SkinCeuticals Serum 10 for dry skin
Ascorbic Acid
Ferulic Acid
Sodium Hyaluronate
Glycerin
Dipropylene Glycol
High
- HighDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for dry skin; a few serums fit it even better.
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
- American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
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
- Highly suitable for your dry skin as glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide excellent humectant action, while panthenol aids in barrier repair. Ascorbic acid and ferulic acid offer significant antioxidant protection and skin brightening benefits relevant to your concerns.
- The formula is well-balanced for dry or flaky skin, with key hydrating ingredients effectively addressing dryness and flakiness.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your dry skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components.
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
★4.5Overall rating based on 2.4k+ reviewsIt is highly effective at brightening the complexion and evening skin tone, offering a good alternative to stronger formulations. Some users report a watery texture and quick oxidation, with occasional mild irritation noted.
Highlights
Gentle for sensitive skin Mostly Mentioned
- “This Serum 10 is much easier on my sensitive than the 15%.”
- “Perfect for sensitive skin! This lightweight serum delivers a gentle 10% Vitamin C boost without irritation.”
- “Very safe and nice serum for my sensitive skin.”
- “I also couldn't tolerate CEF but had no problems with Serum 10.”
Brightens and evens tone Often Mentioned
- “This has completely brought my skin back to life from dull and listless to radiant and full of life!”
- “The pigmentation around my mouth was significantly better.”
- “Never has my skin tone been this even.”
- “Delivering visible brightening and a radiant glow within weeks of use.”
Good CE Ferulic alternative Often Mentioned
- “Good alternative to C E Ferulic.”
- “Milder version of CE Ferulic.”
- “If you're looking for a cheaper alternative to the C E Ferulic, this is it!”
- “I bought this as an alternative to the ferulic serum since I have sensitive skin.”
Lightweight and absorbs fast Sometimes Noted
- “Goes on smoothly and does not dry tacky like others I have used.”
- “This lightweight serum delivers a gentle 10% Vitamin C boost.”
- “Lightweight and fast-absorbing.”
Oxidizes quickly Sometimes Noted
- “Only one drawback is that it oxidizes very quickly.”
- “It oxidizes fast and can sting sensitive skin.”
- “It is normal for vitamin c products to darken after opening due to air and light exposure.”
Causes irritation Rarely Noted
- “Two weeks in and slight irritation occurred.”
- “Caused my skin to break out in red, painful patches.”
- “It irritates my skin a ton, even just the 10% types.”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “Although the scent is weird it's less intense than the other SkinCeuticals ones!”
- “Hate the smell.”
- “The scent is weird.”
Watery texture Rarely Noted
- “This one is a bit like water and I feel I need to use more.”
- “It seemed to do a better job and was not as runny.”
- “It's good, but it's a little dry.”
Sources: lovi.care, dermstore.com, lovelyskin.com, bluemercury.com, dermapproved.com, adorebeauty.com.au, and more
Questions and answers
What makes SkinCeuticals Serum 10 a great fit for dry skin?
SkinCeuticals Serum 10 is a great fit for dry skin because glycerin and sodium hyaluronate draw in moisture, while panthenol helps repair the skin barrier. The formula also includes ascorbic acid and ferulic acid to brighten the skin and provide strong antioxidant protection without causing irritation.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for dry skin?
Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate make this serum a great fit because they draw in moisture to relieve dry areas, while panthenol helps repair the skin barrier. Additionally, ascorbic acid and ferulic acid provide antioxidant protection and brightening benefits.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
What does Vitamin C do for dry skin?
Vitamin C helps dry skin by boosting moisture and keeping the surface smooth and soft. It may also improve skin hydration and support the outer protective barrier over time.
Skin Research and Technology, 2008Experimental Dermatology, 2008
What does Ferulic Acid do for dry skin?
Ferulic acid helps keep dry skin hydrated and supports the skin barrier. It helps lock in moisture to reduce dryness and keep the skin feeling soft and smooth.
International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research. Internationale Zeitschrift Fur Vitamin- und Ernahrungsforschung. Journal International de Vitaminologie Et de Nutrition, 2023Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
Where does it go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine for dry skin, applied after cleansing and before moisturizing. Using it at night helps avoid extra sun sensitivity while providing antioxidant protection and hydration.
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this treatment with retinol by applying your retinol product at night and using this vitamin C serum in the morning to avoid overloading your skin. This combination helps brighten your skin and protect it from daily damage while keeping dryness under control.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
How often should I use it?
Use this treatment in the evening as part of your routine. It is a great fit for dry skin, as ingredients like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate draw in moisture while panthenol helps repair the skin barrier.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This serum is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores on dry skin because its formula avoids heavy, pore-clogging ingredients and focuses instead on hydration and soothing components. It has an excellent safety profile, meaning irritation is low and it is very well tolerated by dry skin types.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
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 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, 2002A 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, 2020A 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 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, 2022Treatment with 14% ferulic acid and 12% l-ascorbic acid significantly reduced pigmentation and erythema while improving hydration and elasticity in 20 women with photoaged skin, with neither acid proving definitively more effective overall though ascorbic acid showed slightly greater skin lightening.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Combining fractional microneedle radiofrequency with a topical antioxidant serum significantly reduced wrinkle severity by 29.9% versus 18.0%, increased elasticity by 12.9% versus 2.3%, and improved aesthetic outcomes in 31 participants compared to radiofrequency and placebo.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2025Pretreatment with a topical antioxidant mixture of vitamin C, ferulic acid, and phloretin attenuated ultraviolet-induced sunburn cell formation, thymine dimer formation, matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression, p53 protein expression, and the suppression of CD1a-expressing Langerhans cells in human skin compared to vehicle control.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008Topical 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, 2012
Ingredients
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, Triethyl Citrate, Ferulic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethoxydiglycol, Propylene Glycol, Zinc Sulfate, Phenoxyethanol, Panthenol, 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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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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