Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Probiotics Barrier Essence for dry skin
Rice Extract
Lactobacillus Ferment
GlycerinAverage
- HighDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for dry skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
- The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
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
- Offers high suitability for dry skin due to the presence of Glycerin, Hyaluronic Acid, and Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid for humectant action and Panthenol for barrier repair.
- The formula provides excellent moisturizing and barrier-enhancing effects, which are beneficial for dry or flaky skin.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your dry skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and work your way up to daily use.
- Apply your moisturizer after your toner and before your sunscreen in the morning. At night, use it as the final step after your serum.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin. Avoid rubbing to keep your dry skin happy.
- Apply the moisturizer on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra hydration. This is great for soothing dry and flaky areas .
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a patch test before your first use .
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 1.6k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this essence is highly recommended for dry and dehydrated skin, providing deep nourishment and a radiant glow without feeling heavy. It is also frequently noted for its soothing and barrier-repairing properties. However, a moderate number of users with acne-prone or sensitive skin have reported breakouts and irritation, possibly due to fermented ingredients.
Highlights
Deep hydration Mostly Mentioned
- “drinks up like water”
- “gives a beautiful glow”
- “skin looks very plump”
- “intensely hydrated”
Milky texture Often Mentioned
- “creamy milky essence”
- “lightweight yet nourishing”
- “non-sticky finish”
- “silky soft feel”
Fragrance-free Sometimes Noted
- “no scent”
- “great for sensitive noses”
- “fragrance-free formula”
Soothes skin Sometimes Noted
- “liquid cushion hug”
- “calmed my angry skin”
- “restores skin barrier”
- “soothing for sensitive skin”
Causes breakouts Sometimes Noted
- “deep painful zits”
- “gave me closed comedones”
- “caused whiteheads”
- “wave of bumps”
Causes irritation Rarely Noted
- “face felt raw”
- “caused redness and irritation”
- “skin felt warm”
- “allergic reaction”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “heavy plastic bottle”
- “hard to dispense”
- “not travel friendly”
Too rich Rarely Noted
- “too nourishing for oily skin”
- “slightly viscous”
- “better for dry skin”
Sources: lovi.care, pick.co, skinsort.com, iherb.com, yesstyle.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does haruharu wonder Black Rice Probiotics Barrier Essence work for dry skin?
Haruharu wonder Black Rice Probiotics Barrier Essence works moderately well for dry skin, though other products fit it better. To provide an optimal fit for dry skin, a product of this type needs highly effective soothing ingredients, rich moisture-retaining components and emollients, and a complete absence of allergens to ensure maximum hydration and skin barrier support.
Which ingredients make this essence a good fit for dry skin?
This essence works for dry skin because it contains glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid to hold in water, alongside panthenol to help repair the skin barrier. These ingredients provide great moisture and care for flaky areas safely and without irritation. To fit dry skin even better, a moisturizing treatment needs a rich blend of deep hydrators and soothing emollients.
What does Rice Extract do for dry skin?
Rice extract helps keep dry skin hydrated and smooth while making it feel softer. It brings moisture back to the surface and supports overall skin barrier comfort.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2022
What does Lactobacillus Ferment do for dry skin?
Lactobacillus Ferment helps dry skin by boosting moisture and strengthening the skin barrier to keep hydration locked in. It is very safe and well-tolerated, making it useful for reducing redness and calming dry, sensitive areas.
Scientific Reports, 2023Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2023
Where does this essence go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This essence goes in your evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing. Dry skin needs treatments with ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and panthenol to lock in moisture and help repair the skin barrier.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017
Can I use this essence with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this essence with retinol by applying the essence first to help prepare and smooth dry skin before your retinol step. Using a barrier-enhancing moisturizer helps reduce irritation and dryness while supporting your skin during retinol treatment.
How often should I use this essence?
This essence works well in your evening routine, where you can use it every day after cleansing and before moisturizing. Daily application helps boost skin moisture and repair the moisture barrier without causing irritation.
Can this essence clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This essence may cause breakouts for dry skin, as some reviewers report this issue. However, it is unlikely to irritate dry skin because it has a very safe formula without harsh ingredients.
Can I use this essence around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this essence around the eyes or on your body because its gentle formula is unlikely to cause irritation. To properly care for dry skin in thinner or body areas, products of this type need a combination of ingredients that draw in moisture and repair the skin barrier, such as glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and panthenol.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017
Is this essence 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, 2017A 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 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, 2025Daily application of a cream containing niosomes loaded with purple glutinous rice extract in 20 human volunteers for 28 days resulted in a significant decrease in melanin index and skin roughness by -14.05% and -9.95%, and increases in skin hydration and elastic recovery by +48.73% and +35.98% compared to initial values.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020The iontophoretic delivery of hyaluronic acid nanogel-loaded Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate significantly reduced advanced glycation end products and mitigated skin stiffening in an ex vivo skin tissue glycation model.
International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2025Red rice extract suppressed UVB-induced inflammation and skin aging in human skin fibroblasts by inhibiting the MAPK signaling pathway, leading to decreased NF-kappa B and AP-1 activation, reduced ECM degradation, and increased ECM synthesis compared to UVB-irradiated controls.
Natural Product Communications, 2016Probiotic-derived lotion successfully reduced inflammatory acne lesion counts and erythema index comparably to 2.5% benzoyl peroxide in patients with mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris, while causing fewer side effects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Topical application of Lactobacillus plantarum-GMNL6 enhanced collagen synthesis and SPTSSA gene expression while reducing melanin synthesis, Staphylococcus aureus biofilm, and Cutibacterium acnes proliferation, leading to clinical improvements in skin moisture, color, spots, wrinkles, UV spots, and porphyrins in human volunteers.
International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2021Lactobacillus plantarum extracellular vesicles modulated extracellular matrix related gene expression in vitro and suppressed wrinkle formation and pigmentation in clinical trials.
Current Issues in Molecular Biology, 2022The 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
Rice Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Water, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Allantoin, Panthenol, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin
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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