The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan for dry skin
Beta Glucan
Moisturizing Factors
Glycerin
Sodium Hyaluronate
Allantoin
Superior
- HighDry Skin Fit
- SuperiorEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
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
- Excellent for your dry skin as Beta-Glucan and Sodium Hyaluronate provide superior hydration and barrier support, addressing your dry or flaky skin concerns effectively.
- The inclusion of Glycerin and Urea further enhances moisture retention and skin barrier function, complementing the primary humectants.
- The product is safe for your skin, containing no harsh ingredients and featuring soothing components like Beta-Glucan and Urea.
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
★4.3Overall rating based on 2.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this lightweight, clear gel moisturizer is widely praised by users with oily and acne-prone skin for providing hydration without clogging pores or leaving a greasy residue. Users with dry or dehydrated skin often find it insufficient, reporting that it lacks the occlusive properties needed to lock in moisture, sometimes leaving skin feeling tight.
Highlights
Lightweight and non-greasy Mostly Mentioned
- “It hydrates SO deeply without feeling heavy at all.”
- “Perfect amount of hydration without my skin feeling oily.”
- “Absorbs quickly and feels like nothing on the skin.”
Ideal for oily Often Mentioned
- “Works well for my oily skin, gives better oil control.”
- “Great for acne prone and oily skin, isn't clogging.”
- “Finally a moisturizer that doesn't make me look like a greaseball.”
Insufficient for dry Often Mentioned
- “Left my skin feeling tight and dry after an hour.”
- “Not moisturizing enough, I need something thicker.”
- “My face felt parched even after applying a generous amount.”
Absorbs very quickly Sometimes Noted
- “Dries down fully after a few minutes.”
- “Sinks in really fast and doesn't leave a film.”
- “Disappears into the skin almost instantly.”
Cooling gel texture Sometimes Noted
- “Feels very refreshing and cooling upon application.”
- “The clear gel texture is unique and feels like water.”
- “Soothing on my sensitive skin, especially in summer.”
Sticky or tacky Sometimes Noted
- “Leaves a sticky residue that takes a while to go away.”
- “Felt tacky on my face, my hair kept sticking to it.”
- “The texture is a bit glue-like before it dries.”
Causes pilling Rarely Noted
- “Pills terribly when I try to apply sunscreen over it.”
- “Balls up if you rub your face too much.”
- “Does not layer well under my makeup.”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “Has a weird plastic-y smell to it.”
- “Smells a bit like chemicals, though it fades fast.”
- “Not a fan of the scent, even though it's fragrance-free.”
Sources: lovi.care, influenster.com, sephora.co.uk, sephora.nz, theordinary.com, ulta.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan one of the best fits for dry skin?
This moisturizer is an excellent fit because beta-glucan and sodium hyaluronate provide deep hydration and support your skin barrier, which helps soothe dry and flaky areas. Additionally, glycerin and urea work to lock in moisture, keeping your skin soft and comfortable.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for dry skin?
Beta-glucan and sodium hyaluronate make this cream a great fit for dry skin by providing deep hydration and strengthening the skin barrier to stop flaking. Glycerin and urea further lock in moisture, while ingredients like allantoin help keep your skin feeling calm and smooth.
What does Beta Glucan do for dry skin?
Beta-glucan helps dry skin by boosting hydration and supporting overall skin recovery. It improves skin barrier function and moisture retention, making it a soothing addition for dry or irritated skin.
What do Natural Moisturizing Factors do for dry skin?
Natural moisturizing factors help dry skin by holding onto water and keeping the protective barrier strong, which reduces visible dryness and rough patches. This makes skin feel much softer and smoother. Products used for very dry skin benefit greatly from including these ingredients along with ceramides and rich oils to lock in that deep moisture.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2012Molecules, 2021
Where does it go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This moisturizer goes after your hydrating toner in the morning and after your treatment in the evening. Using a daily moisturizer helps improve clinical scores and visual dryness compared to cleansing alone.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizer with retinol by applying the retinol first, letting it absorb, and then smoothing on the cream to help keep your skin calm and hydrated. Using a barrier-supporting moisturizer alongside retinoids helps reduce dryness and irritation while improving your skin's overall comfort.
How often should I use it?
You can use this moisturizer daily in both your morning and evening routines to keep dry skin hydrated and comfortable. Regular daily application helps lock in moisture, improves skin barrier function, and may reduce dryness and flakiness over time.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2026
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This moisturizer is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry skin, as it features gentle, non-irritating components like Beta Glucan and Allantoin. It does not contain active ingredients that accelerate cell turnover, so it will not cause purging.
Can I use it around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizer around your eyes and on your body, as its gentle ingredients are safe for delicate areas and help provide deep hydration. It is unlikely to cause irritation while keeping dry skin soft and smooth.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Skin care regimens containing beta-glucan improved hemoglobin index, skin hydration, and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in 20 patients undergoing fractional laser therapy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021A 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, 2017Urea is a safe and effective dermatologic therapy with wide-ranging clinical utility for various skin conditions and minimal, non-systemic side effects based on a review of the clinical literature.
Dermatology Online Journal, 2013Treatment with topical formulations containing beta-glucan combined with nanofractional radiofrequency plus magnetic nanofractional radiofrequency showed the best efficacy and was tolerable and effective in Chinese women with abdominal stretch marks compared to control groups.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2023Topical beta-glucan mildly improved striae gravidarum, 1565-nm non-ablative fractional laser showed better results than topical beta-glucan, and the combined strategy further improved striae gravidarum atrophy compared to single treatment.
The Journal of Dermatology, 2022Topical application of oat beta-glucan ameliorates epidermal hyperplasia and accelerates epidermal barrier recovery by promoting keratinocyte differentiation through dectin-1-mediated ERK and p38 signaling pathways that upregulate CaSR expression.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021The 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 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, 2019Topical gel containing chitosan, 0.2% chlorhexidine, allantoin and dexpanthenol did not improve postoperative comfort regarding swelling and pain, but improved the wound's aesthetic appearance following impacted lower third molar extraction compared to no gel.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2016A topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020An overnight patch containing Allium cepa extract and allantoin safely promotes scar healing after dermatologic surgery, resulting in significantly greater reductions in observer- and patient-assessed POSAS scores compared to no treatment.
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2018
Ingredients
Water, Ppg-24-Glycereth-24, Propanediol, Betaine, Beta-Glucan, Arginine, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Proline, Threonine, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Glucose, Maltose, Fructose, Trehalose, Xylitol, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitylglucoside, Sodium Pca, Pca, Sodium Lactate, Urea, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sphingolipids, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, P-Anisic Acid, Aminomethyl Propanol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
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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