Finacea Gel for dry skin
Azelaic Acid
Benzoic Acid
Disodium Edta
Polysorbate 80
Medium-Chain Triglycerides
Low
- LowDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A weak match for dry skin; the serums alongside 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 treatment for acne-prone skin due to azelaic acid reducing lesions and blemishes, but it poses risks of worsening your dry or flaky skin due to its drying nature.
- Propylene glycol and medium-chain triglycerides can further contribute to dryness, offering limited hydration benefits for your dry skin.
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
★4.0Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsHowever, many users experience initial stinging, peeling, and dryness as their skin adjusts.
Highlights
Reduces facial redness Often Mentioned
- “angry red is disappearing”
- “redness is gone and I no longer have breakouts”
- “redness going down”
Initial stinging sensation Often Mentioned
- “causes stinging then itchiness for an hour”
- “felt like an army of invisible goblins tickling my face”
- “burning or stinging that persists”
- “itchiness is bothersome”
Improves skin texture Sometimes Noted
- “my texture changed completely”
- “skin feels smooth, like I'm on Accutane again”
- “skin was more creamy and lighter”
- “my skin is clear and bright”
Skin peeling/dryness Sometimes Noted
- “my face is peeling off!”
- “skin was peeling like crazy”
- “very dry patches of skin”
- “skin is still very dry and flakey”
Temporary acne purging Rarely Noted
- “purged for about five weeks of unrelenting breakouts”
- “had a severe breakout”
- “face is also purging and still peeling”
- “brings more bumps, congestion and whiteheads”
Sources: lovi.care, drugs.com, webmd.com, theindependentpharmacy.co.uk, medino.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is Finacea Gel a weak match for dry skin?
Finacea Gel is a weak match because its drying nature and ingredients like propylene glycol pose risks of worsening your dry or flaky skin. To properly care for dry skin, a product needs soothing, highly effective hydrating ingredients like ceramides, niacinamide, and peptides that provide significant moisture and support the skin barrier without irritation.
Which ingredients make this gel a poor fit for dry skin?
Azelaic acid, propylene glycol, and medium-chain triglycerides make this gel a poor fit because they are drying and offer limited hydration. A treatment for dry skin needs soothing and hydrating ingredients like propolis, niacinamide, ceramides, or peptides to nourish the skin barrier without causing irritation.
What does Benzoic Acid do for dry skin?
Benzoic acid is unlikely to improve dry skin on its own, as studies generally use it to test skin barrier permeability rather than to hydrate or soften dry areas. Skin of this type needs rich, nourishing ingredients like ceramides and natural oils to help lock in moisture and keep the surface smooth.
Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta, 2011European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 2011
Where does this gel go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, though it may dry out your skin further. A product of this type for dry skin needs gentle ingredients that add deep moisture and soothe irritation without causing flaking.
Can I use this gel with niacinamide, and in what order?
You can use this gel with niacinamide by applying your niacinamide serum first to keep your skin calm and hydrated, and following with this treatment once it absorbs. Because this product has a drying nature that may worsen dry or flaky skin, your routine needs rich, soothing hydrators and gentle oils to lock in moisture.
How often should I use this gel?
You can use this gel in the evening once a week to start, as it may dry out your dry skin. A product of this type needs soothing and moisturizing ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, or glycerin to keep dry skin soft, smooth, and comfortable.
Can this gel clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This gel is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts, though it may cause peeling or dryness on dry skin. Because of its drying nature, this type of skin needs soothing hydrators and gentle moisturizers to stay comfortable.
Is this gel fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Azelaic acid nanocrystal hydrogel 10% achieved a higher success rate and greater lesion reduction than azelaic acid cream 20% in patients with mild to moderate facial acne.
Pharmaceutics, 2021Application of 15% azelaic acid gel significantly reduced post-inflammatory erythema and hyperpigmentation, decreased hemoglobin and melanin content, improved quality of life, and contributed to acne improvement in patients with mild to moderate acne compared to placebo.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2024Topical application of a dermocosmetic containing Myrtus communis extract and azelaic acid reduced acne relapses and helped maintain remission compared to a light moisturizing cream in adult females in the acne maintenance phase over 16 weeks.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2023Topical administration of 20% azelaic acid cream and 5% tranexamic acid solution comparably improved acne-related postinflammatory hyperpigmentation in patients with acne vulgaris, while tranexamic acid demonstrated a significantly better safety profile at week 4.
Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 2023Azelaic acid 15% gel showed comparable efficacy to adapalene 0.1% gel in reducing lesions, severity, and Dermatology Life Quality Index in women with adult acne, with significantly lower dryness and scaling, and demonstrated superiority during maintenance compared to no further treatment.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2015Trioxsalen bath PUVA therapy suppressed nonimmunologic immediate contact reactions to benzoic acid and methyl nicotinate in 12 dermatologic patients, with the suppressive effect intensifying during therapy.
International Journal of Dermatology, 1989Hempseed or flaxseed oil-based lyotropic liquid crystals with the highest oil content and lecithin/Tween 80 mixture provided a 2-fold reduction in TEWL values and decreased skin erythema levels in healthy adult subjects compared to baseline.
Acta Pharmaceutica, 2024Liquid crystalline emulsions formulated with camellia seed oil and four different surfactant combinations reduced transepidermal water loss and increased skin hydration without causing skin irritation, with the formulation containing Lecinol S-10 and Tween 80 demonstrating the best clinical results.
Scientific Reports, 2023The cytotoxic effect of sodium lauryl sulphate on normal human keratinocytes was significantly decreased when combined with cocamidopropyl betaine, Tween 20, and Tween 80 at concentrations well below the critical micelle concentration.
Skin Pharmacology and Applied Skin Physiology, 2003Topical application of an emollient emulsion containing 15.0% caprylic/capric triglyceride doubled the amount of urocanic acid isomers and increased skin hydration with reduced transepidermal water loss in healthy subjects, though it did not prevent ultraviolet-induced urocanic acid isomerization.
Life, 2023
Ingredients
Azelaic Acid, Benzoic Acid, Disodium Edta, Lecithin, Medium-Chain Triglycerides, Polyacrylic Acid, Polysorbate 80, Propylene Glycol, Water, Sodium Hydroxide
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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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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