No7 Total Renewal Micro-Dermabrasion Exfoliator for dry sensitive skin
Alumina
Glycerin
Dimethicone
Mineral Oil
Caprylic Capric Triglyceride
High
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
One of the best exfoliants for dry sensitive skin.
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 suitable for your dry and sensitive skin due to alumina, while glycerin provides humectant action to support hydration.
- The formula is generally safe for your dry and sensitive skin as it lacks harsh or prohibited ingredients.
- While it offers general skincare benefits, it does not contain specialized ingredients to fully address dryness or flakiness.
How to apply
- Use your exfoliant PM once a week to help with dryness. Start ⏳3 times a week only if your sensitive skin tolerates it well.
- Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toning, but always before your favorite moisturizer .
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin and avoid any rubbing. Let it absorb ⏱ for a minute before layering.
- Since your skin is reactive and sensitive, apply the exfoliant on completely dry skin for better tolerance.
- Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid the delicate eye area .
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 800+ reviewsUsers with dullness, fine lines, and acne scars frequently report significantly smoother, softer, and more radiant skin, often comparing the results to professional treatments. While highly effective for refining texture and minimizing pores, the physical exfoliation can be too abrasive for sensitive or active acne-prone skin if not used with caution.
Highlights
Soft and smooth skin Mostly Mentioned
- “skin feels so soft”
- “leaves skin feeling smooth”
- “baby soft results”
- “smoother texture immediately”
Effective deep exfoliation Often Mentioned
- “sweeps away dead cells”
- “deep clean feeling”
- “very effective scrub”
- “best bang for buck”
Radiant and glowing Often Mentioned
- “healthier glow”
- “incredible radiance”
- “brighter complexion”
- “looks fresh and alive”
Refines pores and texture Sometimes Noted
- “pores have closed up”
- “pores look smaller”
- “refined skin texture”
- “minimized imperfections”
Caused redness/irritation Rarely Noted
- “skin looked pink”
- “burning sensation”
- “left face red”
- “irritated my cheeks”
No visible improvement Rarely Noted
- “saw no difference”
- “didn't help fine lines”
- “just a basic scrub”
- “waste of money”
Too harsh/abrasive Rarely Noted
- “scratched my face”
- “too rough for sensitive skin”
- “felt like sandpaper”
- “left skin raw”
Worsened skin condition Rarely Noted
- “pores looked bigger”
- “made acne worse”
- “caused breakouts”
- “skin looked worse”
Sources: lovi.care, boots.com, walmart.com, influenster.com, no7beauty.com, thirteenthoughts.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes No7 Total Renewal Micro-Dermabrasion Exfoliator a great fit for dry sensitive skin?
This exfoliant is a great fit because alumina offers moderate exfoliation that is suitable for dry and sensitive skin, while glycerin helps support hydration. The formula is also generally safe for this skin type because it lacks harsh or prohibited ingredients.
Which ingredients make this exfoliant a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
Alumina makes this exfoliant a good fit by offering moderate scrubbing that is gentle enough for dry sensitive skin, while glycerin helps support moisture levels. This product lacks harsh ingredients, making it generally safe for daily comfort.
What does Alumina do for dry sensitive skin?
Alumina may cause temporary roughness and dryness on dry sensitive skin because it alters the outer skin barrier and increases water loss. A product for this skin type needs gentle, soothing ingredients and barrier-repairing elements like ceramides or hyaluronic acid to keep the skin calm and soft.
What does Glycerin do for dry sensitive skin?
Glycerin helps dry sensitive skin by drawing moisture into the skin and keeping it there, making the skin soft and smooth. It is very gentle and unlikely to cause irritation while improving how well the skin holds onto water. This type of skin needs ingredients that boost hydration and repair the barrier without causing stinging.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008
Where does this exfoliant go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This exfoliant fits into a routine for dry sensitive skin as a weekly step. You can start by using it once a week, and if your skin tolerates it well and shows good results, you may carefully use it more often.
Can I use this exfoliant with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this exfoliant alongside retinol by using them on different days or times to avoid irritating your dry and sensitive skin. Because both ingredients help renew the skin surface, separating them is a safe way to keep your skin calm and smooth.
How often should I use this exfoliant?
You can start using this exfoliant once a week to see how your dry, sensitive skin responds. If your skin feels comfortable and tolerates it well, you may carefully use it more often.
Can this exfoliant clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This exfoliant is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry sensitive skin because it lacks heavy pore-clogging oils and is generally safe for delicate skin. Glycerin in the formula helps support hydration while you exfoliate.
Is this exfoliant 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
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, 2017Both sodium chloride and aluminum oxide microdermabrasion altered the epidermal barrier by significantly increasing transepidermal water loss and hydration at 24 hours in eight patients.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2002Aluminum oxide crystal microdermabrasion resulted in mild subjective and clinical improvement, increased skin temperature, decreased sebum content, temporary increased roughness, decreased skin stiffness, increased skin compliance, and histological vascular changes in ten subjects with photodamaged skin compared to baseline measurements.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2001Aluminum oxide microdermabrasion facial treatments in eleven volunteers resulted in clinical improvements in dyschromia, actinic changes, and fine rhytides, along with epidermal and dermal histological changes, compared to controls.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2002The 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, 2001Niacinamide/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, 2012Wearing an N95 mask alone compared to using dimethicone cream or hydrocolloid dressing caused more adverse skin reactions among 73 military health care workers, with no significant differences in fit test failure rates between groups.
Military Medicine, 2024A dimethicone skin protectant lotion significantly decreased visual scoring and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control and SLS-only treated sites in 12 healthy humans exposed to sodium lauryl sulfate.
Skin Research and Technology, 2000Treatment with a moisturizer containing dimethicone and glycerine increased epidermal thickness by 0.019 mm, improved barrier function by decreasing transepidermal water loss by 13%, decreased melanin intensity, and induced keratins 6 and 16 in fifteen women with moderately photoaged forearms.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2007Repeated application of concentrated water-in-oil emulsions over four weeks caused no skin irritation, positively affected skin properties, and delivered almost 50% of the applied fluorescein sodium, with isopropyl myristate showing superior penetration performance compared to liquid paraffin in healthy volunteers.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2019Topical application of an emollient emulsion containing 15.0% caprylic/capric triglyceride doubled the amount of urocanic acid isomers and increased skin hydration with reduced transepidermal water loss in healthy subjects, though it did not prevent ultraviolet-induced urocanic acid isomerization.
Life, 2023
Ingredients
Water, Alumina, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum Mineral Oil, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Petrolatum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Peg-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Xanthan Gum, Tetrasodium Edta
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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