The Ordinary Buffet Serum for dry sensitive skin
Peptides
Sodium Hyaluronate
Amino Acids
Lactococcus Lysate Ferment
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
High
- HighDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for dry sensitive skin; a few serums fit it even better.
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 excellent plumping and firming for your dry and sensitive skin due to multiple peptides like Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, which stimulate collagen production for improved elasticity and volume.
- The inclusion of Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer provides essential hydration and supports your skin barrier function, addressing dryness and flakiness.
- The formulation is safe for your dry and sensitive skin, as it contains no harsh or prohibited ingredients and carries no risk of irritation.
How to apply
- Use this PM routine for your evening skincare. Start using the serum 3 times a week and increase to daily use if your skin feels comfortable.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer. This step locks in deep hydration for dry skin.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin using your palms. Let it absorb completely for a minute ⏱ before applying your next product.
- Since your skin is sensitive, apply the serum on completely dry skin for better tolerance and less irritation.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Always do a patch test before your first use to ensure your skin reacts well.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 7.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this serum is widely praised as an affordable, effective all-in-one treatment that significantly hydrates and plumps the skin, leading to a softer texture and reduced appearance of fine lines for many users. A moderate number of users report a sticky finish, and a low to moderate number experienced breakouts or irritation, particularly those with sensitive or acne-prone skin.
Highlights
Hydrates and plumps Mostly Mentioned
- “skin feels plump”
- “leaves face dewy”
- “very hydrating”
- “bouncy skin feel”
Great value Often Mentioned
- “unbeatable price”
- “affordable anti-aging”
- “great bang for buck”
- “wallet-friendly effective skincare”
Smoothes texture Often Mentioned
- “glass skin effect”
- “texture is softer”
- “makeup applies smoother”
- “smoother complexion”
Sticky finish Often Mentioned
- “feels very tacky”
- “sticky residue”
- “takes forever to dry”
- “left face sticky”
Reduces lines Sometimes Noted
- “softened forehead lines”
- “crow's feet diminished”
- “lines look filled”
- “youthful appearance”
Caused breakouts Sometimes Noted
- “broke me out”
- “caused cystic acne”
- “clogged my pores”
- “tiny bumps appeared”
Slow results Sometimes Noted
- “didn't do much”
- “no visible difference”
- “just a hydrator”
- “results are minimal”
Pilling issues Rarely Noted
- “pills under makeup”
- “balls up”
- “hard to layer”
- “conflicts with Vitamin C”
Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, sephora.com, deciemchatroom.com, reddit.com, cultbeauty.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes The Ordinary Buffet Serum a great fit for dry sensitive skin?
The Ordinary Buffet Serum is a great fit because it plumps and firms your dry and sensitive skin with multiple peptides that help boost collagen for better volume and elasticity. Ingredients like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate draw in essential hydration to ease dryness and flakiness while supporting your skin barrier. The formula also carries a very low risk of irritation, making it a safe choice for delicate skin types.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
This serum is a great fit because multiple peptides like Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 help firm dry skin by supporting collagen production. Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate also add essential moisture to relieve dryness and flakiness while keeping your skin calm.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What do Peptides do for dry sensitive skin?
Peptides help hydrate dry sensitive skin while smoothing the look of fine lines and keeping the surface calm. They may also improve skin elasticity, though some types need enhanced delivery systems to deeply penetrate the skin barrier.
Advanced Science, 2025International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2025
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for dry sensitive skin?
Hyaluronic acid is a great fit for dry, sensitive skin because it brings a large boost in hydration, making the skin feel soft and smooth while improving barrier function. It helps calm tightness and dryness, and is unlikely to cause irritation.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Dermatology and Therapy, 2021
Where does it go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
Apply this treatment in the evening as part of your routine, after cleansing and toning and before moisturizing. This timing keeps your routine simple and adds extra safety around sun exposure.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol by applying the serum first to give your dry and sensitive skin a boost of hydration, followed by retinol once it absorbs. This helps keep your skin comfortable and smooth while you use active ingredients.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026
How often should I use it?
You can use this treatment in your evening routine, applying it after your cleanser and soothing toner and before your moisturizer. It is unlikely to irritate dry and sensitive skin, so you may use it daily.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This serum may occasionally cause breakouts, as some reviewers note, though it is generally safe and unlikely to irritate dry sensitive skin. It does not cause purging since it lacks exfoliating acids or retinoids that push trapped debris to the surface.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Annals of Dermatology, 2019
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Chronomodulated daytime application of baicalin and nighttime application of palmitoyl tripeptide-1 synergistically improved skin luminance by 16.29%, nasolabial fold depth by -36.35%, and firmness by 24.35% in 30 female participants.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026Argireline treatment twice daily for 4 weeks produced a significant anti-wrinkle effect with 48.9% total efficacy and decreased skin roughness in Chinese subjects compared with 0% efficacy and no decrease in roughness in the placebo group.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2013Treatment with cross-linked hyaluronic acid-based microneedle patches combined with acetyl hexapeptide-8 or epidermal growth factor significantly improved wrinkles and skin hydration compared to the patch alone in Korean females over 29 days.
Annals of Dermatology, 2019A 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, 2017Hyaluronic acid extracts are safe and efficacious products for skin repair when used in tissue regeneration alone or in combination with herbal or Western medicine.
Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Topical 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, 2011Topical 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, 2022Treatment 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, 2019Acetyl hexapeptide-3 and tripeptide-10 citrulline demonstrated antiwrinkle efficacy and decreased transepidermal water loss in twenty-four healthy volunteers compared to control groups, though synergistic effects between the two peptides remained unclear.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2017Daily topical acetyl hexapeptide-8 showed a trend toward a longer time until return to baseline Jankovic Blepharospasm Rating Scale scores compared to placebo (3.7 months vs. 3.0 months) in 24 patients with blepharospasm receiving botulinum toxin therapy.
European Journal of Neurology, 2013Argireline applied twice daily for 4 weeks achieved a total anti-wrinkle efficiency of 48.9% and notably reduced wrinkle depth compared to placebo in Chinese subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2013
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Lactococcus Lysate Ferment, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Pentapeptide-18, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Acetylarginyltryptophyl Diphenylglycine, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Trehalose, Fructose, Glucose, Maltose, Urea, Sodium Pca, Pca, Sodium Lactate, Citric Acid, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Ppg-26-Buteth-26, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Ethoxydiglycol, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 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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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
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.