Drunk Elephant Bora Barrier Repair Cream for sensitive skin
6-Butterlipid Complex
Zinc Gluconate
Copper Gluconate
Squalane
Ceramides
Average
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for sensitive skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. 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 benefits for redness and irritation due to the presence of ceramides and fatty acids in concentrations that support barrier repair, making it suitable for your sensitive skin.
- The formula is highly suitable for normal skin due to the presence of ceramides and cholesterol for barrier repair and glycerin and sodium PCA for humectant action.
- The product has a good safety profile with no risks of irritation for your sensitive skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients, and presence of soothing ingredients like Glycerin, Shea Butter, and Ceramides.
How to apply
- Use this soothing AM and PM routine every day to keep your normal skin calm. Always remember to apply SPF in the morning after your moisturizer.
- Apply your moisturizer after your toner in the morning, and after your serum in the evening. This step locks in hydration and protects your skin.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer evenly across your face. Avoid rubbing to keep your sensitive skin happy and calm.
- You can apply this gentle formula on dry or slightly damp skin for the best comfort. It works wonderfully on clean skin to soothe redness and irritation.
- Do a patch test before your very first use to check your skin's reaction. Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes .
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 700+ reviewsThis rich cream is highly effective for dry, mature, or compromised skin, providing deep, long-lasting moisture and barrier repair, often noted as a winter savior. Users with oily or acne-prone skin, however, frequently report experiencing congestion and breakouts due to its heavy, occlusive texture.
Highlights
Deep hydration Mostly Mentioned
- “healed dry patches overnight”
- “skin feels quenched all day”
- “saved my skin this winter”
- “no more flaking”
Luxurious texture Often Mentioned
- “buttery and rich”
- “feels like a protective layer”
- “thick but absorbs well”
- “glides on smoothly”
Hygienic packaging Sometimes Noted
- “love the push pump”
- “sanitary and easy”
- “dispenses perfect flower shape”
- “no waste packaging”
Soothing repair Sometimes Noted
- “soothed retinol burn”
- “reduced redness immediately”
- “restored my barrier”
Causes breakouts Sometimes Noted
- “broke me out immediately”
- “caused whiteheads overnight”
- “clogged my pores”
- “too heavy for acne-prone skin”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “too expensive for the size”
- “pricey for a moisturizer”
- “not worth the money”
- “finished too quickly”
Greasy finish Rarely Noted
- “feels like vaseline”
- “too greasy for day use”
- “sat on top of skin”
- “made me look oily”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “smells like old sunscreen”
- “weird chemical scent”
- “unpleasant natural smell”
- “smells like plastic”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.sg, spacenk.com, ulta.com, drunkelephant.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Drunk Elephant Bora Barrier work for sensitive skin?
This moisturizing treatment works for your sensitive skin, though other products fit it better because it offers moderate benefits for redness and irritation. It has a safe formula with soothing ingredients that help calm the skin, but sensitive skin needs a product with a high concentration of soothing ingredients like fermented Centella Asiatica, Cica Ceramide, and nourishing oils to enhance barrier function and hydration without overwhelming the skin.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for sensitive skin?
This cream works for sensitive skin because it contains ceramides, fatty acids, glycerin, shea butter, and squalane, which help calm redness and repair the skin barrier without causing irritation. To achieve an even better fit for sensitive skin, a product of this type needs soothing ingredients like fermented centella asiatica, cica ceramide, and nourishing oils that enhance barrier function and provide deep hydration.
What does 6-Butterlipid Complex do for sensitive skin?
6-Butterlipid Complex helps calm sensitive skin and supports its barrier function. This type of physiological lipid mixture is unlikely to cause irritation and may reduce adverse effects when used with active treatments.
European Journal of Dermatology, 2011Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research, 2011
What does Zinc Gluconate do for sensitive skin?
Zinc gluconate helps calm irritated skin and may reduce redness and swelling for sensitive skin types. This ingredient is generally well tolerated and is unlikely to cause irritation when used in skincare routines.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This moisturizing treatment goes in the evening routine after your toner and before your moisturizer. It is unlikely to cause irritation for your sensitive skin, though a product of this type for sensitive skin ideally needs calming ingredients and barrier-supporting lipids in gentle, low-irritation formulas.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol, and applying it after your retinol may help calm dryness and reduce irritation. This product helps repair the skin barrier with ceramides and fatty acids, which is particularly beneficial when using strong treatments like retinol. Sensitive skin requires a moisturizer that combines barrier-repairing lipids and soothing ingredients to properly calm irritation.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this moisturizing treatment twice daily as part of your routine. Daily application of moisturizers with ceramides and fatty acids helps improve skin hydration and strengthens the skin barrier.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This cream may cause breakouts for sensitive skin, as some reviewers report. To better prevent clogged pores on sensitive skin, a product of this type needs non-greasy hydrators and lightweight soothing ingredients that calm irritation without heavy oils.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cream around your eyes and on your body, as its gentle ingredients are safe for delicate skin. However, because this is only an average fit for sensitive skin, a cream for these areas needs extra calming plant oils and soothing minerals to better calm irritation.
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
Application of Body Lotion for 5 weeks on cosmetic dry skin improved barrier properties, increased levels of cholesterol, ceramides, and long-chain fatty acids, increased beneficial skin bacteria, and enhanced microbiome functional potential compared to baseline.
Scientific Reports, 2022A dermocosmetic cream containing Punica granatum Pericarp extract, Salicylic acid, Niacinamide, Zinc gluconate, and Aqua Posae Filiformis significantly decreased inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesion counts in subjects with mild to moderate acne compared to untreated hemi-faces after 15 days.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026Daily use of a deep cleansing gel containing salicylic acid 2%, zinc gluconate 0.2% and lipohydroxy acid 0.05% significantly reduced total lesion count by 56.3% after 84 days in 35 subjects with mild to moderate truncal acne.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2023Different strains of Propionibacterium acnes modulate cutaneous innate immunity with varying pro-inflammatory potentials, with P. acnes type III showing the highest and P. avidum the weakest, and zinc gluconate down-regulates the expression of most induced immune markers.
Experimental Dermatology, 2013Zinc gluconate induced alpha2, alpha3, alphaV, and alpha6 integrins, copper gluconate induced alpha2, alpha6, and beta1, and manganese gluconate induced most studied integrins in cultured keratinocytes.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 1999Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Plant-derived squalane protected human dermal fibroblasts against UVA-induced damage by counteracting ROS formation, suppressing apoptosis-related proteins p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP, and restoring the pro-survival p-Akt/mTOR pathway.
Antioxidants, 2025
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, C10-18 Triglycerides, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Beta-Sitosterol, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Oleic Acid, Squalane, Butylene Glycol, Glucosyl Ceramide, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Glycosphingolipids, Rosa Canina Oil Fruit, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Alpha-Glucan, Resveratrol, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Acacia Senegal Gum, Sodium Pca, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Sorbitan Isostearate, Astaxanthin Extract, Quercetin, Astaxanthin, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Eop, Dextrin, Palmitic Acid, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Lactate, Stearic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Xanthan Gum, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Polysorbate 60, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin
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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