Obagi Kinetin+ Hydrating Cream for dry skin
Kinetin
Zeatin
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Ascorbic Acid
Hydrolyzed ElastinHigh
- HighDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
One of the best moisturizers for dry skin.
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 moisturizing for your dry skin, as kinetin and panthenol provide hydration and enhance barrier resilience, while hydrolyzed elastin supports skin repair.
- The formula is well-suited for dry or flaky skin, with kinetin and zeatin concentrations offering significant hydration and repair benefits.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
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 .
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsWhile many report visible improvements in skin texture and fine lines, some users find the price point too high and have experienced significant frustration with the airless pump packaging.
Highlights
Deep hydration Mostly Mentioned
- “hydrating for super-dry skin”
- “long lasting hydration”
- “leaves skin hydrated”
- “plump and well-hydrated”
Lightweight texture Often Mentioned
- “absorbs instantly”
- “non-greasy feel”
- “velvety texture”
- “light like water”
Soothing & calming Often Mentioned
- “reduces redness”
- “good for sensitive skin”
- “calms irritation”
- “hypoallergenic”
Anti-aging benefits Sometimes Noted
- “skin younger looking”
- “improves fine lines”
- “skin feels radiant”
- “restores youthful look”
Faulty packaging Sometimes Noted
- “pump does not work”
- “bottle design is a scam”
- “wasted product”
- “impossible to open”
High price Sometimes Noted
- “expensive”
- “not worth the money”
- “overrated”
- “pricey for the amount”
Acne/Breakouts Rarely Noted
- “broke out with acne”
- “caused small bumps”
- “not ideal for acne”
- “clogged pores”
Texture dislike Rarely Noted
- “too thick”
- “did not like texture”
- “feels heavy”
Sources: lovi.care, lovelyskin.com, influenster.com, walmart.com, obagi.com, dermstreet.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Obagi Kinetin+ Hydrating Cream a great fit for dry skin?
This cream is a great fit because kinetin and panthenol provide deep hydration and help repair the skin barrier, keeping dry skin soft and comfortable. Its gentle formula has an excellent safety profile, making it unlikely to cause irritation.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017Annals of Dermatology, 2017
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for dry skin?
This cream is a great fit for dry skin because kinetin and panthenol provide deep hydration and strengthen the skin barrier, while hydrolyzed elastin helps support skin repair. Additionally, ingredients like zeatin offer significant moisture and repair benefits without causing irritation.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017Annals of Dermatology, 2017
What does Kinetin do for dry skin?
Kinetin helps dry skin by locking in moisture to improve the skin barrier and smooth out rough texture. It is unlikely to irritate dry skin while boosting overall hydration with regular use.
Annals of Dermatology, 2017Photochemistry and Photobiology, 2012
What does Zeatin do for dry skin?
Trans-Zeatin helps dry skin by protecting water channels from UV damage, which maintains moisture and water movement. This keeps your skin feeling soft and smooth while supporting natural healing processes.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This moisturizing treatment goes in your evening routine, applied after cleansing and before your usual moisturizer. It is very safe and unlikely to cause irritation on dry skin.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol by applying the retinol first and following with the cream, which helps keep dry skin calm and comfortable. Using a barrier-enhancing moisturizer alongside retinoids improves skin tolerability and supports the adjustment period.
How often should I use this cream?
Apply this moisturizing treatment twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine to keep dry skin hydrated and smooth. Regular daily use helps improve skin barrier strength and texture with a very low likelihood of irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This cream is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry skin, as it has a very low rate of acne complaints. Its gentle formula hydrates and supports skin repair without heavy or harsh ingredients.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizing treatment around your eyes and on your body, as its ingredients offer great hydration and repair for dry skin. It has a very safe profile that is unlikely to cause irritation.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.
What the research says
A new topical panthenol-containing emollient significantly improved transepidermal water loss reduction, stratum corneum hydration, and intercellular lipid lamellae length compared with control in healthy subjects without negatively impacting bacterial viability.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002Topical combination of kinetin and niacinamide exerts synergistic anti-aging effects with significant reductions in spot, pore, wrinkle, and evenness counts, alongside increased hydration and decreased erythema in Taiwanese subjects compared to placebo.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2007Kinetin treatment increased involucrin and keratin 1 mRNA expression in HaCaT cells and improved skin moisture and transepidermal water loss while decreasing skin texture roughness in subjects using kinetin-containing cream compared to baseline.
Annals of Dermatology, 2017A panthenol-enriched mask significantly decreased erythema and hyperpigmentation, increased sebum and stratum corneum moisture, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to a saline dressing in 60 subjects undergoing facial laser treatment.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Cosmetic formulations containing a liposomal dispersion of magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, alpha-lipoic acid, and kinetin provided photoprotection against UV damage in hairless mouse skin and enhanced stratum corneum and deeper layer skin moisture in human volunteers after four weeks of daily applications.
Photochemistry and Photobiology, 2012Topical 0.1% kinetin cream applied twice daily for 12 weeks resulted in slight but statistically significant improvements in overall skin condition, texture, color, and wrinkles among 100 Thai subjects with facial photo-damage compared to baseline.
Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, 2015N6-benzyladenine and kinetin stimulated antioxidative enzyme activity, reduced glutathione, and thiol group content while decreasing membrane phospholipid peroxidation and malondialdehyde production in human skin fibroblasts in vitro.
Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, 2016Pretreatment with trans-Zeatin significantly inhibits UVB-induced MMP-1 expression, c-Jun activation, and MAPK phosphorylation in cultured human skin fibroblasts compared to UVB irradiation alone.
International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 2009Long-term treatment with zeatin in human skin fibroblasts undergoing aging in vitro prevented cell enlargement, reduced intracellular debris, prevented actin polymerization, and enhanced stress tolerance without increasing maximum proliferative capacity.
Rejuvenation Research, 2005Trans-Zeatin treatment attenuates ultraviolet-induced aquaporin-3 loss, delayed wound healing, and decreased water permeability in cultured human skin keratinocytes through the inhibition of MEK/ERK activation.
International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 2010A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010Topical 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 a 0.1% copper-zinc malonate-containing cream significantly enhanced elastin biosynthesis and induced elastic fibre regeneration in photoaged facial skin of 21 female patients after 6 weeks of treatment compared to baseline.
Experimental Dermatology, 2009A betaine-based deep eutectic solvent successfully enhanced the transdermal delivery of elastin peptide, which improved skin barrier repair, reduced melanin secretion and deposition, and stimulated the secretion of procollagen I and elastin.
Biomaterials Advances, 2024Bioactive recombinant humanized elastin (RHE) gel effectively restores skin elasticity, reverses UV-induced damage and oxidative stress, and promotes extracellular matrix remodeling in zebrafish and aged mice models compared to commercial vitamin E and recombinant humanized collagen gels.
Materials Today. Bio, 2025
Ingredients
Water, Glyceryl Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Octyldodecyl Myristate, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Peg-12 Glyceryl Dimyristate, Stearyl Alcohol, Lactobacillus Ferment, Glycine Soja Soybean Sterols, Phenoxyethanol, Laureth-23, Dimethicone, Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethoxydiglycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Kinetin, Zeatin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Disodium Edta, Panthenol, Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Water-Soluble Collagen, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hydrochloric Acid
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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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
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