Rodan + Fields Intensive Renewing Serum for dry skin
Retinal
Retinyl Palmitate
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-14
Bis-Ethylhexyl Hydroxydimethoxy Benzylmalonate
Hydroxyapatite
Average
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for dry skin; other serums fit it 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
- Offers moderate anti-aging benefits for your dry skin, as retinal and palmitoyl hexapeptide-14 work to smooth fine lines and wrinkles.
- While it provides general skincare benefits like hydration, the moderate exfoliation from retinal and retinyl palmitate may not be ideal for your dry or flaky skin.
- The product is safe for your dry skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Apply this serum PM, starting 3×/week and working up to daily use as your skin adjusts.
- Place the serum after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the serum on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra moisture.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 5.6k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users frequently report that this serum effectively smooths skin texture, reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and promotes a firmer, more youthful complexion. While many appreciate the results for various skin types, some users feel the product is overpriced and note that similar results can be achieved with more affordable alternatives. This should be definitely taken into account.
Highlights
Reduces fine lines Often Mentioned
- “Fine lines are significantly reduced.”
- “Wrinkles are less noticeable.”
- “Helps minimize appearance of wrinkles.”
Smoother skin texture Often Mentioned
- “My skin looks so much smoother.”
- “Noticeable improvement in skin texture.”
- “Skin feels softer and more refined.”
High price point Often Mentioned
- “Very expensive for the amount.”
- “Too pricey for what it is.”
- “Can find cheaper alternatives.”
Convenient capsule delivery Sometimes Noted
- “Perfect amount in each capsule.”
- “Easy to use single-dose.”
- “Innovative delivery system.”
Effective, gentle formula Sometimes Noted
- “Gentle enough for daily use.”
- “Works well on my sensitive skin.”
- “Potent but minimal irritation.”
Customer service issues Sometimes Noted
- “Difficulties with canceled orders.”
- “Issues with auto-ship programs.”
- “Hard to manage subscriptions.”
Lack of results Rarely Noted
- “Did not make a difference.”
- “Never saw or felt a change.”
- “Results were not noticeable.”
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Questions and answers
How well does Intensive Renewing Serum work for dry skin?
This serum works moderately well for dry skin, smoothing fine lines and wrinkles with retinal and palmitoyl hexapeptide-14 while keeping irritation away. However, the moderate exfoliation from retinal and retinyl palmitate may not be ideal for dry or flaky skin. Treatments that fit dry skin better need soothing ingredients that provide significant hydration, barrier support, nourishing elements like propolis, niacinamide, ceramides, vitamin C, or bifida fermentation, and antioxidants.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for dry skin?
Retinal and palmitoyl hexapeptide-14 make this serum a good fit for dry skin by helping to smooth fine lines and wrinkles. Because this is an average fit, dry skin needs a product rich in soothing, hydrating ingredients like propolis, niacinamide, ceramides, or vitamin C to support the skin barrier without irritation.
What does Retinal do for dry skin?
Retinal helps smooth dry skin and is unlikely to cause severe dryness when used properly, though it may occasionally lead to mild scaling or irritation as the skin adjusts. This ingredient works best when paired with gentle moisturizers to keep the face feeling soft and comfortable.
What does Retinyl Palmitate do for dry skin?
Retinyl palmitate helps improve dryness by moisturizing the skin and smoothing out rough texture across various body sites. It also helps soften fine lines and wrinkles while keeping the skin feeling smooth.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing. A dry skin routine needs plenty of soothing hydration and rich moisturizers to keep skin soft and comfortable.
Can I use this serum with glycolic acid, and in what order?
Using this treatment with glycolic acid may cause extra dryness and flaking, so it is best to use them on separate nights or skip the acid when applying the serum. A dry skin routine needs soothing, hydrating ingredients and richer moisturizers to protect the skin barrier when using active ingredients.
How often should I use this serum?
Apply this treatment in your evening routine, starting just once a week to see how your dry skin handles the exfoliation from retinal and retinyl palmitate. If your skin feels comfortable and tolerates it well, you may carefully use it more often. Dry skin of this type needs products rich in gentle hydrators and barrier-repairing ingredients instead.
Facial Plastic Surgery, 2014Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2013
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on dry skin, though the ingredients that smooth lines may bring some mild flaking as your skin adjusts. Dry skin usually needs a rich moisturizer with ceramides and hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture and comfort the skin without any strong exfoliating ingredients.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Twice daily application of retinaldehyde 0.1% and 0.05% creams for 3 months improved skin texture and hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss in 40 female Korean volunteers, with only the 0.1% cream significantly improving the melanin index.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2018Topical retinaldehyde demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria both in vitro and in vivo, leading to decreased bacterial counts without inducing resistance.
Dermatology, 2002Topical 0.05% retinaldehyde applied over 1 year significantly increased epidermal thickness of the temple and cutaneous elasticity compared to an emollient control group in 40 aging skin patients.
Dermatology, 1999Over-the-counter retinol products provided only weak evidence for a mild ameliorating effect on fine facial skin wrinkle lines in randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled trials, and major methodological flaws call the validity of positive results into question.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2021A cosmetic niacinamide/peptide/retinyl propionate regimen significantly improved periorbital wrinkle appearance relative to a 0.02% tretinoin regimen at 8 weeks with comparable benefits at 24 weeks, while demonstrating significantly better tolerability in 196 women.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010A novel triple-active cosmetic formulation containing 4-hexylresorcinol, retinyl propionate, and niacinamide improved the visual appearance of photoageing similarly to 0.02% tretinoin and reversed a consensus gene signature associated with ageing in female adults while causing less skin irritation.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024Treatment with 2% bis-ethylhexyl hydroxydimethoxy benzylmalonate (HDBM) resulted in a significant reduction of sebum excretion and efficacy against inflamed/red lesions compared to placebo in 44 test subjects with blemished skin over 8 weeks.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2012The combination of botulinum toxin and calcium hydroxylapatite applied together produced higher and earlier satisfaction rates and improved hydration in the lower face and neck region compared to calcium hydroxylapatite alone in 15 participants.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2023Topically applied calcium hydroxylapatite successfully penetrated fractional laser-induced skin defects and remained in the healing skin for at least six weeks, inducing collagen production around the microspheres in a human volunteer.
Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, 2025Calcium ions from nanophased hydroxyapatite embedded in collagen nanofibers significantly enhanced human dermal fibroblasts, keratinocytes, and hMSCs growth and proliferation, prevented pathogenic bacteria adhesion, enabled hMSCs differentiation, and caused no adverse reaction in rat subcutaneous implantation.
Nanomedicine, 2021
Ingredients
Bis-Ethylhexyl Hydroxydimethoxy Benzylmalonate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Ethoxydiglycol, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Hydroxyapatite, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-14, Polysilicone-11, Retinal, Retinyl Palmitate
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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