No7 Total Renewal Micro-Dermabrasion Exfoliator for dry skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

Alumina
Glycerin
Dimethicone
Mineral Oil
Caprylic Capric Triglyceride

Average

AverageDry Skin Fit
AverageEffectiveness
HighSafety

Works for dry skin; other exfoliants fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, 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 due to alumina, which provides physical exfoliation suitable for your dry skin, while glycerin offers some hydration. However, the formula lacks sufficient emollient and occlusive ingredients to fully address your dryness.
The product provides general skincare benefits that are mostly supportive for your dry or flaky skin.
The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your dry skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.

How to apply

Use this exfoliant as part of your PM routine once a week, increasing slowly to twice a week if your dry skin tolerates it well. Always remember to apply SPF every morning to protect your newly smoothed skin.
Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toning, but always before your rich moisturizer.
Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin and let it absorb for a minute. Avoid rubbing to prevent any irritation on flaky areas.
Apply the product directly to dry clean skin to ensure the best possible tolerance for your dry type. This helps address flaky patches without causing extra stress.
Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a quick patch test before your very first use. Do not mix this with other strong acids or retinoids on the same night.

People Say

★4.8Overall rating based on 800+ reviews

Users with dullness, fine lines, and acne scars frequently report significantly smoother, softer, and more radiant skin, often comparing the results to professional treatments. While highly effective for refining texture and minimizing pores, the physical exfoliation can be too abrasive for sensitive or active acne-prone skin if not used with caution.

Highlights

Soft and smooth skin Mostly Mentioned
- “skin feels so soft”
- “leaves skin feeling smooth”
- “baby soft results”
- “smoother texture immediately”
Effective deep exfoliation Often Mentioned
- “sweeps away dead cells”
- “deep clean feeling”
- “very effective scrub”
- “best bang for buck”
Radiant and glowing Often Mentioned
- “healthier glow”
- “incredible radiance”
- “brighter complexion”
- “looks fresh and alive”
Refines pores and texture Sometimes Noted
- “pores have closed up”
- “pores look smaller”
- “refined skin texture”
- “minimized imperfections”
Caused redness/irritation Rarely Noted
- “skin looked pink”
- “burning sensation”
- “left face red”
- “irritated my cheeks”
No visible improvement Rarely Noted
- “saw no difference”
- “didn't help fine lines”
- “just a basic scrub”
- “waste of money”
Too harsh/abrasive Rarely Noted
- “scratched my face”
- “too rough for sensitive skin”
- “felt like sandpaper”
- “left skin raw”
Worsened skin condition Rarely Noted
- “pores looked bigger”
- “made acne worse”
- “caused breakouts”
- “skin looked worse”

Sources: lovi.care, boots.com, walmart.com, influenster.com, no7beauty.com, thirteenthoughts.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does the Total Renewal Micro-Dermabrasion Exfoliator work for dry skin?

This exfoliant works moderately well for dry skin, giving you some hydration while removing dead skin cells without causing irritation. However, because it lacks enough smoothing and sealing ingredients to fully lock in moisture, a product for this skin type needs extra soothing and healing components along with rich softening and sealing ingredients to provide optimal hydration.

Life, 2023

Which ingredients make this exfoliant a good fit for dry skin?

Glycerin helps provide some hydration for dry skin, while mineral oil and dimethicone help keep moisture locked in. However, this type of skin needs a formula with richer emollients and protective sealants to fully address dryness.

What does Alumina do for dry skin?

Alumina in microdermabrasion removes dead skin cells and temporarily increases hydration in dry skin. It may cause temporary redness and mild barrier changes, but the skin barrier typically recovers within 24 hours.

Dermatologic Surgery, 2002 Dermatologic Surgery, 2004

What does Glycerin do for dry skin?

Glycerin helps dry skin by drawing in moisture and keeping it locked in, which makes the skin feel much softer and smoother. It also supports your natural skin barrier to stop water from escaping easily. A product for dry skin needs extra ingredients like hyaluronic acid and soothing plant extracts to truly calm and hydrate dry patches.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017 The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008

Where does this exfoliant go in a skincare routine for dry skin?

This exfoliant fits into a dry skin routine as a weekly step, starting once a week after cleansing and before a nourishing mask and moisturizer. While glycerin helps hydrate, this product of this type needs richer softening and sealing ingredients like petrolatum, shea butter, or plant oils to fully lock in moisture and comfort dry skin.

Can I use this exfoliant with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this exfoliant on your dry skin, but use it on a different night than your retinol to help prevent irritation. This product has a very safe profile with no harsh ingredients.

How often should I use this exfoliant?

You can use this exfoliant once a week to start. An exfoliant of this type needs richer hydrating and barrier-locking ingredients to fully care for dry skin.

Can this exfoliant clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?

This exfoliant is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry skin. It has a very safe formula with no harsh ingredients that typically trigger irritation.

Is this exfoliant fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.

4 more questions

What the research says

Topical application of an emollient emulsion containing 15.0% caprylic/capric triglyceride doubled the amount of urocanic acid isomers and increased skin hydration with reduced transepidermal water loss in healthy subjects, though it did not prevent ultraviolet-induced urocanic acid isomerization.
Life, 2023
Both sodium chloride and aluminum oxide microdermabrasion altered the epidermal barrier by significantly increasing transepidermal water loss and hydration at 24 hours in eight patients.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2002
Aluminum oxide crystal microdermabrasion resulted in mild subjective and clinical improvement, increased skin temperature, decreased sebum content, temporary increased roughness, decreased skin stiffness, increased skin compliance, and histological vascular changes in ten subjects with photodamaged skin compared to baseline measurements.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2001
Aluminum oxide microdermabrasion facial treatments in eleven volunteers resulted in clinical improvements in dyschromia, actinic changes, and fine rhytides, along with epidermal and dermal histological changes, compared to controls.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2002
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, 2017
The 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, 2020
Ten 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, 2001
Wearing 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, 2024
A 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, 2000
Treatment 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
Repeated application of concentrated water-in-oil emulsions over four weeks caused no skin irritation, positively affected skin properties, and delivered almost 50% of the applied fluorescein sodium, with isopropyl myristate showing superior penetration performance compared to liquid paraffin in healthy volunteers.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2019

6 more studies

Why other exfoliants fit dry skin better

Topical water-in-oil cream containing 3% Crocus sativus extract demonstrated absolute physical stability across various storage conditions and produced a significant increase in skin moisture and changes in transepidermal water loss compared to the base in human volunteers.
Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2014

Ingredients

Water, Alumina, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum Mineral Oil, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Petrolatum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Peg-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Xanthan Gum, Tetrasodium Edta

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.

Nadia Kapleva, MS

Co-founder, Medical Director

Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
Alexey Shagraev, PhD

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
Aishani Shah, MD

Medical Board

Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
Asya Zubkova, MS

Medical Board

Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
Hanna Kurets, MD

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