COSRX The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum for sensitive skin

Sodium Hyaluronate
Ceramide Np
Amino Acids
Glycerin
Betaine
Average
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for sensitive skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
- Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. 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 benefits for your normal skin, as glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide excellent moisturizing and plumping effects, supporting your redness and irritation concerns.
- While the formula is generally safe and free from harsh ingredients for your sensitive skin, it lacks targeted anti-inflammatory components to directly address your primary concerns.
- The product is safe for your sensitive skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients, ensuring no risks of irritation.
How to apply
- Use this soothing AM and PM routine every day to keep your normal skin calm. Always remember to apply SPF in the morning after your moisturizer.
- Apply your moisturizer after your toner in the morning, and after your serum in the evening. This step locks in hydration and protects your skin.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer evenly across your face. Avoid rubbing to keep your sensitive skin happy and calm.
- You can apply this gentle formula on dry or slightly damp skin for the best comfort. It works wonderfully on clean skin to soothe redness and irritation.
- Do a patch test before your very first use to check your skin's reaction. Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes .
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 1.2k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this serum is highly praised for its ability to deeply hydrate and plump the skin, providing an immediate dewy effect. Many users value its hydrating properties and fast absorption, with moderate mentions of it strengthening the skin barrier and improving texture. A significant number of reviewers find the bottle size to be too small, leading to it running out quickly, and some note a sticky finish. There are also moderate comments regarding the price and low mentions of packaging issues.
Highlights
Small bottle size Mostly Mentioned
- “only 20mls... significantly less product”
- “ran out fast compared to other serums”
- “bottle only lasts about a month”
- “wish the size was bigger”
Deep hydration Often Mentioned
- “skin felt firm and plump”
- “leaves my skin feeling super hydrated”
- “hydration hits your skin instantly”
- “makes my skin feel plump and smooth”
Fast absorption Often Mentioned
- “absorbs fast into the skin”
- “extremely lightweight serum that isn't greasy”
- “dries down really silky smooth”
- “penetrates the skin quickly”
Improves skin texture Sometimes Noted
- “smooths out and plumps”
- “dry patches... stayed smooth”
- “makeup applies more smoothly”
- “leaves a smooth and hydrated finish”
Strengthens skin barrier Sometimes Noted
- “effective at supporting my skin barrier”
- “soothing effect on my skin barrier”
- “ceramides help strengthen compromised skin”
- “protects against dryness and dehydration”
Price per value Sometimes Noted
- “expensive for me”
- “price point is pretty steep”
- “costs so much money relative to the original”
- “would probably only grab this during a sale”
Sticky finish Sometimes Noted
- “feels slightly sticky”
- “slightly tacky feel”
- “formula does lean a bit sticky”
- “sticky residue that bothers me”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “packaging is terrible”
- “cannot get the last drops”
- “wish the cap were a bit more sturdy”
- “too heavy bottle”
Sources: lovi.care, iherb.com, cosrx.com, lookfantastic.ie, walmart.com, ulta.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does COSRX Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum work for sensitive skin?
This serum is generally safe for sensitive skin and provides moderate hydration without causing irritation, though it lacks targeted anti-inflammatory ingredients to calm redness directly. A moisturizing treatment for sensitive skin needs soothing plant extracts and calming ingredients to effectively address redness and irritation.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Skin Research and Technology, 2003
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for sensitive skin?
Sodium hyaluronate, glycerin, and betaine help make this serum a good fit by providing gentle moisture and helping keep irritation low. However, this skin type often needs a moisturizing treatment that also includes targeted soothing plant extracts or anti-inflammatory components to better calm redness.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Skin Research and Technology, 2003
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for sensitive skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps calm and hydrate sensitive skin while supporting the skin barrier to keep it soft and comfortable. Clinical studies show it improves surface moisture and reduces dryness, roughness, and redness without irritation.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2025Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2018
What do Ceramides do for sensitive skin?
Ceramides help calm sensitive skin by strengthening the protective barrier, which may reduce discomfort and sensitivity over time. This type of product works best when it contains properly dissolved ceramides combined with soothing ingredients to support the skin without causing irritation.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2018Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2026
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This serum goes in the evening routine after your soothing toner and before your moisturizer. It is safe for your sensitive skin because it lacks harsh ingredients, though a product for this skin also needs targeted soothing components to calm redness and irritation.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol, applying it right before your retinol to keep your skin hydrated and help reduce dryness. This type of routine works best for sensitive skin when it also includes targeted soothing ingredients to calm irritation and redness.
How often should I use this serum?
This serum works well when used in the evening as part of your routine. Daily application helps keep sensitive skin hydrated and is unlikely to cause irritation.
Health Science Reports, 2021Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for sensitive skin, as it is generally safe and free from harsh ingredients. However, it lacks targeted anti-inflammatory components, so sensitive skin prone to redness and irritation needs soothing ingredients like Centella asiatica and calming botanical extracts.
Can I use this serum around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizing treatment around the eyes and on the body, as it has a safe profile without harsh ingredients. However, because it provides only an average fit for sensitive skin, using it on delicate areas like the eyelids or dry body skin needs calming ingredients like soothing plant extracts and barrier-strengthening ceramides to properly care for those thin regions.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol).
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, 2017Hyaluronic acid extracts are safe and efficacious products for skin repair when used in tissue regeneration alone or in combination with herbal or Western medicine.
Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Soaps containing betaine caused the least skin irritation compared to other tested soaps in twenty-eight healthy subjects, though irritation did not decrease with increasing concentrations of betaine.
Skin Research and Technology, 2003A combination of Aloe barbadensis leaf extract and trimethylglycine in a 1:1 mass ratio synergistically increased aquaporin 3 expression by up to 380% in keratinocytes and safely improved skin hydration in healthy volunteers.
Molecules, 2024Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019The 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, 2012Topical dry mouth products containing olive oil, betaine, and xylitol significantly increased unstimulated whole salivary flow rates, reduced xerostomia complaints, and improved quality of life in adults with polypharmacy-induced xerostomia compared to their normal routine care, with no clinically significant adverse events.
Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, 2007Mixed surfactant systems of sodium dodecyl sulfate and dimethyl dodecyl amido betaine significantly reduce acute skin irritation potential in human volunteers compared with the individual surfactants, demonstrating that irritation potential cannot be predicted by simple summation.
Food and Chemical Toxicology, 1998Polyhexanide/betaine may be nontoxic and effective in enhancing wound healing, whereas the majority of other topical cleaning agents are locally toxic and of limited or no proven efficacy.
Advances in Skin & Wound Care, 2013
Ingredients
Water, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Betaine, Xanthan Gum, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Pca, Sodium Lactate, Pca, Glyceryl Acrylate Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Sodium Phytate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Pvm Ma Copolymer, Glutamic Acid, Citric Acid, Lysine Hcl, Threonine, Arginine, Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate, Proline, Ceramide Np, Cholesterol, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Phytosphingosine, Stearic Acid, Oleic Acid, Alcohol, Tocopherol, Lactic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic 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
-

Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
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