MEDI THERAPY Retinal Skin Booster for sensitive skin
Retinal
Centella Asiatica
NiacinamideLow
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A weak match for sensitive skin; the serums alongside 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 moderate skin treatment for your normal skin, as retinal helps minimize fine lines and Centella Asiatica provides soothing relief for itch and irritation.
- While Centella Asiatica and Niacinamide offer general skincare benefits like soothing redness, they are not specialized for your sensitivity.
- The product is safe for your sensitive skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components like Centella Asiatica and Niacinamide.
How to apply
- Use your serum in the PM routine, starting 3 times a week before building up to daily use if your skin is happy.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toning, but before putting on your moisturizer for the best results.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and wait a minute ⏱ for it to soak in.
- Since your skin is sensitive and easily irritated, apply the serum on completely dry skin to help keep it calm.
- Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid getting the serum too close to your eyes .
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 1.3k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with sensitive, acne-prone, and aging skin report this product is gentle and effective, improving skin texture and hydration without irritation. Many users notice a radiant glow, reduced pore visibility, and smoother skin. Some users with very dry skin mention needing additional moisturization.
Highlights
Gentle & non-irritating Mostly Mentioned
- “Gentle enough for daily use”
- “No burning or redness”
- “Great for sensitive skin”
- “Zero irritation even on first use”
Hydrating & lightweight Often Mentioned
- “Hydration without dryness”
- “Absorbs beautifully”
- “Not greasy or heavy”
- “Skin feels plump”
Improves texture & pores Often Mentioned
- “Skin feels baby soft”
- “Pores look noticeably smaller”
- “Texture became incredibly smooth”
- “Refined and put-together”
Fades acne & marks Sometimes Noted
- “Fades acne scars”
- “Reduces breakouts”
- “Helps with discoloration”
- “Calms troubled skin”
Great value Sometimes Noted
- “Generous amount for price”
- “Lasts over two months”
- “Absolute steal”
- “Can use on body too”
Dry skin needs more Rarely Noted
- “Need to layer moisturizer”
- “Not enough for winter”
- “Hydration doesn't last long”
- “Dry skin needs more”
Mild stinging Rarely Noted
- “Stings on open wounds”
- “Burned slightly around eyes”
- “Tingle on application”
- “Sensitive areas reacted”
No visible change Rarely Noted
- “No visible change”
- “Didn't see brightening”
- “Don't notice anything different”
- “Just okay”
Packaging quality Rarely Noted
- “Label riddled with bubbles”
- “Messy label application”
- “Hard to see product level”
- “Pump dispenses too much”
Sticky finish Rarely Noted
- “A little sticky”
- “Feels tacky after application”
- “Hair sticks to face”
- “Sticky residue”
Sources: lovi.care, gogumacider.com, oliveyoung.com, gopicky.com, skinsort.com, amazon.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is MEDI THERAPY Retinal Skin Booster a weak match for sensitive skin?
MEDI THERAPY Retinal Skin Booster is a weak match for sensitive skin because its ingredients are not specialized enough for your sensitivity, even though it is safe and provides soothing relief. Treatments that fit sensitive skin better need gentle, highly compatible ingredients that soothe redness and irritation while strengthening the skin barrier without any risk of unsuitability.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Molecules, 2023
Which ingredients make this booster a poor fit for sensitive skin?
Retinal makes this booster a weak match for sensitive skin because it is a strong ingredient that can easily cause dryness, flaking, and irritation. A product for this skin needs soothing, hydrating, and skin-repairing ingredients with a strong safety profile and no harsh components to calm redness without causing discomfort.
What does Retinal do for sensitive skin?
Retinal helps smooth fine lines, improve texture, and even out skin tone while generally maintaining a good tolerance profile with a lower likelihood of irritation compared to stronger forms of vitamin A.
What does Centella Asiatica do for sensitive skin?
Centella asiatica helps calm sensitive skin and keeps it feeling soft by soothing irritation and supporting the skin barrier. It is unlikely to cause trouble and may help reduce redness and discomfort over a few weeks of regular use.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016
Where does this booster go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
For sensitive skin, this treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and a soothing toner, followed by a moisturizer. A product of this type needs gentle, barrier-supporting ingredients and soothing components to properly care for sensitive skin.
Can I use this booster with vitamin C, and in what order?
This retinal treatment is a weak match for sensitive skin, so using it alongside vitamin C may easily cause irritation or redness. To care for sensitive skin safely, this type of product needs gentle soothing ingredients like Centella Asiatica and Niacinamide along with extra moisture to keep the skin calm and smooth.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Molecules, 2023
How often should I use this booster?
This treatment is applied in the evening once a week to help sensitive skin adjust safely. If your skin feels comfortable and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often. Sensitive skin needs gentle hydrating ingredients and barrier-repairing components to tolerate active treatments well.
Can this booster clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This retinal booster is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for sensitive skin, as it is free of harsh ingredients and contains soothing components that help keep skin calm. However, because it is a weak match for sensitive skin, a product of this type needs extra barrier-repairing and hydrating ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid to truly comfort and protect delicate skin.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Molecules, 2023
What the research says
Cosmetic formulations containing 5% Centella asiatica extract showed the best efficacy in improving skin moisture and decreasing transepidermal water loss, while also exhibiting antiinflammatory properties in 25 volunteers compared to baseline measurements.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Co-delivery of paeonol and madecassoside via nanoemulsions improved transdermal delivery, promoted barrier repair proteins, inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in cellular and 3D models, and reduced transepidermal water loss and acne in human facial skin compared to free components.
Molecules, 2023Niacinamide significantly decreased hyperpigmentation and increased skin lightness compared with vehicle alone after 4 weeks of use in women by inhibiting melanosome transfer.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Chitosan-based hydrogels loaded with asiaticoside-rich Centella asiatica extract achieved controlled drug release, skin permeability, antimicrobial activity, and synergistic wound healing effects in an in vitro model.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2023Twice daily application of retinaldehyde 0.1% and 0.05% creams for 3 months improved skin texture and hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss in 40 female Korean volunteers, with only the 0.1% cream significantly improving the melanin index.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2018Topical retinaldehyde demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria both in vitro and in vivo, leading to decreased bacterial counts without inducing resistance.
Dermatology, 2002Topical 0.05% retinaldehyde applied over 1 year significantly increased epidermal thickness of the temple and cutaneous elasticity compared to an emollient control group in 40 aging skin patients.
Dermatology, 1999Topical 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 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, 2005
Why other serums fit sensitive skin better
Topical application of TAT-SOD significantly suppresses UVB-induced erythema formation, blood flow rise, and apoptotic sunburn cell formation in human volunteers compared to a vehicle control.
European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 2016In 50 participants with sensitive skin, a Ceramide NP C15-containing emollient improved skin barrier function with a significant reduction in transepidermal water loss and induced modest changes in skin microbiota compared to the vehicle.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2026Laser-assisted delivery of vitamin C, vitamin E, and ferulic acid serum decreased postoperative edema and erythema and increased basic fibroblast growth factor expression in fifteen healthy adults compared to vehicle control.
Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, 2016
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. 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?
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