🇮🇹Italy

Good Molecules 5% Niacinamide Serum with Ectoin for dry skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

Good Molecules 5% Niacinamide Serum with Ectoin

Average

  • HighDry 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 treatment for uneven skin tone and texture, as niacinamide works to brighten and smooth your skin, while glycerin and ectoin provide essential hydration and barrier repair for your dry skin.
  • The serum offers general skincare benefits that you will notice, supporting your dry or flaky skin with hydration and soothing effects.
  • The product is safe for your dry skin, containing no harsh ingredients and including soothing components like niacinamide and ectoin.

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

★4.7Overall rating based on 100+ reviews

Based on limited data, this serum is highly regarded as a gentle and hydrating option, particularly suitable for sensitive or reactive skin. Users frequently report improvements in skin texture, a reduction in redness, and minimized pores. The inclusion of Ectoin is noted for providing a plump and hydrated feel without the irritation sometimes associated with higher concentrations of niacinamide.

Highlights

  • Lightweight texture Mostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs quickly”
    • “super lightweight”
    • “glides on like butter”
    • “no greasy residue”
  • Gentle & non-irritating Often Mentioned
    • “no stinging at all”
    • “perfect for sensitive skin”
    • “didn't cause redness like the 10% version”
    • “calmed my reactive skin”
  • Hydrating & plumping Often Mentioned
    • “skin feels plump”
    • “adds an extra layer of hydration”
    • “leaves skin baby soft”
    • “hydrating without being heavy”
  • Improves texture & pores Sometimes Noted
    • “pores look smaller”
    • “smoother skin texture”
    • “helped with oil control”
    • “reduced forehead lines”
  • Slight stickiness Sometimes Noted
    • “can be a little sticky”
    • “barely tacky finish”
    • “needs time to dry”
    • “feels sticky if you use too much”
  • Breakouts Rarely Noted
    • “broke me out”
    • “caused small bumps”
    • “clogged my pores”
    • “worsened my acne”
  • Immediate irritation Rarely Noted
    • “made my skin red and hot”
    • “immediate burning sensation”
    • “caused irritation”
    • “skin turned red instantly”
  • Slow results Rarely Noted
    • “didn't see much difference yet”
    • “dark spots haven't faded”
    • “takes time to work”
    • “no overnight miracle”

Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, beautylish.com, skinsort.com, youtube.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does Good Molecules 5% Niacinamide Serum with Ectoin work for dry skin?

This serum works moderately well for dry skin, as niacinamide brightens and smooths while glycerin and ectoin help provide essential hydration and soothe flakiness. A product for dry skin needs exceptionally suitable soothing ingredients, ceramides, peptides, and potent hydration to support the skin barrier without irritation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

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

Niacinamide, ectoin, and glycerin make this serum a good fit by helping to brighten your skin while providing essential hydration and soothing effects. Because this is an average fit, dry skin needs products that also contain highly effective soothing and barrier-repairing ingredients like ceramides, peptides, or propolis to provide deeper hydration and support skin health.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

What does Niacinamide do for dry skin?

Niacinamide helps dry skin by strengthening the skin barrier, increasing hydration, and reducing water loss. It supports ceramide production and helps keep the surface smooth and calm. This ingredient tends to be very well tolerated and is unlikely to irritate dry skin.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2004Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026

What does Ectoin do for dry skin?

Ectoin helps dry skin by locking in moisture to keep it soft and smooth while strengthening the outer barrier to stop water from escaping. It may also calm redness and ease skin sensitivity.

Clinics in Dermatology, 2008European Journal of Dermatology, 2025

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

This serum goes in your evening routine, applied after cleansing and before your moisturizer. It supports your dry skin with soothing hydration and gentle brightening, though dry skin generally needs richer oils and heavier moisturizing ingredients to stay truly soft and smooth.

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

You can use this serum with retinol by applying the serum first in your evening routine, followed by your moisturizer and retinol, since this combination helps soothe your skin and maintain hydration. To truly thrive, dry skin needs extra rich hydrators and moisture-locking barrier ingredients.

How often should I use this serum?

You can use this treatment in your evening routine, applying it after cleansing and before your moisturizer. Dry skin needs a product that brings deep moisture and barrier repair along with gentle soothing ingredients like glycerin, ectoin, and niacinamide.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

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

This serum is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores on dry skin, as it contains no harsh ingredients and carries a low complaint rate for breakouts. To properly care for dry skin, a product of this type needs rich hydrating ingredients like glycerin and barrier-repairing components like ectoin to lock in moisture and keep your skin soft and smooth.

Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

What the research says

  • Niacinamide significantly decreased hyperpigmentation and increased skin lightness compared with vehicle alone after 4 weeks of use in women by inhibiting melanosome transfer.

    The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

  • Topical 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, 2021

  • A 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, 2017

  • Topical 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, 2008

  • Topical 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

  • Topical 2% niacinamide significantly decreased sebum excretion rate in Japanese individuals and casual sebum levels in Caucasian individuals compared to placebo or baseline.

    Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006

  • Combining ectoine and mannitol with UV filters significantly improved protection of squalene oxidation, catalase activity, and trans-UCA compared to UV filters alone in 10 subjects on irradiated areas.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

  • Topical 7% ectoine during serial 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser therapy produced a greater reduction in skin erythema, improved stratum corneum hydration, reduced transepidermal water loss, and decreased low-echogenic pixels in thirty participants compared to a vehicle control.

    Biomedicines, 2026

  • Regular application of a novel anti-ageing cream containing hyaluronic acid, ectoin, and botanical actives significantly reduced wrinkle depth and length in the periorbital area while demonstrating very good skin tolerance.

    Polymers, 2023

  • The 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, 2020

  • Ten 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, 2001

  • Niacinamide/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

Water, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Propanediol, Ectoin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, 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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play

How does it fit your skin?

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

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play