Medik8 Press & Glow for dry sensitive skin
Pha Polyhydroxy Acid
Gluconolactone
Hydrolyzed Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit ExtractHigh
- HighDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for dry sensitive skin; a few toners fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry sensitive skin: flakiness, tightness, redness, 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 exfoliation for your dry and flaky skin due to gluconolactone, which gently refines texture while providing hydration. Glycerin and Hydrolyzed Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract further support your dry skin by offering humectant and emollient properties, respectively.
- Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice contribute antioxidant and soothing benefits, complementing the primary exfoliating and hydrating functions.
- The formula is safe for your dry and sensitive skin, as it contains no harsh or irritating ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this exfoliating toner only in your PM routine, starting 1×/week since your skin is sensitive. Carefully build up frequency only if your skin feels comfortable.
- Apply the exfoliating toner after using your cleanser and before your final moisturizer. This ensures it works effectively on clean skin.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliating toner into your skin using your hands. Avoid rubbing to prevent any irritation.
- Apply the exfoliating toner on completely dry skin to ensure better tolerance for your sensitive type. Let it absorb fully before moving to the next step.
- Do a patch test before your first use and avoid the delicate eye area. Keep this product separate from other strong acids or retinoids to protect your skin barrier.
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 4.0k+ reviewsUsers frequently report that it hydrates well, creates a perfect base for makeup, and pairs effectively with Vitamin A (retinol) routines. Based on a very large amount of data, this should be definitely taken into account. A small minority experienced dryness or a lack of visible results.
Highlights
Gentle & non-irritating Mostly Mentioned
- “Gentle enough for twice-daily use”
- “No stinging or redness like other acids”
- “Does not strip the skin barrier”
Improves glow Often Mentioned
- “Leaves skin looking glass-like and radiant”
- “Noticeable everyday glow”
- “Smoothed out my texture significantly”
- “Skin feels baby soft immediately”
Hydrating formula Sometimes Noted
- “Feels hydrating rather than drying”
- “Leaves skin feeling fresh and plump”
- “Acts like a moisture magnet”
- “Doesn't leave face feeling tight”
Packaging & usability Sometimes Noted
- “Love the press pump dispenser”
- “Easy to use and refillable”
- “Controls the amount of product perfectly”
- “Sustainable refill option is a bonus”
Caused dryness Rarely Noted
- “Made my face very dry and tight”
- “Left my skin feeling parched”
- “Too drying for my winter skin”
- “Highlighted dry patches”
No results Rarely Noted
- “Didn't notice any difference”
- “Just felt like water”
- “Not bad, but not amazing”
- “Saw no change in hyperpigmentation”
Price point Rarely Noted
- “Expensive for a toner”
- “Price is ridiculous for the amount”
- “Refills are still quite pricey”
- “Not worth the money compared to others”
Skin irritation Rarely Noted
- “Caused stinging and redness”
- “Broke me out in tiny bumps”
- “Too harsh for my barrier”
- “Experienced irritation after a few days”
Sources: lovi.care, medik8.com, spacenk.com, cultbeauty.co.uk, lookfantastic.com, sephora.co.uk, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Medik8 Press & Glow a great fit for dry sensitive skin?
Medik8 Press & Glow is a great fit because it gently smooths dry and flaky skin with gluconolactone while keeping it hydrated. Glycerin and flower extract further support dry skin by locking in moisture, and aloe helps calm sensitivity.
Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
Gluconolactone makes this toner a good fit by gently clearing away flaky dry patches while adding moisture. Glycerin and flower extract help keep your skin soft and hydrated, while aloe leaf and fruit extract help calm sensitive skin.
What does Polyhydroxy Acid do for dry sensitive skin?
Polyhydroxy Acid helps hydrate dry sensitive skin while keeping it calm and comfortable without irritation. It binds moisture and supports the skin barrier, making skin feel soft and smooth.
What does Gluconolactone do for dry sensitive skin?
Gluconolactone helps smooth and moisturize dry sensitive skin while keeping irritation very low. It gently improves skin texture and provides antiaging benefits with enhanced mildness compared to stronger acids.
Where does this toner go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This exfoliating toner fits into your routine once a week to gently smooth and hydrate your dry skin without causing irritation. If your skin tolerates it well and shows good results, you may carefully use it more often.
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this toner with retinol by applying the toner first and following with your retinol treatment. This product helps smooth dry and flaky skin gently while providing hydration, making it a comfortable addition to a routine that includes retinol.
How often should I use this toner?
Start by using this exfoliating toner once a week to see how your dry, sensitive skin responds. If your skin tolerates it well and you see good results, you may carefully use it more often.
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
Medik8 Press & Glow is unlikely to clog pores, cause breakouts, or trigger purging on dry sensitive skin. The formula is safe for your skin type, featuring gentle ingredients that smooth texture without harsh side effects or irritation.
Is this toner fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Nanoemulsions containing 1% Opuntia ficus-indica extract demonstrated suitable stability and successfully increased the water content of the stratum corneum for 5 hours after forearm application.
Molecules, 2015Combining 10% gluconolactone chemical peeling with oxybrasion or microneedle mesotherapy increased skin hydration and decreased sebum, pH, and TEWL in twenty-one Caucasian women, with no significant differences between the two methods.
Skin Research and Technology, 2023Glycolic acid, salicylic acid, gluconolactone, and licochalcone A combined with 0.1% adapalene showed no hindrance compared to adapalene monotherapy and provided benefits in reducing complications in 25 subjects with mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Gluconolactone and tartaric acid significantly lower transepidermal water loss and erythema after sodium lauryl sulphate challenge compared to vehicle, untreated control, and glycolic acid in healthy subjects.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 1997Gluconolactone 14% solution significantly improved mild to moderate acne by reducing inflamed and non-inflamed lesions similarly to 5% benzoyl peroxide, but with fewer side-effects in 150 patients.
The Australasian Journal of Dermatology, 1992Opuntia ficus-indica extract and its isorhamnetin-glucosyl-rhamnoside suppressed nitric oxide, COX-2, TNF-alpha, and IL-6 production in vitro and inhibited croton oil-induced ear edema in vivo.
BioMed Research International, 2015Opuntia ficus-indica extract activated AHR-NRF2 signaling, inhibited reactive oxygen species generation, and upregulated filaggrin and loricrin expression in human keratinocytes.
Journal of Medicinal Food, 2015Pre-treating normal human keratinocytes with an Opuntia ficus-indica cladode water extract protected against UVA-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis by inhibiting free radicals, lipid peroxidation, and GSH depletion.
Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 2017A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010An acai oil-based organogel containing hyaluronic acid showed no cytotoxicity and provided a high level of hydration, thermal protection, and hyaluronic acid release after 6 hours of application in in vitro and ex vivo tests.
Pharmaceutics, 2024Phenolic compounds from açai fruit, specifically malvidin and cyanidin derivatives, strongly protect immortalized fibroblasts against UV-A-induced oxidative stress by preventing ROS production, GSH depletion, lipid peroxidation, and stress-pathway protein phosphorylation compared to unprotected irradiated cells.
Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology. B, Biology, 2017Nanotechnological hydrogels containing desonide nanocapsules and açai oil increased epidermal drug retention and reduced ear edema and inflammatory cell infiltration comparably to a commercial formulation with twice the drug concentration in an animal model of acute skin inflammation.
Pharmaceutical Development and Technology, 2022
Ingredients
Water, Gluconolactone, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Citrate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
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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