The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA for sensitive skin

Lactic Acid
Sodium Hyaluronate
Glycerin
Tasmannia Lanceolata Leaf Extract Fruit
Acacia Senegal Gum
Superior
- SuperiorNormal Skin Fit
- SuperiorEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
One of the best products for sensitive skin.
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
- Excellent suitability for your normal skin and effective for redness and irritation, as lactic acid provides gentle exfoliation and Tasmannia Lanceolata Leaf Extract offers targeted soothing. Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer further enhance hydration and support your skin's barrier function.
- The high concentration of lactic acid ensures effective texture refinement and improved skin tone, while the absence of harsh ingredients guarantees a safe experience for your sensitive skin.
- This formula is exceptionally safe for sensitive skin, featuring soothing ingredients and no known irritants.
How to apply
- Use your exfoliant PM once a week to help with redness and irritation. Start slowly and only increase frequency if your skin feels happy and comfortable.
- Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toner , but always before your moisturizer . This ensures the product absorbs properly into the skin.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin without rubbing . Let it absorb for a minute before moving on.
- Since your skin is sensitive , apply the exfoliant on completely dry skin for the best tolerance. This helps prevent any extra stinging or discomfort.
- Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid the delicate eye area .
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 7.4k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with dry, sensitive, or textured skin frequently praise this serum for its ability to gently exfoliate without compromising the moisture barrier. The majority of reviews report a noticeable improvement in skin smoothness and radiance, with many noting it effectively reduces flakiness and mild acne scars over time.
Highlights
Gentle exfoliation Mostly Mentioned
- “perfect for sensitive skin”
- “no irritation occurred”
- “mild yet effective”
- “great beginner acid”
Smoother texture Mostly Mentioned
- “bumps are gone”
- “skin feels soft”
- “glass skin effect”
- “texture improved significantly”
Brightens skin Often Mentioned
- “woke up glowing”
- “skin looks radiant”
- “faded dark spots”
- “evened skin tone”
Hydrating Sometimes Noted
- “didn't dry me out”
- “feels very moisturizing”
- “plumps the skin”
- “good for dry skin”
Unpleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “smells like cabbage”
- “weird sour smell”
- “scent is off-putting”
- “smells like spoiled milk”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “caused small bumps”
- “broke me out”
- “experienced bad purging”
- “worsened my acne”
Sticky finish Rarely Noted
- “leaves sticky residue”
- “feels tacky afterwards”
- “takes time to absorb”
- “slightly sticky texture”
Too mild Rarely Noted
- “didn't see results”
- “too weak for me”
- “prefer the 10%”
- “results take time”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, sephora.com, ulta.com, theordinary.com, brandclub.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA one of the best fits for sensitive skin?
This product is an excellent fit because it provides gentle exfoliation with lactic acid alongside targeted soothing from Tasmannia lanceolata fruit extract. Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate enhance hydration and support the skin barrier, while the absence of harsh ingredients ensures a safe experience.
Which ingredients make this exfoliant a good fit for sensitive skin?
This exfoliant is a great fit for sensitive skin because lactic acid provides gentle exfoliation while Tasmannia Lanceolata Leaf Extract offers targeted soothing. Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate further enhance hydration and support the skin barrier, keeping the face soft and comfortable without irritation.
What does Lactic Acid do for sensitive skin?
Lactic acid may cause stinging and irritation on sensitive skin because sensitive skin often has a fragile barrier and enhanced facial blood flow. To care for sensitive skin, a product of this type needs soothing ingredients like ceramides to strengthen the skin barrier and calm discomfort.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2018Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2021
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 this exfoliant go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after your toner and before your moisturizer. Lovi routines start exfoliating treatments once a week, and people who tolerate them well may carefully use them more often.
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this treatment with retinol by applying the retinol on a different night or using them on alternate evenings to prevent redness and irritation. Lactic acid gently smooths your skin while hydrating ingredients help keep your barrier calm and comfortable.
How often should I use this exfoliant?
Start by using this exfoliant once a week in your evening routine, and carefully use it more often only if your skin tolerates it well and sees good results. This gentle lactic acid formula helps refine texture and improve skin tone while soothing ingredients keep your sensitive skin calm and safe.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This exfoliant treatment is unlikely to cause breakouts for sensitive skin because it features a safe formula with no known irritants. Reviewers rarely complain about breakouts, and the included soothing and hydrating ingredients help keep skin calm and smooth.
Is this exfoliant 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, 2017Application of a cream containing lactic acid 12% and pramoxine HCl 1% significantly improved skin dryness, hydration, and itch compared with a nontreated control in 24 women with a history of dry itchy skin.
Cutis, 2004Topical 12% ammonium lactate produced a significant sparing of epidermal and dermal atrophy induced by clobetasol propionate in human volunteers, without influencing the corticosteroid's bioavailability or antiinflammatory properties.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1992A lactic acid/ceramide lotion significantly improved skin moisturization and desquamation compared to no treatment in women with dry, rough skin on the anterior shins.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020Topical 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, 2019The 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, 2012Topical Tasmannia lanceolata extract reduced skin roughness, increased firmness, dermal density, and thickness of stabilized stretch marks compared to placebo in 29 women over 8 weeks, alongside increased pro-collagen I, elastin, and TGF-beta concentrations in ex vivo human skin explants.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Acacia gum and carbopol hydrogel wound dressings containing gentamicin showed faster wound healing, well-developed fibroblasts, and blood capillaries compared to open wounds in swiss albino mice.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2013Barley beta-glucan films formulated with sorbitol and acacia gum demonstrated suitable mechanical properties and stimulated in vitro keratinocytes growth.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2023Gum arabic and beta-cyclodextrin microencapsulated peony seed oil emulsion protected against ultraviolet radiation by inhibiting reactive oxygen species generation, increasing cell viability from 54.75% to 92.69% in UVB-damaged HaCaT cells, and repairing 95.56% of UVB-damaged skin within 7 days in animal experiments through regulation of the NF-kappaB signaling pathway.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2026
Ingredients
Water, Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Tasmannia Lanceolata Leaf Extract Fruit, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Isoceteth-20, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol
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
-

Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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