Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Cleanser for sensitive skin
Glycerin
Ceramide Np
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Average
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for sensitive skin; other cleansers fit it better.
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
- Suitable for normal skin due to the presence of glycerin and shea butter, which provide humectant and emollient actions to enhance skin comfort.
- The formulation offers excellent cleansing with sodium cocoyl isethionate and decyl glucoside, effectively removing impurities without stripping the skin.
- The product is safe for your sensitive skin, as it lacks harsh ingredients and contains soothing components like tocopherol.
How to apply
- Use your cleanser in the AM and PM routines every day. Start using it daily since your sensitive skin needs gentle care.
- Apply this first in your morning and evening skincare routine before toner and moisturizer. This clears away dirt without upsetting your skin.
- Gently massage a small amount onto your face using soft circles. Avoid any rough rubbing to keep redness away.
- Apply the cleanser on slightly damp skin to help it wash away impurities softly. Clean skin feels fresh and comfortable afterwards.
- Avoid getting the cleanser in your eyes and do a quick patch test before first use. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 1.3k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this creamy, lipid-enriched cleanser is highly praised for nourishing dry, mature, or sensitive skin while effectively removing impurities and light makeup. Users frequently report that it leaves skin feeling soft, hydrated, and balanced, without tightness or stripping. Some users find the price point high and note a strong scent, while a low number of reviews mention potential irritation or that it may be too rich for oily skin types.
Highlights
Deeply hydrating Mostly Mentioned
- “Leaves skin feeling moisturized”
- “Doesn't strip skin”
- “Perfect for dry skin”
Gentle formula Often Mentioned
- “Great for sensitive skin”
- “No irritation”
- “Very mild”
Softens skin Often Mentioned
- “Skin feels noticeably softer”
- “Smoother feel”
- “More luminous”
Efficient cleansing Sometimes Noted
- “Cleanses thoroughly”
- “Removes impurities well”
- “Rinses off easily”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “Expensive for a cleanser”
- “Steep price”
- “Worth the money but pricey”
Strong scent Sometimes Noted
- “Smells like burnt wires”
- “Essential oil smell”
- “Too much fragrance”
Causes irritation Rarely Noted
- “Skin turned bright red”
- “Caused burning”
- “Not for reactive skin”
Too rich for oily skin Rarely Noted
- “Too rich”
- “Left oily residue”
- “Not for acne-prone”
Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, walmart.com, pure-beauty.co.uk, dermapproved.com, markskinexpert.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Cleanser work for sensitive skin?
This cleanser works well for sensitive skin because it is safe and has soothing components, though other products fit this skin type better. To work best for sensitive skin, a cleanser of this type needs effective hydrating and soothing ingredients like niacinamide and ceramide-3, along with a lack of allergens to calm redness and irritation without causing issues.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for sensitive skin?
This cleanser works for sensitive skin because it contains glycerin, shea butter, and tocopherol, which help keep skin comfortable and calm. A cleanser for this skin needs gentle soothing ingredients and barrier-strengthening components like ceramides and niacinamide to keep the skin calm and reduce redness.
What does Glycerin do for sensitive skin?
Glycerin helps keep sensitive skin soft and deeply hydrated while supporting the skin barrier. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may protect against dryness and roughness.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Acta Dermato-venereologica, 1999
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 cleanser go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This cleanser goes in your morning and evening routine after any makeup remover and before your soothing toner. Using a mild cleanser like this helps remove impurities while keeping the skin calm and comfortable.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol by applying the cleanser first, followed by your retinol treatment and a moisturizer. This cleanser is safe for sensitive skin as it lacks harsh ingredients, but a product of this type needs extra barrier-supporting ingredients like ceramides and soothing agents to prevent dryness when paired with retinol.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine, because it cleans gently without harsh ingredients. Sensitive skin typically benefits most from a cleanser that includes soothing components like glycerin and shea butter to keep the skin calm and comfortable.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to cause irritation or breakouts on sensitive skin because it lacks harsh ingredients and contains soothing tocopherol. Sensitive skin usually needs gentle, fragrance-free cleansers with ceramides and glycerin to keep the skin calm and comfortable.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
This cleanser is safe to use around the eyes and on the body, though sensitive skin requires a cleanser of this type to feature extra soothing ingredients and barrier-supporting ceramides for the best fit.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (limonene).
What the research says
Sodium cocoyl isethionate micelles are too large to penetrate stratum corneum aqueous pores, resulting in significant steric hindrance that prevents skin barrier perturbation and explains its skin mildness.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2007A 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, 2001A 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, 2025
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Divinyldimethicone Dimethicone Copolymer, Sodium Astrocaryum Murumuruate, Ceramide Np, Phytosterols, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Hydrogenated Coconut Acid, Hydrolyzed Cottonseed Protein, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, C12-13 Pareth-3, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Grapefruit Peel Oil, Citrus Reticulata Oil Leaf Tangerine Oil Leaf, Myristic Acid, Trideceth-12, Jasmine Oil, Linoleic Acid, Amyris Balsamifera Oil Bark, Cananga Odorata Oil Flower, Lemon Peel Oil, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Clove Oil Leaf, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil Flower, Salvia Sclarea Oil, Lemon Fruit Extract, Decyl Glucoside, Canarium Luzonicum Nonvolatiles Gum, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil Flower, Guaiacum Officinale Oil Wood, Rosa Damascena Oil Flower, Zingiber Officinale Oil Root, Disodium Edta, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Humulus Lupulus Extract, Pinus Sylvestris Cone Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract Rosemary Leaf Extract, Hexylene Glycol, Linolenic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Aminomethyl Propanol, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Isethionate, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Polysilicone-11, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Peg-12 Dimethicone, Limonene, Phenoxyethanol
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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