The INKEY List Bio-Active Ceramide Repairing and Plumping Moisturizer for dry sensitive skin
Ceramide Np
Glycerin
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter
Caprylic Capric Triglyceride
Polysilicone-11
High
- HighDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for dry sensitive skin; a few moisturizers fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry sensitive skin: flakiness, tightness, redness, 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
- Highly suitable for your dry and sensitive skin, this moisturizer effectively hydrates and plumps with ceramides and glycerin, which support your skin barrier and retain moisture.
- Shea butter provides emollient benefits, offering moderate hydration to address your dry or flaky skin concerns.
- The formula is safe for your skin, containing no harsh ingredients and including ceramides to soothe and protect.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine. Start using this moisturizer 3 times a week and move to daily use if your dry skin tolerates it well.
- Apply this moisturizer after cleansing and toner in the morning, or after your serum in the evening. Always pair it with SPF in the morning.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin. Avoid rubbing it harshly to protect your sensitive skin.
- Apply the moisturizer on slightly damp skin to help with hydration absorption. This also works well for dry and flaky skin types.
- Do a patch test before your first use. Avoid the eye area to prevent any irritation.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 600+ reviewsThis moisturizer is highly praised for its rich, velvety texture that provides deep hydration and a plumping effect without greasiness. It is particularly effective for dry, aging, and sensitive skin, smoothing fine lines and repairing the skin barrier. However, some users with oily or acne-prone skin have reported breakouts or found the texture too heavy.
Highlights
Deep hydration Mostly Mentioned
- “Liquid gold for dry skin”
- “kept my skin hydrated all day”
- “saved my winter skin”
Elegant texture Often Mentioned
- “Sinks in immediately”
- “feels like a luxury cream”
- “rich but not heavy”
Value for money Often Mentioned
- “Better than my $80 cream”
- “amazing quality for the price”
- “luxury feel on a budget”
Barrier support Sometimes Noted
- “Fixed my damaged barrier”
- “no stinging on sensitive skin”
Plumping and smoothing Sometimes Noted
- “Skin looks fuller”
- “fine lines are less visible”
- “makes my face look youthful”
Caused breakouts Sometimes Noted
- “Woke up with tiny bumps”
- “broke me out immediately”
- “too rich for acne-prone skin”
No anti-aging Rarely Noted
- “Didn't see wrinkle reduction”
- “good moisturizer but no miracles”
- “fine lines look the same”
Packaging concerns Rarely Noted
- “Wish it was a pump”
- “hate dipping my fingers in”
- “unsanitary jar packaging”
Too heavy Rarely Noted
- “Left a greasy film”
- “too thick for day use”
- “made my oily zone sweat”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “Smells like plastic”
- “weird earthy scent”
- “has a funk despite being fragrance-free”
Sources: lovi.care, boots.com, cultbeauty.com, theinkeylist.com, sephora.com, amazon.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes The INKEY List Bio-Active Ceramide Repairing and Plumping Moisturizer a great fit for dry sensitive skin?
This moisturizer is a great fit because it uses ceramides and glycerin to support your skin barrier and keep moisture locked in, while shea butter helps smooth away dry and flaky patches. Its gentle formula contains no harsh ingredients, making it very safe and soothing for easily irritated skin.
Which ingredients make this moisturizer a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
Ceramide NP and glycerin make this moisturizer a great fit because they support your skin barrier and lock in moisture to help soothe dryness. Additionally, shea butter provides rich hydration to keep dry or flaky skin feeling soft and smooth.
What do Ceramides do for dry sensitive skin?
Ceramides help hydrate dry sensitive skin and strengthen its outer barrier to reduce water loss and calm irritation. Using a product with ceramides often improves skin comfort and makes the skin feel much softer.
What does Glycerin do for dry sensitive skin?
Glycerin helps dry sensitive skin by drawing moisture into the skin and keeping it there, making the skin soft and smooth. It is very gentle and unlikely to cause irritation while improving how well the skin holds onto water. This type of skin needs ingredients that boost hydration and repair the barrier without causing stinging.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008
Where does this moisturizer go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This moisturizer goes as the final step of your evening routine to lock in hydration and soothe your skin. Using a daily moisturizer helps improve visual dryness and supports your skin barrier.
Can I use this moisturizer with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizer with retinol by applying your retinol first and following with the moisturizer to help soothe and protect your dry and sensitive skin. Using a moisturizer with ceramides and glycerin helps support your skin barrier and retain moisture while lowering the likelihood of irritation.
How often should I use this moisturizer?
You can use this moisturizer daily to keep your dry and sensitive skin hydrated and comfortable. Applying it regularly helps support your skin barrier and calm dry or flaky areas.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this moisturizer clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This moisturizer may occasionally cause breakouts for some people, as reviewers sometimes report this issue. However, it is generally safe and unlikely to irritate dry, sensitive skin when used as part of your daily routine.
Can I use this moisturizer around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizer on the thin skin around your eyes and on your body to help hydrate and soften dry areas. Its gentle formula with ceramides, glycerin, and shea butter is safe for sensitive skin and helps protect your skin barrier.
Is this moisturizer fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, 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, 2017Emulsions containing ceramides 1 and 3 improved skin hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss in sodium lauryl sulfate-irritated skin of fifteen healthy Asian women compared to a control emulsion.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2008The 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, 2001Niacinamide/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, 2012A combination cream of stimu-tex AS and saccharide isomerate reduced erythema, increased skin capacitance, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to placebo in 20 subjects after fractional CO2 laser procedure without causing serious adverse events.
Lasers in Medical Science, 2025A skin barrier restoring cream with shea butter, silkflo, and vitamin E increased type I procollagen synthesis, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, decreased reactive oxygen species generation, and promoted hyaluronic acid production in H2O2-stimulated human keratinocyte cells compared to untreated cells.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025Topical application of an emollient emulsion containing 15.0% caprylic/capric triglyceride doubled the amount of urocanic acid isomers and increased skin hydration with reduced transepidermal water loss in healthy subjects, though it did not prevent ultraviolet-induced urocanic acid isomerization.
Life, 2023
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Propanediol, Polysilicone-11, C10-18 Triglycerides, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylate-13, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Ceramide Np, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Laureth-12, Sorbitan Isostearate, Hdi Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Citric Acid, 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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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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