🇮🇹Italy

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + PhytoCeramides for skin with dark spots

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + PhytoCeramides

Average

  • AverageNormal Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

Works for skin with dark spots; other moisturizers fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dark spots: hyperpigmentation, sun spots, and uneven skin tone. 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 suitability for your normal skin due to humectants like Glycerin and Xylitylglucoside, which provide hydration, but it lacks a sufficient concentration of potent emollients for optimal barrier resilience. Ceramides like Glycosphingolipids and fatty acids such as Linoleic Acid enhance barrier function, but the product does not contain specialized ingredients to target your pigmentation concerns.
  • The product provides general skincare benefits like hydration and soothing, which are supportive but not directly beneficial for addressing pigmentation.
  • The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your normal skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.

How to apply

  • Could be used as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin likes it.
  • Apply this moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your morning SPF.
  • Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin. Avoid rubbing it too hard so it absorbs nicely.
  • For the best moisture, you can apply it when your skin is slightly damp. This helps your skin stay soft and happy.
  • Remember to avoid the eye area when applying. Always do a patch test before your first use.

People Say

★4.3Overall rating based on 1.7k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, this ultra-rich moisturizer is widely celebrated by users with dry, dehydrated, or mature skin for its ability to repair the moisture barrier and provide a plump, dewy finish. Users with oily or acne-prone skin frequently find the texture too heavy and greasy, with some reporting congestion or breakouts.

Highlights

  • Intense hydration Often Mentioned
    • “Immediately moisturised skin”
    • “Boosts skin hydration significantly”
    • “Skin looks so hydrated”
    • “Quenches tight, dehydrated skin”
  • Greasy finish Often Mentioned
    • “Leaves an oily residue”
    • “Too shiny for day use”
    • “Feels heavy and sticky”
    • “Sits on top of skin”
  • Barrier repair Sometimes Noted
    • “Restores my barrier”
    • “Heals flaky patches”
    • “Great for damaged skin”
    • “Soothes sore areas”
  • Rich texture Sometimes Noted
    • “Feels luxurious and thick”
    • “Melts into the skin”
    • “Leaves skin soft and glowy”
    • “Creates a smooth base”
  • Value for money Sometimes Noted
    • “Rivals expensive creams”
    • “Little goes a long way”
    • “Better than high-end brands”
    • “Great price for ceramides”
  • Causes breakouts Sometimes Noted
    • “Gave me closed comedones”
    • “Broke me out immediately”
    • “Caused fungal acne”
    • “Clogged my pores”
  • Scent Rarely Noted
    • “Has an earthy smell”
    • “Smells like ingredients”
    • “Slightly off-putting scent”
    • “Not completely odorless”
  • Slow absorption Rarely Noted
    • “Takes time to sink in”
    • “Hard to spread evenly”
    • “Too heavy under sunscreen”
    • “Pills if rubbed too much”

Sources: lovi.care, theordinary.com, sephora.com, ulta.com, kohls.com, skinsort.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + PhytoCeramides work for skin with dark spots?

This moisturizer works moderately well for skin with dark spots because it hydrates and soothes dry skin, though it lacks specialized ingredients to target pigmentation. A moisturizer for this skin needs effective brightening ingredients that align with your pigmentation goals alongside moisturizing components.

Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2017

Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for skin with dark spots?

This moisturizer is an average fit for skin with dark spots because it lacks specialized brightening ingredients to target pigmentation. A moisturizer of this type needs effective brightening ingredients alongside hydrating agents to properly address dark spots while keeping skin soft and smooth.

What do Natural Moisturizing Factors do for skin with dark spots?

Natural Moisturizing Factors help hydrate dry skin and smooth its surface, but they do not specifically target dark spots or skin discoloration. To address dark spots effectively, skin needs brightening ingredients like niacinamide that help even out skin tone.

The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2012

What do Phytoceramides do for skin with dark spots?

Phytoceramides help improve skin hydration and reinforce the moisture barrier, while certain types may also reduce dark spots and redness. They support overall skin health by preserving moisture and protecting the barrier, which is especially beneficial for dry skin.

Nutrients, 2022Experimental Dermatology, 2025

Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for skin with dark spots?

This moisturizer goes in the morning routine after your hydrating toner and before your sunscreen, and in the evening routine as the final step after your treatment. It provides great hydration and soothing, but skin with dark spots also needs targeted brightening ingredients to help fade discoloration.

The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2017

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

You can use this cream with retinol by applying it after your retinol treatment to help keep your skin calm and hydrated. Skin with dark spots also needs targeted brightening ingredients like vitamin C or niacinamide to help fade discoloration.

Cutis, 2006

How often should I use this cream?

You can use this moisturizer daily in the morning and evening as part of your routine. Twice-daily application helps keep skin hydrated and supports the skin barrier, though skin with dark spots also needs targeted brightening ingredients for best results.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2026

Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for skin with dark spots?

This cream may cause breakouts for some users, as reviewers moderately complain about breakouts, though it is unlikely to irritate normal skin. To better care for skin with dark spots, a product of this type needs targeted brightening ingredients and potent emollients.

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

This moisturizer is safe to use around the eyes or on the body, though skin with dark spots needs a product that includes targeted brightening ingredients and rich softeners.

Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

What the research says

  • A formulation containing glycerol (5%) and xylitol (5%) applied twice daily for 14 days increased skin hydration, filaggrin protein quantity, interdigitation index, and biomechanical properties, and decreased transepidermal water loss compared to untreated and vehicle-treated skin in twelve volunteers with dry skin.

    Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2017
  • 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 oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions containing glyceryl glucoside, natural moisturizing factors, and ceramide significantly improved skin hydration and barrier function while reducing visible dryness and tactile roughness in subjects with very dry skin compared to untreated sites and vehicles.

    The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2012
  • Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011
  • Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.

    Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022
  • Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.

    BMC Oral Health, 2019
  • 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
  • Topical 40% urea cream achieved improvement in less time and showed superiority over 12% ammonium lactate lotion in skin roughness, fissure reduction, thickness, and dryness at day 14 in patients treated for moderate to severe xerosis.

    American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
  • Topical treatment with K101 achieved a significantly higher mycological cure rate compared to placebo in patients with ≤50% nail involvement (27.2% vs 10.4%), while showing early visible improvements in nail appearance and no safety issues.

    Mycoses, 2012

Why other moisturizers fit skin with dark spots better

Ingredients

Water, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Glycerin, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Hydrogenated Oil, Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate, Isosorbide Dicaprylate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides, Glycosphingolipids, Glycolipids, Linoleic Acid, Oleic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Arginine, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Proline, Threonine, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Betaine, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Glucose, Maltose, Fructose, Trehalose, Sodium Pca, Pca, Sodium Lactate, Urea, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin, Triolein, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Pentylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Magnesium Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin

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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Prices checked 10 Oct 2026

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

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