No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum for dry skin

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Retinyl Palmitate
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Dimethicone
High
- HighDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for dry skin; a few serums 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
- Offers excellent treatment for minimizing fine lines and wrinkles due to the presence of Palmitoyl Oligopeptide and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, which are beneficial for your dry skin by supporting collagen production.
- Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate provide essential hydration, and Tocopherol offers antioxidant protection, further supporting your dry skin's needs.
- The product is safe for your dry skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
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
★4.6Overall rating based on 2.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with aging, dry, or combination skin frequently praise this serum for its silky texture and ability to instantly smooth and hydrate the skin. While many report visible improvements in fine lines and overall radiance after consistent use, results regarding deep wrinkles are mixed, with some users seeing significant firming and others noticing little change.
Highlights
Instant skin smoothing Mostly Mentioned
Silky, lightweight texture Mostly Mentioned
Quick absorption Often Mentioned
Hydration and radiance Sometimes Noted
Reduces fine lines Sometimes Noted
Lack of visible results Sometimes Noted
Silicone-heavy feel Sometimes Noted
Greasiness Rarely Noted
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
Skin irritation Rarely Noted
Sources: lovi.care, boots.com, target.com, ultas.com, no7beauty.com, faceserum.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum a great fit for dry skin?
No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum is a great fit because glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide essential hydration while palmitoyl oligopeptide and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 help smooth fine lines by supporting collagen production. It is also safe and unlikely to cause irritation on dry skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2015Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for dry skin?
This serum is a great fit for your dry skin because glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide essential hydration, while palmitoyl oligopeptide and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 support collagen production to help smooth fine lines. Tocopherol also offers helpful antioxidant protection, and the formula is safe and unlikely to cause irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2015Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What does Vitamin C do for dry skin?
Vitamin C helps make dry skin feel much softer and smoother by boosting moisture in the outer skin layer. Studies show that topical vitamin C formulations significantly improve skin hydration and dryness.
Experimental Dermatology, 2008Skin Research and Technology, 2008
What does Retinyl Palmitate do for dry skin?
Retinyl palmitate helps improve dryness by moisturizing the skin and smoothing out rough texture across various body sites. It also helps soften fine lines and wrinkles while keeping the skin feeling smooth.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This serum goes in the evening routine for dry skin, applied after cleansing and before moisturizing. Putting treatments in the evening keeps things simple and provides extra safety around sun exposure.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum in your evening routine after cleansing and before your moisturizer. It is unlikely to cause irritation when combined thoughtfully, but be sure to watch how your skin feels when using multiple active ingredients together.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2015Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
How often should I use this serum?
This treatment serum works best in your evening routine for simplicity and extra safety around sun exposure. You can safely use it every day because it has a gentle formula with no harsh ingredients.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry skin, as its formula avoids heavy, pore-clogging ingredients and carries a low risk of irritation. It helps keep skin feeling smooth while providing essential hydration.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A multi-modal methodology combining MALDI-MSI, in vivo RCM, echography, and histology revealed age-related decreases in extracellular matrix and epidermal-dermal junction proteins and undulation depth, while a blend of palmitoyl oligopeptide and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 improved subepidermal low-echogenic band thickness, density, and extracellular matrix structure compared to placebo.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2015Palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, acetyl hexapeptide-8, palmitoyl tripeptide-1, and palmitoyl tetrapeptide-10 significantly increased type III collagen levels in human dermal fibroblasts following UV exposure, with their combination demonstrating a greater effect in vitro and enhancing type I, III, and IV collagen levels in ex vivo skin tissues compared to individual components.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2026A 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, 2017A topical serum containing vitamin C, vitamin E, and raspberry leaf cell culture extract improved skin color, elasticity, radiance, smoothness, scaliness, and wrinkles compared to the untreated contralateral side in fifty female volunteers.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Topical 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, 2022Over-the-counter retinol products provided only weak evidence for a mild ameliorating effect on fine facial skin wrinkle lines in randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled trials, and major methodological flaws call the validity of positive results into question.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2021A cosmetic niacinamide/peptide/retinyl propionate regimen significantly improved periorbital wrinkle appearance relative to a 0.02% tretinoin regimen at 8 weeks with comparable benefits at 24 weeks, while demonstrating significantly better tolerability in 196 women.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010A novel triple-active cosmetic formulation containing 4-hexylresorcinol, retinyl propionate, and niacinamide improved the visual appearance of photoageing similarly to 0.02% tretinoin and reversed a consensus gene signature associated with ageing in female adults while causing less skin irritation.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024Cosmetic products containing 4-t-butylcyclohexanol demonstrated a faster and more pronounced soothing effect on capsaicin-induced burning compared to those containing acetyl dipeptide-1 cetyl ester in volunteers with sensitive skin.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2016Rice protein hydrolysate and its characteristic peptides Leu-Leu-Lys, Leu-Pro-Lys, and pyroGlu-Lys reduced melanin content, tyrosinase activity, and ROS production in UVB-induced human epidermal melanocyte PIG1 cells by regulating the JNK/Β-Trcp/NFΗB-p65/MITF signaling pathway and lowering TRP-1 and TRP-2 expression.
Food & Function, 2020Wearing an N95 mask alone compared to using dimethicone cream or hydrocolloid dressing caused more adverse skin reactions among 73 military health care workers, with no significant differences in fit test failure rates between groups.
Military Medicine, 2024A dimethicone skin protectant lotion significantly decreased visual scoring and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control and SLS-only treated sites in 12 healthy humans exposed to sodium lauryl sulfate.
Skin Research and Technology, 2000Treatment with a moisturizer containing dimethicone and glycerine increased epidermal thickness by 0.019 mm, improved barrier function by decreasing transepidermal water loss by 13%, decreased melanin intensity, and induced keratins 6 and 16 in fifteen women with moderately photoaged forearms.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2007
Ingredients
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Water, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Cetyl Peg Ppg-10 1 Dimethicone, Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ethylparaben, Glycerin, Hexyl Laurate, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Magnesium Sulfate, Medicago Sativa Extract, Methylparaben, Morus Alba Leaf Extract, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Peg Ppg-18 18 Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Polysorbate 20, Propylene Glycol, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sorbitan Laurate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate
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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