The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 for combination skin

Sodium Hyaluronate
Vitamin B5 Panthenol
Glycerin
Ahnfeltia Concinna Extract
High
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for combination skin; a few moisturizers fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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 excellent hydration for your combination skin, as multiple forms of hyaluronic acid and panthenol provide significant moisturizing benefits, supporting the management of oily shine.
- Ahnfeltia concinna extract and glycerin further enhance the humectant action, contributing to overall skin hydration.
- The formula is safe for your combination skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components.
How to apply
- Use this moisturizer in your AM and PM routine every day to control shine. Always pair with SPF in the morning.
- Apply this moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your morning SPF.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin and avoid harsh rubbing. Let it ⏳absorb for a minute.
- Apply the moisturizer on slightly damp skin to help it lock in moisture better. This keeps your combination skin balanced.
- Avoid the eye area when applying the moisturizer. Do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 7.4k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this serum is highly praised for its deep hydration and plumping effects, leading to smoother skin and reduced fine lines. While the reformulated texture is generally better absorbed, some users still report pilling when layering products. It is also frequently noted as an excellent value option.
Highlights
Hydration and plumping Mostly Mentioned
- “skin feels immediately hydrated”
- “gave my skin a much needed drink”
- “lovely, plumped-up feel”
- “fine lines look smoothed”
Great value Often Mentioned
- “can't beat the price”
- “staple for budget skincare”
- “great value for money”
- “performs like expensive serums”
Sticky finish Often Mentioned
- “feels very sticky”
- “leaves a tacky residue”
- “feels like glue”
- “hair sticks to face”
Gentle and non-irritating Sometimes Noted
- “no irritation at all”
- “great for sensitive skin”
- “didn't sting”
Smoother texture Sometimes Noted
- “skin feels soft and smooth”
- “texture looks healthy”
- “makeup sits better”
- “reduced dry patches”
Pilling issues Sometimes Noted
- “peels off like PVA glue”
- “pills under my moisturizer”
- “flakes off in little balls”
- “ruined my foundation”
Breakouts Rarely Noted
- “broke me out in cysts”
- “caused tiny whiteheads”
- “made my skin red”
- “clogged my pores”
Foaming Rarely Noted
- “turns white and foams”
- “soapy consistency”
- “froths up when rubbed”
- “takes long to absorb”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, ulta.com, theordinary.com, amazon.com, target.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 a great fit for combination skin?
This product is a great fit because its multiple forms of hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and vitamin B5 panthenol provide deep moisture while supporting the management of oily shine. The formula is also safe for your skin, as it is free of harsh ingredients and includes soothing components that are unlikely to cause irritation.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for combination skin?
Sodium hyaluronate, vitamin B5 panthenol, and glycerin make this serum a great fit because they provide deep hydration while helping manage oily shine. These ingredients improve skin moisture and support a calm, comfortable feel without irritation.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for combination skin?
Hyaluronic acid is a great fit for combination skin because it quenches dry areas with a boost of hydration while keeping oily zones balanced. Regular use helps smooth out fine lines and makes your skin feel soft and plump without causing irritation.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2021Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011
What does Vitamin B5 do for combination skin?
Vitamin B5 helps keep combination skin hydrated and calm while supporting the skin barrier. It helps balance moisture and is unlikely to cause irritation.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This treatment goes in your evening routine, applied after cleansing and toning and before your moisturizer. You can use it safely without worrying about irritation, as the soothing formula helps hydrate your skin while keeping oily shine under control.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this treatment alongside retinol by applying it before your retinol product to help keep your skin comfortable and hydrated. Using a moisturizing treatment with ingredients like panthenol supports skin barrier recovery and is unlikely to cause irritation when combined with strong actives.
How often should I use this serum?
This treatment is applied in the evening as part of your routine for combination skin. Daily application helps keep your skin hydrated and smooth while supporting the management of oily shine.
Health Science Reports, 2021The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This product is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for your combination skin. The formula avoids harsh ingredients and includes soothing components that keep your skin calm.
Can I use it around the eyes or on my body?
You can use it around the eyes and on the body because it provides safe hydration with soothing ingredients and hyaluronic acid. It is important to remember that the skin around the eyes and on parts of the body can be very thin, meaning it benefits greatly from gentle, moisturizing treatments that support skin barriers without causing irritation.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A new topical panthenol-containing emollient significantly improved transepidermal water loss reduction, stratum corneum hydration, and intercellular lipid lamellae length compared with control in healthy subjects without negatively impacting bacterial viability.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002A panthenol-enriched mask significantly decreased erythema and hyperpigmentation, increased sebum and stratum corneum moisture, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to a saline dressing in 60 subjects undergoing facial laser treatment.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025A 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, 2017A topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020Topical 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, 2019Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Topical dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.
Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000Hyaluronic acid, hyaluronic acid plus dexpanthenol, and isotonic saline nasal sprays all significantly improved dry nose symptoms over four weeks in 240 patients, with hyaluronic acid plus dexpanthenol providing superior nasal moisturisation compared to the other two.
Auris, Nasus, Larynx, 2020The 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 sunscreen formulations containing UV filters, red algae extract, Ginkgo biloba, and vitamins protected hairless mice from UV-induced erythema, reduced transepidermal water loss, and significantly decreased the expression of p53 and caspase-3 compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology. B, Biology, 2015Chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol nanofibrous dressings containing 3% Corallina officinalis extract exhibited bead-free morphology, enhanced mechanical strength, strong antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and excellent biocompatibility for skin cell survival and proliferation.
Journal of Biomaterials Science. Polymer Edition, 2026
Ingredients
Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Panthenol, Ahnfeltia Concinna Extract, Glycerin, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Sphingolipids, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Citrate, P-Anisic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol
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.

