The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane for sensitive skin
Squalane
Average
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for sensitive skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. 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 moisturizing for your normal skin due to high concentrations of squalane, which hydrates and enhances barrier resilience.
- While beneficial for general skincare, the formula does not directly address your specific concerns of redness and irritation.
- The product is safe for your sensitive skin as it contains soothing squalane and lacks harsh or prohibited ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this soothing AM and PM routine every day to keep your normal skin calm. Always remember to apply SPF in the morning after your moisturizer.
- Apply your moisturizer after your toner in the morning, and after your serum in the evening. This step locks in hydration and protects your skin.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer evenly across your face. Avoid rubbing to keep your sensitive skin happy and calm.
- You can apply this gentle formula on dry or slightly damp skin for the best comfort. It works wonderfully on clean skin to soothe redness and irritation.
- Do a patch test before your very first use to check your skin's reaction. Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes .
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 2.3k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users consistently praise this product as a lightweight, non-comedogenic oil that effectively hydrates dry and sensitive skin without clogging pores. While the vast majority find it versatile for both face and hair, a small minority of users with specific skin sensitivities experienced breakouts or found the texture too greasy for daytime use.
Highlights
Excellent value Often Mentioned
- “unbeatable price point”
- “bottle lasts forever”
- “cheap but effective”
- “better than expensive oils”
Lightweight hydration Often Mentioned
- “sinks in immediately”
- “doesn't feel heavy”
- “perfect non-greasy moisture”
- “leaves a healthy glow”
Soothes sensitive skin Sometimes Noted
- “stopped retinol irritation”
- “no stinging or redness”
Versatile multi-use Sometimes Noted
- “tames hair frizz”
- “mixes well with moisturizer”
- “great cuticle oil”
- “use on dry elbows”
Greasy residue Sometimes Noted
- “sat on top of skin”
- “too oily for day”
- “made me look shiny”
- “didn't absorb well”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “gave me cystic acne”
- “clogged my pores”
- “caused tiny whiteheads”
- “skin texture got bumpy”
Insufficient moisture Rarely Noted
- “still had dry patches”
- “felt too thin”
- “needed a cream on top”
- “disappeared too fast”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “dropper cap broke”
- “bottle leaks easily”
- “hard to close tightly”
- “messy to travel with”
Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, sephora.com, spacenk.com, target.com, makeupalley.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane work for sensitive skin?
The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane is an average fit for sensitive skin because it provides safe moisture without harsh ingredients, though it does not directly target redness and irritation. To truly soothe and care for sensitive skin, a moisturizer needs calming ingredients like fermented Centella Asiatica, Cica Ceramide, and nourishing oils.
Which ingredients make this moisturizer a good fit for sensitive skin?
Squalane makes this moisturizer safe and helpful for your sensitive skin because it is soothing, though a product of this type for your skin needs soothing ingredients like fermented Centella Asiatica, Cica Ceramide, and nourishing oils to target redness and irritation.
What does Squalane do for sensitive skin?
Squalane helps calm sensitive skin by defending against everyday irritation and keeping it smooth and soft. It is unlikely to cause irritation and supports your skin barrier so it stays comfortable and hydrated.
Where does this moisturizer go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
For sensitive skin, apply this moisturizer in the evening as the final step after your treatment, and in the morning as part of your sun protection routine. To better calm sensitive skin and reduce redness, a product of this type needs added soothing and anti-inflammatory ingredients.
Can I use this moisturizer with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizer with retinol by applying the retinol first and then following with the moisturizer. This helps keep your skin soft and comfortable while reducing the dryness that retinol may cause.
How often should I use this moisturizer?
You can use this moisturizer daily as part of your morning and evening routine to keep your skin soft and hydrated. This type of product is safe for sensitive skin, though a good moisturizer for your specific concerns also needs ingredients that directly calm redness and irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this moisturizer clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This moisturizer is unlikely to cause breakouts for most people, though a few reviewers do mention them. Sensitive skin prone to clogged pores needs formulas that are lightweight and free of heavy oils.
Can I use this moisturizer around the eyes or on my body?
Yes, you can safely use this moisturizer around the eyes and on your body because squalane has very good skin tolerance and protects against irritation. It helps keep thin and thick skin areas hydrated, though sensitive skin with redness needs extra soothing ingredients to fully calm those specific concerns.
What the research says
Squalane 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, 2025
Why other moisturizers fit sensitive skin better
A panthenol-enriched mask improved skin hydration, regulated sebum, and reduced redness and TEWL across dry sensitive, oily sensitive, and oily acne skin subgroups with excellent tolerance and no adverse reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002A dexpanthenol-containing cream accelerated skin barrier repair, increased stratum corneum hydration, reduced skin roughness, and decreased skin redness compared to vehicle and untreated controls in sodium lauryl sulphate-irritated skin.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2002
Ingredients
Squalane
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.
-
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-
Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-
Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-
Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-
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.