Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial for dry sensitive skin

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Glycerin
Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil
Average
- 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 moderate hydration for your dry and sensitive skin, as glycerin and shea butter provide emollient and barrier-repairing benefits to smooth and replenish lipids. Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil further supports barrier function by smoothing intercellular lipids.
- The formula is generally safe for your dry and sensitive skin, with no harsh ingredients identified that would cause irritation.
- While the product offers good moisturizing properties, its benefits are limited as it does not directly address specific skin concerns beyond general dryness.
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
★4.6Overall rating based on 6.6k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this prebiotic sleeping cream is highly regarded for its ability to make dull, thirsty skin appear plump and radiant by morning, thanks to its unique gel-cream texture that feels both lightweight and deeply nourishing. While many users enjoy its sweet, fruity scent, it is a polarizing feature that some find too strong, and a small number of users with very dry skin feel it may not be rich enough for winter use.
Highlights
Luxurious texture Mostly Mentioned
- “whipped silk feel”
- “melts into skin”
- “lightweight but rich”
- “non-greasy finish”
Pleasant scent Often Mentioned
- “smells like a tropical cocktail”
- “divine fruity aroma”
- “relaxing bedtime treat”
- “scent of summer”
Soft & plump Often Mentioned
- “baby soft skin”
- “plumped morning face”
- “erases fatigue lines”
- “bouncy texture”
Radiance & glow Sometimes Noted
- “morning glow”
- “brightens dullness”
- “looks well-rested”
- “dewy complexion”
Deceptive packaging Sometimes Noted
- “jar looks half empty”
- “huge air bubble inside”
- “misleading tub size”
- “less product than expected”
Overpowering fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “sickly sweet”
- “too strong/perfumed”
- “artificial candy smell”
- “migraine inducing”
Price vs. quantity Sometimes Noted
- “finished too quickly”
- “expensive for 50ml”
- “not worth full price”
- “runs out fast”
Not rich enough Rarely Noted
- “not hydrating enough for winter”
- “need a thicker cream”
- “skin still felt dry”
Sources: lovi.care, elemis.com, amazon.co.uk, boots.com, johnlewis.com, sephora.co.uk, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial work for dry sensitive skin?
Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial works well for dry sensitive skin, offering moderate hydration and smoothing benefits through glycerin, shea butter, and almond oil. It is generally safe and unlikely to cause irritation, though it does not target specific skin concerns beyond general dryness. To work better for dry sensitive skin, a product of this type needs highly effective soothing ingredients, rich nourishing agents like hyaluronic acid, and allergen-free formulas for deep hydration and barrier support.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
Glycerin, shea butter, and almond oil make this cream a good fit for dry sensitive skin by providing moisture and supporting the skin barrier. These ingredients help smooth and replenish the skin while keeping irritation unlikely. A product for this skin needs rich nourishing ingredients, soothing elements, and helpful moisture-locking components like glycerin or hyaluronic acid.
What does Sweet Almond Oil do for dry sensitive skin?
Sweet almond oil helps soothe dry sensitive skin by strengthening the skin barrier and keeping it soft and smooth. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may improve skin recovery.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2022Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine, 2025
What does Butyrospermum Parkii Butter do for dry sensitive skin?
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter helps keep dry sensitive skin soft and calm by strengthening the skin barrier and soothing irritation. This ingredient helps lock in moisture while protecting the skin from environmental stressors without clogging pores. A product for this skin type needs rich moisturizing ingredients like shea butter alongside soothing botanical agents to calm redness and restore comfort.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
It goes in the evening routine after your toner and before your moisturizer. A product of this type needs soothing ingredients and barrier-repairing oils like glycerin and shea butter to help smooth and replenish dry skin.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol by applying the retinol first and following with this moisturizer to help soothe the skin and lock in hydration. Using a barrier-supporting moisturizer alongside retinol helps reduce dryness and irritation while supporting your skin throughout the treatment process. Dry and sensitive skin of this type needs extra soothing ingredients and targeted anti-inflammatory benefits beyond basic moisture.
How often should I use it?
You can use this moisturizing treatment as part of your evening routine to help keep your dry, sensitive skin soft and hydrated. A product of this type for your skin needs soothing ingredients and extra moisture-locking benefits to fully calm dryness and strengthen your skin barrier.
Health Science Reports, 2021Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This cream is unlikely to clog pores, cause breakouts, or lead to purging for your dry sensitive skin. Its formula is generally safe and free of harsh ingredients that typically cause irritation.
Can I use it around the eyes or on my body?
This moisturizing treatment is safe to use around your eyes and on your body, though it is primarily formulated for the face. While it offers moderate hydration for dry skin, a product of this type needs richer oils, ceramides, and targeted soothing ingredients to properly comfort very thin or dry skin on the body and around the eyes.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum, limonene, linalool, benzyl alcohol, citronellol, and citral).
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, 2017A 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, 2025The 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, 2012Nanostructured lipid carriers prepared with glyceryl distearate and Passiflora edulis seed oil using ultrasonication exhibited superior physicochemical properties, high occlusion, and non-irritant potential in the HET-CAM assay compared to other tested formulations.
Colloids and Surfaces. B, Biointerfaces, 2020
Ingredients
Water, Peg-8, Glycerin, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phenoxyethanol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Parfum, Carbomer, Disodium Edta, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Bentonite, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Limonene, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Propanediol, Glyceryl Acrylate Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Linalool, Benzyl Alcohol, Citronellol, Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Litsea Cubeba Oil Fruit, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Musa Sapientum Flower Extract, Citral, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Tocopherol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate
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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