The INKEY List 10% Azelaic Acid Serum for sensitive skin
Azelaic Acid
Allantoin
Glycerin
Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract
NiacinamideHigh
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
One of the best serums for sensitive skin.
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
- Highly suitable for your normal skin and addresses your redness and irritation concerns due to azelaic acid's anti-inflammatory and redness-reducing properties, complemented by allantoin for soothing effects.
- The formulation's moderate concentration of azelaic acid is ideal for managing inflammatory conditions and hyperpigmentation without causing undue sensitivity.
- The product is safe for your sensitive skin, as it lacks harsh ingredients and has no risk of irritation.
How to apply
- Use your serum in the PM routine, starting 3 times a week before building up to daily use if your skin is happy.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toning, but before putting on your moisturizer for the best results.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and wait a minute ⏱ for it to soak in.
- Since your skin is sensitive and easily irritated, apply the serum on completely dry skin to help keep it calm.
- Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid getting the serum too close to your eyes .
People Say
★4.3Overall rating based on 1.1k+ reviewsIt also often smooths skin texture and evens tone. Some users report it can be drying, necessitating immediate moisturizer application.
Highlights
Reduces redness Mostly Mentioned
- “calms redness instantly”
- “visibly less red”
- “green tint neutralizes flushing”
Clears acne Often Mentioned
- “cleared hormonal acne”
- “fades post-acne marks”
- “stops new breakouts”
- “shrinks cystic spots”
Affordable and effective Sometimes Noted
- “great value”
- “better than expensive alternatives”
- “unbeatable price point”
- “effective budget option”
Smoothes texture Sometimes Noted
- “skin feels softer”
- “reduced sebaceous filaments”
- “smoother complexion”
- “less bumpy texture”
Drying and tight Sometimes Noted
- “feels very drying”
- “skin felt tight”
- “needs heavy moisturizer”
- “dried out my face”
Itching and tingling Rarely Noted
- “itchy for 10 minutes”
- “tingles upon application”
- “mild stinging sensation”
- “itchy but no rash”
Small packaging Rarely Noted
- “tube is tiny”
- “runs out quickly”
- “hard to get last bit”
- “wish it was bigger”
Texture and pilling Rarely Noted
- “pills under makeup”
- “thick lotion not serum”
- “hard to layer”
- “chalky finish”
Sources: lovi.care, boots.com, lookfantastic.com, cultbeauty.com, hometesterclub.com, influenster.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes The INKEY List 10% Azelaic Acid Serum a great fit for sensitive skin?
This serum is a great fit because its moderate concentration of azelaic acid helps calm redness and irritation without causing sensitivity, while added allantoin keeps the skin feeling soft and soothed. It is safe for delicate skin as it lacks harsh ingredients and has a very low risk of irritation.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for sensitive skin?
This serum is a great fit for sensitive skin because it uses azelaic acid to calm redness and irritation, along with allantoin for extra soothing care. Its gentle concentration helps manage uneven skin tone and bumps safely without causing unwanted discomfort.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2023
What does Azelaic Acid do for sensitive skin?
Azelaic acid helps calm sensitive, red, or easily irritated skin by soothing inflammation and reducing redness. It is generally well-tolerated and is unlikely to cause severe reactions, making it a gentle option for skin that flares up easily.
Experimental Dermatology, 2010Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011
What does Allantoin do for sensitive skin?
Allantoin helps calm sensitive skin and keeps it comfortable by soothing irritation and reducing redness. It is frequently included in gentle face products because it has a very safe profile and supports the skin barrier well.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2022Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This serum goes in your evening routine after your toner and before your moisturizer. Putting treatments in the evening keeps things simple and avoids extra sensitivity around sun exposure.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol by applying the retinol first and following with this treatment, or by using them on alternate nights to keep your skin calm and comfortable. This approach helps you manage redness and spots without causing extra dryness.
How often should I use this serum?
This serum is used in your evening routine once a week to start. People who tolerate it well and see good results may carefully use it more often.
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, as it features a safe formulation designed to calm redness and irritation. It helps manage skin concerns gently without harsh ingredients.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Application of 15% azelaic acid gel significantly reduced post-inflammatory erythema and hyperpigmentation, decreased hemoglobin and melanin content, improved quality of life, and contributed to acne improvement in patients with mild to moderate acne compared to placebo.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2024A topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020Azelaic acid nanocrystal hydrogel 10% achieved a higher success rate and greater lesion reduction than azelaic acid cream 20% in patients with mild to moderate facial acne.
Pharmaceutics, 2021Topical application of a dermocosmetic containing Myrtus communis extract and azelaic acid reduced acne relapses and helped maintain remission compared to a light moisturizing cream in adult females in the acne maintenance phase over 16 weeks.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2023Topical administration of 20% azelaic acid cream and 5% tranexamic acid solution comparably improved acne-related postinflammatory hyperpigmentation in patients with acne vulgaris, while tranexamic acid demonstrated a significantly better safety profile at week 4.
Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 2023Azelaic acid 15% gel showed comparable efficacy to adapalene 0.1% gel in reducing lesions, severity, and Dermatology Life Quality Index in women with adult acne, with significantly lower dryness and scaling, and demonstrated superiority during maintenance compared to no further treatment.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2015Topical gel containing chitosan, 0.2% chlorhexidine, allantoin and dexpanthenol did not improve postoperative comfort regarding swelling and pain, but improved the wound's aesthetic appearance following impacted lower third molar extraction compared to no gel.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2016An overnight patch containing Allium cepa extract and allantoin safely promotes scar healing after dermatologic surgery, resulting in significantly greater reductions in observer- and patient-assessed POSAS scores compared to no treatment.
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2018Prophylactic application of a topical scar gel containing Allium cepae extract, allantoin, and heparin significantly improves patient-assessed scar color, stiffness, and irregularity compared to no treatment in women following a cesarean section.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2014A 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, 2001Gardenia jasminoides extract protected against blue light digital stress and premature aging with a decrease in wrinkle number by -21% compared to placebo.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2023Crocin exhibits antioxidant potential, protects squalene against UVA-induced peroxidation, prevents inflammatory mediator release, and modulates NF-kB-related and glycosylation-related gene expression in normal human epidermal keratinocytes and human dermal fibroblasts in vitro.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2018Gardenia jasminoides extract dose-dependently enhanced cell viability, attenuated UVB-induced mRNA expressions of IL-1β and TNF-α in HaCaT keratinocytes, and indirectly inhibited MMP-1 protein expression in human dermal fibroblasts compared to UVB exposure alone.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2014Topical 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, 2005
Ingredients
Water, Azelaic Acid, Propanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Glycerin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Maltodextrin, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Polylysine
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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