Paula's Choice Replenishing Moisturizer for dry sensitive skin
High
- SuperiorDry Skin Fit
- SuperiorEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for dry sensitive skin; a few moisturizers fit it even 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
- Excellent suitability for your dry and sensitive skin is provided by glycerin and sodium hyaluronate, which offer superior hydration and plumping effects, complemented by rosa moschata seed oil for emollient action.
- The formula also includes chamomile flower extract and aloe barbadensis leaf juice, which are beneficial for soothing dry or flaky skin.
- This product is safe for your skin, as it contains no harsh ingredients and includes soothing components like chamomile and aloe.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine. Start using this moisturizer 3 times a week and move to daily use if your dry skin tolerates it well.
- Apply this moisturizer after cleansing and toner in the morning, or after your serum in the evening. Always pair it with SPF in the morning.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin. Avoid rubbing it harshly to protect your sensitive skin.
- Apply the moisturizer on slightly damp skin to help with hydration absorption. This also works well for dry and flaky skin types.
- Do a patch test before your first use. Avoid the eye area to prevent any irritation.
People Say
★4.2Overall rating based on 300+ reviewsSome users with combination or acne-prone skin found it too rich or experienced breakouts, and a moderate number of users noted an unpleasant scent.
Highlights
Deeply hydrating Mostly Mentioned
- “saved my dry skin”
- “locks in moisture”
- “rich but not greasy”
- “eliminated flaky patches”
Soothing and calming Often Mentioned
- “calms redness instantly”
- “gentle on sensitive skin”
Excellent texture Sometimes Noted
- “whipped texture”
- “absorbs well”
- “luxurious feel”
- “non-greasy finish”
Makeup compatible Sometimes Noted
- “great under makeup”
- “smooth base”
- “no pilling”
- “works well with tretinoin”
Unpleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “smells like alcohol”
- “weird chemical smell”
- “funky odor”
- “scent is off-putting”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “clogged my pores”
- “caused cystic acne”
- “broke me out”
- “not for acne-prone skin”
High price Rarely Noted
- “expensive for size”
- “pricey”
- “tube is small”
- “cost prohibitive”
Too greasy Rarely Noted
- “too heavy for day”
- “left a shiny film”
- “greasy residue”
- “looked oily”
Sources: lovi.care, dermstore.com, makeupalley.com, paulaschoice-eu.com, influenster.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Paula's Choice Replenishing Moisturizer a great fit for dry sensitive skin?
This moisturizer is a great fit because glycerin and sodium hyaluronate bring deep hydration, while rosa moschata seed oil smooths and softens dry areas. Chamomile and aloe vera help calm sensitive skin, and the formula avoids harsh ingredients to keep your skin safe and comfortable.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate make this cream a great fit because they provide deep hydration and plumping effects, while rosa moschata seed oil softens the skin. Additionally, chamomile flower extract and aloe vera help calm and soothe dry or flaky skin areas.
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for dry sensitive skin?
Hyaluronic acid is a great fit for dry, sensitive skin because it brings a large boost in hydration, making the skin feel soft and smooth while improving barrier function. It helps calm tightness and dryness, and is unlikely to cause irritation.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Dermatology and Therapy, 2021
What do Peptides do for dry sensitive skin?
Peptides help hydrate dry sensitive skin while smoothing the look of fine lines and keeping the surface calm. They may also improve skin elasticity, though some types need enhanced delivery systems to deeply penetrate the skin barrier.
Advanced Science, 2025International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2025
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This moisturizing treatment goes in the evening routine after your toner and before your moisturizer. It helps keep dry sensitive skin calm and soft by using gentle, hydrating ingredients.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream alongside retinol by applying the retinol first and following it with this moisturizer to help keep your dry, sensitive skin calm and hydrated. Using a moisturizing cream like this one is unlikely to cause irritation and may make your skin more comfortable while using strong treatments.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this moisturizing treatment in your evening routine and weekly routine as part of your skincare plan. Daily application helps improve dry skin by boosting moisture and keeping the skin soft and comfortable.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This cream is unlikely to cause breakouts for dry sensitive skin, as it has a very low risk of clogging pores and features gentle, soothing ingredients like aloe and chamomile. Reviewers rarely report breakouts from this formula.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizing treatment safely around your eyes and on your body because it has a gentle formula well suited for delicate areas. Its soothing ingredients and hydrating components help care for thin or dry skin without causing irritation.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, 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, 2017A 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 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, 2019Electrospun poly (vinyl butyral-co-vinyl alcohol-co-vinyl acetate) patches loaded with evening primrose oil applied to the forearm of volunteers for 6 hours increased skin moisture, with pore size, shape, and fiber diameter influencing oil transport.
Biomaterials Advances, 2022A topical preparation containing urea, sunflower oil, evening primrose oil, wheat germ oil, and sodium pyruvate led to clinical improvement after a month in diverse hyperkeratotic skin conditions except pityriasis lichenoides.
Medicina Cutanea Ibero-latino-americana, 1986Topical application of linseed, evening primrose, and olive oil emulsions accelerated wound closure in rats with excision wounds compared to untreated controls, though via different mechanisms.
Drug Delivery and Translational Research, 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 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, 2002Moisturizer 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 dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.
Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000
Ingredients
Water, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Linoleate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Pca, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract Chamomile Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Saccharide Isomerate, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Allantoin, Rosa Moschata Seed Oil, Polysorbate 20, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Carbomer, Sodium Citrate, Trisodium Edta, Batyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic 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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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
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