First Aid Beauty 10% Vitamin C Brightening Serum for dry sensitive skin
High
- HighDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for dry sensitive skin; a few serums fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry sensitive skin: flakiness, tightness, redness, fine lines, and wrinkles. 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 high suitability for your dry and sensitive skin as squalane and glycerin provide emollient and humectant actions, while oat and licorice root extract soothe and hydrate dry or flaky skin.
- The high concentration of 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid effectively brightens and evens your skin tone, complementing the hydrating and soothing benefits.
- The formula is safe for your skin, containing no harsh ingredients that could cause irritation.
How to apply
- Use this PM routine for your evening skincare. Start using the serum 3 times a week and increase to daily use if your skin feels comfortable.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer. This step locks in deep hydration for dry skin.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin using your palms. Let it absorb completely for a minute ⏱ before applying your next product.
- Since your skin is sensitive, apply the serum on completely dry skin for better tolerance and less irritation.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Always do a patch test before your first use to ensure your skin reacts well.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 4.8k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this serum is highly praised for its ability to brighten and firm the skin while remaining exceptionally gentle, making it a top choice for individuals with sensitive or combination skin types. Users consistently report positive outcomes, including a more radiant complexion, reduced hyperpigmentation, and a non-sticky, lightweight feel that integrates easily into daily routines.
Highlights
Gentle on skin Mostly Mentioned
- “Great for sensitive skin”
- “No irritation”
- “Perfect for reactive skin”
Brightens complexion Often Mentioned
- “Skin looks radiant”
- “Noticeable glow”
- “Helps with dullness”
Lightweight texture Often Mentioned
- “Absorbs quickly”
- “Not sticky or greasy”
- “Feels nice on skin”
Effective results Sometimes Noted
- “Reduced hyperpigmentation”
- “Firmed my skin”
- “Helped blemish marks”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “Expensive for the amount”
- “Pricey for the size”
- “Cost is high”
Pump dispenses too much Sometimes Noted
- “Too much product comes out”
- “Hard to control pump”
- “Wasteful packaging”
Subtle/Slow results Rarely Noted
- “Results are very subtle”
- “Takes time to see”
- “Not a quick fix”
Sources: lovi.care, ipsy.com, sephora.com.au, nordstromrack.com, youtube.com, macys.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes First Aid Beauty 10% Vitamin C Brightening Serum a great fit for dry sensitive skin?
This serum is a great fit because squalane and glycerin quench dry skin, while oat and licorice root extract calm and soothe sensitive areas. At the same time, vitamin C helps brighten and even your skin tone without causing irritation.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
Squalane and glycerin make this serum a good fit because they add moisture, while oat and licorice root extract help calm and hydrate dry or flaky skin. Vitamin C brightens and evens your skin tone safely without causing irritation.
What does Vitamin C do for dry sensitive skin?
Vitamin C helps brighten and smooth dry sensitive skin while reducing wrinkles and improving elasticity. It is generally well tolerated and unlikely to cause irritation when properly formulated, leaving the skin looking more radiant.
What does Squalane do for dry sensitive skin?
Squalane helps keep dry sensitive skin soft and smooth by locking in moisture and calming irritation without causing flare-ups. It is unlikely to cause redness or discomfort, making it a gentle choice that supports the skin barrier. This type of skin needs ingredients that deeply hydrate and soothe, such as plant oils and antioxidants.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2017Molecules, 2009
Where does it go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine for dry sensitive skin, placed after cleansing and toning and before moisturizing. Using it at night helps provide extra safety around sun exposure, and the formula includes soothing oat and licorice root extract to help calm and hydrate dry or flaky skin.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol by applying the serum in your morning routine and your retinol at night, or by alternating the nights you use each. Using them at different times helps your skin get the brightening and smoothing benefits while keeping irritation unlikely.
How often should I use it?
This treatment is great to use in the evening as part of your routine for dry and sensitive skin. It helps brighten your skin tone while keeping your skin calm and hydrated.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on dry sensitive skin because it contains no harsh ingredients and features soothing elements like oat and licorice root extract that help calm your face. Purging is also uncommon here since it uses vitamin C rather than a strong cell-turnover ingredient like retinol or exfoliating acids.
Is it 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 multi-component dissolving microneedle patch loaded with glabridin, 3-O-ethyl-L-ascorbic acid, and tranexamic acid effectively reduced chloasma and age spots while demonstrating safety in clinical evaluation, alongside significant antioxidant, anti-tyrosinase, and melanin-reduction effects in vitro and in vivo.
Polymers, 2023Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Topical 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, 2022Squalane 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, 2025A repair cream containing Rhealba oat plantlets extract, l-ALA-l-GLU dipeptide, and hyaluronic acid provided immediate relief and was judged by doctors as good or very good in 96.8% of cases for wound healing in 2,363 patients following dermatological acts.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2018Topically applied Avena sativa and Avena Rhealba oatmeal extracts significantly reduced skin irritation parameters including a* parameter increase and blood flow increase compared to vehicle in 12 healthy individuals subjected to the sodium lauryl sulfate irritation model.
Skin Pharmacology and Applied Skin Physiology, 2002Colloidal oat extracts diminished pro-inflammatory cytokines in vitro and colloidal oat lotion improved skin dryness, scaling, roughness, and itch intensity in healthy female subjects compared to baseline.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2015Combining 755 nm alexandrite laser with topical licorice gel significantly reduces terminal hair counts compared to alexandrite laser with placebo in women with idiopathic hirsutism.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015Licochalcone A activated Nrf2 signaling, elevated cytoprotective enzymes, increased the reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio, and decreased reactive oxygen species in human fibroblasts and neutrophils, while a LicA-rich licorice extract lowered UVA-induced oxidative processes in vivo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2015Bioactive glycyrrhizic acid and oxymatrine ionic liquid self-assembled nanomicelles significantly promoted the transdermal permeation, subcutaneous retention, and anti-photoaging efficacy of palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 in cellular and animal models compared to unformulated peptide.
Advanced Science, 2025Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024A topical antioxidant serum significantly reduced air pollution-induced skin pigmentation and proinflammatory gene expression ex vivo, and improved skin aging signs in 40 healthy adult females after 90 days of daily use.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Ingredients
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Squalane, Sodium Citrate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Oat, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium Edta
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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