Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads for dry sensitive skin
Lactic Acid
Lactococcus Lysate Ferment
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter
Papain
Tocopheryl Acetate
Average
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for dry sensitive skin; other products fit it 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
- Offers moderate exfoliation for your dry or flaky skin due to lactic acid and papain, which provide mild exfoliation and skin renewal.
- The formula includes glycerin and shea butter for hydration and soothing, but lacks sufficient emollient and occlusive ingredients to fully address dryness.
- The safety profile is good, with no risks of irritation for your dry and sensitive skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components.
How to apply
- Use your exfoliant PM once a week to help with dryness. Start ⏳3 times a week only if your sensitive skin tolerates it well.
- Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toning, but always before your favorite moisturizer .
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin and avoid any rubbing. Let it absorb ⏱ for a minute before layering.
- Since your skin is reactive and sensitive, apply the exfoliant on completely dry skin for better tolerance.
- Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid the delicate eye area .
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 8.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users consistently praise these pads for delivering "glass-like" skin by smoothing rough texture and brightening dull complexions without the irritation often associated with acid exfoliators. While highly effective for reducing dark spots and milia, a small minority of users experienced purging or breakouts, and some found the strong fragrance polarizing.
Highlights
Smoother skin texture Mostly Mentioned
- “baby soft”
- “glass skin”
- “rough patches”
Brightening and radiance Often Mentioned
- “healthy glow”
- “radiant complexion”
- “brighter skin tone”
Gentle exfoliation Often Mentioned
- “non-irritating”
- “gentle enough for daily use”
- “safe for sensitive skin”
High price point Often Mentioned
- “expensive”
- “pricey”
- “luxury splurge”
Convenient application Sometimes Noted
- “pre-soaked”
- “easy one-step”
- “pleasant spa-like scent”
Reduces imperfections Sometimes Noted
- “faded dark spots”
- “reduced milia”
- “smaller appearing pores”
Breakouts or purging Rarely Noted
- “terrible spots”
- “purging phases”
- “worsened acne”
Drying or irritating Rarely Noted
- “dryness”
- “slight stinging”
- “redness”
Strong fragrance Rarely Noted
- “overpowering”
- “too strong”
- “perfumey”
Sources: lovi.care, dermstore.com, sephora.co.uk, ulta.com, johnlewis.com, lovelyskin.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well do Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads work for dry sensitive skin?
Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads work moderately well for dry sensitive skin by offering mild exfoliation and soothing components, but this skin type needs rich moisturizing ingredients, ceramides, and heavy sealing softeners to fully address dryness and support the skin barrier.
Which ingredients make this exfoliant a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
Lactic acid and papain help gently remove dry flakes and renew the skin, while glycerin and shea butter provide soothing hydration. To be a better fit for dry sensitive skin, this type of product needs richer moisturizing and sealing ingredients to fully lock in hydration and protect the skin barrier.
What does Lactic Acid do for dry sensitive skin?
Lactic acid helps hydrate dry skin, but for sensitive skin it may cause stinging and irritation unless it is formulated with soothing ingredients like colloidal oat or tangerine fruit extract to calm discomfort.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2021
What does Lactococcus Ferment Lysate do for dry sensitive skin?
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate helps calm dry, sensitive skin by strengthening the skin barrier and keeping moisture locked in. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may reduce redness while keeping the skin feeling soft and comfortable.
Where does this exfoliant go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This exfoliant treatment goes in your evening routine once a week. Because your dry sensitive skin needs more moisture, a product of this type needs rich moisturizing ingredients and rich barrier-protecting ingredients to keep your skin soft and smooth.
Can I use this exfoliant with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this exfoliant in your evening routine, but apply it on nights when you are not using retinol to prevent irritation. Since both products renew the skin, alternating them helps keep your dry and sensitive skin calm and smooth.
How often should I use this exfoliant?
Start using this exfoliant once a week in your evening routine, and if your skin tolerates it well and shows good results, you may carefully use it more often. This product works for your skin, though an average fit means it needs more rich moisturizing ingredients and heavy protective hydrators to fully address dryness.
Can this exfoliant clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This exfoliant is unlikely to cause breakouts or purging for your dry sensitive skin. Reviewers rarely report breakouts from this product, and its formula lacks heavy ingredients that typically clog pores.
Is this exfoliant fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum). Behenyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Application 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, 2020A 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 papain treatment may slightly decrease pain within 30 minutes in humans stung by Chrysaora chinensis compared to placebo.
Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 2016A fixed combination of hydroxypinacolone retinoate, retinol glycospheres, and papain glycospheres in aqueous gel applied once daily for 12 weeks achieved a 41% mean reduction in GAGS score and a 40.8% mean reduction in total lesions, with 15.3% of patients experiencing mild to moderate local side effects, in 94 evaluable patients with comedonal-papular, mild to moderate acne of the face.
Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2015Reflux extraction of Carica papaya leaves yielded higher antioxidant capacity and superior in vitro wound-healing activities including fibroblast proliferation, cell migration, and collagen synthesis in human skin fibroblasts compared to ultrasonic-assisted extraction and agitation.
Molecules, 2020Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Why other products fit dry sensitive skin better
Tocopherol succinate-loaded ethosomal gel increased skin deposition, stability, moisture, and mechanical properties in 13 human subjects compared to a control gel over 12 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022In 50 participants with sensitive skin, a Ceramide NP C15-containing emollient improved skin barrier function with a significant reduction in transepidermal water loss and induced modest changes in skin microbiota compared to the vehicle.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2026Hydrogels containing vitamin E-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers exhibited better occlusive properties and long-lasting effects, while vitamin E-loaded nanoemulsions performed a faster skin hydration effect and were selected as more attractive for skin application.
Colloids and Surfaces. B, Biointerfaces, 2019
Ingredients
Water, Butylene Glycol, Lactococcus Lysate Ferment, Polysorbate 20, Methyl Gluceth-20, Lactic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Betaine, Propylene Glycol, Disodium Edta, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Dehydroacetic Acid, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Papain, Saponins, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, Behenyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Stearyl Alcohol, Poria Cocos Extract, Protease, Saponaria Officinalis Root Extract Leaf, Subtilisin, Tocopheryl Acetate
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.