FRANKLY Retinol 0.1 Cream for dry sensitive skin
Retinol
Niacinamide
Centella Asiatica Extract
Sodium Hyaluronate
Shea ButterAverage
- 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 moderate benefits for your dry and sensitive skin, as Glycerin and Shea Butter provide hydration and emollient actions, while Centella Asiatica Extract offers soothing properties. Retinol is included for anti-aging benefits, but it does not directly target dryness or flakiness.
- The formula includes humectants and emollients that support overall skin hydration and comfort, though it lacks more specialized ingredients to intensely address severe dryness or flakiness.
- The product is safe for your skin, with no harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing agents like Centella Asiatica Extract and Beta-Glucan.
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
★4.3Overall rating based on 1.0k+ reviewsBased 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 sensitive skin?
FRANKLY Retinol 0.1 Cream works moderately well for dry sensitive skin by offering hydration and soothing comfort, though other products fit this skin type better. To truly thrive, dry sensitive skin needs specialized ingredients that intensely address dryness and flakiness while keeping the skin barrier strong and protected.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
Glycerin, shea butter, and sodium hyaluronate make this cream a good fit by bringing hydration and comfort, while centella asiatica extract helps calm the skin. This type of skin needs intensive hydrating and nourishing ingredients, along with ceramides and barrier-supporting components, to deeply lock in moisture and prevent irritation.
What does Retinol do for dry sensitive skin?
Retinol is often too strong for dry sensitive skin because it may cause scaling and stinging, so a product of this type needs gentle soothing ingredients and extra moisture to keep the skin calm and smooth.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019Toxicology Letters, 2003
What does Niacinamide do for dry sensitive skin?
Niacinamide helps dry sensitive skin by calming irritation and keeping moisture locked in so your face feels soft and smooth. It works to build up your skin barrier and calm redness while being very gentle and unlikely to cause irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2004International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2013
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This cream goes in the evening routine after your toner and before your moisturizer. Dry sensitive skin needs a product with richer moisturizing ingredients and calming agents to keep the skin soft and comfortable while using active ingredients.
Can I use this cream with vitamin C, and in what order?
You can use this cream alongside vitamin C, but it is best to apply vitamin C in the morning and save this treatment for your evening routine to keep your skin calm. Using active ingredients at different times of day helps prevent irritation, especially if you have dry and sensitive skin.
How often should I use this cream?
Use this treatment in your evening routine, starting just a few times a week and slowly increasing as your skin gets used to it. This approach helps minimize potential irritation while delivering anti-aging benefits safely.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This cream is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry sensitive skin, but the retinol may cause mild initial irritation or purging. A product of this type needs soothing ingredients like Centella Asiatica Extract and reliable hydrators like glycerin and shea butter to keep dry skin comfortable.
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
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, 2017Skin 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, 2021Topical 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, 2019Silicone 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, 2018Topical stabilized retinol treatment induced HAS gene expression and increased hyaluronic acid production in human skin in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo compared to vehicle.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2017Topical 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, 2021Topical 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, 2008Topical 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, 2005Topical 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, 2020A 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, 2017Moisturizer 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, 2019Topical 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, 2019A 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, 2025A 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 sensitive skin better
Tocopherol succinate-loaded ethosomal gel increased skin deposition, stability, moisture, and mechanical properties in 13 human subjects compared to a control gel over 12 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Hydrogels containing vitamin E-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers exhibited better occlusive properties and long-lasting effects, while vitamin E-loaded nanoemulsions performed a faster skin hydration effect and were selected as more attractive for skin application.
Colloids and Surfaces. B, Biointerfaces, 2019
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.
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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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