The Ordinary Aloe 2% + NAG 2% Solution for dry sensitive skin
Aloe Barbadensis
N-Acetyl Glucosamine Nag
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Biosaccharide Gum-2
Glycerin
High
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for dry sensitive skin; a few serums fit it even better.
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
- International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024
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
- Offers moderate exfoliation and hydration for your dry and sensitive skin, as lactic acid and glycerin smooth texture and moisturize without causing irritation. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder and glycerin provide general skincare benefits, addressing dryness and flakiness.
- The presence of propanediol and glycerin offers humectant action, though additional emollient ingredients would enhance optimal hydration for your dry skin.
- The formulation is safe for your dry and sensitive skin, as it contains no harsh or prohibited ingredients that could cause irritation.
How to apply
- Use this PM routine for your evening skincare. Start using the serum 3 times a week and increase to daily use if your skin feels comfortable.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer. This step locks in deep hydration for dry skin.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin using your palms. Let it absorb completely for a minute ⏱ before applying your next product.
- Since your skin is sensitive, apply the serum on completely dry skin for better tolerance and less irritation.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Always do a patch test before your first use to ensure your skin reacts well.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 2.4k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with acne-prone and sensitive skin frequently praise this serum for its ability to soothe redness and gradually fade post-acne marks without irritation. Many report improved skin texture and hydration, though some users find the results on older hyperpigmentation to be slow or unnoticeable.
Highlights
Soothing and calming Mostly Mentioned
- “toned down the redness”
- “beautifully calming on the skin”
- “soothing for sensitive days”
Fades post-acne marks Often Mentioned
- “helped get rid of my acne scars”
- “faded blemishes quicker than normal”
- “large improvements in post-acne marks”
Hydrating texture Often Mentioned
- “skin feels velvety”
- “nice hydrating slip”
- “leaves skin plump and dewy”
Improves skin texture Sometimes Noted
- “skin is noticeably smoother”
- “helped with congestion”
- “reduced look of pores”
Slow or minimal results Sometimes Noted
- “didn't see any results”
- “less successful on existing dark spots”
- “over-promised and under-delivered”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “broke me out”
- “caused tiny bumps”
- “skin hated it”
Routine conflicts Rarely Noted
- “conflicts with direct acids”
- “hard to fit in routine”
- “pills with other serums”
Sticky finish Rarely Noted
- “slightly gloopy texture”
- “can become tacky”
- “sticky if applied heavily”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.co.uk, ulta.com, kohls.com, theordinary.com, sephora.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes The Ordinary Aloe 2% + NAG 2% Solution a great fit for dry sensitive skin?
This treatment is a great fit because lactic acid and glycerin smooth texture and moisturize your dry, sensitive skin without causing irritation. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder and glycerin also help address dryness and flakiness, while the gentle formula has a safe profile that is unlikely to trigger irritation.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
This serum is a great fit for your dry sensitive skin because lactic acid and glycerin smooth your texture and moisturize without causing irritation. Aloe barbadensis leaf juice powder and glycerin also help address dryness and flakiness, while propanediol adds helpful hydration.
What does Aloe Vera do for dry sensitive skin?
Aloe vera helps boost skin hydration and keeps dry skin feeling soft and calm without disrupting the skin barrier. Because it is gentle and has a very safe profile, it is unlikely to irritate sensitive skin.
Skin Research and Technology, 2006Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2011
What does N-Acetyl Glucosamine do for dry sensitive skin?
N-Acetyl Glucosamine helps fade dark spots and uneven tone, and when used in a moisturizer, it supports dry skin by keeping it soft and smooth. Because it has a gentle profile, it is unlikely to irritate sensitive skin.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2007
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after your toner and before your moisturizer. Putting it in the evening keeps things simple and gives you extra safety around sun exposure.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
This treatment is a great fit for your dry sensitive skin and helps smooth texture and moisturize without causing irritation. You may use it with retinol by applying this serum first and following with your retinol product, making sure to watch how your skin feels.
How often should I use this serum?
You can use this treatment in your evening routine once a week to start, and if your skin feels comfortable and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often. This safe formula helps smooth texture and moisturize your dry and sensitive skin without causing irritation.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for your dry and sensitive skin because its formula avoids harsh ingredients that typically trigger irritation. Reviewers rarely report breakouts from this product, and it is considered safe for your skin type.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
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 application of 1,3-propanediol at various concentrations, alone or combined with butylene glycol and/or glycerol, increased skin hydration and reduced trans epidermal water loss in 30 healthy female subjects over an 8-hour period, with the 15% concentration and the addition of glycerol providing greater benefits.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010N-acetylglucosamine dose dependently increased hyaluronan production in cultured keratinocytes, and its combination with retinoic acid or retinol exerted a synergistic effect.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2004Exogenous N-acetylglucosamine promotes hyaluronan production while having no effect on the expression of hyaluronan-synthesizing enzymes 1, 2, and 3 mRNA in cultured human dermal fibroblasts.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2009Global gene expression profiling and in vitro biomarker approaches in human skin equivalent cultures successfully detected specific skin barrier, matrix, and hydration responses to topical compounds including niacinamide, hexamidine, Pal-KT, Pal-KTTKS, and N-acetylglucosamine.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2009The 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, 2012
Ingredients
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Acetyl Glucosamine, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Biosaccharide Gum-2, Pentylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Isoceteth-20, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Sodium Lactate, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
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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