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Dermalogica Calm Water Gel for dry sensitive skin

High

  • HighDry Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

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

  • Highly suitable for your dry skin, this product effectively hydrates and plumps with glycerin and sodium hyaluronate, while dimethicone provides emollient action to combat dryness and flakiness.
  • The inclusion of aloe barbadensis leaf juice and lavender flower extract offers soothing benefits, further supporting your sensitive skin.
  • The formulation is safe for your dry and sensitive skin, containing no harsh or prohibited ingredients that could cause irritation.

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

★4.6Overall rating based on 1.4k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, users with very dry skin or living in colder climates often find it insufficiently hydrating on its own, requiring an additional serum or heavier cream.

Highlights

  • Soothes redness Mostly Mentioned
    • “takes the red out of my cheeks”
    • “cooling sensation feels amazing on irritated skin”
    • “best thing for my reactive skin”
  • Lightweight gel Often Mentioned
    • “melts into skin like water”
    • “disappears immediately”
    • “weightless feel”
    • “no greasy residue”
  • Not hydrating enough Often Mentioned
    • “skin felt tight after an hour”
    • “need to layer a cream over it”
    • “not enough for winter dryness”
    • “disappeared too fast without hydrating”
  • Good under makeup Sometimes Noted
    • “makeup sits perfectly on top”
    • “doesn't pill under foundation”
    • “smooth canvas for application”
    • “keeps oil at bay during the day”
  • Non-comedogenic Sometimes Noted
    • “doesn't clog my pores”
    • “safe for acne-prone skin”
    • “no new breakouts since using”
    • “perfect balance for oily/sensitive skin”
  • Expensive for size Sometimes Noted
    • “tube is very small for the price”
    • “finished it in a month”
    • “too expensive for a basic gel”
    • “wish it came in a bigger size”
  • Caused irritation Rarely Noted
    • “burned my sensitive skin”
    • “caused tiny bumps”
    • “made my face itch”
    • “triggered a rash”
  • Sticky texture Rarely Noted
    • “leaves a sticky film”
    • “feels tacky to the touch”
    • “hair sticks to my face”
    • “weird texture until it dries”

Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, sephora.com, dermstore.com, lovelyskin.com, spacenk.com, and more

Questions and answers

What makes Dermalogica Calm Water Gel a great fit for dry sensitive skin?

Dermalogica Calm Water Gel is a great fit because it uses glycerin and sodium hyaluronate to deeply hydrate dry skin, while dimethicone smooths away flakiness. It also features aloe leaf juice to help calm sensitive skin without causing irritation.

Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for dry sensitive skin?

This cream is a great fit because glycerin and sodium hyaluronate hydrate your skin, while dimethicone smooths away dryness and flakiness. In addition, aloe vera leaf juice and lavender flower extract help calm and soothe sensitive areas without causing irritation.

What does Aloe Vera Leaf Juice do for dry sensitive skin?

Aloe vera leaf juice helps keep dry skin hydrated and increases water content in the outer skin layer. It is unlikely to cause irritation and is well tolerated by sensitive skin, though a product for this skin type also needs soothing ingredients and barrier-repairing components like ceramides.

Skin Research and Technology, 2006Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2011

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

Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?

This moisturizing treatment goes in your evening routine as the step before your moisturizer, or you can use it in your morning routine as well. It is a great fit because glycerin and sodium hyaluronate hydrate and plump dry skin, while dimethicone combats dryness and flakiness.

The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022

Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this cream with retinol by applying it after your retinol treatment to help soothe your skin and lock in moisture. Using a barrier-supporting moisturizer helps keep your dry skin calm and comfortable while you use stronger treatments.

Cutis, 2006

How often should I use this cream?

You can use this moisturizing treatment daily in your evening routine to keep your skin feeling soft and comfortable. Regular daily application helps boost skin moisture and supports a healthy skin barrier.

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 clog pores or cause breakouts on dry sensitive skin because its lightweight gel formula focuses on gentle hydration and soothing irritation. Ingredients like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate draw in moisture safely without heavy oils that typically block pores.

Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?

You can use this cream safely on the thin skin around your eyes and on your body because its gentle, hydrating formula is well-tolerated. Ingredients like glycerin and dimethicone help lock in moisture and protect delicate areas without causing irritation.

Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (linalool and limonene).

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, 2017
  • A 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, 2018
  • Topical 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, 2018
  • Topical 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, 2010
  • Topical 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, 2011
  • Topical 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, 2022
  • Treatment 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, 2019
  • The 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, 2020
  • Ten 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, 2001
  • Niacinamide/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, 2012
  • Wearing 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, 2024
  • Treatment 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
  • Externally applied substances such as ceramides, hyaluronic acid, licorice extracts, dimethicone, petrolatum, and paraffin wax treat skin disease resulting from damage to the skin barrier.

    Clinics in Dermatology, 2012
  • Combining 755 nm alexandrite laser with topical licorice gel significantly reduces terminal hair counts compared to alexandrite laser with placebo in women with idiopathic hirsutism.

    Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015
  • Licochalcone A activated Nrf2 signaling, elevated cytoprotective enzymes, increased the reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio, and decreased reactive oxygen species in human fibroblasts and neutrophils, while a LicA-rich licorice extract lowered UVA-induced oxidative processes in vivo.

    Experimental Dermatology, 2015
  • Bioactive glycyrrhizic acid and oxymatrine ionic liquid self-assembled nanomicelles significantly promoted the transdermal permeation, subcutaneous retention, and anti-photoaging efficacy of palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 in cellular and animal models compared to unformulated peptide.

    Advanced Science, 2025

Ingredients

Water, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Diethylhexyl Carbonate, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract Lavender Flower Extract, Stearyl Heptanoate, Cetyl Peg Ppg-10 1 Dimethicone, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sea Salt, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Stearyl Caprylate, Lauryl Peg-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium Phosphate, Linalool, Limonene

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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How does it fit your skin?

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