EltaMD Intense Moisturizer for dry skin
Petrolatum
ParaffinHigh
- HighDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for dry skin; a few moisturizers fit it even 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
- Highly suitable for your dry skin as petrolatum and paraffin provide excellent occlusive action to prevent water loss, addressing your dry or flaky skin concerns.
- These ingredients also enhance barrier resilience, offering moderate moisturizing benefits.
- The formula is safe for your dry skin, containing no harsh ingredients and including soothing components.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and work your way up to daily use.
- Apply your moisturizer after your toner and before your sunscreen in the morning. At night, use it as the final step after your serum.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin. Avoid rubbing to keep your dry skin happy.
- Apply the moisturizer on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra hydration. This is great for soothing dry and flaky areas .
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a patch test before your first use .
Questions and answers
What makes EltaMD Intense Moisturizer a great fit for dry skin?
EltaMD Intense Moisturizer is a great fit for your dry skin because petrolatum and paraffin lock in moisture to stop water loss and help smooth flaky spots. These ingredients also strengthen your skin barrier while keeping things gentle and soothing. Regular use of paraffin-based moisturizers may help improve skin comfort and reduce dryness over time.
Which ingredients make this moisturizer a good fit for dry skin?
Petrolatum and paraffin make this moisturizer a great fit for your dry skin by locking in moisture to stop water loss and flaky spots. These ingredients also help strengthen your skin barrier while keeping things soothing and safe.
What does Petrolatum do for dry skin?
Petrolatum helps dry skin by locking in moisture and protecting the skin barrier, which makes rough areas feel much softer and smoother. It is very good at stopping water from evaporating out of the skin, and it helps the skin heal itself quickly when it is dry or irritated.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2025The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2016
What does Paraffin do for dry skin?
Paraffin helps trap moisture in dry skin, keeping it soft and smooth while protecting the skin barrier. Using a product with paraffin helps relieve dryness, itching, and flaking.
Where does this moisturizer go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This moisturizer goes near the end of your morning and evening skincare routines, right after your hydrating toner or treatment, to lock in moisture and help stop water loss. Using a moisturizer like this daily is unlikely to irritate dry skin and helps improve your skin barrier over time.
Can I use this moisturizer with retinol, and in what order?
Yes, you can use this moisturizer with retinol by applying the moisturizer after your retinol treatment to help soothe your skin and lock in moisture. Using a barrier-enhancing moisturizer alongside retinoids is generally well-tolerated and may help reduce dryness and irritation.
How often should I use this moisturizer?
You can use this moisturizer twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine to help prevent water loss and keep dry skin feeling soft and smooth. Daily application of moisturizers of this type significantly improves skin moisture and barrier function.
Can this moisturizer clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
EltaMD Intense Moisturizer is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores on dry skin because it focuses on sealing in moisture with petrolatum and paraffin without using harsh ingredients. This gentle formula helps keep your skin soft and smooth while protecting against dryness.
Can I use this moisturizer around the eyes or on my body?
Yes, you can use this moisturizer around the eyes and on your body because its petrolatum and paraffin help lock in moisture for dry skin.
What the research says
The 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, 2020Topical treatment with skin-identical lipids in a petrolatum-rich cream base showed no superiority over pure petrolatum in promoting normalization of barrier recovery and inflammation in detergent- and tape-stripped-perturbed human skin over 14 days.
Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2000Topically applied extra virgin olive oil and petrolatum both significantly improved skin barrier function and microtopographic features in 54 healthy adult volunteers, with petrolatum exerting stronger occlusive effects and extra virgin olive oil uniquely promoting epidermal renewal.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2025Daily paraffin bath combined with hand exercise significantly improved extension deficit, perceived stiffness, and skin elasticity in patients with systemic sclerosis compared to exercise alone.
Disability and Rehabilitation, 2004Topical application of four vegetable oils and paraffin oil leads to semi-occlusion and penetration limited to the first upper layers of the stratum corneum in six healthy volunteers compared to petrolatum.
Skin Research and Technology, 2012Application of water, paraffin oil, ethanol, and glycerin for 10 minutes induces significant changes in the mechanical properties of human skin in vivo, with water and paraffin oil increasing distensibility and hysteresis, ethanol negatively affecting distensibility, and glycerin showing a delayed onset.
Acta Dermato-venereologica, 1993
Ingredients
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. Sof铆a Perea P茅rez, 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?
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