True Botanicals Phyto-Retinol Sleep Serum for dry skin

High
- HighDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for dry skin; a few serums fit it even 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
- Highly suitable for your dry skin as glycerin and hydrogenated jojoba oil provide essential humectant and emollient actions to combat dryness and flakiness.
- Astaxanthin powder and rosehip seed oil further enhance skin regeneration and offer antioxidant protection, complementing the moisturizing benefits.
- The formula is safe for your dry skin, containing soothing ingredients like Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice with no harsh or prohibited substances.
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
★4.6Overall rating based on 300+ reviewsUsers find this serum to be a gentle and effective plant-based retinol alternative, frequently reporting smoothed fine lines and improved skin texture without irritation. Many reviewers mention waking up to glowing, hydrated skin, making it a popular choice for sensitive skin types. However, the high price point is a common concern, and a small number of users find the scent too strong or experience breakouts.
Highlights
Gentle & non-irritating Mostly Mentioned
- “no redness or peeling”
- “great for sensitive skin”
- “zero irritation”
- “gentle enough for nightly use”
Hydration & glow Often Mentioned
- “woke up glowing”
- “skin feels hydrated”
- “bouncy and soft”
- “radiant complexion”
Visible anti-aging Often Mentioned
- “softened fine lines”
- “skin looks plumper”
- “smoother texture”
- “wrinkles less visible”
High price point Often Mentioned
- “very expensive”
- “pricey bottle”
- “wish it was cheaper”
- “luxury price tag”
Elegant texture Sometimes Noted
- “absorbs quickly”
- “not greasy”
- “lightweight but nourishing”
- “silky texture”
Luxurious scent Sometimes Noted
- “smells like a spa”
- “relaxing herbal scent”
- “lovely botanical smell”
- “divine fragrance”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “caused breakouts”
- “clogged my pores”
- “skin reacted poorly”
- “bumps appeared”
Slow results Rarely Noted
- “didn't see much difference”
- “results take time”
- “expected more for the price”
Strong scent Rarely Noted
- “smell is too strong”
- “overpowering scent”
- “too much fragrance”
- “scent lingers”
Sources: lovi.care, qvc.com, amazon.com, cultbeauty.com, truebotanicals.com, nordstrom.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes True Botanicals Phyto-Retinol Sleep Serum a great fit for dry skin?
This serum is a great fit for dry skin because glycerin and jojoba oil pull in moisture and smooth away flakes, while rosehip seed oil and astaxanthin help protect and renew the skin. It is also very safe and gentle for dry skin, using soothing aloe and green tea extract without any harsh or irritating ingredients.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for dry skin?
Glycerin and jojoba oil make this serum a great fit for dry skin by drawing in moisture and softening dry patches, while rosehip seed oil and astaxanthin help smooth and protect the skin. Soothing ingredients like green tea leaf extract and aloe leaf juice also keep the skin calm and comfortable.
What does Bakuchiol do for dry skin?
Bakuchiol helps smooth dry skin and keeps moisture levels up while being gentle enough to avoid irritation. It helps improve overall skin appearance and texture without the dryness often caused by stronger ingredients.
What does Green Tea Extract do for dry skin?
Green tea extract helps increase skin moisture and improve elasticity to make dry skin feel soft and smooth. It also works to calm irritation and protect against sun damage.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2013Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 2017
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This serum goes in the evening routine, applied after cleansing and before moisturizing. Putting treatments at night helps keep things simple and adds extra safety around sun exposure.
Can I use it with vitamin C, and in what order?
How often should I use this serum?
This treatment serum fits smoothly into your evening routine. Using it at night keeps your skin safe around sun exposure, while soothing plant extracts and oils help keep dry skin calm and soft.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This serum is a great fit for dry skin and is unlikely to cause breakouts, as very few reviewers have reported this issue and the formula is designed to be gentle. It contains soothing ingredients like green tea and aloe leaf juice with no harsh substances to upset your skin.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (benzyl salicylate, farnesol, linalool, and limonene).
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, 2017Combining oral and topical astaxanthin in 30 healthy females improved skin wrinkles, age spots, elasticity, texture, and moisture, while 6 mg daily oral supplementation in 36 healthy males improved crow's feet wrinkles, elasticity, and transepidermal water loss.
Acta Biochimica Polonica, 2012Twice-daily application of a novel topical antioxidant formulation safe, well-tolerated, and effective in improving overall skin quality, fine lines, wrinkles, radiance, and hyperpigmentation in 32 healthy female subjects over 12 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023Topical bakuchiol 0.5% applied twice daily compared with retinol 0.5% applied daily significantly decreased wrinkle surface area and hyperpigmentation with no statistical difference between the compounds in 44 patients over 12 weeks, while retinol users reported more facial skin scaling and stinging.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019A dermocosmetic containing bakuchiol, Ginkgo biloba extract, and mannitol improves inflammatory lesions, Investigator Global Assessment, and seborrhea intensity when added to adapalene 0.1% gel in patients with acne vulgaris.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2015Topical application of a serum containing supramolecular Bakuchiol and Terminalia chebula extract significantly improved barrier function, reduced redness and sensitivity, and improved wrinkles and elasticity in 34 Chinese subjects with sensitive skin after 28 days.
Health Science Reports, 2025Topical green tea extract significantly improved clinical symptoms, tear breakup times, and meibomian gland health compared to standard treatment in patients with dry eye and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction.
Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 2017Topical low-dose green tea extract reduces UVB-induced p53 expression and apoptosis in human skin keratinocytes compared to placebo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2009An anti-acne hydrogel containing Aloe barbadensis, Garcinia mangostana, and Camellia sinensis extracts showed superior antiacne and antiblotch activities compared to 1% clindamycin gel in sixty subjects with mild-moderate acne.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Topical treatments containing rosehip extract may reduce the size and erythema of postsurgical scars through macrophage polarization and inflammatory cytokine inhibition, though current clinical evidence remains insufficient to recommend its routine use.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Sunflower and rosehip oil nanoemulsions prepared with a mix of phospholipids and synthetic emulsifiers permeated intact skin to the dermis and showed a more prominent healing effect in a human organotypic skin explant culture wound model compared to nanoemulsions prepared only with phospholipids.
Pharmaceutics, 2023A nanoemulsion containing 1 mg/mL kojic dipalmitate and 5% rosehip oil demonstrated high incorporation efficiency, suitable physicochemical stability, antioxidant and depigmenting efficacy close to 1 mM ascorbic acid, and no cytotoxicity at concentrations from 0.06% to 1% in vitro.
Pharmaceutics, 2023Treatment with 10 μg/mL Hippophae rhamnoides seed oil increased AQP3 mRNA and AQP3 and HAS2 protein levels in normal human epidermis keratinocytes and a reconstructed epidermis skin model compared to a negative control.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nanoemulsion-loaded cream and gel formulations of Hippophae rhamnoides fruit oil showed superior wound contraction of 78.96% and 72.59% respectively on the 8th day compared to 62.29% for soframycin in female Sprague-Dawley rats, with no acute dermal toxicity.
Indian Journal of Pharmacology, 2024Sea buckthorn oil and p-methoxycinnamic acid bioconjugates formulated in oleogels achieved 45% of the sun protection factor of an equivalent octinoxate reference oleogel.
Molecules, 2023A 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, 2010
Ingredients
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Oil, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Primula Veris Flower Extract Primrose Flower Extract, Mauritia Flexuosa Oil Fruit, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil Rosehip Seed Oil, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Astaxanthin Powder, Persea Gratissima Oil Avocado Oil, Sandalwood Oil, Avena Sativa Bran Extract Oat Bran Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Cananga Odorata Oil Flower Ylang Ylang Oil Flower, Boswellia Carterii Oil Gum, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Sclerotium Gum, Tocopherol, Algin, Water, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenethyl Alcohol, Farnesol, Linalool, Limonene
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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