Bayer Skinoren Cream 20% for sensitive skin
Azelaic Acid
Benzoic Acid
Glycerin
Cetearyl Alcohol
Glyceryl Stearate
High
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
One of the best serums for sensitive skin.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. 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 normal skin, this product leverages azelaic acid for its anti-inflammatory and mild keratolytic actions, helping to maintain skin balance without causing irritation.
- While it offers moderate benefits for redness and irritation due to azelaic acid's anti-inflammatory properties, its concentration may not be sufficient for significant improvement.
- The formulation is safe for your sensitive skin, as it lacks harsh ingredients and includes soothing glycerin.
How to apply
- Use your serum in the PM routine, starting 3 times a week before building up to daily use if your skin is happy.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toning, but before putting on your moisturizer for the best results.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and wait a minute ⏱ for it to soak in.
- Since your skin is sensitive and easily irritated, apply the serum on completely dry skin to help keep it calm.
- Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid getting the serum too close to your eyes .
People Say
★4.0Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsA significant number of reviewers note that patience is required due to a slow initial working period and common side effects like intense itching and dryness upon application.
Highlights
Clears active acne Mostly Mentioned
- “Cleared cystic acne”
- “Stopped new breakouts”
- “Pimples disappear in days”
- “Heals spots faster”
Itching and stinging Mostly Mentioned
- “Pins and needles”
- “Burned like fire”
- “Itches every time”
- “Stings for 15 mins”
Fades dark spots Often Mentioned
- “Faded red marks”
- “Lightened acne scars”
- “Removed hyperpigmentation”
- “Evened skin tone”
Drying and flaking Often Mentioned
- “Skin became flaky”
- “Dried out lips”
- “Tight chalky feeling”
- “Caused peeling”
Reduces redness Sometimes Noted
- “Less pink skin”
- “Inflammation went down”
- “Soothed angry spots”
Smooths skin texture Sometimes Noted
- “Skin feels smoother”
- “Reduced oiliness”
- “Unclogged pores”
- “Mattifies the skin”
Initial purging phase Sometimes Noted
- “Worse before better”
- “Broke out initially”
- “More whiteheads appeared”
- “Caused a purge”
Slow onset Sometimes Noted
- “Took 4-8 weeks”
- “Results are slow”
- “Requires patience”
- “Months to see difference”
Sources: lovi.care, acne.org, gopicky.com, skinsort.com, reddit.com, superdrug.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Skinoren Cream 20% a great fit for sensitive skin?
Bayer Skinoren Cream 20% is a great fit for sensitive skin because it uses azelaic acid to help calm redness and maintain skin balance without causing irritation. The formula is also very safe for this skin type since it leaves out harsh ingredients and includes soothing glycerin.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for sensitive skin?
This cream is a great fit for sensitive skin because it uses azelaic acid to help keep skin balanced without causing irritation, alongside soothing glycerin to maintain comfort. Its formulation avoids harsh ingredients, resulting in a safe profile for daily use.
What does Azelaic Acid do for sensitive skin?
Azelaic acid helps calm sensitive, red, or easily irritated skin by soothing inflammation and reducing redness. It is generally well-tolerated and is unlikely to cause severe reactions, making it a gentle option for skin that flares up easily.
Experimental Dermatology, 2010Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011
What does Benzoic Acid do for sensitive skin?
Benzoic acid is generally safe to use in skincare formulations, though it may occasionally cause skin reactions or redness in some individuals. Products for sensitive skin containing this ingredient should feature soothing and calming agents to keep the skin comfortable.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after your toner and before your moisturizer. It helps maintain skin balance without causing irritation thanks to soothing glycerin and azelaic acid.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol by applying your retinol product first and following it with this treatment cream. Because combining strong treatments may cause dryness, it is best to introduce them slowly to keep your skin calm.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this treatment in your evening routine once a week to start, and then carefully use it more often if your sensitive skin tolerates it well and shows good results. Azelaic acid helps calm redness and maintain skin balance without causing irritation, while soothing glycerin keeps skin safe and comfortable.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
Yes, this cream may cause an initial purging phase when you start using it, and reviewers frequently report drying, flaking, itching, and stinging on sensitive skin. Azelaic acid helps clear the skin, but its active strength can sometimes trigger temporary breakouts and irritation before things improve.
Is this cream 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
Azelaic acid nanocrystal hydrogel 10% achieved a higher success rate and greater lesion reduction than azelaic acid cream 20% in patients with mild to moderate facial acne.
Pharmaceutics, 2021Application of 15% azelaic acid gel significantly reduced post-inflammatory erythema and hyperpigmentation, decreased hemoglobin and melanin content, improved quality of life, and contributed to acne improvement in patients with mild to moderate acne compared to placebo.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2024Topical application of a dermocosmetic containing Myrtus communis extract and azelaic acid reduced acne relapses and helped maintain remission compared to a light moisturizing cream in adult females in the acne maintenance phase over 16 weeks.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2023Trioxsalen bath PUVA therapy suppressed nonimmunologic immediate contact reactions to benzoic acid and methyl nicotinate in 12 dermatologic patients, with the suppressive effect intensifying during therapy.
International Journal of Dermatology, 1989A 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, 2017The 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, 2001
Ingredients
Azelaic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Cocoglycerides, Benzoic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate Malate, Cetearyl Nonanoate, Cetearyl Octanoate, Stearoyl Macrogolglycerides, Peg-30 Stearate
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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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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