The Ordinary Niacinamide 5% Face and Body Emulsion for dry skin
Niacinamide
Glycerin
Pentylene Glycol
Low
- HighDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A weak match for dry skin; the moisturizers alongside fit it better.
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
- Offers moderate moisturizing for your dry skin, as glycerin and dimethicone provide humectant and emollient actions to hydrate and smooth texture.
- Niacinamide offers general skincare benefits, contributing to hydration and improving the skin's barrier function.
- The formula is safe for your dry skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
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
★4.7Overall rating based on 1.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with sensitive, oily, and acne-prone skin highly praise this emulsion for its ultra-lightweight hydration and ability to fade dark spots without irritation. It is frequently noted for improving skin texture and reducing redness, though some users with drier skin or stubborn hyperpigmentation find it requires layering with a richer moisturizer or takes time to show visible results.
Highlights
Lightweight & fast absorbing Mostly Mentioned
- “melts right in”
- “feels like water”
- “light as air”
- “absorbs quickly”
Gentle & non-irritating Often Mentioned
- “caused no irritation”
- “great for sensitive skin”
- “gentler than the serum”
- “no stinging”
Improves texture & tone Often Mentioned
- “smoothed skin texture”
- “faded acne scars”
- “reduced appearance of pores”
- “cleared acne marks”
Small bottle size Often Mentioned
- “need bigger bottle”
- “finished too quickly”
- “too small for body”
- “wish it came in 500ml”
Versatile application Sometimes Noted
- “perfect under sunscreen”
- “great for body acne”
- “layers easily”
- “multi-functional”
Insufficient hydration Sometimes Noted
- “not hydrating enough”
- “need heavier cream”
- “dry after use”
- “not for dry skin”
Packaging design Rarely Noted
- “hard to get out”
- “pump would be better”
- “tube gets messy”
Slow or minimal results Rarely Noted
- “didn't fade melasma”
- “no change in spots”
- “bland results”
- “too gentle”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, theordinary.com, ulta.com, boots.com, lookfantastic.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is The Ordinary Niacinamide 5% Face and Body Emulsion a weak match for dry skin?
This product is a weak match because it offers only moderate hydration for dry skin. A product of this type needs highly effective, soothing ingredients and rich moisture-retaining agents like hyaluronic acid to provide significant nourishment, optimal hydration, and strong skin barrier support.
Which ingredients make this cream a poor fit for dry skin?
This cream is a weak match for dry skin because it only offers moderate hydration, lacking the intensive nourishment needed here. To truly comfort dry skin, a product of this type needs rich, moisture-retaining ingredients and emollients like hyaluronic acid alongside glycerin to ensure optimal hydration and barrier support.
What does Niacinamide do for dry skin?
Niacinamide helps dry skin by strengthening the skin barrier, increasing hydration, and reducing water loss. It supports ceramide production and helps keep the surface smooth and calm. This ingredient tends to be very well tolerated and is unlikely to irritate dry skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2004Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026
What does Glycerin do for dry skin?
Glycerin helps dry skin by drawing in moisture and keeping it locked in, which makes the skin feel much softer and smoother. It also supports your natural skin barrier to stop water from escaping easily. A product for dry skin needs extra ingredients like hyaluronic acid and soothing plant extracts to truly calm and hydrate dry patches.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This cream goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before your main moisturizer. Dry skin needs a richer product packed with heavier oils, rich butters, and deeply nourishing ingredients to properly lock in moisture and soothe flaky areas.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this treatment before your moisturizer in your evening routine when pairing it with retinol. This type of product works best for dry skin when it includes rich oils and butters to deeply soften and lock in lasting moisture.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this moisturizing treatment daily in your evening routine, but because it only offers moderate hydration for dry skin, a product of this type needs richer nourishing oils, ceramides, and heavier emollients to fully comfort and soften very dry skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This cream is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry skin, as its formula contains safe ingredients that are gentle and well-tolerated. It is generally safe for your dry skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
This emulsion is safe to use on your body and around the eyes, as its gentle ingredients are unlikely to cause irritation. Because your dry skin needs a stronger fit, this type of product needs richer oils, butters, and heavy barrier-protecting ingredients to keep dry areas deeply soft and smooth.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl 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, 2017Treatment with a combination of niacinamide and hyaluronic acid improved skin aging signs and demonstrated a senomorphic effect by decreasing SASP and autocrine signaling genes in women.
Scientific Reports, 2024Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005Topical 2% niacinamide significantly decreased sebum excretion rate in Japanese individuals and casual sebum levels in Caucasian individuals compared to placebo or baseline.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006The 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, 2012Exposure of epidermal full-thickness skin equivalents to a blend of betaine, pentylene glycol, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Rhodiola rosea root extract significantly increased antioxidant, skin barrier, and oxidative stress biomarkers while reducing the negative impact of hydrogen peroxide on MMP3, MMP12, FBN2, ANXA1, and HGF, whereas a blend of Narcissus tazetta bulb extract and Schisandra chinensis fruit extract significantly increased 8 growth factors, 7 signaling, 7 structural/barrier function, 7 oxidative stress biomarkers, and specific microRNAs over control levels.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2018
Ingredients
Water, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Dimethicone, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, 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
How does it fit your skin?
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