Bayer Skinoren Cream 20% for dry sensitive skin
Azelaic Acid
Benzoic Acid
Glycerin
Cetearyl Alcohol
Glyceryl Stearate
Low
- LowDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- Low RiskSafety
A weak match for dry sensitive skin; the serums alongside 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.
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Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers excellent treatment for acne and hyperpigmentation due to azelaic acid, but it may be drying for your dry and sensitive skin, and lacks specialized ingredients for dryness and sensitivity.
- While glycerin and water provide some hydration, the formula is moderately unsuitable for dry skin due to the drying effect of azelaic acid and insufficient emollient and humectant ingredients.
- The product is generally safe for your skin, with a low risk of irritation from benzoic acid.
How to apply
- Use this PM routine for your evening skincare. Start using the serum 3 times a week and increase to daily use if your skin feels comfortable.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer. This step locks in deep hydration for dry skin.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin using your palms. Let it absorb completely for a minute ⏱ before applying your next product.
- Since your skin is sensitive, apply the serum on completely dry skin for better tolerance and less irritation.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Always do a patch test before your first use to ensure your skin reacts well.
People Say
★4.0Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsA significant number of reviewers note that patience is required due to a slow initial working period and common side effects like intense itching and dryness upon application.
Highlights
Clears active acne Mostly Mentioned
- “Cleared cystic acne”
- “Stopped new breakouts”
- “Pimples disappear in days”
- “Heals spots faster”
Itching and stinging Mostly Mentioned
- “Pins and needles”
- “Burned like fire”
- “Itches every time”
- “Stings for 15 mins”
Fades dark spots Often Mentioned
- “Faded red marks”
- “Lightened acne scars”
- “Removed hyperpigmentation”
- “Evened skin tone”
Drying and flaking Often Mentioned
- “Skin became flaky”
- “Dried out lips”
- “Tight chalky feeling”
- “Caused peeling”
Reduces redness Sometimes Noted
- “Less pink skin”
- “Inflammation went down”
- “Soothed angry spots”
Smooths skin texture Sometimes Noted
- “Skin feels smoother”
- “Reduced oiliness”
- “Unclogged pores”
- “Mattifies the skin”
Initial purging phase Sometimes Noted
- “Worse before better”
- “Broke out initially”
- “More whiteheads appeared”
- “Caused a purge”
Slow onset Sometimes Noted
- “Took 4-8 weeks”
- “Results are slow”
- “Requires patience”
- “Months to see difference”
Sources: lovi.care, acne.org, gopicky.com, skinsort.com, reddit.com, superdrug.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is Skinoren Cream 20% a weak match for dry sensitive skin?
This cream is a weak match for your dry and sensitive skin because azelaic acid may be drying and the formula lacks enough moisturizing and soothing ingredients. Treatments for this skin need effective hydrating and nourishing ingredients, such as ceramides, that provide moisture retention and skin barrier support without irritation.
Which ingredients make this cream a poor fit for dry sensitive skin?
Azelaic acid makes this cream a poor fit for dry sensitive skin because it may be drying, and the formula lacks enough ingredients that deeply hydrate and soothe. A treatment for this skin needs rich, nourishing hydrators, skin barrier protectors, and gentle soothing ingredients to keep skin soft and comfortable.
What does Azelaic Acid do for dry sensitive skin?
Azelaic acid is generally not an ideal fit for dry sensitive skin because it may cause stinging, irritation, or dryness, though it can help calm redness and soothe inflammation when formulated gently. To work well for dry sensitive skin, a product of this type needs calming plant extracts, rich moisturizers, and barrier-repairing ingredients to keep the skin soft and comfortable.
What does Benzoic Acid do for dry sensitive skin?
Benzoic acid helps keep formulas safe and stable for your skin. It is unlikely to irritate dry sensitive skin when used at standard amounts in products.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after toner and before moisturizer, starting just once a week. Because azelaic acid may dry out your skin, this type of product needs extra soothing, hydrating ingredients and rich softeners to keep dry and sensitive skin comfortable.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
This cream is a weak match for your dry and sensitive skin because azelaic acid may be drying and lacks specialized ingredients for dryness and sensitivity, so using it with retinol risks severe irritation. To safely manage acne and dark spots on this skin type, a product needs gentle azelaic acid paired with rich moisturizing ingredients that comfort dry skin.
How often should I use this cream?
This treatment is best used once a week at night to start, as it may be drying for your dry and sensitive skin. If your skin feels comfortable and tolerates it well, you can carefully use it more often. A product for this skin type needs extra hydrating ingredients and soothing agents to keep skin soft and calm.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This cream may cause a moderate initial purging phase along with drying, flaking, itching, and stinging on your dry and sensitive skin. It is a weak match for this skin type and needs soothing, moisture-binding ingredients and rich softening agents to prevent dryness.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Azelaic acid nanocrystal hydrogel 10% achieved a higher success rate and greater lesion reduction than azelaic acid cream 20% in patients with mild to moderate facial acne.
Pharmaceutics, 2021Application of 15% azelaic acid gel significantly reduced post-inflammatory erythema and hyperpigmentation, decreased hemoglobin and melanin content, improved quality of life, and contributed to acne improvement in patients with mild to moderate acne compared to placebo.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2024Topical application of a dermocosmetic containing Myrtus communis extract and azelaic acid reduced acne relapses and helped maintain remission compared to a light moisturizing cream in adult females in the acne maintenance phase over 16 weeks.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2023Topical administration of 20% azelaic acid cream and 5% tranexamic acid solution comparably improved acne-related postinflammatory hyperpigmentation in patients with acne vulgaris, while tranexamic acid demonstrated a significantly better safety profile at week 4.
Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 2023Azelaic acid 15% gel showed comparable efficacy to adapalene 0.1% gel in reducing lesions, severity, and Dermatology Life Quality Index in women with adult acne, with significantly lower dryness and scaling, and demonstrated superiority during maintenance compared to no further treatment.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2015Trioxsalen bath PUVA therapy suppressed nonimmunologic immediate contact reactions to benzoic acid and methyl nicotinate in 12 dermatologic patients, with the suppressive effect intensifying during therapy.
International Journal of Dermatology, 1989A 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, 2001
Why other serums 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, 2022Topical application of TAT-SOD significantly suppresses UVB-induced erythema formation, blood flow rise, and apoptotic sunburn cell formation in human volunteers compared to a vehicle control.
European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 2016
Ingredients
Azelaic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Cocoglycerides, Benzoic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate Malate, Cetearyl Nonanoate, Cetearyl Octanoate, Stearoyl Macrogolglycerides, Peg-30 Stearate
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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