MEDI THERAPY Retinal Skin Booster for dry skin
Retinal
Centella Asiatica
NiacinamideCaution
- CautionDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A poor match for dry skin; the serums alongside fit it 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
- Offers moderate treatment for minimizing fine lines and wrinkles due to retinal, which promotes skin renewal, but this ingredient may cause dryness and irritation for your dry skin.
- Centella Asiatica and Niacinamide provide some hydration and soothing benefits, which are beneficial for dry or flaky skin, but the overall effectiveness is limited for significant dryness.
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
★4.7Overall rating based on 1.3k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with sensitive, acne-prone, and aging skin report this product is gentle and effective, improving skin texture and hydration without irritation. Many users notice a radiant glow, reduced pore visibility, and smoother skin. Some users with very dry skin mention needing additional moisturization.
Highlights
Gentle & non-irritating Mostly Mentioned
- “Gentle enough for daily use”
- “No burning or redness”
- “Great for sensitive skin”
- “Zero irritation even on first use”
Hydrating & lightweight Often Mentioned
- “Hydration without dryness”
- “Absorbs beautifully”
- “Not greasy or heavy”
- “Skin feels plump”
Improves texture & pores Often Mentioned
- “Skin feels baby soft”
- “Pores look noticeably smaller”
- “Texture became incredibly smooth”
- “Refined and put-together”
Fades acne & marks Sometimes Noted
- “Fades acne scars”
- “Reduces breakouts”
- “Helps with discoloration”
- “Calms troubled skin”
Great value Sometimes Noted
- “Generous amount for price”
- “Lasts over two months”
- “Absolute steal”
- “Can use on body too”
Dry skin needs more Rarely Noted
- “Need to layer moisturizer”
- “Not enough for winter”
- “Hydration doesn't last long”
- “Dry skin needs more”
Mild stinging Rarely Noted
- “Stings on open wounds”
- “Burned slightly around eyes”
- “Tingle on application”
- “Sensitive areas reacted”
No visible change Rarely Noted
- “No visible change”
- “Didn't see brightening”
- “Don't notice anything different”
- “Just okay”
Packaging quality Rarely Noted
- “Label riddled with bubbles”
- “Messy label application”
- “Hard to see product level”
- “Pump dispenses too much”
Sticky finish Rarely Noted
- “A little sticky”
- “Feels tacky after application”
- “Hair sticks to face”
- “Sticky residue”
Sources: lovi.care, gogumacider.com, oliveyoung.com, gopicky.com, skinsort.com, amazon.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise caution with MEDI THERAPY Retinal Skin Booster for dry skin?
Lovi advises caution because retinal promotes skin renewal but may cause dryness and irritation on dry skin. While centella asiatica and niacinamide offer some soothing hydration, this treatment's overall effectiveness is limited for significant dryness. Treatments that fit dry skin better need ingredients that target intense hydration and skin barrier support, such as propolis, ceramides, and peptides.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021
Which ingredients make this serum a poor fit for dry skin?
Retinal makes this serum a poor fit because it promotes skin renewal that may cause dryness and irritation on dry skin. While centella asiatica and niacinamide help provide soothing and hydration benefits, a treatment of this type needs rich hydrating and barrier-supporting ingredients like propolis, ceramides, bifida fermentation, and peptides to properly care for dry skin without irritation.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Molecules, 2023
What does Retinal do for dry skin?
Retinal helps smooth dry skin and is unlikely to cause severe dryness when used properly, though it may occasionally lead to mild scaling or irritation as the skin adjusts. This ingredient works best when paired with gentle moisturizers to keep the face feeling soft and comfortable.
What does Centella Asiatica do for dry skin?
Centella asiatica helps dry skin by boosting moisture levels and keeping water locked in to make the skin feel softer and smoother. It also calms redness and supports the natural barrier to prevent everyday irritation.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, though it requires caution since retinal may cause dryness and irritation on dry skin. To properly care for dry skin, this type of product needs extra soothing ingredients and rich hydrators to prevent flaking and support comfort.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2023The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022
Can I use it with vitamin C, and in what order?
Using this treatment with vitamin C is not recommended because the combination may easily lead to excess dryness and irritation on dry skin. If you do choose to use both, apply vitamin C in your morning routine and this treatment at night, making sure to follow with a rich moisturizer.
How often should I use this serum?
This serum is a poor match for dry skin because its retinal may cause dryness and irritation, so you should use it with caution only in your evening routine. To properly care for this skin type, a product of this type needs extra soothing and hydrating ingredients to combat dryness.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Molecules, 2023
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This treatment is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on dry skin, but the retinal in it may lead to extra dryness and flaking. To properly care for dry skin, this type of product needs rich moisturizing ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, or squalane to deeply hydrate and protect your skin barrier.
What the research says
Cosmetic formulations containing 5% Centella asiatica extract showed the best efficacy in improving skin moisture and decreasing transepidermal water loss, while also exhibiting antiinflammatory properties in 25 volunteers compared to baseline measurements.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Co-delivery of paeonol and madecassoside via nanoemulsions improved transdermal delivery, promoted barrier repair proteins, inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in cellular and 3D models, and reduced transepidermal water loss and acne in human facial skin compared to free components.
Molecules, 2023Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Twice daily application of retinaldehyde 0.1% and 0.05% creams for 3 months improved skin texture and hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss in 40 female Korean volunteers, with only the 0.1% cream significantly improving the melanin index.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2018Topical retinaldehyde demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria both in vitro and in vivo, leading to decreased bacterial counts without inducing resistance.
Dermatology, 2002Topical 0.05% retinaldehyde applied over 1 year significantly increased epidermal thickness of the temple and cutaneous elasticity compared to an emollient control group in 40 aging skin patients.
Dermatology, 1999Topical application of 0.05% w/w ECa 233 gel reduced erythema index by 0.03 U and improved early crusting and general wound appearance compared to placebo in thirty individuals undergoing facial laser resurfacing.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2020A 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, 2017Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005Topical 2% niacinamide significantly decreased sebum excretion rate in Japanese individuals and casual sebum levels in Caucasian individuals compared to placebo or baseline.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006
Ingredients
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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