Sephora Hydrating Serum for sensitive skin
Glycerin
Hyaluronic Acid
Polyglutamic Acid
Average
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for sensitive skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. 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 benefits for your normal skin, as glycerin and hyaluronic acid provide humectant action to hydrate and soothe redness and irritation.
- Polyglutamic acid further enhances moisturization, though the formula does not contain specific ingredients to target inflammation beyond general hydration.
- The product is safe for your sensitive skin, with no harsh or prohibited ingredients that could cause irritation.
How to apply
- Use this soothing AM and PM routine every day to keep your normal skin calm. Always remember to apply SPF in the morning after your moisturizer.
- Apply your moisturizer after your toner in the morning, and after your serum in the evening. This step locks in hydration and protects your skin.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer evenly across your face. Avoid rubbing to keep your sensitive skin happy and calm.
- You can apply this gentle formula on dry or slightly damp skin for the best comfort. It works wonderfully on clean skin to soothe redness and irritation.
- Do a patch test before your very first use to check your skin's reaction. Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes .
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 500+ reviewsThis lightweight, unscented serum is widely praised for its ability to instantly plump and hydrate the skin, making it a favorite for those with dry or dehydrated complexions. While most users appreciate its fast absorption and clean formula, a notable minority experiences issues with the texture, specifically stickiness and pilling under other products.
Highlights
Deep instant hydration Mostly Mentioned
- “Skin looks more hydrated as if plumped up with water”
- “Very effective and hydrating”
- “Intensely hydrated for 24 hours”
- “Gave me glass skin”
Lightweight absorption Often Mentioned
- “Absorbs quickly without stickiness”
- “Non-greasy texture”
- “Sinks into the skin nicely”
- “Lightweight but moisturizing”
Plumps and smooths Often Mentioned
- “Skin feels plumped”
- “Reduces appearance of wrinkles”
- “Soft, dewy, and plump skin”
- “Fine lines are reduced”
Gentle on sensitivity Sometimes Noted
- “Great for sensitive skin”
- “No irritation on my sensitive skin”
- “Unscented and clean”
- “Did not cause breakouts”
Great value Sometimes Noted
- “Better for the price”
- “Affordable and quality”
- “Value for money”
- “Good budget-friendly serum”
Pills under makeup Sometimes Noted
- “Pills extremely easily”
- “Peels off every time I applied it”
- “Started pilling like dead skin cells”
- “Rolls off if you rub your face”
Difficult application Rarely Noted
- “Time consuming application”
- “Have to apply it very slowly”
- “Runs down your face”
- “Liquid consistency is hard to control”
Ineffective for some Rarely Noted
- “No results”
- “Didn't notice any improvement”
- “Just surface-level moisture”
- “Not enough hydration for dry skin”
Sticky texture Rarely Noted
- “Formula is very sticky”
- “A bit tacky at first”
- “Feels slightly sticky”
- “Left a sticky residue”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, kohls.com, influenster.com, skinsafeproducts.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Sephora Hydrating Serum work for sensitive skin?
Sephora Hydrating Serum works moderately well for sensitive skin, as its glycerin and hyaluronic acid help hydrate and soothe redness. While it is safe and unlikely to cause irritation, a moisturizing treatment for this skin needs soothing agents that target inflammation directly and ingredients that strengthen the skin barrier.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2025
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for sensitive skin?
Glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and polyglutamic acid make this serum a good fit by providing gentle hydration that helps soothe redness and irritation without harsh ingredients. A product for sensitive skin needs calming and barrier-strengthening ingredients along with proven hydrators like pro-vitamin B5 and soothing plant extracts to work best.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2025
What does Glycerin do for sensitive skin?
Glycerin helps keep sensitive skin soft and deeply hydrated while supporting the skin barrier. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may protect against dryness and roughness.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Acta Dermato-venereologica, 1999
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for sensitive skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps calm and hydrate sensitive skin while supporting the skin barrier to keep it soft and comfortable. Clinical studies show it improves surface moisture and reduces dryness, roughness, and redness without irritation.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2025Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2018
Where does it go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and toning, and before moisturizing. It helps hydrate and soothe sensitive skin, but a product of this type for this skin also needs ingredients to calm inflammation.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2025
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol by applying the serum first to hydrate and calm your skin, followed by your retinol. This product is unlikely to irritate your skin, but sensitive skin needs a product that also targets inflammation directly with soothing ingredients.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2025
How often should I use it?
You can use this treatment in the evening as part of your routine. It is safe for your sensitive skin and unlikely to cause irritation, though this type of product for sensitive skin also needs soothing ingredients to actively calm redness.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2025
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for sensitive skin since it is free of heavy, pore-clogging ingredients. It also does not cause purging because it lacks exfoliating acids that push trapped material to the surface. However, a product for sensitive skin needs soothing ingredients like centella or allantoin to actively calm redness and irritation.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2025
Can I use it around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizing treatment safely around your eyes and on your body because its gentle formula is unlikely to cause irritation on sensitive skin. To truly comfort and protect delicate or body skin, this type of product needs soothing plant extracts and barrier-strengthening ingredients alongside deep hydrators.
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, 2017The 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, 2020Ten 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, 2001Topical 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, 2019Curcumin-loaded polyglutamic acid and gum arabic electrospun nanofibers accelerated wound healing, increased TGF-beta1 and VEGF expression, reduced inflammatory factors, and enhanced re-epithelialization and tissue regeneration in a mouse model with acute full-thickness skin defects.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2024Polyglutamic acid and polylysine composite hydrogels promote wound repair and hemostasis through high water absorption, bioadhesion, calcium ion-mediated coagulation factor activation, and inherent antibacterial properties in a deep skin defect model.
Macromolecular Bioscience, 2021
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Hyaluronic Acid, Polyglutamic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide
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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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?
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