen in the serum contributes to the skin's hydration, elasticity, and firmness.
- The serum reduces redness and inflammation, and enhance the skin's barrier function.
- The multi-benefit formula combines several beneficial ingredients.
- Niacinamide also has antioxidant properties and can promote a more even skin tone.
- The serum has a lightweight and non-greasy texture
- It allows for easy absorption into the skin.
- The product is free from fragrance, parabens, sulfates, phthalates.
Cons
- The product can irritate extremely sensitive skin types.
- The serum is higher priced compared to similar serums in the market.

alpyn beauty
Wild Nettle & Niacinamide Instant Firming Serum
The firming serum combines the power of wild nettle extract and niacinamide to deliver a range of potential benefits. Its hydrating and non-comedogenic property makes it ideal for combination skin.
Niacinamide in the serum helps regulate sebum production, reduce redness and inflammation, improve the skin's barrier function, and promote a more even skin tone.
The serum is formulated to provide an instant firming effect on the skin, helping to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
It promotes a smoother and more youthful complexion.
Wild nettle extract is an antioxidant with skin-soothing benefits. Nettle extract can help protect the skin from environmental stressors and promote a healthier complexion.
The serum provides hydration and moisture to the skin, helping to plump and soften the complexion.
The product uses clean and natural ingredients. The lightweight serum is also vegan, gluten-free, and cruelty-free.
Some consumers have experienced specific sensitivities or allergies to certain components, which is not suitable for those with extremely sensitive skin.
Alpyn Beauty products may not be widely available in all regions, making it less accessible.
The serum is not as effective as other serums in this list.
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Pros
- Its hydrating and non-comedogenic property makes it ideal for combination skin.
- Niacinamide in the serum helps regulate sebum production.
- It also reduces redness and inflammation, improve the skin's barrier function, and promote a more even skin tone.
- Formulated to defeat multiple signs of aging.
- It promotes a smoother and more youthful complexion.
- Wild nettle extract has skin-soothing benefits.
- It can help protect the skin from environmental stressors and promote a healthier complexion.
- The serum provides hydration and moisture to the skin.
- The product uses clean and natural ingredients.
- The serum is lightweight
- It is also vegan, gluten-free, and cruelty-free.
Cons
- Some consumers have experienced specific sensitivities or allergies to certain components
- Not completely suitable for those with extremely sensitive skin.
- Not widely available in all regions, making it less accessible.
- The serum is not as effective as other serums in this list.

Paula's Choice
CLINICAL Niacinamide 20% Treatment
The treatment offers a potent concentration of 20% niacinamide, which is higher than many other niacinamide-based products on the market. This high concentration allows for potentially enhanced benefits for the skin.
The treatment has a lightweight texture that absorbs quickly into the skin, allowing for easy application and layering with other skincare products in your routine. It doesn't leave a heavy or greasy feeling on the skin.
The brand uses cruelty-free and fragrance-free formulations.
The treatment comes in an opaque and airtight container, which helps protect the stability and efficacy of the niacinamide over time, as exposure to light and air can degrade the ingredient.
Although niacinamide is generally well-tolerated by most individuals, there is a possibility of skin sensitivity when using high concentrations.
Niacinamide can have a drying effect when used in higher concentrations.
These make the product not suitable for sensitive or extremely dry skin types. The serum also costs a heavy price of $52 for less than 1 ounce of the product.
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Pros
- The treatment has a lightweight texture that absorbs quickly into the skin, making it ideal for oily and combination skin.
- It offers a potent concentration of 20% niacinamide, which is higher than many other niacinamide-based products on the market.
- It doesn't leave a heavy or greasy feeling on the skin.
- The brand uses cruelty-free and fragrance-free formulations.
- The opaque and airtight container helps protect the stability and efficacy of the niacinamide over time.
Cons
- Higher concentrations of niacinamide can cause irritations.
- Niacinamide can have a drying effect when used in higher concentrations.
- Not suitable for sensitive or extremely dry skin types.
- The serum costs $52 for less than 1 ounce of the product.

La Mer
The Revitalizing Hydrating Serum
This fast-action serum creates a cloud of moisture for the skin with its Deep Hydration Ferment formula of algae that revitalizes the skin and keeps it balanced.
The lightweight serum is deeply replenishing and lets the skin emit a healthy and fresh-looking, radiant complexion.
The skin-smoothening serum is free of paraben, sulfate and phthalate.
The non-comedogenic product is nourishing but not suitable for sensitive skin types. This could be a concern considering its hefty price tag of $255 for just an ounce of the product.
The product does fall short on the visible results for the bank-breaking cost.
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