The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer for dry sensitive skin
Peptides
Glycerin
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter
Tocopheryl Acetate Vitamin E
Acetyl Hexapeptide-37
High
- HighDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for dry sensitive skin; a few moisturizers fit it even better.
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
- Highly suitable for your dry and sensitive skin, this moisturizer effectively addresses dryness and flakiness with high concentrations of glycerin and acetyl hexapeptide-37, which provide excellent hydration and plumping.
- Pentapeptide-48 further supports your skin barrier function, while shea butter and glycerin offer humectant and emollient actions, making it ideal for dry skin.
- The formula is safe for your skin, containing no harsh ingredients and including soothing components like shea butter and glycerin.
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 1.8k+ reviewsThis moisturizer is widely appreciated by users with combination and sensitive skin for its lightweight, fast-absorbing formula that layers exceptionally well under makeup without pilling. Users with very dry skin often report it provides insufficient hydration on its own. While the airless pump design is praised for hygiene, it is a frequent source of frustration due to mechanical failures and the inability to see how much product remains. This summary is based on a very large amount of data and should definitely be taken into account.
Highlights
Lightweight & fast-absorbing Mostly Mentioned
- “sinks in instantly”
- “non-greasy finish”
- “lightweight texture”
- “glides on smoothly”
- “absorbs like a dream”
Hygienic airless pump Often Mentioned
- “love the dispenser”
- “sanitary packaging”
- “perfect dose pump”
- “keeps product fresh”
- “convenient press-top”
Pump malfunctions Often Mentioned
- “pump stopped working”
- “dispenser broke”
- “product won't come out”
- “lid falls off”
- “faulty mechanism”
Gentle & fragrance-free Sometimes Noted
- “no irritation”
- “great for sensitive skin”
- “soothing formula”
- “no strong scent”
- “didn't sting”
Makeup compatible Sometimes Noted
- “great under foundation”
- “doesn't pill”
- “acts like primer”
- “smooth base”
- “makeup sits beautifully”
Softens & plumps Sometimes Noted
- “skin feels plump”
- “smooths fine lines”
- “leaves face soft”
- “improves skin texture”
- “healthy glow”
Insufficient hydration Sometimes Noted
- “not moisturizing enough”
- “skin felt tight”
- “need extra oil”
- “dry patches remained”
- “too light for winter”
Quantity uncertainty Sometimes Noted
- “can't see level”
- “ran out unexpectedly”
- “opaque bottle”
- “finished too fast”
- “hard to gauge amount”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “caused cystic acne”
- “broke me out”
- “clogged my pores”
- “tiny bumps appeared”
- “reaction on chin”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “smells like plastic”
- “chemical odor”
- “weird smell”
- “funky scent”
- “smells like glue”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, cultbeauty.co.uk, boots.com, ulta.com, influenster.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes The INKEY List Peptide Moisturizer a great fit for dry sensitive skin?
This moisturizer is a great fit because it uses glycerin and shea butter to drench dry skin in moisture and keep it soft. It also helps calm sensitivity and supports your skin barrier so it stays smooth and comfortable.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
Glycerin, shea butter, and peptides make this cream a great fit by delivering deep hydration, soothing flakiness, and supporting your skin barrier. These ingredients are very gentle and help keep dry and sensitive skin soft, smooth, and comfortable.
What do Peptides do for dry sensitive skin?
Peptides help hydrate dry sensitive skin while smoothing the look of fine lines and keeping the surface calm. They may also improve skin elasticity, though some types need enhanced delivery systems to deeply penetrate the skin barrier.
Advanced Science, 2025International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2025
What does Glycerin do for dry sensitive skin?
Glycerin helps dry sensitive skin by drawing moisture into the skin and keeping it there, making the skin soft and smooth. It is very gentle and unlikely to cause irritation while improving how well the skin holds onto water. This type of skin needs ingredients that boost hydration and repair the barrier without causing stinging.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008
Where does it go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This moisturizer goes in the evening routine after your treatment and in the morning as your final step before sunscreen. Using a moisturizer helps lock in hydration and keeps dry skin feeling soft and comfortable all day.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol, and applying it after your retinol helps calm your skin and lower irritation. Using a barrier-enhancing moisturizer along with retinoids is safe and supports your skin throughout treatment.
How often should I use it?
You can use this moisturizer twice a day to effectively tackle dryness and flakiness on your dry sensitive skin. Daily application of this type of hydrating cream helps keep skin smooth and supports your skin barrier function.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This moisturizer is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry sensitive skin. Its gentle formula relies on soothing ingredients like shea butter and glycerin that are well tolerated and free of harsh components.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can safely use this moisturizing treatment on the thin skin around your eyes and on your body to keep those areas soft and smooth. Its gentle formula and hydrating ingredients are well-tolerated and unlikely to cause irritation in delicate areas.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (benzyl 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, 2017The 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, 2012A combination cream of stimu-tex AS and saccharide isomerate reduced erythema, increased skin capacitance, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to placebo in 20 subjects after fractional CO2 laser procedure without causing serious adverse events.
Lasers in Medical Science, 2025A skin barrier restoring cream with shea butter, silkflo, and vitamin E increased type I procollagen synthesis, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, decreased reactive oxygen species generation, and promoted hyaluronic acid production in H2O2-stimulated human keratinocyte cells compared to untreated cells.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Ingredients
Water, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Gluconate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phenethyl Alcohol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-37, Maltodextrin, Pentapeptide-48
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.
-
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-
Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-
Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-
Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-
Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.