The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + PhytoCeramides for dry sensitive skin
Moisturizing Factors
Phytoceramides
Sodium Hyaluronate
Glycerin
Urea
Superior
- HighDry Skin Fit
- SuperiorEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
One of the best moisturizers for dry sensitive skin.
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 for your dry and sensitive skin, this formula leverages ceramides (Glycosphingolipids, Glycolipids) and humectants (Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate) to deeply hydrate and support your skin barrier. Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides and Linoleic Acid further enhance emollient action, providing significant relief for dryness and flakiness.
- The inclusion of Urea and Sodium PCA alongside other amino acids and PCA offers robust moisture retention, effectively addressing your dry or flaky skin concerns.
- This product is safe for your dry and sensitive skin, containing no harsh ingredients and featuring soothing components like Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate.
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
★4.3Overall rating based on 1.7k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this ultra-rich moisturizer is widely celebrated by users with dry, dehydrated, or mature skin for its ability to repair the moisture barrier and provide a plump, dewy finish. Users with oily or acne-prone skin frequently find the texture too heavy and greasy, with some reporting congestion or breakouts.
Highlights
Intense hydration Often Mentioned
- “Immediately moisturised skin”
- “Boosts skin hydration significantly”
- “Skin looks so hydrated”
- “Quenches tight, dehydrated skin”
Greasy finish Often Mentioned
- “Leaves an oily residue”
- “Too shiny for day use”
- “Feels heavy and sticky”
- “Sits on top of skin”
Barrier repair Sometimes Noted
- “Restores my barrier”
- “Heals flaky patches”
- “Great for damaged skin”
- “Soothes sore areas”
Rich texture Sometimes Noted
- “Feels luxurious and thick”
- “Melts into the skin”
- “Leaves skin soft and glowy”
- “Creates a smooth base”
Value for money Sometimes Noted
- “Rivals expensive creams”
- “Little goes a long way”
- “Better than high-end brands”
- “Great price for ceramides”
Causes breakouts Sometimes Noted
- “Gave me closed comedones”
- “Broke me out immediately”
- “Caused fungal acne”
- “Clogged my pores”
Scent Rarely Noted
- “Has an earthy smell”
- “Smells like ingredients”
- “Slightly off-putting scent”
- “Not completely odorless”
Slow absorption Rarely Noted
- “Takes time to sink in”
- “Hard to spread evenly”
- “Too heavy under sunscreen”
- “Pills if rubbed too much”
Sources: lovi.care, theordinary.com, sephora.com, ulta.com, kohls.com, skinsort.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + PhytoCeramides one of the best fits for dry sensitive skin?
This moisturizer is an excellent fit because it uses ceramides, urea, and glycerin to deeply hydrate and calm dry sensitive skin. These ingredients help lock in moisture and support the skin barrier to relieve dryness and flakiness.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
This cream is a great fit for dry sensitive skin because it uses ceramides and moisture-holding ingredients like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate to deeply hydrate and calm your skin barrier. Added linoleic acid and urea further help relieve dryness and flakiness while keeping moisture locked in.
What do Natural Moisturizing Factors do for dry sensitive skin?
Natural moisturizing factors help dry sensitive skin by holding onto water and keeping the outer barrier strong, which reduces visible dryness and rough feelings. Using formulas with these ingredients makes the skin feel much softer and keeps it comfortable throughout the day.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2012Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2024
What do Phytoceramides do for dry sensitive skin?
Phytoceramides help strengthen the moisture barrier and lock in hydration, which keeps dry and sensitive skin soft and calm. They are unlikely to cause irritation and may protect against moisture loss and redness.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This cream goes as the final step of your evening skincare routine after your cleanser, toner, and treatment. It also fits as the last step in your weekly nourishing mask routine and is safe to use daily.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol by applying your retinol treatment first and following with this moisturizer. This helps keep your skin soft and comfortable while reducing the dryness that retinols often cause.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this cream twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine to keep your dry and sensitive skin deeply hydrated and comfortable. Daily application helps lock in moisture, calm irritation, and protect your skin barrier.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2026
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This moisturizer is unlikely to cause breakouts for dry sensitive skin, though some users note it may occasionally happen due to its rich formula. It is safe to use and features soothing components that help keep skin calm and hydrated without harsh ingredients.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cream safely around your eyes and on your body to relieve dryness. Its nourishing ceramides and humectants help maintain moisture and comfort on thinner or drier areas without causing irritation.
Is this cream 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 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, 2012Topical 40% urea cream achieved improvement in less time and showed superiority over 12% ammonium lactate lotion in skin roughness, fissure reduction, thickness, and dryness at day 14 in patients treated for moderate to severe xerosis.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002Topical treatment with K101 achieved a significantly higher mycological cure rate compared to placebo in patients with ≤50% nail involvement (27.2% vs 10.4%), while showing early visible improvements in nail appearance and no safety issues.
Mycoses, 2012
Ingredients
Water, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Glycerin, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Hydrogenated Oil, Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate, Isosorbide Dicaprylate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides, Glycosphingolipids, Glycolipids, Linoleic Acid, Oleic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Arginine, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Proline, Threonine, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Betaine, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Glucose, Maltose, Fructose, Trehalose, Sodium Pca, Pca, Sodium Lactate, Urea, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin, Triolein, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Pentylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Magnesium Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, 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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