CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment for sensitive skin
Glycolic Acid
Lactic Acid
Licorice Root Extract
Ceramide Np
Ceramide Ap
High
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for sensitive skin; a few products fit it even better.
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
- Offers excellent exfoliation for your normal skin due to glycolic and lactic acids, which promote skin renewal and smoothing texture, while ceramides and cholesterol support barrier repair.
- The formula provides moderate exfoliation beneficial for redness and irritation by offering mild skin renewal.
- The product is safe for your sensitive skin, as it lacks harsh ingredients and includes soothing components like Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate and ceramides.
How to apply
- Use your exfoliant PM once a week to help with redness and irritation. Start slowly and only increase frequency if your skin feels happy and comfortable.
- Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toner , but always before your moisturizer . This ensures the product absorbs properly into the skin.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin without rubbing . Let it absorb for a minute before moving on.
- Since your skin is sensitive , apply the exfoliant on completely dry skin for the best tolerance. This helps prevent any extra stinging or discomfort.
- Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid the delicate eye area .
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 400+ reviewsThis treatment is frequently praised for its gentle yet effective exfoliation, making it suitable for sensitive or dry skin. Many users report waking up to smoother, softer skin with a brighter complexion and minimized pores, without experiencing redness or peeling. Some users noted that results may take time, and a few experienced mild tingling or disliked the texture or scent.
Highlights
Gentle exfoliation Mostly Mentioned
- “gentle yet effective”
- “no redness or flaking”
- “great for sensitive skin”
Smoother texture Often Mentioned
- “skin feels smoother”
- “soft and hydrated”
- “pores look smaller”
Brightening effects Sometimes Noted
- “looks more radiant”
- “brighter complexion”
- “even skin tone”
Fast absorption Sometimes Noted
- “absorbs quickly”
- “lightweight formula”
- “no greasy residue”
Hydrating feel Sometimes Noted
- “creamy and hydrating”
- “intensely hydrated”
- “doesn't dry skin”
Daily use caution Rarely Noted
- “daily is too much”
- “better every other day”
- “potential irritation”
Mild tingling Rarely Noted
- “tingling sensation”
- “prickly feeling”
- “slight sting”
Scent Rarely Noted
- “slight acidic smell”
- “chemical scent”
- “unpleasant odor”
Slow results Rarely Noted
- “slower working”
- “not as visible”
- “takes time”
Texture preference Rarely Noted
- “siliconey feel”
- “thick gel-cream”
- “slightly sticky”
Sources: lovi.care, cerave.com, amazon.com, ulta.com, skincare.com, youtube.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes CeraVe Skin Renewing Nightly Exfoliating Treatment a great fit for sensitive skin?
This exfoliant treatment is a great fit for sensitive skin because it is free of harsh ingredients and includes soothing components like licorice root extract and ceramides. These ingredients help calm redness and irritation while supporting your skin barrier during gentle renewal.
Which ingredients make this exfoliant a good fit for sensitive skin?
This exfoliant is a great fit for sensitive skin because it avoids harsh ingredients and includes soothing components like licorice root extract alongside ceramides to help calm the skin. These gentle ingredients support the skin barrier while the acids renew your texture.
What does Glycolic Acid do for sensitive skin?
Glycolic acid can be too harsh for sensitive skin, leaving it dry and irritated, so this type of skin needs a gentler exfoliating ingredient and calming plant extracts to keep the skin barrier safe and comfortable.
What does Lactic Acid do for sensitive skin?
Lactic acid may cause stinging and irritation on sensitive skin because sensitive skin often has a fragile barrier and enhanced facial blood flow. To care for sensitive skin, a product of this type needs soothing ingredients like ceramides to strengthen the skin barrier and calm discomfort.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2018Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2021
Where does it go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This treatment goes in your evening routine, applied after your cleanser and soothing toner and before your moisturizer. Lovi routines start exfoliating treatments like this once a week, and you can carefully use it more often if your skin tolerates it well.
Can I use this exfoliant with retinol, and in what order?
Using this exfoliant with retinol may easily lead to redness and dryness, so it is safer to use them on alternate nights rather than together. Applying both at the same time can be too harsh, but separating them into different days helps keep your skin calm while still smoothing its texture.
How often should I use it?
Start by using this exfoliant treatment once a week in the evening, and if your skin feels comfortable and tolerates it well, you may carefully use it more often. This gradual routine helps your skin renew its texture while keeping it calm.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Can this exfoliant clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This exfoliant is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for sensitive skin, and it is considered safe because it lacks harsh ingredients and includes soothing components like licorice root extract and ceramides. You may experience mild tingling as the glycolic and lactic acids renew your skin and smooth texture.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Licochalcone A activated Nrf2 signaling, elevated cytoprotective enzymes, increased the reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio, and decreased reactive oxygen species in human fibroblasts and neutrophils, while a LicA-rich licorice extract lowered UVA-induced oxidative processes in vivo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2015Dipotassium glycyrrhizinate-loaded hydroxypropyl chitosan and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogels applied to wounds in a mouse full-thickness skin defect model resulted in rapid wound closure, efficient tissue remolding, collagen deposition, and decreased inflammation compared to commercial Tegaderm film and 3M dressing controls.
Acta Biomaterialia, 2022Repeated short-contact 70% glycolic acid peels provided superior results in atrophic acne scars compared to daily low-strength glycolic acid cream or placebo in 58 women over 24 weeks.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2000Serial glycolic acid peels combined with a modified Kligman formula significantly reduced facial PIH severity in Indian patients compared to the modified Kligman formula alone.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2017Application of a cream containing lactic acid 12% and pramoxine HCl 1% significantly improved skin dryness, hydration, and itch compared with a nontreated control in 24 women with a history of dry itchy skin.
Cutis, 2004Topical 12% ammonium lactate produced a significant sparing of epidermal and dermal atrophy induced by clobetasol propionate in human volunteers, without influencing the corticosteroid's bioavailability or antiinflammatory properties.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1992A lactic acid/ceramide lotion significantly improved skin moisturization and desquamation compared to no treatment in women with dry, rough skin on the anterior shins.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020Combining 755 nm alexandrite laser with topical licorice gel significantly reduces terminal hair counts compared to alexandrite laser with placebo in women with idiopathic hirsutism.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015Bioactive glycyrrhizic acid and oxymatrine ionic liquid self-assembled nanomicelles significantly promoted the transdermal permeation, subcutaneous retention, and anti-photoaging efficacy of palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 in cellular and animal models compared to unformulated peptide.
Advanced Science, 2025Topical application of Glycyrrhiza glabra and Sophora japonica flavonoid-rich fractions individually and in combination significantly increased the wound healing rate and reduced oxidative stress compared to wound and Nolaver-treated groups.
Molecules, 2023
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide Eop, Carbomer, Cetearyl Glucoside, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Triethyl Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Isopropyl Myristate, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Phytosphingosine, Benzoic Acid
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.
-
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-
Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-
Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-
Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-
Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.