Olay Regenerating Cream Cleanser for sensitive skin
Salicylic Acid
Glycerin
Tocopheryl Acetate Vitamin E
Ascorbic Acid
CarnosineAverage
- AverageNormal 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
- Offers moderate exfoliation and hydration for your normal skin, as salicylic acid and glycerin work to gently remove dead skin cells and retain moisture. However, it lacks specialized ingredients to directly target your redness and irritation concerns.
- While the absence of harsh ingredients ensures safety for your sensitive skin, the formula could benefit from more emollient components to fully support your skin barrier.
- The product is safe for your sensitive skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients, minimizing the risk of irritation.
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 1.1k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with aging, dry, or textured skin frequently praise this cleanser for its ability to gently exfoliate without stripping moisture, often reporting softer and smoother skin immediately after use. While it is highly effective for daily cleansing and makeup removal, some users with oily skin find the creamy, non-foaming formula leaves a moisturizing film that they perceive as greasy.
Highlights
Gentle exfoliation Mostly Mentioned
- “tiny beads aren't harsh”
- “perfect amount of grit”
- “gentle enough for daily use”
- “smooths without scratching”
Non-drying formula Mostly Mentioned
- “doesn't strip my skin”
- “face feels moisturized”
- “no tight feeling after”
- “creamy and soothing”
Improves texture Often Mentioned
- “skin feels like silk”
- “helped with rough patches”
- “face is much smoother”
- “softens fine lines”
Effective makeup removal Sometimes Noted
- “melts away foundation”
- “removes mascara easily”
- “cleans all makeup off”
- “no residue left behind”
Pleasant fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “light fresh scent”
- “smells clean”
- “nice mild fragrance”
- “not too perfumey”
Does not lather Sometimes Noted
- “doesn't foam at all”
- “miss the bubbles”
- “feels like washing with lotion”
- “hard to spread without suds”
Leaves residue Sometimes Noted
- “feels like a coating”
- “leaves a greasy film”
- “hard to rinse off”
- “felt waxy afterwards”
Formula changes Rarely Noted
- “thinner than before”
- “watered down formula”
- “beads are different”
- “not as creamy as it used to be”
Scent too strong Rarely Noted
- “smell is overwhelming”
- “too much perfume”
- “scent lingers too long”
- “gave me a headache”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, target.com, chemistwarehouse.com.au, shespeaks.com, tryandreview.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Olay Regenerating Cream Cleanser work for sensitive skin?
This cleanser works reasonably well for sensitive skin and is unlikely to cause irritation, though other products fit it better. It helps keep skin soft and smooth through moderate exfoliation and moisture, but a product of this type for sensitive skin needs soothing ingredients and barrier-supporting components to calm redness and fully protect the skin barrier.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for sensitive skin?
This cleanser is an average fit for your sensitive skin because it avoids harsh ingredients that cause irritation. However, to truly support sensitive skin, a product of this type needs soothing and hydrating ingredients like niacinamide and ceramides to calm redness and protect your skin barrier.
What does Salicylic Acid do for sensitive skin?
Salicylic acid may cause irritation on sensitive skin, so it requires careful use and good sun protection to keep skin comfortable. A product for this skin type needs gentle, soothing ingredients and a mild formula that respects the skin barrier.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 1999International Journal of Toxicology, 2003
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
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This cleanser goes in the morning and evening routines for sensitive skin. It is safe for this skin type because it lacks harsh ingredients, but it could benefit from more soothing and softening ingredients to fully support the skin barrier.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol, applying it before your retinol treatment in your evening routine. While the formula is generally safe and unlikely to cause harsh irritation, a cleanser for sensitive skin needs more soothing and softening ingredients like ceramides to fully support your skin barrier during active treatments.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser daily since its gentle formula is safe for sensitive skin, though a cleanser for this skin needs extra soothing ingredients and rich softeners to calm redness and fully protect the skin barrier.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on sensitive skin because it is free of harsh, irritating ingredients. However, because it contains salicylic acid to gently remove dead skin cells, it may occasionally cause mild purging as your skin adjusts. Sensitive skin of this type needs soothing ingredients and extra moisture-locking components to fully support the skin barrier while it is being exfoliated.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on your body, but the thin skin around the eyes is easily irritated by exfoliating ingredients like salicylic acid and scrubbing agents. This type of skin needs gentle, hydrating formulas with soothing plant extracts and barrier-supporting ingredients to stay calm and protected.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Stearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, and behenyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.
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, 2017Treatment with a Rhodiola rosea extract and L-carnosine-associated compound produced in vivo protective effects on skin barrier function and positive subjective responses in 124 volunteers with sensitive skin compared to placebo.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008A night cream containing melatonin, carnosine, and Helichrysum italicum extract reduced oxidative stress ex vivo and improved hydration, reduced transepidermal water loss, decreased wrinkles and spots, and lowered skin reactivity in 117 individuals over up to 12 weeks of nightly use.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2020Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.
CMAJ, 2010A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024The 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 application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical 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, 2022Supramolecular carnosine improves skin reactivity, upregulates Nrf2 expression, activates antioxidant defenses, and reduces AGE levels while demonstrating whitening efficacy in cells and clinical tests compared to conventional carnosine.
Advanced Healthcare Materials, 2024A targeted skincare regimen containing active ingredients such as rhodophyceae extract, ergothioneine, and L-carnosine significantly reduced transepidermal water loss by 24.09%, improved skin elasticity, and decreased redness, dryness, and desquamation in thirty-five female Chinese participants over 4 weeks following advanced optimal pulse technology treatment.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025Topical application of carnosine and a novel facial cream containing carnosine protects against methylglyoxal-induced glycation by significantly reducing levels of advanced glycation end-products carboxymethyl-lysine and pentosidine in both the epidermis and reticular dermis of human skin explants.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2018
Why other cleansers fit sensitive skin better
Avène Thermal Spring Water significantly decreased postpeeling redness and reduced the overall sensitive scale of consumers by 47% compared to mineral-rich thermal spring water in human volunteers.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2020
Ingredients
Water, Ppg-15 Stearyl Ether, Glycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Betaine, Hydrated Silica, Salicylic Acid, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Carnosine, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbic Acid, Ppg-30, Cetyl Alcohol, Steareth-21, Behenyl Alcohol, Steareth-2, Disodium Edta
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?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.