Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Facial Moisturizer for dry sensitive skin
Glycerin
Niacinamide
DimethiconeAverage
- HighDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for dry sensitive skin; other moisturizers 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 excellent moisturizing for your dry skin due to the presence of glycerin and panthenol, which hydrate and enhance barrier resilience.
- While the formula is highly suitable for dry skin and generally safe for sensitive skin, it lacks specialized ingredients to directly address flakiness.
- The product is safe for your dry and sensitive skin as it contains no harsh or prohibited ingredients.
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
★4.5Overall rating based on 2.8k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users consistently praise this moisturizer for its lightweight, non-greasy formula that effectively hydrates sensitive and acne-prone skin without clogging pores. Most find it soothing and compatible with makeup. A minority of users with highly reactive skin report stinging sensations or dislike the chemical scent associated with the SPF variant.
Highlights
Lightweight & non-greasy Mostly Mentioned
- “feels like nothing”
- “absorbs instantly”
- “no oily residue”
- “super light texture”
Gentle on sensitive skin Often Mentioned
- “no irritation”
- “calms redness”
- “doesn't burn”
Hydrating & softening Often Mentioned
- “leaves skin soft”
- “eliminates dry patches”
- “keeps face moisturized”
- “smooths texture”
Good under makeup Sometimes Noted
- “perfect base”
- “no pilling”
- “makeup sits well”
- “doesn't slide off”
Non-comedogenic Sometimes Noted
- “won't clog pores”
- “no new breakouts”
- “acne-safe”
- “clear skin maintained”
Unpleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “chemical smell”
- “strong sunscreen odor”
- “smells like plastic”
- “weird fragrance”
Formula change Rarely Noted
- “preferred old formula”
- “new version is worse”
- “consistency changed”
- “not as effective”
Greasy finish Rarely Noted
- “left a shine”
- “too dewy”
- “made me oily”
- “slick residue”
Insufficient moisture Rarely Noted
- “not hydrating enough”
- “need to reapply”
- “too thin for winter”
- “skin felt tight”
Stinging sensation Rarely Noted
- “burned my face”
- “stings upon application”
- “caused redness”
- “irritated my eyes”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, walmart.com, target.com, ulta.com, hometesterclub.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Facial Moisturizer work for dry sensitive skin?
This moisturizer works reasonably well for dry sensitive skin by providing good hydration, though other products fit it better. A product of this type needs soothing ingredients, deep moisture, and barrier support without any risk of irritation to truly thrive on dry sensitive skin.
Which ingredients make this moisturizer a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
Glycerin and panthenol make this moisturizer a good fit because they hydrate your dry skin and help strengthen its protective barrier. To work best for dry and sensitive skin, this type of product also needs soothing ingredients and moisture-locking agents like hyaluronic acid that address flakiness and nourish the skin without irritation.
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
What does Niacinamide do for dry sensitive skin?
Niacinamide helps dry sensitive skin by calming irritation and keeping moisture locked in so your face feels soft and smooth. It works to build up your skin barrier and calm redness while being very gentle and unlikely to cause irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2004International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2013
Where does this moisturizer go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This moisturizer goes in the evening routine as the final step after your treatment, and in your weekly routine after a nourishing mask and treatment. A product for this skin needs nourishing ingredients like glycerin and panthenol to hydrate and soften dry skin, along with specialized ingredients to tackle flakiness.
Can I use this moisturizer with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizer with retinol in the evening after your treatment step to help keep your skin comfortable. A moisturizer of this type for dry sensitive skin needs barrier-supporting ingredients and soothing agents to help reduce dryness and irritation.
How often should I use this moisturizer?
You can use this moisturizer daily in your evening routine to keep your skin hydrated and comfortable. To better care for dry sensitive skin, this type of product also needs specialized ingredients that directly smooth away flakiness.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this moisturizer clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This moisturizer is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on dry sensitive skin, as it is formulated without heavy oils and is generally safe. However, because it is only an average fit for your skin type, a product for dry sensitive skin needs extra soothing ingredients and richer hydrators like ceramides or shea butter to keep your skin smooth and comfortable.
Can I use this moisturizer around the eyes or on my body?
This moisturizer is generally safe to use on the body and around the eyes, though the skin there is thinner and may need extra richness. It helps keep skin soft and hydrated with ingredients like glycerin and panthenol, but a product of this type needs richer oils and specialized ingredients to properly care for very dry or flaky areas on the body.
Is this moisturizer fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetyl alcohol and cetearyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.
What the research says
A new topical panthenol-containing emollient significantly improved transepidermal water loss reduction, stratum corneum hydration, and intercellular lipid lamellae length compared with control in healthy subjects without negatively impacting bacterial viability.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002A 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, 2017The 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, 2001Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005Wearing an N95 mask alone compared to using dimethicone cream or hydrocolloid dressing caused more adverse skin reactions among 73 military health care workers, with no significant differences in fit test failure rates between groups.
Military Medicine, 2024A dimethicone skin protectant lotion significantly decreased visual scoring and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control and SLS-only treated sites in 12 healthy humans exposed to sodium lauryl sulfate.
Skin Research and Technology, 2000Treatment with a moisturizer containing dimethicone and glycerine increased epidermal thickness by 0.019 mm, improved barrier function by decreasing transepidermal water loss by 13%, decreased melanin intensity, and induced keratins 6 and 16 in fifteen women with moderately photoaged forearms.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2007
Why other moisturizers fit dry sensitive skin better
Cosmetic formulations containing 5% Centella asiatica extract showed the best efficacy in improving skin moisture and decreasing transepidermal water loss, while also exhibiting antiinflammatory properties in 25 volunteers compared to baseline measurements.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Nanoemulsions containing Macadamia integrifolia seed oil successfully enhanced skin hydration and reduced wrinkles in human volunteers, outperforming conventional emulsions in skin hydration enhancement.
Nanomaterials, 2024
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Ether, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Stearic Acid, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceteareth-20, Sodium Hydroxide, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Citrate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citric Acid
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
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.