Is NIOD Modulating Glucosides Serum worth it?

Yes. All 5 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 89%.

What is NIOD Modulating Glucosides Serum's Guru Score?

NIOD Modulating Glucosides Serum holds a Guru Score of 89%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 5 expert reviewers we have collected. At least one expert has named it a Top Pick in its category.

Who is NIOD Modulating Glucosides Serum best for?

NIOD Modulating Glucosides Serum is generally suited to sensitive skin.

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NIOD Modulating Glucosides Serum.

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Serums

About this product

A calming, hydrating serum from NIOD, built around its modulating glucosides and designed to soothe irritated skin and support the skin barrier.

Full ingredients

Aqua (Water), Squalane, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Hexyldecanol, Bisabolol, Butylene Glycol, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Rosmarinyl Glucoside, Caffeyl Glucoside, Gallyl Glucoside, Tetrasodium Tetracarboxymethyl Naringeninchalcone, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, Cetylhydroxyproline Palmitamide, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Superoxide Dismutase, Sodium Pca, Pca, Arginine, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Aspartic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Mirabilis Jalapa Callus Extract, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract

Guru Score

89%

Yay

5 experts · Moderate agreement

What the gurus are saying

Fast relief for itchy, burning skin is the detail that keeps coming up, and several gurus say it works within minutes. They also praise its hydration and barrier support, with some noting it eases redness too. The one thing to keep in mind is price, since it is often called affordable, though one take notes a slightly higher cost, which may be worth it for very sensitive skin used twice a day.

Synthesized from 5 expert reviews · most recent take August 2026

What they liked

Milky texture feels instantly soothing
Works quickly to calm irritation and redness
Lightweight despite hydrating formula

What they flagged

Results can be hit or miss for some people

Best for

Sensitive skin

Type

SerumsDrops & dropper

Key actives

Peptides Squalane

Formula notes

Fragrance-freeNo drying alcohol

Where to buy

Sephora → Amazon → Google →

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What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

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Sincerely Miss Ash

195k subs

✓Yay

"There's one from NIOD that's also fabulous, called the Modulating Glucosides. It works a little bit quicker than The Ordinary Soothing and Barrier Support Serum, [...] in my opinion and from my experience."

All 8 takes from Sincerely Miss Ash

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"This is wonderful to use to bring your skin barrier back to normal. It has that nice milkiness to it where it provides a lot of moisture, it makes that skin barrier nice and strong and repaired, and it just gives instant relief within a minute or so your skin feels a lot better and you just have that comfort again. You can use this every day as a preventative or you can just use this when your skin needs it."

THE BEST SERUMS FOR DRY SKIN | WINTER 2023

"So if you're someone that's dealing with a lot of irritation, sensitivities, you have that burning itchy feel to your skin, it's really red and inflamed and of course it's dry and irritated, I'm telling you try this [...] because anybody that I have recommended this to has always reported back that this worked almost immediately for them as well."

THE ORDINARY & NIOD SALE 2025 | TOP 17 ANTI-AGING PRODUCTS + THE PRODUCTS THAT ALWAYS SELL OUT!

"This is actually great for those that have sensitive skin, dryness, flakiness, your skin is inflamed, it's red, it's really irritated. This will bring your skin back to life. It will bring it back to that normal state. I like to use this more in the winter when my skin does feel more irritated and dry. [...] It's very repairing. It keeps that skin nice and strong and healthy. It's also very hydrating as well. And if you have a lot of redness, it will subside on that rosiness as well."

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"It will hydrate it and it will really help to repair that damaged, compromised skin barrier. This has a milky consistency that instantly relieves my skin every time I use it. This is honestly the only serum that I have ever used that gives me instant relief when my skin is at its angriest. [...] This really is a quick acting serum that works when your skin is in discomfort. This really is wonderful. It also helps to reduce redness as well."

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"I've actually never timed it but this is actually one of the only serums that will give me instant relief so if my skin does feel like it has that itch that burning sensation I would say probably within 5 minutes or so that itch and that burn has subsided. This one works a little quicker in my opinion compared to the ordinary one but again they are both exceptional I just feel like this one works a little bit better."

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"You can use this all over and it's a lifesaver to have. It's also just good to have in your collection for when you need it because you never know how our skin is going to react to skin care products. This one here is one of a kind. I'm going to rate this a 10 out of 10."

THE ORDINARY & NIOD SALE 2023 | I SPLURGED ONCE AGAIN AND THIS IS WHAT I PURCHASED!

"I picked up the NIOD Modulating Glucosides Serum, and I picked up two [...] because I'm definitely going to be using this a lot more come the winter months as this is great for dry, flaky, irritated skin. If your skin is rosy and it's just angry, this is honestly one of the best serums on the market to instantly relieve your discomfort. This really does work and I love it. It always has to be a part of my skincare collection."

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Mad About Skin

731k subs

✓Yay

"I keep it on hand for when I have irritation, shaving rash, or if I've overdone it with an active, and after a couple of nights everything is restored to equilibrium. [...] You can even use it as your moisturizer at the end of your routine. [...] If you don't have sensitive skin you're probably better off going for one of the other ones since they're cheaper and slightly lighter weight, but if you have sensitive skin, honestly, the NIOD Modulating Glucoside is the best that you will try."

Top Pick: calming, soothing, and restorative serum

All 9 takes from Mad About Skin

WINTER SKINCARE SHOWDOWN - Calm Redness, Soothe Irritation and Boost Skin Barrier

"I absolutely love this. I will use it intermittently year round, particularly if my skin barrier is going through it, but it's in winter where I really think it comes into its own. It's an absolutely fantastic product, and it's one of the cheapest that Neostrata has to offer, so it doesn't break the bank. Trust me, you try this and you will find that redness just disappears overnight. It's phenomenal. And this is better than any moisturizer I've ever tried."

SUPERSTAR SKINCARE - Top 5 Skincare For Instant Results

"I genuinely believe that everybody should have the modulating glucosides on hand for those times where our skin needs it. This has a beautiful blend of different ingredients to calm and soothe the skin. The ingredients that you get in the modulating glucosides you can't find in any other serum. It's the blend of different calming ingredients that really make this special and I think it's something truly unique in the skincare world. It's also not super expensive."

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"If you've got super sensitive skin and you've struggled for years to get on top of that, try this, incorporate it twice a day in your skincare routine and you'll see results after the first couple of days. It's amazing. Yes, it has a slightly higher price point but for me I think that's worth it if it's what your skin actually needs."

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"I prefer it to nyinamide, which I find quite irritating. Um and it does do great for oil control."

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"The modulating glucosides is a beautiful product and the formulation and technology in here is so so amazing. It's like next level glucoside action which will really help protect the barrier function of the skin. If you're someone that gets a lot of redness peeling sensitivity irritation this is an absolute must."

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"The modulating glucosides fixes it like that. Hands down the best calming, soothing, and restorative serum you will ever ever use. Now, as somebody that tends to only have dryness prone skin in the really cool winter months, I'm only putting two of these on order. I'll use it in the winter, then I'll pause during the summer, and then I'll restart again next year. So, two is more than enough."

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"So I have it on standby. It's always on my vanity in my bathroom. When I get like maybe the shaving rash, the shaving bumps, maybe I get some irritation from an exfoliant or something, I'll slap this on afterwards. Gone. Literally gone. It is the best calming and soothing serum you will ever ever try. [...] If you're in the market for the ultimate calming and soothing skincare experience, get the NIOD Modulating Glucosides. Second to none. It's just a miracle worker."

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"The modulating glucosides is the best bar none the best of the calming, soothing, and barrier supporting serums you'll find it. It's just stunning. I don't know what they've done, it's just magic. Modulating glucosides are fantastic at restoring barrier health, but the other ingredients they've used in here, I think, have really just turbocharged the results you see. After just two applications, your skin will be restored to its equilibrium. It won't be angry, red, irritated."

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Kelly Driscoll

90k subs

✓Yay

"I also like NIOD Modulating Glucosides Serum. This texture splits the difference between the denseness and richness of other products. This is an interesting one because it uses plant-based ceramides as well as some other lipids which will help your skin barrier. But this one is particularly one of my favorites when my skin is feeling incredibly irritated, which is another symptom that your skin barrier needs some strengthening and it can often accompany dehydration."

All 3 takes from Kelly Driscoll

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"If your skin is very irritated, it is singing, it is burning, it is itching, maybe you are having a flare-up of rosacea or of eczema, I would really suggest if your skin is in an extreme state of ailing go for NIOD Modulating Glucosides Serum. Not only do they have more ingredients in here that are really made to address stinging, burning, itching and really relieve that on contact or very very fast."

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My Most Repurchased Skincare | 2024 Edition

"I've been loving the Neostrata Modulating Glucosides Serum since 2021, and you've probably been hearing about it from me since 2021. This is one of those ones where it's like, I know, I know, but I'm going to say it again. [...] I love this one, and I use it a lot. [...] This video is all about what I keep in stock, what I constantly purchase, and what I always have around, and this is another one where I will stock up on a couple of bottles when Neostrata has their sale."

No BS Beauty

89k subs

✓Yay

"The NIOD Modulating Glucosides Serum, which is 22 bucks right now with the NIOD sale through the end of November. It's got EGCG in it, several amino acids, and ginger extract."

Cassandra Bankson

2.46M subs

✓Yay

"The modulating glucosides—I love these. Oh my god, if you want some nice hydration, if you want something luxurious on the skin, this is it. Beauty Within made me buy this, and you know that for 23 percent off I am buying this again."