La Mer The Cleansing Foam for dry sensitive skin
Glycerin
Algae Extract
Sodium Hyaluronate
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
CaffeineAverage
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for dry sensitive skin; other cleansers 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 suitability for dry skin due to the presence of glycerin and sodium hyaluronate for humectant action, but lacks sufficient emollient ingredients to fully address dryness.
- The cleansing action from myristic acid and lauric acid effectively removes impurities, providing general skincare benefits that are mostly supportive for your dry or flaky skin concerns.
- The formula is safe for your dry and sensitive skin, as it contains no prohibited or harsh ingredients that could cause irritation.
How to apply
- Use your cleanser AM and PM every day to keep your face fresh. Start slowly once a day if your dry skin feels sensitive at first.
- Apply your cleanser first thing in your routine before any toner or moisturizer. Follow the usual steps for your AM or PM daily routine.
- Gently massage the cleanser onto your face using soft circular motions. Avoid harsh rubbing to protect your dry skin.
- Apply the cleanser to slightly damp skin to help it clean gently without stripping moisture. This method is very safe for sensitive and dry skin types.
- Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and avoid the delicate eye area. Always do a patch test before using the product for the first time.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 500+ reviewsUsers with oily and combination skin appreciate this cleanser's rich lather and effective cleansing, leaving skin feeling refreshed. However, some users with dry or sensitive skin find it to be stripping, and a few long-time users have noted changes in recent reformulations.
Highlights
Luxurious texture Mostly Mentioned
- “soft creamy lather”
- “texture is exquisite”
- “foams up so much”
Very expensive Mostly Mentioned
- “ridiculous price point”
- “not worth the money”
- “too pricey for a cleanser”
Effective cleansing Often Mentioned
- “removes mascara easily”
- “face feels squeaky clean”
- “takes off all impurities”
Lasts long Often Mentioned
- “pea size for whole face”
- “little goes a long way”
- “tube lasts a year”
Pleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “smells heavenly”
- “clean calming scent”
- “classic La Mer smell”
Soft post-wash feel Sometimes Noted
- “skin feels silky”
- “leaves face soft”
- “refreshed and bright”
Drying for skin Sometimes Noted
- “stripped all oils”
- “face felt parched”
- “too drying for sensitive skin”
Eye irritation Rarely Noted
- “stings my eyes”
- “irritating to eye area”
- “burns if it gets in eyes”
Reformulation issues Rarely Noted
- “formula seems watery”
- “quality has lowered”
- “not as good as the old version”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “smells like cheap soap”
- “overpowering perfume”
- “smells like grandma”
Sources: lovi.care, influenster.com, macys.com, nordstrom.com, sephora.com, cremedelamer.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does La Mer The Cleansing Foam work for dry sensitive skin?
This cleanser works moderately well for dry sensitive skin because it includes glycerin and sodium hyaluronate to bring in moisture, though it lacks enough softening oils to fully prevent dryness. It is safe and cleans without causing irritation, but a cleanser for this skin needs rich softening ingredients and extra moisturizing oils to keep the skin comfortable and smooth.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate help make this cleanser work for dry sensitive skin by drawing moisture in. A cleanser for this skin type needs extra soothing oils and nourishing softeners to keep it comfortable.
What does Glycerin do for dry sensitive skin?
Glycerin helps dry sensitive skin by drawing moisture into the skin and keeping it there, making the skin soft and smooth. It is very gentle and unlikely to cause irritation while improving how well the skin holds onto water. This type of skin needs ingredients that boost hydration and repair the barrier without causing stinging.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008
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
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This cleanser fits into a dry sensitive skincare routine as the cleanser step in the morning and evening, though a product of this type needs rich softening and smoothing oils or butters to fully support dry skin. It is unlikely to cause irritation because it contains no harsh or prohibited ingredients.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol, applying the cleanser first to remove impurities before following with your retinol treatment. A cleanser of this type works safely on dry and sensitive skin, but to prevent dryness and protect your skin barrier while using retinol, it needs added rich, softening ingredients like ceramides, plant oils, or butters.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser twice a day in your morning and evening routine. Because this cleanser offers only moderate suitability for dry skin, a product of this type needs rich skin-softening oils and butters to fully lock in moisture and prevent tightness.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on dry sensitive skin, as its formula contains no heavy ingredients known to block pores. It is generally safe for your skin type, though a product for dry sensitive skin needs extra smoothing and softening ingredients to keep skin comfortable.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
La Mer The Cleansing Foam is safe for your dry and sensitive skin as it contains no harsh ingredients that may cause irritation, though a cleanser for this skin needs more softening ingredients to fully address dryness.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum, linalool, and limonene).
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, 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, 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, 2012Treatment 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 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, 2019Topical application of sesame oil combined with standard care significantly reduced infusion-related phlebitis in adults compared to a control condition, with a risk ratio of 0.54.
Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2025Sesamol loaded silver nanoparticles gel showed a twofold increase in skin permeation and higher antioxidant activity compared to conventional formulations, demonstrating potential for topical wound healing delivery.
Current Pharmaceutical Design, 2024Treatment with moderately ozonated sesame oil accelerates cutaneous wound closure and enhances cell response, angiogenesis, and VEGF and cyclin D1 expression in SKH1 mice compared to oil with lower or higher peroxide values and controls.
Wound Repair and Regeneration, 2011A topical cosmetic slimming product containing tetrahydroxypropyl ethylenediamine, caffeine, carnitine, forskolin and retinol significantly reduced body circumferences and improved skin aspect compared with placebo in 78 women over 12 weeks.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2011Topical sunscreen formulations containing caffeine combined with UV filters increased in vivo anti-UVB protection by approximately 25% and showed higher SPF values compared to caffeine-free sunscreen, while being well tolerated by the skin of healthy subjects.
Frontiers in Physiology, 2019Caffeine gel combined with choline geranate showed high skin permeation capacity and superior clinical results in cellulite treatment compared to caffeine gel without ionic liquid.
AAPS PharmSciTech, 2021
Why other cleansers fit dry sensitive skin better
Transgenic cucumber expressing poly-γ-glutamic acid synthesis genes increased water content by 6-14%, reduced water loss by 11-12%, decreased facial wrinkles and roughness by 19.58% and 24.97%, decreased skin melanin by 5.27%, and improved facial elasticity in human skin and zebrafish compared to controls.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2024
Ingredients
Declustered Water, Myristic Acid, Glycerin, Behenic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Stearic Acid, Algae Extract, 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, Quartz Powder, Nephrite Powder, Pearl Powder, Caffeine, Sea Salt, Humic Acids, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sucrose, Tourmaline, Macrocystis Pyrifera Protein Kelp Protein, Polyquaternium-51, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Trehalose, Cellulose, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Coco Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Pca, Peg-3 Distearate, Urea, Parfum, Disodium Edta, Linalool, Limonene, Phenoxyethanol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Yellow 5 Ci 19140, Ci 15985, Blue 1 Ci 42090, Green 5 Ci 61570
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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