Skinbetter Science Alto Defense Serum for dry sensitive skin
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract Grape Seed Extract
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Superoxide Dismutase
Tetrahexyldecyl AscorbateAverage
- HighDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for dry sensitive skin; other serums 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 excellent antioxidant protection due to tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate and ergothioneine, which shield your dry and sensitive skin from environmental stressors.
- While Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate and Glycerin provide good humectant action for your dry skin, the formulation lacks specialized ingredients like ceramides in concentrations that directly address flakiness.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your dry and sensitive skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components like Bisabolol and Glycerin.
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
★4.8Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsMost users report a more luminous and even complexion without irritation. A few users note the high price point, small packaging, and occasional lack of visible results.
Highlights
Improves skin texture Often Mentioned
- “evened out my tone and texture so well”
- “definite improvement in hydration and texture”
- “My skin tone looks more even and luminous”
- “makes my face smooth”
Reduces skin redness Often Mentioned
- “This is really helping to reduce the redness”
- “helped so much with the texture and redness”
- “improvement in some of my redness”
Expensive product Often Mentioned
- “4 stars due to the cost”
- “I don't like that is relatively expensive”
- “definitely on the pricier side”
- “the product is pretty expensive”
Gentle and non-irritating Sometimes Noted
- “so gentle that it causes no irritation whatsoever”
- “in derivative form, hence no irritation”
- “not irritating at all”
- “hasn't had any issue at all”
Hydrates the skin Sometimes Noted
- “helped my skin to feel more hydrated”
- “my skin feels extremely hydrated”
- “My skin is so soft and hydrated”
- “Gives skin good hydration”
No visible results Rarely Noted
- “I see absolutely no change whatsoever”
- “Hasn't been earth-shattering yet”
- “haven't seen any effect in terms of skin redness”
- “didn't do anything for me”
Small bottle size Rarely Noted
- “actual size of this travel size bottle is extremely small”
- “smaller than I thought it would be”
- “small amount for the money”
Sources: lovi.care, lovelyskin.com, realself.com, lazskincare.com, reddit.com, ellemesmedspa.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Alto Defense Serum work for dry sensitive skin?
Skinbetter Science Alto Defense Serum works reasonably well for dry sensitive skin by offering strong antioxidant protection and soothing benefits without irritation, though other products fit it better. A product of this type needs rich moisturizing and barrier-supporting ingredients like ceramides to keep dry skin smooth and properly hydrated.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
This serum is a good fit for dry sensitive skin because tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate and ergothioneine provide strong antioxidant protection, while hydrolyzed sodium hyaluronate and glycerin draw in moisture. It is unlikely to cause irritation and is generally safe, though a product of this type needs rich moisturizing ingredients like ceramides to properly target flakiness.
What does Grape Seed Extract do for dry sensitive skin?
Grape seed extract helps calm dry sensitive skin by fighting daily oxidative stress and soothing irritation. Because it protects delicate skin and supports overall barrier health, it is unlikely to cause redness or discomfort when used correctly.
What does Licorice Root Extract do for dry sensitive skin?
Licorice root extract helps calm red and irritated skin while fighting daily oxidative stress. It is unlikely to cause irritation, making it a soothing choice for easily upset skin.
Experimental Dermatology, 2015Journal of Medicinal Food, 2020
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This treatment goes in your evening routine after your toner and before your moisturizer. It is unlikely to cause irritation on dry and sensitive skin, but products of this type for this skin need richer moisture barrier ingredients like ceramides to properly address flakiness.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol by applying the serum first and following with your retinol once your skin is used to both. This product is unlikely to cause irritation because it leaves out harsh ingredients and includes soothing components, though dry sensitive skin also needs rich barrier-repairing ingredients like ceramides to prevent flakiness.
How often should I use this serum?
This serum fits into your evening routine, and while it works for your dry and sensitive skin, other options may fit it better. To properly care for this skin type, a product needs barrier-supporting ingredients like ceramides to effectively address flakiness.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This serum is unlikely to clog pores, cause breakouts, or lead to purging on dry sensitive skin due to its very safe formula containing soothing components like bisabolol and glycerin.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Ergothioneine at nanomolar concentrations ameliorated UVA-induced skin damage, reactive oxygen species, and apoptosis in human keratinocyte-derived HaCaT cells by upregulating Nrf2/ARE-mediated antioxidant genes.
Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 2015A 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, 2017Topical CE Ferulic plus resveratrol BE serum following ablative fractional CO2 laser treatment reduced erythema index (308.9 vs. 325.3), shortened complete scabbing detachment time (6.0 vs. 6.5 days), decreased melanin index (-7.4% vs. +0.2%), and improved skin hydration compared to normal saline in 51 Chinese patients.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2024Resveratrol cream improved skin hydration and tightening compared to cream without resveratrol in a group of probands.
Acta Biochimica Polonica, 2019Topical application of a water-in-oil emulsion containing 2% Muscat hamburg grape seed extract significantly improved melanin, elasticity, and sebum content compared to a placebo in human volunteers over 8 weeks, with no reported skin hypersensitivity.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 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 curcumin or turmeric treats various skin conditions by leveraging antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2023Topical formulations of curcumin target oxidative damage and inflammation to improve wound healing in animal models.
Drug Discovery Today, 2017A curcumin-loaded spanlastic anti-aging gel utilizing formula F5 incorporated into 2% HPMC E50 demonstrated sustained release action, compatibility, and the ability to penetrate skin layers to a depth of about 112.5 um without signs of irritation.
Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal, 2024Topical application of TAT-SOD significantly suppresses UVB-induced erythema formation, blood flow rise, and apoptotic sunburn cell formation in human volunteers compared to a vehicle control.
European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 2016Topical treatment with the synthetic SOD/catalase mimetic EUK-134 reduced lipid peroxide levels both at baseline on non-irradiated human skin and at the surface of UVA-exposed skin when applied before or after irradiation, compared to controls.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2004Topical superoxide dismutase formulations maintained physical stability and enzymatic activity for 6 months at 4 and 30 degrees C, and effectively inhibited UVB-induced skin erythema for 48 hours, whereas formulations combined with alpha-tocopherol were unstable.
European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 2007Topical 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, 2022
Why other serums fit dry sensitive skin better
Treatment with 14% ferulic acid and 12% l-ascorbic acid significantly reduced pigmentation and erythema while improving hydration and elasticity in 20 women with photoaged skin, with neither acid proving definitively more effective overall though ascorbic acid showed slightly greater skin lightening.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022
Ingredients
Water, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Chlorogenic Acids, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Lauryl Lactate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Ergothioneine, Benzylidene Dimethoxydimethylindanone, Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract, Carnosine, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract Grape Seed Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Extract Olive Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2, Buddleja Officinalis Flower Extract, Coffea Arabica Extract Cell Leaf, Crocus Sativus Extract Cell Leaf Culture, Superoxide Dismutase, Ubiquinone, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide Eop, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Sea Whip Extract, Bisabolol, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Jojoba Esters, Sodium Pca, Pentylene Glycol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Wax Seed Sunflower Wax Seed, Acacia Decurrens Wax Flower, Lecithin, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Dicetyl Phosphate, Propanediol Dicaprylate Caprate, Polyglycerin-3, Ceteth-20 Phosphate, Diisostearyl Malate, Xanthan Gum, Steareth-2, Acacia Senegal Gum, Carbomer, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dextran, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Disodium Edta, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
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
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.