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FRANKLY Retinol 0.1 Cream for dry skin

Average

  • HighDry Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

Works for dry skin; other serums fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, 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 moderate benefits for your dry skin with humectants like Glycerin and Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, complemented by emollient Shea Butter and Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil to support hydration and barrier function.
  • The inclusion of Centella Asiatica Extract provides soothing effects, while retinol targets wrinkle reduction, though specialized ingredients for intense dryness or flakiness are not prioritized.
  • The product is safe for your dry skin, as it avoids harsh ingredients and contains soothing components like Beta-Glucan.

How to apply

  • Apply this serum PM, starting 3×/week and working up to daily use as your skin adjusts.
  • Place the serum after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
  • Apply the serum on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra moisture.
  • Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use.

People Say

★4.3Overall rating based on 1.0k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, this retinol cream is highly praised by users with dry and combination skin as a gentle, beginner-friendly treatment for fine lines, dullness, and uneven texture. The addition of ceramides and ginseng helps mitigate typical retinol dryness, resulting in a plumper, firmer, and more radiant complexion with minimal irritation.

Highlights

  • Gentle for beginners Mostly Mentioned
    • “Great product if you starting with retinol”
    • “very gentle but effective”
    • “I didnt have irritation as well”
    • “if new to retinol, highly recommend it”
  • Deeply hydrating Often Mentioned
    • “doesnt dry up my skin”
    • “leaves the skin looking plump and well-hydrated”
    • “cushioned feeling to their complexion the next morning”
    • “locking in hydration without feeling suffocating”
  • Improves skin texture Sometimes Noted
    • “noticeable overnight smoothing”
    • “plumper, brighter skin with minimized fine lines”
    • “helps reduce pillow marks”
    • “visibly reduce fine lines”
  • Too mild Sometimes Noted
    • “I wish it was maybe three time stronger”
    • “lowest percentage I've come across”
    • “takes time to see significant transformation”
    • “relatively low concentration of retinol”
  • Initial mild irritation Rarely Noted
    • “Some redness or flaking can happen at first”
    • “mild tingling or adjustment periods”
    • “can cause dryness or irritation during the adjustment period”
    • “temporary signs that the product is working”
  • Sun sensitivity Rarely Noted
    • “skin will be especially sensitive to sunlight”
    • “Proper sun protection is mandatory”
    • “can increase sun sensitivity”
    • “always use SPF the next morning”

Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, iherb.com, befrankly.com, luxplus.co.uk, stylekorean.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does FRANKLY Retinol 0.1 work for dry skin?

FRANKLY Retinol 0.1 Cream works moderately well for dry skin, offering hydration and soothing benefits while targeting wrinkles with retinol. However, because it lacks specialized ingredients for intense dryness, dry skin needs a product rich in deep moisturizers, ceramides, and barrier-supporting nutrients like peptides or propolis.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for dry skin?

Glycerin and hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid help provide moderate hydration, while shea butter and macadamia seed oil soften dry skin. A treatment of this type needs rich hydrating and barrier-supporting ingredients like ceramides, peptides, or propolis to best care for dry skin.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

What does Retinol do for dry skin?

Retinol is a poor fit for dry skin because it frequently causes scaling, stinging, and dryness. To care for dry skin properly, a product needs gentle, hydrating ingredients like ceramides, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture and keep the skin barrier calm and smooth.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023

What does Niacinamide do for dry skin?

Niacinamide helps dry skin by strengthening the skin barrier, increasing hydration, and reducing water loss. It supports ceramide production and helps keep the surface smooth and calm. This ingredient tends to be very well tolerated and is unlikely to irritate dry skin.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2004Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026

Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for dry skin?

This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing. Putting treatments in the evening helps provide extra safety around sun exposure.

Can I use this cream with vitamin C, and in what order?

You can use this cream with vitamin C by applying vitamin C in your morning routine and this treatment at night, as using both at the same time may irritate your skin. Because this product offers only moderate hydration for dry skin, a dry skin routine also needs richer oils, heavy hydrators, and soothing ingredients to deeply lock in moisture.

How often should I use this cream?

FRANKLY Retinol 0.1 Cream works best when applied in the evening as part of your routine. This product helps dry skin with hydrating ingredients like glycerin and soothing centella asiatica, but dry skin also needs richer, specialized ingredients for intense dryness or flakiness.

Facial Plastic Surgery, 2014Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?

This cream is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on dry skin, though retinol may cause mild initial purging or irritation as your skin adjusts. It has a safe profile with soothing ingredients like centella asiatica and beta-glucan to help keep skin calm.

Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetyl alcohol, behenyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, and cetearyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.

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, 2017
  • Profhilo treatment led to significant improvements in superficial skin hydration and transepidermal water loss over time in Chinese females, while demonstrating good product tolerability.

    Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2026
  • Skin care regimens containing beta-glucan improved hemoglobin index, skin hydration, and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in 20 patients undergoing fractional laser therapy.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021
  • Topical 0.4% retinol significantly increased epidermal thickness, dermal vascularity, and extracellular matrix production by stimulating keratinocyte proliferation, endothelial cell proliferation, and fibroblast activation in naturally aged human skin compared to vehicle.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017
  • Topical bakuchiol 0.5% applied twice daily compared with retinol 0.5% applied daily significantly decreased wrinkle surface area and hyperpigmentation with no statistical difference between the compounds in 44 patients over 12 weeks, while retinol users reported more facial skin scaling and stinging.

    The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019
  • Silicone particles encapsulating retinol increased its half-life by 9-fold and yielded 12-23% lower skin irritation in human subjects compared to Microsponge particles while maintaining biological activity.

    Journal of Controlled Release, 2018
  • 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
  • Topical application of 0.05% w/w ECa 233 gel reduced erythema index by 0.03 U and improved early crusting and general wound appearance compared to placebo in thirty individuals undergoing facial laser resurfacing.

    Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2020
  • 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 treatment with 5% vitamin C and 0.1% madecassoside significantly improved clinical scores for wrinkles, suppleness, firmness, roughness, and skin hydration, along with functional and structural remodeling of the elastic fiber network in 20 female volunteers with photoaged skin after 6 months compared to baseline.

    Experimental Dermatology, 2008
  • Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011
  • Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.

    Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022
  • Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.

    BMC Oral Health, 2019
  • A combination cream of stimu-tex AS and saccharide isomerate reduced erythema, increased skin capacitance, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to placebo in 20 subjects after fractional CO2 laser procedure without causing serious adverse events.

    Lasers in Medical Science, 2025
  • A skin barrier restoring cream with shea butter, silkflo, and vitamin E increased type I procollagen synthesis, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, decreased reactive oxygen species generation, and promoted hyaluronic acid production in H2O2-stimulated human keratinocyte cells compared to untreated cells.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025

Why other serums fit dry skin better

Ingredients

Water, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Niacinamide, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Propanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Piper Methysticum Stem Extract Root Leaf, Panax Ginseng Extract Berry, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Palm Oil, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Polyacrylate-13, Glyceryl Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Dimethicone Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Stearyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Bht, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Retinol, Ceramide Np, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Methylpropanediol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cholesterol, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Fructooligosaccharides, Sorbitan Isostearate, Disodium Edta, Beta-Glucan, Polyquaternium-51, Bha, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, 2-Hexanediol, Polysorbate 20, Phytosteryl Isostearyl Cetyl Stearyl Behenyl Dimer Dilin

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.

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.