🇳🇱Netherlands

Vivant DERM-A-GEL for dry skin

Low

  • AverageDry Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • ConcerningSafety

A weak 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 exfoliation for your dry skin due to the presence of lactic acid and retinyl propionate, which promote skin renewal, but it lacks sufficient emollient and occlusive ingredients for optimal hydration.
  • While Glycereth-26 and Sodium PCA provide some hydration, they are not enough to fully address your dry skin's needs.

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

★4.9Overall rating based on 200+ reviews

This retinoid serum is highly praised for its ability to significantly improve skin texture, reduce acne, and diminish fine lines, with most users experiencing a clearer complexion quickly. Some users report a mild adjustment period with dryness or purging. The data is based on approximately 175 reviews.

Highlights

  • Clears acne breakouts Mostly Mentioned
    • “Helps with clearing acne”
    • “less breakouts”
    • “targets active acne”
  • Gentle on skin Often Mentioned
    • “Gentle yet powerful”
    • “even on sensitive skin”
    • “didn't cause major side effects”
  • Improves skin texture Often Mentioned
    • “Skin is smoother”
    • “refine skin texture”
    • “smoother surface”
  • Promotes glowing skin Sometimes Noted
    • “My face is glowing”
    • “restored youthful glow”
    • “rosy glow”
  • Reduces fine lines Sometimes Noted
    • “Reduced lines and pores”
    • “softens fine lines”
    • “anti-aging”
  • Initial skin purging Sometimes Noted
    • “Did induce purging”
    • “purging can occur”
    • “expect initial purging”
  • Mild dryness/peeling Sometimes Noted
    • “Mild peeling around mouth”
    • “feeling of drier skin”
    • “mild dryness”
  • Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
    • “Scent is rather strong”
    • “kinda unpleasant”
    • “least favorite thing”

Sources: lovi.care, vivantskincare.com, judge.me, theskincareculture.com, lazskincare.com, sarahford.co, and more

Questions and answers

Why is Vivant DERM-A-GEL Serum a weak match for dry skin?

Vivant DERM-A-GEL is a weak match for dry skin because, while lactic acid and retinyl propionate offer moderate renewal, the formula lacks enough moisturizing and protective ingredients to keep dry skin fully hydrated. A product of this type needs soothing ingredients that provide deep hydration and support the skin barrier, such as ceramides, peptides, niacinamide, and rich antioxidants, to properly care for dry skin.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024

Which ingredients make this serum a poor fit for dry skin?

This serum is a weak match for your dry skin because it lacks enough heavy softeners and protective barriers to lock in moisture. A treatment for dry skin needs rich, soothing ingredients, ceramides, and strong hydrators like propolis or niacinamide to nourish and support the skin barrier.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024

What does Retinyl Propionate do for dry skin?

Retinyl propionate helps smooth out fine lines and wrinkles while keeping your skin looking youthful and even-toned. Because it tends to cause less irritation than other vitamin A options, it is generally comfortable to use on dry skin.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024

What does Niacinamide do for dry skin?

Niacinamide helps dry skin by strengthening the skin barrier, increasing hydration, and reducing water loss. It supports ceramide production and helps keep the surface smooth and calm. This ingredient tends to be very well tolerated and is unlikely to irritate dry skin.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2004Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026

Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for dry skin?

This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing. Dry skin needs a product of this type to include rich moisturizing ingredients and protective sealants to keep it soft and comfortable.

Can I use this serum with glycolic acid, and in what order?

Using this treatment with glycolic acid may cause too much irritation on dry skin because both ingredients actively peel the surface. To use them safely, apply this treatment on some nights and glycolic acid on others rather than layering them together.

How often should I use this serum?

Start by using this treatment once a week in the evening to see how your skin handles it, as dry skin needs extra rich moisturizing ingredients and heavy skin-softening oils to prevent flaking and irritation when using exfoliating acids and retinoids.

Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?

This product may cause some initial skin purging and mild peeling when you start using it. Because this treatment is a weak match for dry skin, a product of this type needs richer, soothing oils and heavy sealants to lock in moisture and prevent extra dryness.

Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

What the research says

  • A cosmetic niacinamide/peptide/retinyl propionate regimen significantly improved periorbital wrinkle appearance relative to a 0.02% tretinoin regimen at 8 weeks with comparable benefits at 24 weeks, while demonstrating significantly better tolerability in 196 women.

    The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010
  • A novel triple-active cosmetic formulation containing 4-hexylresorcinol, retinyl propionate, and niacinamide improved the visual appearance of photoageing similarly to 0.02% tretinoin and reversed a consensus gene signature associated with ageing in female adults while causing less skin irritation.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024
  • A combination of retinyl propionate and climbazole (RPC) resulted in significant improvement in aging attributes, including deep wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, with significantly less irritation compared to 0.1% retinol in 45 healthy Caucasian females with moderately photodamaged facial skin.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017
  • Over-the-counter retinol products provided only weak evidence for a mild ameliorating effect on fine facial skin wrinkle lines in randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled trials, and major methodological flaws call the validity of positive results into question.

    The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2021
  • Topical retinyl propionate cream produced no statistically significant differences compared to placebo for any clinical, histological, or profilometric parameters of skin photoageing in 80 subjects.

    Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 1998
  • A vitamin A palmitate and antioxidant-containing oil-based moisturizer improved fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation, tone, texture, dryness, firmness, and clarity across various body sites compared to a no-treatment group over 12 weeks.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2013
  • Topical 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, 2021
  • Topical 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, 2008
  • Topical 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, 2005
  • A topical formulation containing kojic acid, emblica extract, and glycolic acid demonstrated efficacy parity compared with hydroquinone 4% in multiethnic participants with mild to moderate facial dyschromia.

    Cutis, 2010
  • A 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, 2023
  • Topical application of iron chelators kojic acid and deferiprone significantly accelerated wound healing in rats compared to control groups, with deferiprone showing superior efficacy due to higher antioxidant and iron chelation abilities.

    International Wound Journal, 2013
  • Application of a cream containing lactic acid 12% and pramoxine HCl 1% significantly improved skin dryness, hydration, and itch compared with a nontreated control in 24 women with a history of dry itchy skin.

    Cutis, 2004
  • Topical 12% ammonium lactate produced a significant sparing of epidermal and dermal atrophy induced by clobetasol propionate in human volunteers, without influencing the corticosteroid's bioavailability or antiinflammatory properties.

    Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1992
  • A lactic acid/ceramide lotion significantly improved skin moisturization and desquamation compared to no treatment in women with dry, rough skin on the anterior shins.

    The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020

Why other serums fit dry skin better

Ingredients

Water, Glycereth-26, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Retinyl Propionate, Ethylhexyl Dimethyl Paba, Carbomer, Kojic Acid, Bht, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Pca, Glycine, Fructose, Urea, Niacinamide, Inositol, Sodium Benzoate, Lactic Acid, Disodium Edta, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol

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.

How does it fit your skin?

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How does it fit your skin?

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