Shiseido Activating Essence for dry skin
Hyaluronic Acid
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Rosa Roxburghii Fruit Extract
Lactobacillus Ferment
High
- HighDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for dry skin; a few serums fit it even 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 high suitability for your dry skin due to the presence of glycerin and sodium acetylated hyaluronate for humectant action, which effectively combats dryness and flakiness.
- The inclusion of hyaluronic acid further enhances skin hydration, providing significant moisturizing benefits for your dry or flaky skin.
- The product is safe for your dry skin, as it contains no prohibited or harsh ingredients that could cause irritation.
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
★4.7Overall rating based on 1.6k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users across various skin types consistently report that this essence leaves their skin feeling softer, smoother, and more radiant. It is widely valued for its lightweight, non-sticky texture that effectively hydrates and prepares the skin for subsequent products, though some users note its strong fragrance and alcohol content. This should definitely be taken into account.
Highlights
Deeply hydrating Mostly Mentioned
- “Skin feels more hydrated”
- “infuses skin with moisture”
- “instantly soft and replenished”
Lightweight texture Often Mentioned
- “Sinks right into the skin”
- “not sticky”
- “runny, serum-y consistency”
Improves radiance Sometimes Noted
- “Complexion appeared more luminous”
- “skin looks more radiant”
- “glowy”
Refillable packaging Sometimes Noted
- “Refills are available”
- “reduces plastic”
- “easy to configure”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “Very high priced”
- “pricey for my budget”
- “not worth the $$”
Strong fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “Noticeable fragrance”
- “too harsh a scent”
- “heavily fragranced”
Alcohol content Rarely Noted
- “Contains alcohol”
- “smell alcohol”
- “sensitive to alcohol”
Lack of pump Rarely Noted
- “Wish it had a pump”
- “screw top is inconvenient”
Sources: lovi.care, influenster.com, shiseido.co.uk, macys.com, reallyree.com, walmart.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Shiseido Activating Essence a great fit for dry skin?
Shiseido Activating Essence is a great fit for dry skin because it contains glycerin and sodium acetylated hyaluronate to combat dryness and flakiness. Hyaluronic acid further enhances skin hydration, providing significant moisturizing benefits while avoiding harsh ingredients that may cause irritation.
Which ingredients make this essence a good fit for dry skin?
This essence is a great fit for dry skin because it contains glycerin, sodium acetylated hyaluronate, and hyaluronic acid, which help combat dryness and flakiness by drawing moisture into the skin. These ingredients provide significant moisturizing benefits and keep your skin feeling soft and smooth.
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for dry skin?
Hyaluronic acid draws moisture into dry skin, giving an immediate and lasting boost in hydration that helps smooth out fine lines and soften rough patches. It is very gentle and unlikely to cause irritation while improving overall skin smoothness and plumpness.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2021Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011
What does Green Tea Extract do for dry skin?
Green tea extract helps increase skin moisture and improve elasticity to make dry skin feel soft and smooth. It also works to calm irritation and protect against sun damage.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2013Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 2017
Where does it go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This treatment goes in your evening routine, applied after cleansing and before moisturizing. Putting it in the evening keeps things simple and provides extra safety around sun exposure.
Can I use this essence with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this essence with retinol by applying the essence first to boost hydration and soothe your dry skin, followed by your retinol product. This helps prep your skin and keeps it comfortable while you use active ingredients.
How often should I use it?
You can use this treatment in your evening routine, applying it after cleansing and before your moisturizer. This timing keeps things simple and provides extra safety around sun exposure.
Can this essence clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
Shiseido Activating Essence is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on dry skin, as it features a gentle formula without harsh ingredients. It helps keep your skin comfortable and smooth without causing irritation.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum).
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 hyaluronic acid filler serum combined with Botulinum toxin type A lengthened the duration of the toxin's effect in reducing wrinkles compared to Botulinum toxin type A alone.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Topical 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 green tea extract significantly improved clinical symptoms, tear breakup times, and meibomian gland health compared to standard treatment in patients with dry eye and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction.
Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 2017Topical low-dose green tea extract reduces UVB-induced p53 expression and apoptosis in human skin keratinocytes compared to placebo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2009An anti-acne hydrogel containing Aloe barbadensis, Garcinia mangostana, and Camellia sinensis extracts showed superior antiacne and antiblotch activities compared to 1% clindamycin gel in sixty subjects with mild-moderate acne.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Motor baicalin encapsulated in bio-vesicles enhanced water solubility, stability, transdermal penetration, antioxidant activity, and clinical skin antiaging efficacy compared to liposome baicalin and baicalin raw material.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025A nighttime topical antioxidant containing resveratrol, baicalin, and vitamin E significantly improved fine lines, wrinkles, firmness, elasticity, laxity, hyperpigmentation, radiance, roughness, and dermal thickness in subjects with mild to moderately photodamaged skin over 12 weeks.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2014Glycyrrhizin micellar nanocarriers significantly improved topical penetration and follicular accumulation of baicalin in porcine skin, enhanced human dermal papilla cell proliferation, and promoted hair recovery through Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation and upregulation of VEGF, α-MSH, and IL-10.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2022Rosa roxburghii fruit extract and its isolated ellagitannins, strictinin and casuarictin, suppressed poly(I:C)-induced interleukin-8 mRNA expression and release in normal human epidermal keratinocytes compared to stimulated controls.
Journal of Natural Medicines, 2021Probiotic-derived lotion successfully reduced inflammatory acne lesion counts and erythema index comparably to 2.5% benzoyl peroxide in patients with mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris, while causing fewer side effects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Topical application of Lactobacillus plantarum-GMNL6 enhanced collagen synthesis and SPTSSA gene expression while reducing melanin synthesis, Staphylococcus aureus biofilm, and Cutibacterium acnes proliferation, leading to clinical improvements in skin moisture, color, spots, wrinkles, UV spots, and porphyrins in human volunteers.
International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2021Lactobacillus plantarum extracellular vesicles modulated extracellular matrix related gene expression in vitro and suppressed wrinkle formation and pigmentation in clinical trials.
Current Issues in Molecular Biology, 2022
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Peg Ppg-14 7 Dimethyl Ether, Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Parfum, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Disodium Edta, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Tocopherol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Rosa Roxburghii Fruit Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment
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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