Balance Me Congested Skin Serum for dry skin

Average
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for dry skin; other serums 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 suitability for your dry skin due to glycerin providing humectant action, but it lacks sufficient emollients like rice bran oil and moringa oleifera seed oil to fully address dryness.
- The presence of Picea Abies Extract and Iris Florentina Root Extract is beneficial for decongesting pores and smoothing texture, which are secondary concerns for your dry or flaky skin.
- The formulation is safe for your dry skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Apply this serum PM, starting 3×/week and working up to daily use as your skin adjusts.
- Place the serum after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the serum on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra moisture.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.0Overall rating based on 1.2k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with oily, acne-prone, and sensitive skin frequently praise this serum as an effective "on-the-spot" treatment that rapidly calms inflammation and reduces redness without causing dryness. While many appreciate its natural ability to clear blemishes and hormonal breakouts within days, a notable portion of users are divided on its strong herbal scent and small bottle size.
Highlights
Rapidly clears blemishes Often Mentioned
- “Spots disappear within a few hours”
- “Breakout almost gone in a day or two”
- “Gone in half the time”
Soothes redness Often Mentioned
- “Reduces redness overnight”
- “Calms inflammation instantly”
- “Takes the anger out of spots”
Strong medicinal scent Often Mentioned
- “Smells strongly of medicine”
- “Scent is a bit much”
- “Smell is off-putting”
Lightweight absorption Sometimes Noted
- “Absorbs very quickly”
- “Not greasy”
- “Sinks in immediately”
Non-drying and gentle Sometimes Noted
- “Doesn't leave a tacky feel”
- “No dryness or irritation”
- “Gentle enough for sensitive skin”
Small bottle size Sometimes Noted
- “Wish it was a bigger bottle”
- “Expensive for the size”
- “Tiny tube”
Ineffective for some Rarely Noted
- “Did nothing for my skin”
- “Saw no difference”
- “Ineffective on my acne”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “Pump dispenses too much”
- “Hard to control amount”
- “Lid broke easily”
Sources: lovi.care, ipsy.com, amazon.com, lookfantastic.com, ocado.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Balance Me Congested Skin Serum work for dry skin?
Balance Me Congested Skin Serum works moderately well for dry skin because it includes glycerin to help hold in moisture, though it lacks enough rich oils to fully relieve dryness. A treatment for dry skin needs plenty of soothing hydration and barrier-supporting ingredients like ceramides, niacinamide, or peptides to deeply nourish and maintain a healthy glow.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for dry skin?
Glycerin helps make this serum an average fit for dry skin by drawing in moisture, though it lacks enough oils like rice bran oil and moringa seed oil to fully address dryness. A product for this skin needs rich hydrating and barrier-supporting ingredients like ceramides, niacinamide, or peptides to nourish and prevent dryness.
What does Moringa Seed Oil do for dry skin?
Moringa seed oil helps hydrate dry skin and keeps it feeling soft and smooth. It also helps calm redness and supports skin comfort without causing irritation.
What does Kanuka Oil do for dry skin?
Kanuka oil helps soothe and comfort dry skin while keeping it soft and smooth. It may also calm irritation and support a healthy skin barrier.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
Apply this treatment in the evening routine, putting it after cleansing and before your moisturizer. This serum offers moderate suitability for your dry skin because glycerin provides moisture-holding action, but it needs richer softening ingredients like rice bran oil and moringa oleifera seed oil to fully address dryness.
Can I use this serum with salicylic acid, and in what order?
You can use this serum with salicylic acid by applying salicylic acid first and following with this serum. This product is safe for your dry skin with no risks of irritation. However, a product for dry skin needs rich moisturizing oils and extra softening ingredients to fully address dryness.
How often should I use it?
Apply this treatment in the evening, using it up to once a day as your skin tolerates. To better fit your dry skin, a product of this type needs more richer skin-softening ingredients to fully tackle dryness.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry skin, as its formula has a safe profile with no harsh ingredients. It helps smooth texture and clears pores, though a product for dry skin also needs richer oils and softening ingredients to fully tackle dryness.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (benzyl alcohol, limonene, linalool, citral, geraniol, citronellol, and eugenol).
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, 2017Emulgels containing Perilla frutescens seed oil, Moringa oleifera seed oil, and mixed seed oil microemulsions exhibit good stability, lack of cytotoxicity in PBMC, and no skin irritation or allergic reactions in human subjects.
Polymers, 2022A rice bran oil nanoemulsion formulated using low energy methods showed low irritation potential in vitro and improved skin moisture while maintaining normal skin pH in human volunteers during in vivo assessments.
Journal of Nanobiotechnology, 2011Moringa seed oil stimulated sebaceous lipogenesis, reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion, and exhibited a low n-6/n-3 index in cultured human SZ95 sebocytes compared to untreated cells.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2023Topical Moringa oleifera seed oil and its main constituent oleic acid reduced acute and chronic skin inflammation and epidermal hypertrophy in mice through glucocorticoid receptor activation without dexamethasone-like adverse effects on organ weights.
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2020Topical CE Ferulic plus resveratrol BE serum following ablative fractional CO2 laser treatment reduced erythema index (308.9 vs. 325.3), shortened complete scabbing detachment time (6.0 vs. 6.5 days), decreased melanin index (-7.4% vs. +0.2%), and improved skin hydration compared to normal saline in 51 Chinese patients.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2024Resveratrol cream improved skin hydration and tightening compared to cream without resveratrol in a group of probands.
Acta Biochimica Polonica, 2019Topical treatment with a combination of pyridine-2, 4-dicarboxylic acid diethyl ester and resveratrol significantly increased hair density in 79 Caucasian female subjects starting from 1.5 months compared to baseline.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010Polysaccharide-based O/W emulsions incorporated with lavender essential oil applied to cellulosic support are non-irritating, provide softness and moisturizing effects, and are safe for topical patch applications.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021Gellan gum hydrogel films co-encapsulating ofloxacin with tea tree or lavender oil achieved 98% wound contraction and completely healed epidermis in rats after ten days of treatment compared to baseline.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021Topical application of lavender oil significantly promoted wound contraction, collagen synthesis, and fibroblast differentiation with up-regulation of TGF-beta in a rat model compared to control.
BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2016
Why other serums fit dry skin better
A topical serum containing vitamin C, vitamin E, and raspberry leaf cell culture extract improved skin color, elasticity, radiance, smoothness, scaliness, and wrinkles compared to the untreated contralateral side in fifty female volunteers.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Treatment with cross-linked hyaluronic acid-based microneedle patches combined with acetyl hexapeptide-8 or epidermal growth factor significantly improved wrinkles and skin hydration compared to the patch alone in Korean females over 29 days.
Annals of Dermatology, 2019
Ingredients
Water, Rice Bran Oil, Glycerin, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil Moringa Seed Oil, Picea Abies Extract Spruce Knot Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Papaver Rhoeas Flower Extract Corn Poppy Flower Extract, Iris Florentina Root Extract Iris Root Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil Flower Lavender Oil Flower, Lemon Peel Oil, Litsea Cubeba Oil Fruit, Eucalyptus Globulus Oil Leaf Eucalyptus Oil Leaf, Anthemis Nobilis Oil Flower Chamomile Oil Flower, Kunzea Ericoides Oil Leaf Kanuka Oil Leaf, Clove Oil Bud, Chondrus Crispus, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate, Dilauryl Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Citric Acid, Limonene, Linalool, Citral, Geraniol, Citronellol, Eugenol
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?
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