Biossance Squalane + Lactic Acid Resurfacing Night Serum for sensitive skin
Average
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for sensitive skin; other products 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 exfoliation for your normal skin with lactic acid to smooth texture and regulate desquamation, while squalane provides emollient action.
- While generally safe for normal skin, the lactic acid may exacerbate your redness and irritation, as its primary benefits are supportive rather than directly addressing your concerns.
- The product is safe for your normal skin with sensitivity due to the absence of harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use your exfoliant PM once a week to help with redness and irritation. Start slowly and only increase frequency if your skin feels happy and comfortable.
- Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toner , but always before your moisturizer . This ensures the product absorbs properly into the skin.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin without rubbing . Let it absorb for a minute before moving on.
- Since your skin is sensitive , apply the exfoliant on completely dry skin for the best tolerance. This helps prevent any extra stinging or discomfort.
- Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid the delicate eye area .
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 2.8k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this serum is highly effective at smoothing rough texture and brightening dull skin, often overnight, without causing dryness. Most users, including those with sensitive skin, find it gentle and hydrating. A moderate number of users dislike the herbal scent and find the product expensive, while a low number report experiencing irritation or breakouts.
Highlights
Smoothes skin texture Mostly Mentioned
- “smooths out rough skin”
- “baby soft results”
- “bumps are gone”
- “refined my texture”
Brightens complexion Often Mentioned
- “woke up glowing”
- “skin looks luminous”
- “radiant next morning”
- “removed dullness”
Gentle and hydrating Often Mentioned
- “no irritation at all”
- “didn't dry me out”
- “great for sensitive skin”
- “moisturizing feel”
Fades dark spots Sometimes Noted
- “acne scars faded”
- “helped with pigmentation”
- “evened skin tone”
- “spots look lighter”
Herbal scent disliked Sometimes Noted
- “smells a bit funny”
- “strong lavender scent”
- “off-putting smell”
- “scent is weird”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “very expensive”
- “pricey for the size”
- “wish it was cheaper”
- “investment product”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “broke me out”
- “caused tiny bumps”
- “purging period”
- “woke up with zits”
Causes irritation Rarely Noted
- “burned my face”
- “caused red blotches”
- “stings upon application”
- “too strong for me”
Sources: lovi.care, biossance.com, sephora.com, influenster.com, cultbeauty.co.uk, makeupalley.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Biossance Squalane + Lactic Acid Resurfacing Night Serum work for sensitive skin?
This serum works moderately well for sensitive skin, using lactic acid to smooth texture while squalane softens dry areas. However, the lactic acid may worsen your redness and irritation. An exfoliant treatment for this skin needs soothing ingredients and antioxidants that directly target redness without causing irritation.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for sensitive skin?
Squalane and glycerin help make this serum a good fit for sensitive skin by soothing and keeping it soft, while lactic acid smooths out rough texture. Because this is an average fit and may cause some redness, a sensitive skin type needs a product with calming antioxidants, hydrating components, and skin-repairing ingredients like niacinamide to reduce irritation.
What does Squalane do for sensitive skin?
Squalane helps calm sensitive skin by defending against everyday irritation and keeping it smooth and soft. It is unlikely to cause irritation and supports your skin barrier so it stays comfortable and hydrated.
What does Lactic Acid do for sensitive skin?
Lactic acid may cause stinging and irritation on sensitive skin because sensitive skin often has a fragile barrier and enhanced facial blood flow. To care for sensitive skin, a product of this type needs soothing ingredients like ceramides to strengthen the skin barrier and calm discomfort.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2018Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2021
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after your toner and before your moisturizer. Sensitive skin needs an exfoliating serum with soothing, calming ingredients and gentle hydrators like squalane and glycerin.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
Using this serum with retinol may increase the likelihood of redness and irritation on sensitive skin, so it is best to use them on different nights or alternate evenings. When combining active treatments, apply the gentler hydrating product first and always follow with a moisturizer to keep the skin calm and soft.
How often should I use this serum?
Start using this serum once a week in the evening, and if your skin tolerates it well and shows good results, you can carefully use it more often. This product needs soothing ingredients and gentle moisturizers to keep sensitive skin calm and comfortable.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for sensitive skin, though reviewers occasionally mention irritation or breakouts. A product of this type needs soothing ingredients and gentle hydrators to keep sensitive skin calm and smooth without triggering reactions.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (linalool). Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Squalane 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, 2025Application of a cream containing lactic acid 12% and pramoxine HCl 1% significantly improved skin dryness, hydration, and itch compared with a nontreated control in 24 women with a history of dry itchy skin.
Cutis, 2004Topical 12% ammonium lactate produced a significant sparing of epidermal and dermal atrophy induced by clobetasol propionate in human volunteers, without influencing the corticosteroid's bioavailability or antiinflammatory properties.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1992A lactic acid/ceramide lotion significantly improved skin moisturization and desquamation compared to no treatment in women with dry, rough skin on the anterior shins.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020A 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, 2001Polysaccharide-based O/W emulsions incorporated with lavender essential oil applied to cellulosic support are non-irritating, provide softness and moisturizing effects, and are safe for topical patch applications.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021Gellan gum hydrogel films co-encapsulating ofloxacin with tea tree or lavender oil achieved 98% wound contraction and completely healed epidermis in rats after ten days of treatment compared to baseline.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021Topical application of lavender oil significantly promoted wound contraction, collagen synthesis, and fibroblast differentiation with up-regulation of TGF-beta in a rat model compared to control.
BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2016Acacia gum and carbopol hydrogel wound dressings containing gentamicin showed faster wound healing, well-developed fibroblasts, and blood capillaries compared to open wounds in swiss albino mice.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2013Barley beta-glucan films formulated with sorbitol and acacia gum demonstrated suitable mechanical properties and stimulated in vitro keratinocytes growth.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2023Gum arabic and beta-cyclodextrin microencapsulated peony seed oil emulsion protected against ultraviolet radiation by inhibiting reactive oxygen species generation, increasing cell viability from 54.75% to 92.69% in UVB-damaged HaCaT cells, and repairing 95.56% of UVB-damaged skin within 7 days in animal experiments through regulation of the NF-kappaB signaling pathway.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2026
Why other products fit sensitive skin better
Topical application of TAT-SOD significantly suppresses UVB-induced erythema formation, blood flow rise, and apoptotic sunburn cell formation in human volunteers compared to a vehicle control.
European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 2016
Ingredients
Acacia Senegal Gum, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycerin, Lactic Acid, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil Lavender Oil, Lespedeza Capitata Stem Extract Leaf, Linalool, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Propanediol, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Olivate, Squalane, Water, Xanthan Gum
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
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