The Ordinary Aloe 2% + NAG 2% Solution for sensitive skin
Aloe Barbadensis
N-Acetyl Glucosamine Nag
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Biosaccharide Gum-2
Glycerin
High
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for sensitive skin; a few serums fit it even 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
- Highly suitable for your normal skin, this solution utilizes Glycerin and Acetyl Glucosamine to provide humectant action and support barrier repair, effectively addressing your concerns of redness and irritation.
- The inclusion of Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder further aids in soothing inflammation, complementing the skin tone evening benefits of Acetyl Glucosamine.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your sensitive skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use your serum in the PM routine, starting 3 times a week before building up to daily use if your skin is happy.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toning, but before putting on your moisturizer for the best results.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and wait a minute ⏱ for it to soak in.
- Since your skin is sensitive and easily irritated, apply the serum on completely dry skin to help keep it calm.
- Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid getting the serum too close to your eyes .
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 2.4k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with acne-prone and sensitive skin frequently praise this serum for its ability to soothe redness and gradually fade post-acne marks without irritation. Many report improved skin texture and hydration, though some users find the results on older hyperpigmentation to be slow or unnoticeable.
Highlights
Soothing and calming Mostly Mentioned
- “toned down the redness”
- “beautifully calming on the skin”
- “soothing for sensitive days”
Fades post-acne marks Often Mentioned
- “helped get rid of my acne scars”
- “faded blemishes quicker than normal”
- “large improvements in post-acne marks”
Hydrating texture Often Mentioned
- “skin feels velvety”
- “nice hydrating slip”
- “leaves skin plump and dewy”
Improves skin texture Sometimes Noted
- “skin is noticeably smoother”
- “helped with congestion”
- “reduced look of pores”
Slow or minimal results Sometimes Noted
- “didn't see any results”
- “less successful on existing dark spots”
- “over-promised and under-delivered”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “broke me out”
- “caused tiny bumps”
- “skin hated it”
Routine conflicts Rarely Noted
- “conflicts with direct acids”
- “hard to fit in routine”
- “pills with other serums”
Sticky finish Rarely Noted
- “slightly gloopy texture”
- “can become tacky”
- “sticky if applied heavily”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.co.uk, ulta.com, kohls.com, theordinary.com, sephora.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes The Ordinary Aloe 2% + NAG 2% Solution a great fit for sensitive skin?
This solution is a great fit because it uses glycerin and N-Acetyl Glucosamine to help repair the skin barrier while soothing redness and irritation. Aloe Barbadensis further calms inflammation, and the formula has an excellent safety profile without harsh ingredients that might upset sensitive skin.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for sensitive skin?
This serum is a great fit for sensitive skin because it uses glycerin and N-acetyl glucosamine to lock in moisture and repair the barrier, while aloe vera helps calm redness and irritation. It has an excellent safety profile and is unlikely to cause irritation.
What does Aloe Vera do for sensitive skin?
Aloe vera helps calm sensitive skin by reducing redness and soothing irritation. Topical preparations are generally well-tolerated and support skin healing, though effectiveness can vary depending on the formula.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2009
What does N-Acetyl Glucosamine do for sensitive skin?
N-Acetyl Glucosamine helps keep sensitive skin looking bright and smooth while improving signs of aging without causing irritation. Studies show it is well tolerated and may improve skin texture and redness on delicate areas over time.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2016Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2006
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and toning, and before moisturizing. Putting it in the evening helps keep things simple and adds extra 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 to calm your skin before putting on your retinol. This approach helps reduce potential irritation while keeping your skin comfortable.
How often should I use this serum?
This treatment is applied in the evening as part of your routine. It is very safe and unlikely to cause irritation for your sensitive skin.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This serum is unlikely to cause breakouts for sensitive skin, as reviewers rarely report this issue and the product leaves out harsh ingredients. Glycerin and Aloe Barbadensis help keep skin calm and hydrated without heavy oils.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
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, 2017Topical 2% N-acetyl glucosamine reduced facial hyperpigmentation in an 8-week split-face clinical test, with an even greater effect observed when combined with 4% niacinamide.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2007N-acetyl-glucosamine-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers successfully delivered the hydrophilic agent through the skin and reduced melanin distribution in healthy volunteers.
Advanced Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 2016A 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, 2010N-acetylglucosamine dose dependently increased hyaluronan production in cultured keratinocytes, and its combination with retinoic acid or retinol exerted a synergistic effect.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2004Exogenous N-acetylglucosamine promotes hyaluronan production while having no effect on the expression of hyaluronan-synthesizing enzymes 1, 2, and 3 mRNA in cultured human dermal fibroblasts.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2009Global gene expression profiling and in vitro biomarker approaches in human skin equivalent cultures successfully detected specific skin barrier, matrix, and hydration responses to topical compounds including niacinamide, hexamidine, Pal-KT, Pal-KTTKS, and N-acetylglucosamine.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2009The 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, 2012
Ingredients
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Acetyl Glucosamine, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Biosaccharide Gum-2, Pentylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Isoceteth-20, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Sodium Lactate, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
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.
-
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-
Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-
Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-
Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-
Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.