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Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Vitamin C Serum for dry skin

Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Vitamin C Serum

High

  • HighDry Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

A great choice for dry skin; a few serums fit it even 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

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

★4.4Overall rating based on 2.7k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, users with dull or aging skin frequently praise this serum for its ability to instantly brighten the complexion and provide a glass skin glow, often noting improvements in texture and hydration. A moderate number of users report severe allergic reactions, including redness and swelling, suggesting it may be potent or irritating for sensitive skin types.

Highlights

  • Instant brightening Mostly Mentioned
    • “gives a beautiful radiant glow”
    • “skin looks glass-like”
    • “instantly brightens dull areas”
    • “complexion felt clearer and bouncier”
  • Lightweight texture Often Mentioned
    • “absorbs fast without being sticky”
    • “layers well under SPF”
    • “makeup glides right over it”
    • “feels lightweight going on”
  • Pleasant scent Often Mentioned
    • “smells like fresh orange juice”
    • “scent is lightly sweet”
    • “refreshing citrus smell”
    • “mood-boosting scent”
  • Hydrating and plumping Sometimes Noted
    • “plumps the skin”
    • “feels like a drink of water for my face”
    • “helped with dryness”
    • “skin feels dewier”
  • Allergic reactions Sometimes Noted
    • “eyes and face were swollen”
    • “red burning rash around nose”
    • “tiny blistering pimples”
    • “caused chemical burn”
  • Sticky residue Sometimes Noted
    • “leaves face sticky for hours”
    • “can't stand the stickiness”
    • “feels tacky on the skin”
    • “hair sticks to my face”
  • Misleading name Rarely Noted
    • “expected banana scent”
    • “smells nothing like bananas”
    • “misleading name”
    • “just smells like vitamin C”
  • Orange tint Rarely Noted
    • “looks like orange juice”
    • “stained my hands orange”
    • “left an orange cast”
    • “oxidized quickly”

Sources: lovi.care, influenster.com, ulta.com, sephora.com, olehenriksen.com, boots.com, and more

Questions and answers

What makes Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Vitamin C Serum a great fit for dry skin?

Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Vitamin C Serum is a great fit for dry skin because it brightens and smooths texture with vitamin C and gentle acids while helping repair your skin barrier. It also brings helpful moisture to flaky areas using glycerin and sodium hyaluronate.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017

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

This serum is a great fit for dry skin because it uses glycerin and sodium hyaluronate to bring in moisture, while panthenol helps calm and repair your skin barrier. It also brightens and smooths your skin with 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and gluconolactone.

The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

What does Vitamin C do for dry skin?

Vitamin C helps dry skin by boosting moisture and keeping the surface smooth and soft. It may also improve skin hydration and support the outer protective barrier over time.

Skin Research and Technology, 2008Experimental Dermatology, 2008

What do PHAs do for dry skin?

PHAs help dry skin by drawing in moisture and keeping it locked in, which makes dry skin feel soft and smooth. They also lower skin pH and support the skin barrier without causing irritation, making them a great fit for keeping dry skin comfortable.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2004International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024

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

This serum goes in the evening routine for dry skin, applied after cleansing and before moisturizing. Putting treatments in the evening helps ensure safety around sun exposure.

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

You can use this serum with retinol by applying this treatment first and following with your retinol on alternate nights to avoid irritation, as combining strong actives may be too intense for dry skin.

How often should I use this serum?

This serum is a great fit for your dry skin and is meant to be used in the evening. It helps brighten and smooth texture while providing moderate hydration, and is unlikely to irritate dry skin.

Facial Plastic Surgery, 2014The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017

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

This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry skin, as its soothing ingredients and hydrating agents like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate are generally well-tolerated. It also does not contain ingredients that typically trigger purging.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (limonene, linalool, and citral).

What the research says

  • A new topical panthenol-containing emollient significantly improved transepidermal water loss reduction, stratum corneum hydration, and intercellular lipid lamellae length compared with control in healthy subjects without negatively impacting bacterial viability.

    The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017
  • A panthenol-enriched mask significantly decreased erythema and hyperpigmentation, increased sebum and stratum corneum moisture, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to a saline dressing in 60 subjects undergoing facial laser treatment.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025
  • Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.

    American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
  • 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
  • A topical formulation containing panthenol, niacinamide, and dipotassium glycyrrhizate increased skin hydration by 74.1% and reduced transepidermal water loss by 13.5% at 28 days compared to baseline and untreated control in 35 individuals with xerosis.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026
  • Topical application of 5% vitamin C cream significantly improved global clinical scores, increased skin microrelief density, and induced elastic tissue repair in photoaged skin compared to excipient control in healthy female volunteers.

    Experimental Dermatology, 2003
  • Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.

    Journal of Periodontology, 2009
  • Topical application of VC-IP cream twice daily for 8 weeks reduces periorbital wrinkles in female subjects compared to a placebo cream.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
  • Topical 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, 2011
  • Topical 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, 2022
  • Treatment 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, 2019
  • 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

Ingredients

Water, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Gluconolactone, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Triethyl Citrate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil, Potassium Hydroxide, Betaine, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Aminomethyl Propanol, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Gluconic Acid, Tocopherol, Glycerin, Succinoglycan, Phytic Acid, Mica, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caramel, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Phytate, Lemon Fruit Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Leuconostoc Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Limonene, Linalool, Citral, Titanium Dioxide Ci 77891, Yellow 5 Ci 19140, Red 4 Ci 14700

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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