Olay Retinol24 for dry sensitive skin
Dimethicone
GlycerinWarning
- LowDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- RiskySafety
A poor match for dry sensitive skin; the moisturizers alongside fit it 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 moderate moisturizing and anti-aging benefits for your dry and sensitive skin, as glycerin provides hydration while retinol and Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 work to smooth texture and minimize fine lines.
- The presence of dimethicone and dimethiconol offers emollient action but lacks sufficient humectant ingredients to adequately address your dryness.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine. Start using this moisturizer 3 times a week and move to daily use if your dry skin tolerates it well.
- Apply this moisturizer after cleansing and toner in the morning, or after your serum in the evening. Always pair it with SPF in the morning.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin. Avoid rubbing it harshly to protect your sensitive skin.
- Apply the moisturizer on slightly damp skin to help with hydration absorption. This also works well for dry and flaky skin types.
- Do a patch test before your first use. Avoid the eye area to prevent any irritation.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 5.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users consistently report waking up to noticeably smoother and softer skin, with many praising the product's ability to hydrate without feeling heavy or greasy. While effective for brightening dullness and reducing fine lines over time, some users with sensitive skin experienced initial irritation or breakouts typical of retinol products.
Highlights
Smoother skin Mostly Mentioned
- “skin feels baby soft”
- “woke up to smoother skin”
- “texture is silky smooth”
- “face feels like velvet”
Deep hydration Often Mentioned
- “very hydrating”
- “no dryness at all”
- “skin feels plump”
- “great moisture barrier”
Lightweight feel Often Mentioned
- “absorbs instantly”
- “no greasy residue”
- “lightweight formula”
- “doesn't feel heavy”
Brightening effect Sometimes Noted
- “skin looks brighter”
- “glowy in the morning”
- “helped with dullness”
- “complexion looks more even”
Fragrance-free Sometimes Noted
- “love that it's fragrance-free”
- “no strong smell”
- “great for sensitive noses”
- “zero scent is a plus”
Initial breakouts Sometimes Noted
- “caused cystic acne”
- “broke me out bad”
- “skin started purging”
- “clogged my pores”
Jar packaging Rarely Noted
- “hate the jar”
- “wish it was a pump”
- “unsanitary packaging”
- “exposed to air”
Skin irritation Rarely Noted
- “burned my skin”
- “red and itchy”
- “stinging sensation”
- “too harsh for me”
Slow results Rarely Noted
- “didn't see a difference”
- “no change in wrinkles”
- “takes months to work”
- “expected faster results”
Unpleasant smell Rarely Noted
- “smells like plastic”
- “weird chemical smell”
- “scent is off-putting”
- “smells like glue”
Sources: lovi.care, target.com, ulta.com, olay.com, amazon.com, goodhousekeeping.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise against Olay Retinol24 for dry sensitive skin?
Lovi advises against this product because it lacks enough moisture-attracting ingredients to properly care for dry skin, even though it contains some hydrating elements and smoothing ingredients. A product of this type needs multiple forms of hyaluronic acid, pro vitamin B5, and ceramides to deeply hydrate, nourish, and protect this skin type.
Which ingredients make this cream a poor fit for dry sensitive skin?
This cream is a poor fit because it lacks enough ingredients that draw in and hold moisture to properly care for dry skin. A product for this skin needs plenty of hydrating ingredients like multiple forms of hyaluronic acid, pro vitamin B5, and ceramides to deeply quench dryness and support the skin barrier without causing irritation.
What does Water do for dry sensitive skin?
Hard water increases soap deposits and dryness, making dry sensitive skin more prone to irritation and flare-ups. A product of this type needs gentle cleansers and soothing ingredients to calm the skin and protect its moisture barrier against hard water minerals.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2018Clinical and Experimental Allergy, 2021
What does Dimethicone do for dry sensitive skin?
Dimethicone helps protect dry sensitive skin, though it may show varying performance compared to other protectants. This type of product needs gentle, hydrating ingredients that support the skin barrier without causing irritation.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and toning, and before moisturizing, but it is a poor match for dry and sensitive skin. To properly care for dry skin, a product of this type needs rich moisturizing ingredients and soothing agents to prevent irritation.
Can I use it with vitamin C, and in what order?
Using this treatment with vitamin C may cause extra dryness and irritation on your dry, sensitive skin, so it is best to apply vitamin C in the morning and this product at night. If you use them together, apply the vitamin C first and let it soak in before putting on this treatment.
How often should I use this cream?
This product is a poor match for your dry and sensitive skin, so it is best to avoid using it. A product of this type needs rich moisturizing ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and heavy butters to properly comfort and protect dry skin.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This product may cause initial breakouts for your dry and sensitive skin. To better suit this skin type, a product needs extra moisturizing ingredients to deeply hydrate and keep it soft and calm without irritation.
Can I use it around the eyes or on my body?
This product may be too strong for the very thin skin around the eyes and is not ideal for the body because it lacks enough deep hydrating ingredients to properly care for dry skin in those areas. A product for this type of skin needs rich moisturizing ingredients and soothing elements to keep the skin soft and comfortable.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Topical palmitoyl pentapeptide (pal-KTTKS) provided significant improvement versus placebo control in the reduction of wrinkles and fine lines in Caucasian female subjects.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2005Topical 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, 2017Petrolatum-based skin protectants demonstrated protection against irritants and maceration while providing skin hydration, whereas dimethicone and zinc oxide products showed varying or limited performance across parameters among 18 healthy volunteers compared to positive and negative controls.
Ostomy/wound Management, 2005Wearing an N95 mask alone compared to using dimethicone cream or hydrocolloid dressing caused more adverse skin reactions among 73 military health care workers, with no significant differences in fit test failure rates between groups.
Military Medicine, 2024A dimethicone skin protectant lotion significantly decreased visual scoring and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control and SLS-only treated sites in 12 healthy humans exposed to sodium lauryl sulfate.
Skin Research and Technology, 2000Treatment with a moisturizer containing dimethicone and glycerine increased epidermal thickness by 0.019 mm, improved barrier function by decreasing transepidermal water loss by 13%, decreased melanin intensity, and induced keratins 6 and 16 in fifteen women with moderately photoaged forearms.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2007A 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, 2017The 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, 2020Ten 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
Ingredients
Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Retinol, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Dimethiconol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
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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