Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream for dry skin
Active Hydramesh Technology
Sodium Hyaluronate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract Grape Seed Extract
Tocopheryl AcetateAverage
- HighDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for dry skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
- The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2025
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 hydration for your dry skin, with glycerin and sodium hyaluronate providing humectant benefits while caprylic capric triglyceride offers emollient properties. Saccharide isomerate further enhances moisture retention, helping to alleviate flakiness.
- The formula includes aloe barbadensis leaf juice and arnica montana flower extract, which are known for their soothing properties, making it generally well-tolerated.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no harsh ingredients and a focus on hydration and soothing components suitable for dry, non-sensitive skin.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and work your way up to daily use.
- Apply your moisturizer after your toner and before your sunscreen in the morning. At night, use it as the final step after your serum.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin. Avoid rubbing to keep your dry skin happy.
- Apply the moisturizer on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra hydration. This is great for soothing dry and flaky areas .
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a patch test before your first use .
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 400+ reviewsUsers consistently praise this moisturizer as a hydration hero that effectively balances moisture levels for normal, dry, and combination skin without feeling heavy. While the vast majority report smoother, plumper skin and improved texture, a small minority experienced breakouts or found the price point too high for the quantity.
Highlights
Texture & absorption Mostly Mentioned
- “Absorbs quickly... not greasy”
- “Glides on smoothly”
- “Sinks right in”
- “Lightweight but effective”
Deep hydration Often Mentioned
- “Hydration hero... keeps it moisturized all day”
- “Infuses skin with 48 hours of hydration”
- “Perfect balance of hydration”
- “Saved my dry skin”
Gentle on skin Sometimes Noted
- “Great for sensitive skin”
- “Soothing aloe and healing arnica”
- “No redness or sensitivity”
Improved skin texture Sometimes Noted
- “Leaves a glistening glow”
- “Skin feels instantly smoothing”
- “Plump and supple complexion”
- “Reduced congestion on forehead”
High price Sometimes Noted
- “A bit pricey”
- “Expensive”
- “Can't justify the cost”
- “Pricey but worth it”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Horrible breakouts”
- “Caused cystic acne”
- “Broke me out”
- “Prone to whiteheads”
Greasy residue Rarely Noted
- “Left a bad texture”
- “Too heavy for day use”
- “Felt greasy”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “Bad fragrance”
- “Natural scent is off-putting”
- “Smells like chemicals”
Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, dermstore.com, lovelyskin.com, sephora.co.uk, productreview.com.au, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Skin Smoothing Cream work for dry skin?
Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream offers moderate hydration for dry skin, helping to alleviate flakiness with ingredients like glycerin, sodium hyaluronate, and saccharide isomerate. To work best for dry skin, this type of moisturizer needs a richer blend of highly effective nourishing ingredients, intense hydrators, and skin barrier support components.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2025
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for dry skin?
This cream is a good fit for dry skin because it contains glycerin and sodium hyaluronate to draw in moisture, along with caprylic capric triglyceride and saccharide isomerate to soften skin and help lock that hydration in. To work even better for dry skin, this type of product needs richer nourishing ingredients and deeper barrier support.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2025
What does Active Hydramesh Technology do for dry skin?
Active Hydramesh Technology helps keep dry skin continuously moisturized by locking in hydration throughout the day. This type of product works best when it contains ingredients like hyaluronic acid to significantly improve skin hydration and relieve dry areas.
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for dry skin?
Hyaluronic acid draws moisture into dry skin, giving an immediate and lasting boost in hydration that helps smooth out fine lines and soften rough patches. It is very gentle and unlikely to cause irritation while improving overall skin smoothness and plumpness.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2021Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This moisturizer goes after your hydrating toner in the morning and after your treatment step in the evening. Daily use of a moisturizer helps improve visual dryness and overall skin comfort. For dry skin that needs an even better fit, this type of product works best when it includes richer oils, butters, and ceramides to deeply nourish and lock in moisture.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol by applying your retinol first and following with this moisturizer. Using a barrier-enhancing moisturizer like this one helps ease dryness and flakiness while supporting your skin during retinization.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this moisturizer daily in both your morning and evening routines to help keep your dry skin comfortable and hydrated. Regular daily application is unlikely to cause irritation and supports your skin barrier.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This cream is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry skin, and reviewers rarely mention any breakouts. To care for dry skin properly, a product of this type needs rich moisturizing ingredients and oils that lock in moisture and deeply soften the skin.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
This moisturizer is generally well-tolerated and provides moderate hydration, making it suitable to use around the eyes or on the body.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (benzyl salicylate and linalool). Cetearyl alcohol and cetyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.
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, 2017A novel moisturizer containing saccharide isomerate accelerates skin barrier recovery, improves hydration, reduces erythema, and alleviates discomfort compared to a control moisturizer following intense pulsed light treatment in subjects with skin aging.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2025Vitamin E in O/W and W/O emulsions significantly increased stratum corneum hydration and enhanced water-binding capacity, with an optimum concentration of 5%.
Arzneimittel-Forschung, 1998Topical 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, 2019A 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, 2010Topical CE Ferulic plus resveratrol BE serum following ablative fractional CO2 laser treatment reduced erythema index (308.9 vs. 325.3), shortened complete scabbing detachment time (6.0 vs. 6.5 days), decreased melanin index (-7.4% vs. +0.2%), and improved skin hydration compared to normal saline in 51 Chinese patients.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2024Resveratrol cream improved skin hydration and tightening compared to cream without resveratrol in a group of probands.
Acta Biochimica Polonica, 2019Topical application of a water-in-oil emulsion containing 2% Muscat hamburg grape seed extract significantly improved melanin, elasticity, and sebum content compared to a placebo in human volunteers over 8 weeks, with no reported skin hypersensitivity.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2015Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Ingredients
Water, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Stearic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Dimethicone, Peg-8, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract Grape Seed Extract, Saccharide Isomerate, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Hedera Helix Extract, Malva Sylvestris Flower Extract, Parietaria Officinalis Extract, Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Trehalose, Algin, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Serine, Linoleic Acid, Phytosterols, Cananga Odorata Oil Flower, Urea, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Pullulan, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Sodium Citrate, Disodium Phosphate, Palmitoyl Hydroxypropyltrimonium, Amylopectin Glycerin Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Phosphate, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Methylpropanediol, Polysorbate 60, Panthenol, Polyquaternium-10, Cetyl Alcohol, Peg-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Aminomethyl Propanol, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydroxystearic Acid, Bht, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool
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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