The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan for sensitive skin
Beta Glucan
Moisturizing Factors
Glycerin
Sodium Hyaluronate
Allantoin
Average
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- 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 redness and irritation, as Beta-Glucan and Glycerin provide supportive hydration and soothing effects suitable for normal skin.
- The formula is highly compatible with normal skin due to humectants like Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate, and Beta-Glucan aids in barrier repair.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your sensitive skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing agents like Beta-Glucan and Allantoin.
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
★4.3Overall rating based on 2.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this lightweight, clear gel moisturizer is widely praised by users with oily and acne-prone skin for providing hydration without clogging pores or leaving a greasy residue. Users with dry or dehydrated skin often find it insufficient, reporting that it lacks the occlusive properties needed to lock in moisture, sometimes leaving skin feeling tight.
Highlights
Lightweight and non-greasy Mostly Mentioned
- “It hydrates SO deeply without feeling heavy at all.”
- “Perfect amount of hydration without my skin feeling oily.”
- “Absorbs quickly and feels like nothing on the skin.”
Ideal for oily Often Mentioned
- “Works well for my oily skin, gives better oil control.”
- “Great for acne prone and oily skin, isn't clogging.”
- “Finally a moisturizer that doesn't make me look like a greaseball.”
Insufficient for dry Often Mentioned
- “Left my skin feeling tight and dry after an hour.”
- “Not moisturizing enough, I need something thicker.”
- “My face felt parched even after applying a generous amount.”
Absorbs very quickly Sometimes Noted
- “Dries down fully after a few minutes.”
- “Sinks in really fast and doesn't leave a film.”
- “Disappears into the skin almost instantly.”
Cooling gel texture Sometimes Noted
- “Feels very refreshing and cooling upon application.”
- “The clear gel texture is unique and feels like water.”
- “Soothing on my sensitive skin, especially in summer.”
Sticky or tacky Sometimes Noted
- “Leaves a sticky residue that takes a while to go away.”
- “Felt tacky on my face, my hair kept sticking to it.”
- “The texture is a bit glue-like before it dries.”
Causes pilling Rarely Noted
- “Pills terribly when I try to apply sunscreen over it.”
- “Balls up if you rub your face too much.”
- “Does not layer well under my makeup.”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “Has a weird plastic-y smell to it.”
- “Smells a bit like chemicals, though it fades fast.”
- “Not a fan of the scent, even though it's fragrance-free.”
Sources: lovi.care, influenster.com, sephora.co.uk, sephora.nz, theordinary.com, ulta.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan work for sensitive skin?
This moisturizer works reasonably well for sensitive skin, offering moderate support for redness and irritation through soothing ingredients like Beta-Glucan and glycerin. It has a very safe formula that is unlikely to cause irritation, though it lacks the specialized barrier-repairing oils and cica extracts needed for an ideal fit on sensitive skin.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for sensitive skin?
Beta-glucan, glycerin, and allantoin make this cream a good fit for sensitive skin by helping calm redness and irritation. This type of moisturizer works best for sensitive skin when it includes soothing ingredients like fermented centella asiatica, cica ceramide, and nourishing oils that strengthen the skin barrier and deliver gentle hydration.
What does Beta Glucan do for sensitive skin?
Beta-glucan helps calm sensitive skin by reducing irritation and accelerating the recovery of the outer skin barrier. It also provides soothing moisture and supports skin health with a very low likelihood of adverse reactions.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021Phytotherapy Research, 2014
What do Natural Moisturizing Factors do for sensitive skin?
Natural moisturizing factors help make sensitive skin soft and smooth by boosting surface hydration and strengthening the skin barrier. This helps protect the skin from irritation and daily stress, and improves comfort for dry or sensitive skin types.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2025Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2022
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This moisturizer goes in the evening routine after your cleanser, toner, and treatment. Sensitive skin of this type needs a gentle moisturizer with barrier-repairing ingredients like beta-glucan and soothing agents like allantoin to calm redness and irritation.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol, and applying it after your retinol helps keep your skin calm and moisturized. This type of product works well for sensitive skin when it includes barrier-repairing ingredients and soothing agents like ceramides and beta-glucan.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this moisturizer twice a day to help keep your skin hydrated and calm. Daily use supports skin barrier recovery and is very unlikely to cause irritation.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This cream is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores on sensitive skin because it avoids harsh ingredients and includes soothing agents like Beta-Glucan and Allantoin. It is safe for daily use, though sensitive skin prone to dryness often needs a richer moisturizer with stronger barrier-repairing ingredients to stay comfortable.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
This moisturizer is safe to use around the eyes and on the body because it has an excellent safety profile without harsh ingredients. To properly care for sensitive skin, a product of this type needs soothing ingredients like beta glucan and allantoin, alongside gentle hydrating factors to keep the skin calm and comfortable.
Is this cream 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, 2017Skin care regimens containing beta-glucan improved hemoglobin index, skin hydration, and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in 20 patients undergoing fractional laser therapy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021A topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020Treatment with topical formulations containing beta-glucan combined with nanofractional radiofrequency plus magnetic nanofractional radiofrequency showed the best efficacy and was tolerable and effective in Chinese women with abdominal stretch marks compared to control groups.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2023Topical beta-glucan mildly improved striae gravidarum, 1565-nm non-ablative fractional laser showed better results than topical beta-glucan, and the combined strategy further improved striae gravidarum atrophy compared to single treatment.
The Journal of Dermatology, 2022Topical application of oat beta-glucan ameliorates epidermal hyperplasia and accelerates epidermal barrier recovery by promoting keratinocyte differentiation through dectin-1-mediated ERK and p38 signaling pathways that upregulate CaSR expression.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021The 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 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, 2019Topical gel containing chitosan, 0.2% chlorhexidine, allantoin and dexpanthenol did not improve postoperative comfort regarding swelling and pain, but improved the wound's aesthetic appearance following impacted lower third molar extraction compared to no gel.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2016An overnight patch containing Allium cepa extract and allantoin safely promotes scar healing after dermatologic surgery, resulting in significantly greater reductions in observer- and patient-assessed POSAS scores compared to no treatment.
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2018Prophylactic application of a topical scar gel containing Allium cepae extract, allantoin, and heparin significantly improves patient-assessed scar color, stiffness, and irregularity compared to no treatment in women following a cesarean section.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2014
Ingredients
Water, Ppg-24-Glycereth-24, Propanediol, Betaine, Beta-Glucan, Arginine, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Proline, Threonine, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Glucose, Maltose, Fructose, Trehalose, Xylitol, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitylglucoside, Sodium Pca, Pca, Sodium Lactate, Urea, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sphingolipids, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, P-Anisic Acid, Aminomethyl Propanol, 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.
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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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