La Mer The Serum Essence for dry sensitive skin
Algae Extract
Niacin
Squalane
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8Average
- HighDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for dry sensitive skin; other serums 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 and barrier support for your dry and sensitive skin, with glycerin and sodium hyaluronate providing humectant action while dimethicone and polysilicone-11 offer emollient benefits.
- Palmitoyl hexapeptide-12 and algae extract contribute to smoothing texture and enhancing barrier resilience, though the concentrations may not fully address significant dryness or flakiness.
- The product is safe for your skin, as it contains no harsh ingredients and includes soothing components like algae extract and glycerin.
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
★4.6Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsLa Mer The Serum Essence is widely praised by long-term users for its ability to hydrate, firm, and improve the overall texture of aging skin. While many report a more youthful, plump, and resilient complexion, some users with sensitive skin or specific climate needs have experienced irritation or dryness, and the high price point remains a significant point of contention.
Highlights
Deeply hydrating Mostly Mentioned
- “Keeps older skin moisturized and less dry”
- “Feels very nice and hydrating on the skin”
- “Helps keep my face more hydrated”
Extremely expensive Mostly Mentioned
- “It's expensive and there are many serums out there for half the price”
- “It's a little expensive but one bottle lasts a year”
Improves skin firmness Often Mentioned
- “Helps reveal firmer, smoother, more lifted-feeling skin”
- “My skin was firm, I had less wrinkles”
- “Skin felt and looked more firm and plump”
Poor bottle design Often Mentioned
- “No way you're going to be able to get all the product out”
- “Paddle applicator does not allow you to reach the bottom”
- “Hard to overturn the bottle to get the rest of the product”
Refines skin texture Sometimes Noted
- “Effective in addressing wrinkles and improving skin texture”
- “Pores and fine lines were less visible”
- “Texture of my skin was satiny smooth”
Potential irritation Rarely Noted
- “I noticed my skin seemed a bit red and irritated”
- “Experienced a burning sensation”
- “Product dried out my skin and created a bit of texture”
Sources: lovi.care, cremedelamer.com, nordstrom.com, bloomingdales.com, wmagazine.com, mywomenstuff.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does La Mer The Serum Essence work for dry sensitive skin?
La Mer The Serum Essence works moderately well for dry sensitive skin, as it offers helpful hydration and barrier support while remaining safe and soothing. However, because it may not fully address significant dryness or flakiness, a product of this type needs rich moisturizing and nourishing components, ceramides, and multiple forms of vitamin C to provide maximum hydration, improve texture, and enhance skin resilience without any irritation.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017ACS Applied Bio Materials, 2025
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
Glycerin, sodium hyaluronate, dimethicone, and squalane make this serum a good fit by providing moisture and helping protect sensitive skin. To truly suit dry skin well, a product of this type needs richer nourishing oils, ceramides, and maximum hydrating ingredients that deeply relieve dryness and protect the moisture barrier.
What does Algae Extract do for dry sensitive skin?
Algae extract helps calm dry and sensitive skin while reducing water loss and defending against irritation. It is unlikely to cause issues and may help keep the skin barrier strong and comfortable.
Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 2012International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021
What does Niacinamide do for dry sensitive skin?
Niacinamide helps dry sensitive skin by calming irritation, strengthening the outer barrier, and boosting moisture to keep skin soft and comfortable. It supports the skin by increasing natural lipids like ceramides and reducing water loss.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2004International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2013
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and toning, followed by a moisturizer. For dry and sensitive skin, this product of its type needs richer hydrating and barrier-protecting ingredients and heavier textures to fully address significant dryness.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this treatment alongside retinol, but apply your retinol first and let it absorb before adding this serum to help soothe potential dryness. This product is generally safe for sensitive skin types, though a product of this type needs richer hydrators and deeper barrier-repair ingredients to fully comfort very dry or flaky skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024ACS Applied Bio Materials, 2025
How often should I use this serum?
This treatment works best for your dry sensitive skin when used in the evening as part of your routine. While it offers moderate hydration and barrier support with ingredients like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate, a product of this type needs richer emollients and heavier barrier-repairing ingredients to fully address significant dryness and flakiness for this skin type.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017ACS Applied Bio Materials, 2025
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry sensitive skin, as it contains no harsh ingredients and includes soothing components like algae extract and glycerin.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It contains fragrance (parfum, citronellol, geraniol, linalool, and limonene) and drying alcohol (alcohol denat).
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, 2017Palmitoyl hexapeptide-12 permeates the stratum corneum and epidermis, initiating gel formation via endogenous ions and strengthening and repairing the skin barrier after delipidation in human skin.
ACS Applied Bio Materials, 2025Treatment with lipid algae extract reduced the level of oxidized proteins in human keratinocytes and stratum corneum skin cells.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 2004Topical astaxanthin-loaded algae extract hydrogel and lipogel formulations exhibited the highest antioxidant activity and successful in vitro release, suggesting their potential as anti-aging formulations.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Antarctic marine algae extracts increased cell viability, protected against inflammation, and enhanced the barrier integrity of human intestinal and keratinocyte cell lines damaged by lipopolysaccharide or ultraviolet radiation.
Marine Drugs, 2022Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Plant-derived squalane protected human dermal fibroblasts against UVA-induced damage by counteracting ROS formation, suppressing apoptosis-related proteins p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP, and restoring the pro-survival p-Akt/mTOR pathway.
Antioxidants, 2025Topical application of 5% vitamin C cream significantly improved global clinical scores, increased skin microrelief density, and induced elastic tissue repair in photoaged skin compared to excipient control in healthy female volunteers.
Experimental Dermatology, 2003Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.
Journal of Periodontology, 2009Topical application of VC-IP cream twice daily for 8 weeks reduces periorbital wrinkles in female subjects compared to a placebo cream.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Treatment 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, 2019Argireline treatment twice daily for 4 weeks produced a significant anti-wrinkle effect with 48.9% total efficacy and decreased skin roughness in Chinese subjects compared with 0% efficacy and no decrease in roughness in the placebo group.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2013Acetyl hexapeptide-3 and tripeptide-10 citrulline demonstrated antiwrinkle efficacy and decreased transepidermal water loss in twenty-four healthy volunteers compared to control groups, though synergistic effects between the two peptides remained unclear.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2017
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, 2022In 50 participants with sensitive skin, a Ceramide NP C15-containing emollient improved skin barrier function with a significant reduction in transepidermal water loss and induced modest changes in skin microbiota compared to the vehicle.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2026Hydrogels containing vitamin E-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers exhibited better occlusive properties and long-lasting effects, while vitamin E-loaded nanoemulsions performed a faster skin hydration effect and were selected as more attractive for skin application.
Colloids and Surfaces. B, Biointerfaces, 2019
Ingredients
Algae Extract, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Polysilicone-11, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Peg-10 Dimethicone, Coco-Caprylate Caprate, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Medicago Sativa Seed Powder, Helianthus Annuus Seedcake Sunflower Seedcake, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Meal Seed, Eucalyptus Globulus Oil Leaf Eucalyptus Oil Leaf, Sodium Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Calcium Gluconate, Magnesium Gluconate, Zinc Gluconate, Tocopheryl Succinate, Niacin, Sesamum Indicum Seed Powder, Whey Lactis Du Petit-Lait Protein, Caffeine, Acetyl Glucosamine, Pisum Sativum Extract, Helichrysum Italicum Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract Coffee Seed Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract Rosemary Leaf Extract, Wheat Extract Germ Extract, Rubus Idaeus Leaf Extract Raspberry Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Sucrose, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract Soybean Seed Extract, Jania Rubens Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Polysorbate 20, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Vp Copolymer, Sodium Pca, Urea, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Acrylamide Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycosaminoglycans, Parfum, Isohexadecane, Pentylene Glycol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tetracetylphytosphingosine, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Vinyl Dimethicone Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Squalane, Hydrogenated Oil, Ruby Powder, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Hydrolyzed Rice Extract, Tourmaline, Hydrolyzed Algin, Potassium Sorbate, Gold, Glucosamine Hcl, Caprylyl Glycol, Yeast Polysaccharides, Polysorbate 80, Trehalose, Polyquaternium-51, Hexylene Glycol, Yeast Faex Extrait De Levure Extract, Cholesterol, Zea Mays Kernel Extract, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Lecithin, Maltodextrin, Alcohol Denat, Xanthan Gum, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Disodium Edta, Bht, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Hydroxycitronellal, Citronellol, Geraniol, Linalool, Limonene, Caramel, Red 4 Ci 14700
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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