🇮🇪Ireland

The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane for dry skin

The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane
  • Squalane

High

  • SuperiorDry Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

A great choice for dry skin; a few moisturizers 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

  • Offers excellent moisturizing for your dry skin due to the high concentration of squalane, which hydrates and enhances barrier resilience.
  • This ingredient also provides superb emollient action, making it suitable for dry or flaky skin.
  • The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components.

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 2.3k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, users consistently praise this product as a lightweight, non-comedogenic oil that effectively hydrates dry and sensitive skin without clogging pores. While the vast majority find it versatile for both face and hair, a small minority of users with specific skin sensitivities experienced breakouts or found the texture too greasy for daytime use.

Highlights

  • Excellent value Often Mentioned
    • “unbeatable price point”
    • “bottle lasts forever”
    • “cheap but effective”
    • “better than expensive oils”
  • Lightweight hydration Often Mentioned
    • “sinks in immediately”
    • “doesn't feel heavy”
    • “perfect non-greasy moisture”
    • “leaves a healthy glow”
  • Soothes sensitive skin Sometimes Noted
    • “stopped retinol irritation”
    • “no stinging or redness”
  • Versatile multi-use Sometimes Noted
    • “tames hair frizz”
    • “mixes well with moisturizer”
    • “great cuticle oil”
    • “use on dry elbows”
  • Greasy residue Sometimes Noted
    • “sat on top of skin”
    • “too oily for day”
    • “made me look shiny”
    • “didn't absorb well”
  • Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
    • “gave me cystic acne”
    • “clogged my pores”
    • “caused tiny whiteheads”
    • “skin texture got bumpy”
  • Insufficient moisture Rarely Noted
    • “still had dry patches”
    • “felt too thin”
    • “needed a cream on top”
    • “disappeared too fast”
  • Packaging issues Rarely Noted
    • “dropper cap broke”
    • “bottle leaks easily”
    • “hard to close tightly”
    • “messy to travel with”

Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, sephora.com, spacenk.com, target.com, makeupalley.com, and more

Questions and answers

What makes The Ordinary Squalane a great fit for dry skin?

The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane is a great fit because it provides deep moisturizing and smooths flaky skin by strengthening your skin barrier. It has a very safe profile with no harsh ingredients, making it unlikely to cause irritation.

Scientific Reports, 2020Journal of Nanobiotechnology, 2025

Which ingredients make this moisturizer a good fit for dry skin?

Squalane makes this moisturizer a great fit because it keeps dry skin soft and smooth by locking in moisture and strengthening your natural barrier. This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation and helps calm flaky patches safely.

Molecules, 2025Scientific Reports, 2020

What does Squalane do for dry skin?

Squalane helps keep dry skin soft and smooth by acting as a hydrating agent that locks in moisture and prevents water loss. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may protect the skin from damage while improving overall hydration.

Advances in Food and Nutrition Research, 2012Molecules, 2009

Where does this moisturizer go in a skincare routine for dry skin?

This moisturizer goes in the third step of your morning routine after a hydrating toner, and as the final step of your evening and weekly routines. It helps lock in moisture and is unlikely to irritate dry skin.

The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Scientific Reports, 2020

Can I use this moisturizer with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this moisturizer with retinol by applying the retinol first and following with the moisturizer. This helps keep your dry skin soft and smooth while reducing the irritation often caused by retinoids.

Cutis, 2006

How often should I use this moisturizer?

You can use this moisturizer twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine to keep your skin hydrated and smooth. Regular daily application helps improve skin moisture and supports the skin barrier with a very low likelihood of irritation.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021

Can this moisturizer clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?

This moisturizer is unlikely to cause breakouts for dry skin, as only a small number of reviewers mention pimples and the safety profile is very gentle. However, a moderate number of users do notice a greasy residue, which can sometimes happen with heavier moisturizing oils.

Molecules, 2025

Can I use this moisturizer around the eyes or on my body?

Yes, you can use this moisturizer around the eyes and on your body because its gentle formula provides excellent hydration and softening for dry skin. Squalane helps smooth flaky areas and supports the skin barrier anywhere you apply it without causing irritation.

Scientific Reports, 2020Journal of Nanobiotechnology, 2025

What the research says

  • Topical application of a vitamin C-squalene bioconjugate significantly increased epidermal thickness, type III collagen production, and glycosaminoglycans production in human skin explants compared to free vitamin C and vitamin C-palmitate.

    Scientific Reports, 2020
  • Application of squalene/phosphotungstate calcium nanowires (Sql/PWC) oleogel on UVB-irradiated skin decreased epidermal thickness, increased dermal thickness, and promoted the expression of elastin, collagen, and skin barrier markers through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.

    Journal of Nanobiotechnology, 2025
  • Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.

    Molecules, 2025
  • Plant-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, 2025

Ingredients

Squalane

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.

How does it fit your skin?

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Prices checked 18 Oct – 1 Nov 2026

The Lovi Fit is the same in every country; only the stores and prices differ, and the ones here are for Ireland.

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.