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La Mer The Concentrate for dry skin

Average

  • AverageDry Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

Works for dry skin; other serums 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 suitability for your dry skin, as glycerin and cholesterol provide humectant and barrier repair actions, though more occlusive ingredients could enhance its benefits.
  • The formulation provides excellent barrier resilience and soothing of irritation due to Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract and Alteromonas Ferment, which are supportive for dry or flaky skin.
  • There are no risks of irritation for your dry skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients, and the presence of soothing ingredients like Algae Extract and Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract.

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

★4.6Overall rating based on 4.5k+ reviews

Users frequently turn to this serum for its rapid soothing and calming effects on redness and irritation, particularly for compromised skin barriers. However, a notable number of reviews question if the subtle, long-term benefits justify the very high price point, especially when compared to other barrier repair options. This summary is based on a very large amount of data and should be definitely taken into account.

Highlights

  • Soothing & Calming Mostly Mentioned
    • “calms facial redness immediately”
    • “instantly soothing on application”
    • “redness disappeared like magic”
    • “best for compromised skin”
  • Exorbitant Price Mostly Mentioned
    • “steep price tag”
    • “not worth the money”
    • “results subtle for price”
    • “insanely expensive”
  • Barrier Repair & Healing Often Mentioned
    • “strengthens skin barrier”
    • “healed traces of dryness”
    • “recovery after laser treatment”
    • “helped skin resilience”
  • Luxurious Texture Often Mentioned
    • “velvety smooth feel”
    • “silky and cushiony”
    • “glides on easily”
    • “leaves skin feeling satin soft”
  • Poor Packaging Often Mentioned
    • “hate the wand applicator”
    • “hard to get product out”
    • “needs a pump dispenser”
    • “wasteful packaging”
  • Hydration Sometimes Noted
    • “leaves skin plump”
    • “deeply hydrated feel”
    • “soft and supple skin”
    • “great under makeup”
  • Silicone-Heavy Feel Sometimes Noted
    • “feels like straight silicone”
    • “just cosmetic fluff”
    • “slippery texture”
    • “sits on top of skin”
  • Breakouts & Irritation Rarely Noted
    • “caused huge painful zits”
    • “broke me out”
    • “clogged my pores”
    • “irritated my acne-prone skin”
  • Polarizing Scent Rarely Noted
    • “strong medicinal smell”
    • “scent is too herbal”
    • “smells like lavender/basil”
    • “fragrance is overpowering”

Sources: lovi.care, cremedelamer.com, sephora.com, nordstrom.com, influenster.com, spacenk.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does La Mer The Concentrate work for dry skin?

La Mer The Concentrate works moderately well for dry skin, as glycerin helps draw in moisture and cholesterol supports your skin barrier, though a product of this type needs richer, sealing ingredients to lock in hydration for dry skin.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

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

Glycerin, cholesterol, algae extract, and laminaria ochroleuca extract help make this serum a good fit for dry skin by providing moisture and soothing irritation. Because other products fit dry skin better, a product of this type needs richer, moisture-locking ingredients, ceramides, and peptides to provide deeper hydration and repair.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

What does Cyclopentasiloxane do for dry skin?

Cyclopentasiloxane helps dry skin by keeping moisture in so your face feels soft and smooth. It has a very safe profile and is unlikely to cause irritation or absorption issues when you use it.

International Journal of Toxicology, 2011

What does Algae Extract do for dry skin?

Algae extract helps keep dry skin soft by boosting hydration and protecting the skin barrier. It may also improve skin elasticity and smooth out rough areas while providing antioxidant benefits.

International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2024Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica, 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. Dry skin types of this type need heavier, richer sealing ingredients to fully lock in hydration and enhance its benefits.

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

This treatment is unlikely to irritate dry skin, so you can use it with retinol by applying the retinol first and following with this treatment. To work best for dry skin, this product type needs rich sealing ingredients that lock in moisture.

How often should I use it?

You can use this treatment in your evening routine, as treatments fit best there for simplicity and extra safety around sun exposure. Dry skin needs products with heavier sealing ingredients to lock in moisture and enhance its benefits.

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

This serum is unlikely to cause breakouts or irritation for dry skin, as it contains soothing ingredients like algae extract and lacks harsh or prohibited ingredients. However, a product for this dry skin needs heavier sealing ingredients to truly lock in moisture.

Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It contains fragrance (eugenol, limonene, and linalool) and drying alcohol (alcohol denat).

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, 2017
  • Treatment with lipid algae extract reduced the level of oxidized proteins in human keratinocytes and stratum corneum skin cells.

    Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 2004
  • Topical astaxanthin-loaded algae extract hydrogel and lipogel formulations exhibited the highest antioxidant activity and successful in vitro release, suggesting their potential as anti-aging formulations.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019
  • Antarctic marine algae extracts increased cell viability, protected against inflammation, and enhanced the barrier integrity of human intestinal and keratinocyte cell lines damaged by lipopolysaccharide or ultraviolet radiation.

    Marine Drugs, 2022
  • The 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, 2020
  • Ten 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
  • Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012
  • Wearing an N95 mask alone compared to using dimethicone cream or hydrocolloid dressing caused more adverse skin reactions among 73 military health care workers, with no significant differences in fit test failure rates between groups.

    Military Medicine, 2024
  • A dimethicone skin protectant lotion significantly decreased visual scoring and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control and SLS-only treated sites in 12 healthy humans exposed to sodium lauryl sulfate.

    Skin Research and Technology, 2000
  • Treatment with a moisturizer containing dimethicone and glycerine increased epidermal thickness by 0.019 mm, improved barrier function by decreasing transepidermal water loss by 13%, decreased melanin intensity, and induced keratins 6 and 16 in fifteen women with moderately photoaged forearms.

    Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2007
  • Topical 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, 2025
  • Dermatological 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, 2021
  • Topical 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

Why other serums fit dry skin better

Ingredients

Cyclopentasiloxane, Algae Extract, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Polysilicone-11, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dimethicone Peg-10 15 Crosspolymer, Cyclohexasiloxane, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Medicago Sativa Seed Powder, Helianthus Annuus Seedcake Sunflower Seedcake, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Meal Seed, Eucalyptus Globulus Oil Leaf Eucalyptus Oil Leaf, Sodium Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Calcium Gluconate, Magnesium Gluconate, Zinc Gluconate, Tocopheryl Succinate, Niacin, Water, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Helichrysum Italicum Extract, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Wheat Flour Lipids Flour, Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Extract, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Alteromonas Extract Ferment, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Yeast Faex Extrait De Levure Extract, Cholesterol, Linoleic Acid, Tetraacetylphytosphingosine, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Rosmarinus Officinalis Oil Leaf Rosemary Oil Leaf, Ocimum Basilicum Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil Lavender Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Dipropylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat, Sodium Citrate, Eugenol, Limonene, Linalool, Bht, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate

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?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.