Neutrogena Stubborn Marks PM Treatment for dry sensitive skin
Retinol Sa
Ascorbic Acid
Sodium Hyaluronate
Glycerin
Hydrolyzed Myrtus Communis Leaf ExtractLow
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A weak match for dry sensitive skin; the serums alongside 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 hydration for your dry and flaky skin due to glycerin and sodium hyaluronate, but the inclusion of retinol poses risks of worsening sensitivity.
- While the formula is free of harsh ingredients and safe for your dry and sensitive skin, it lacks sufficient emollient and occlusive ingredients for optimal hydration.
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 600+ reviewsUsers with acne-prone skin report that this treatment effectively fades post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and dark spots, often showing visible results within a few weeks. While many praise its ability to smooth skin texture and even out tone, a significant number of users experience initial dryness, flaking, or stinging as their skin adjusts to the retinol formula.
Highlights
Fades dark spots Mostly Mentioned
- “acne marks have disappeared within weeks”
- “dark spots are fading”
- “visibly faded my spots”
- “noticeable difference in lightening”
Improves skin texture Often Mentioned
- “skin vibrant and smooth”
- “leaves skin super moisturized”
- “soft and smoother”
- “improves clarity and tone”
Small quantity Often Mentioned
- “1 oz goes by in 1-2 weeks”
- “wish it were in a bigger size”
- “bottle is very small”
- “run out too quickly”
Fast absorption Sometimes Noted
- “absorbs very quickly”
- “lightweight formula”
- “doesn't feel greasy”
- “spreads out really nice”
Prevents breakouts Sometimes Noted
- “keeps acne away”
- “haven't popped a zit in a while”
- “reduces frequency of breakouts”
- “clears up my skin”
Drying and irritation Sometimes Noted
- “skin felt super dry”
- “mild redness and flaking”
- “slight burning sensation”
- “dried my face out”
Ineffective on wrinkles Rarely Noted
- “didn't do much for fine lines”
- “falls short on anti-aging”
- “no difference in wrinkles”
- “better for marks than lines”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “noticeable chemical odor”
- “smells like a lotiony chemical”
- “scent is not pleasant”
- “weird smell”
Sources: lovi.care, neutrogena.com, walmart.com, target.com, amazon.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is Neutrogena Stubborn Marks PM Treatment a weak match for dry sensitive skin?
This treatment is a weak match because, while it provides some hydration, the retinol in it may worsen your sensitivity. A treatment for dry and sensitive skin needs rich nourishing ingredients and protective barriers that lock in moisture and soothe irritation without any risk of stinging.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019
Which ingredients make this treatment a poor fit for dry sensitive skin?
Retinol is a weak match for your dry and sensitive skin because it may worsen irritation and dryness. A treatment of this type needs rich moisturizing ingredients and protective skin barrier builders to soothe and hydrate dry skin safely.
What does Retinol SA do for dry sensitive skin?
Retinol SA helps smooth wrinkles and improve texture, but it may cause irritation for dry sensitive skin. A product of this type needs soothing ingredients and gentle delivery systems to keep skin calm and hydrated.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2015Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2026
What does Vitamin C do for dry sensitive skin?
Vitamin C helps brighten and smooth dry sensitive skin while reducing wrinkles and improving elasticity. It is generally well tolerated and unlikely to cause irritation when properly formulated, leaving the skin looking more radiant.
Where does this treatment go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and a soothing toner, and before your moisturizer. Because this product is a weak match for your dry and sensitive skin, a treatment of this type needs rich softening oils and protective barrier-building ingredients to prevent dryness and irritation.
Can I use this treatment with benzoyl peroxide, and in what order?
Using this treatment with benzoyl peroxide may easily overwhelm dry and sensitive skin because both ingredients tend to cause significant peeling and irritation. If you choose to use both, apply them on alternate nights or separate them into different routines rather than layering them at the same time, and always follow up with a rich moisturizer.
American Family Physician, 2012Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
How often should I use this treatment?
This product is a weak match because the retinol inside may worsen your sensitivity, so it is safer to start using it just once a week in the evening. A product of this type needs rich moisturizing ingredients like ceramides, shea butter, and plant oils to properly soothe and protect dry and sensitive skin.
Facial Plastic Surgery, 2014The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019
Can this treatment clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This treatment is unlikely to clog pores, but the retinol inside may cause some peeling or purging as your skin adjusts. Because your skin is dry and sensitive, a product of this type needs rich, soothing oils and barrier-protecting ingredients to keep it soft and calm.
Is this treatment fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Stearyl alcohol and cetearyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.
What the research says
A 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, 2017Topical 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, 2019Topical 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, 2017Silicone 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 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, 2019The 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, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012Topical 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 treatments including podophyllotoxin, sodium nitrite, myrtle leaf extract, phenol, salicylic acid with lactic acid, SB206, and VP-102 were more efficacious than control in patients with molluscum contagiosum, whereas cantharidin, potassium hydroxide, and imiquimod showed varying degrees of efficacy.
Clinics in Dermatology, 2021Topical Myrtle solution significantly reduced inflammatory lesions and acne severity index compared to 1% clindamycin solution in patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris.
Journal of Pharmacopuncture, 2020
Why other serums fit dry sensitive skin better
- Retinol in this serum
Topical 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, 2019 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, 2022In 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, 2026
Ingredients
Water, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Ppg-15 Stearyl Ether, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Ceteareth-20, Isohexadecane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Trisiloxane, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Vp Copolymer, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Chlorphenesin, Hydrolyzed Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract, Polysorbate 20, Bht, Retinol, Disodium Edta, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ascorbic Acid, Laureth-7, 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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