e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Face Cream for dry skin
Sodium Hyaluronate
Peptides
Niacinamide
Squalane
Trehalose
High
- HighDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for dry skin; a few sunscreens 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
- Highly suitable for your dry skin as glycerin and squalane provide excellent humectant and emollient actions, respectively, addressing dryness and flakiness effectively.
- Niacinamide and panthenol further support skin barrier function and hydration, enhancing the overall moisturizing benefits for your skin.
- The formula is safe for your dry skin, containing no harsh or prohibited ingredients that could cause irritation.
How to apply
- Apply this moisturizing sunscreen daily in your AM routine. Use it every morning as the final step of your skincare routine.
- Apply after your moisturizer and before putting on makeup. This ensures proper sun protection for your skin.
- Gently spread an even layer over your face and neck. Avoid rubbing too hard to keep your dry skin happy.
- Apply on completely dry skin for the best coverage and protection. Make sure your face is clean before application.
- Avoid the immediate eye area during application. Do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 5.9k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this moisturizer is widely celebrated for delivering deep hydration with a lightweight, non-greasy feel that rivals high-end luxury creams. It is generally praised for smoothing skin texture and working well under makeup. Some users with acne-prone skin experienced breakouts, and others found the scented version too overpowering.
Highlights
Effective hydration Mostly Mentioned
- “skin looks plump and nourished”
- “keeps my skin hydrated without feeling greasy”
- “relieves dry, tight skin”
Lightweight & fast Mostly Mentioned
- “sinks in quickly to leave smooth, soft skin”
- “absorbs almost instantly”
- “lightweight feel... without feeling greasy”
Excellent value Often Mentioned
- “unbeatable price point”
- “comparable with more expensive face creams”
- “fraction of the price”
Makeup compatible Often Mentioned
- “layers smoothly under makeup”
- “works as more of a primer”
- “makeup just glides on”
Beneficial ingredients Sometimes Noted
- “packed with skin-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid”
- “peptides to promote collagen”
- “niacinamide to brighten”
Strong fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “scent is pleasant but... overpowering”
- “heavy fragrance”
- “smells like old school sea salt”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “got pimples the other day”
- “caused a little acne break out”
- “skin was fighting against it”
Greasy residue Rarely Noted
- “texture feels pretty greasy to me”
- “leaves a weird film”
- “looks oily around my nose”
Not for dry skin Rarely Noted
- “dried out my skin”
- “not moisturizing enough for very dry skin”
- “dry spots even just 15-20 mins later”
Packaging concerns Rarely Noted
- “wish it came with a spatula”
- “prefer a tube... for hygiene”
- “putting my finger into the jar”
Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, target.com, walmart.com, elfcosmetics.com, byrdie.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Face Cream a great fit for dry skin?
e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Face Cream is a great fit because glycerin and squalane work to lock in moisture and soften dry, flaky skin. Niacinamide and panthenol help support your skin barrier for lasting hydration without causing irritation.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for dry skin?
Glycerin and squalane make this cream a great fit for dry skin by quenching dryness and flakiness. Niacinamide and panthenol also help lock in moisture and support a healthy skin barrier.
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 do Peptides do for dry skin?
Peptides help dry skin by supporting skin barrier health and improving moisture retention. Regular use may also enhance skin firmness and smooth out the texture of dry skin over time.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This cream goes in the morning routine after a cleanser and hydrating toner, right before your sunscreen. In the evening, apply it as the final step after your cleanser and treatment. Using a moisturizer helps lock in hydration and significantly improves clinical scores and visual dryness.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol by applying the moisturizer either before or after your retinol treatment to help keep your skin comfortable. Using a moisturizing cream alongside retinol is unlikely to cause irritation and may support your skin barrier as it adjusts.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this cream every morning as part of your regular routine to keep your dry skin feeling soft and comfortable all day. Applying it daily helps lock in moisture and supports your skin barrier, reducing dryness and flakiness over time.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This cream is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for your dry skin. The formula is safe and free of harsh ingredients, though a small number of reviewers have reported breakouts.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum). 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, 2017Topical 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 post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005Squalane 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, 2025Sodium trehalose sulfate decreased transepidermal water loss and increased stratum corneum water content in participants with low stratum corneum water content when applied for 4 weeks compared to placebo.
Skin Research and Technology, 2024Topical chloramphenicol-betamethasone combined with sodium hyaluronate/trehalose/carbomer gel compared to chloramphenicol-betamethasone alone reduced most subjective symptoms at 1 week but increased blurred vision at 4 weeks following strabismus surgery in 31 patients, with no significant differences in conjunctival inflammation between treatments.
Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 2019Topical treatment with Thealoz Duo significantly improved dry eye disease symptoms, tear break-up time, and restored tear lipid layer functionality by reducing inflammatory response proteins in moderate to severe dry eye patients over 56 days.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2025
Ingredients
Water, Isohexadecane, Stearyl Heptanoate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Isopropyl Isostearate, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Olivate, Trehalose, Squalane, Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Aluminum Octenylsuccinate Starch, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Silica, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Panthenol Vb5, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Polyethylene, Disodium Edta, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Carbomer
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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