The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% for dry skin
Ascorbic Acid
Hyaluronic Acid Spheres
Squalane
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
Glucomannan
Average
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- Low RiskSafety
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 brightening and smoothing for your dry skin due to the high concentration of Ascorbic Acid, which is a potent antioxidant and collagen booster, though it may pose a slight irritation risk.
- Sodium Hyaluronate and Squalane provide essential hydration and emollient benefits, supporting your dry or flaky skin by offering humectant and moisturizing actions.
- The product is generally safe for your dry skin, with a minimal risk of irritation from Ascorbic Acid.
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
★3.5Overall rating based on 2.6k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this product is widely polarized; users with resilient skin praise its high potency for rapidly fading hyperpigmentation and brightening dull complexions at an unbeatable price. A significant number of reviewers find the gritty, sandy texture and strong stinging sensation unpleasant, often deeming it unsuitable for sensitive skin or daytime use.
Highlights
Affordable price Mostly Mentioned
- “very affordable”
- “great price point”
- “best value vitamin C”
Gritty texture Mostly Mentioned
- “feels like sandpaper”
- “grainy and rough”
- “unpleasant sandy feel”
Brightens skin Often Mentioned
- “skin looks incredibly brighter”
- “wake up with radiant skin”
- “immediate glow”
Fades dark spots Often Mentioned
- “acne scarring fading faster”
- “reduced dark spots”
- “evened out skin tone”
Stinging and irritation Often Mentioned
- “burns upon application”
- “strong tingling sensation”
- “caused redness and peeling”
Smooths texture Sometimes Noted
- “skin feels plumper”
- “smooths texture”
- “softens fine lines”
Greasy finish Sometimes Noted
- “sits on skin”
- “looks very oily”
- “leaves greasy film”
Pilling issues Sometimes Noted
- “balls up immediately”
- “rolls off skin”
- “doesn't layer well”
Sources: lovi.care, theordinary.com, sephora.com, ultabeauty.com, cultbeauty.co.uk, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% work for dry skin?
This treatment works for your dry skin by offering moderate brightening and smoothing, though other products fit it better. It includes Ascorbic Acid for antioxidant benefits alongside Squalane and Sodium Hyaluronate for hydration, but a product for this skin needs soothing ingredients, ceramides, or peptides that provide significant hydration and skin repair without any risk of irritation.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for dry skin?
Sodium Hyaluronate and Squalane make this cream a good fit for dry skin by providing essential hydration and keeping your skin soft. A treatment of this type needs soothing ingredients, ceramides, niacinamide, propolis, or peptides to nourish dry skin and support its barrier without any risk of irritation.
What does Vitamin C do for dry skin?
Vitamin C helps dry skin by boosting moisture and keeping the surface smooth and soft. It may also improve skin hydration and support the outer protective barrier over time.
Skin Research and Technology, 2008Experimental Dermatology, 2008
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for dry skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps dry skin by bringing in moisture and keeping it there, making your face feel much softer and smoother. It is very good at quenching thirsty skin and is unlikely to cause irritation.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Dermatology and Therapy, 2021
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing. Dry skin types need treatments that combine potent brightening ingredients with deep moisturizers and hydrators like squalane and sodium hyaluronate.
Can I use this cream with niacinamide, and in what order?
You can use this treatment with niacinamide, applying the vitamin C first and waiting a few minutes before putting on the niacinamide to help prevent tingling on dry skin. Because this product is only an average fit for dry skin, a better choice for you would be a vitamin C formula paired with rich moisturizing ingredients that comfort flaky areas.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this treatment in the evening as part of your routine. Because high-strength Vitamin C may cause slight irritation on dry skin, a product of this type needs soothing and hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane to keep skin calm and smooth.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This product is unlikely to clog pores or cause purging for dry skin, though its rich oils and squalane may feel greasy. A product for this skin needs nourishing hydrators and gentle barrier-supporting ingredients that leave a comfortable finish without heavy residue.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A topical serum containing vitamin C, vitamin E, and raspberry leaf cell culture extract improved skin color, elasticity, radiance, smoothness, scaliness, and wrinkles compared to the untreated contralateral side in fifty female volunteers.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Application of squalene/phosphotungstate calcium nanowires (Sql/PWC) oleogel on UVB-irradiated skin decreased epidermal thickness, increased dermal thickness, and promoted the expression of elastin, collagen, and skin barrier markers through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.
Journal of Nanobiotechnology, 2025Hyaluronic acid extracts are safe and efficacious products for skin repair when used in tissue regeneration alone or in combination with herbal or Western medicine.
Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Topical 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, 2022Topical 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, 2011Topical 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, 2022Treatment 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, 2019Squalane 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, 2025Glucomannan isolated from Candida utilis suppressed UVB-induced decreases in keratinocyte viability and apoptosis in vitro, and decreased UV-induced skin erythema formation in human volunteers in vivo.
Carbohydrate Research, 2008A novel Konjac glucomannan/silver nanoparticle composite sponge exhibited good antibacterial activity and effectively accelerated wound healing, promoted fibroblast growth, and accelerated epithelialization in animal models while demonstrating good cytocompatibility with L929 cells.
Carbohydrate Polymers, 2018Carboxymethyl konjac glucomannan-chitosan composite sponges possessed high swelling ratio, proper water vapor transmission rate, and good biocompatibility, and effectively healed full-layer skin defect wounds in male ICR mice compared to untreated conditions.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2018
Ingredients
Ascorbic Acid, Squalane, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Coconut Alkanes, Ethylene Propylene Styrene Copolymer, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glucomannan, Coco-Caprylate Caprate, Butylene Ethylene Styrene Copolymer, Acrylates Ethylhexyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Trihydroxystearin, Bht
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.