Thayers Hydrating Milky Cleanser for acne-prone skin
Hyaluronic Acid
Tremella Fuciformis
Shea Butter
Coconut Oil
Aloe BarbadensisAverage
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for acne-prone skin; other cleansers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. 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 combination skin as glycerin and hyaluronic acid provide humectant action, while aloe barbadensis leaf juice offers soothing benefits for your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The cleansing agents, sodium cocoyl isethionate and cocamidopropyl betaine, effectively cleanse pores, but the formula lacks targeted ingredients for optimal oil control on your combination skin.
- The safety profile is good, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients for your combination skin.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it.
- This cleanser is the first step in your morning routine and the second step after your pre-cleanser in the evening. Always follow up with a toner and moisturizer .
- Gently massage a small amount of the cleanser onto your face in circular motions. Avoid harsh rubbing to keep your skin calm.
- Apply the cleanser on slightly damp skin to help it work effectively against breakouts. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water .
- Avoid the immediate eye area and do a patch test before your first use to check for any sensitivity.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 1000+ reviewsThis cleanser is widely praised as a gentle, non-foaming option that excels for dry, sensitive, and winter-ravaged skin by leaving the moisture barrier intact. While users love its soothing, "lotion-like" feel, many note it struggles to remove heavy makeup on its own and is best used as a morning cleanse or second step in a double-cleansing routine.
Highlights
Extremely hydrating Mostly Mentioned
- “leaves skin soft and cushioned”
- “perfect for winter dryness”
- “skin feels plump”
- “doesn't strip moisture”
Gentle & soothing Often Mentioned
- “calms my redness”
- “no stinging or irritation”
- “great for sensitive skin”
- “very mild formula”
Poor makeup removal Often Mentioned
- “leaves makeup residue”
- “struggles with mascara”
- “need to double cleanse”
- “doesn't remove foundation well”
Improves skin barrier Sometimes Noted
- “healed my moisture barrier”
- “stopped my flaking”
- “skin feels stronger”
- “less tight after washing”
Pleasant milky texture Sometimes Noted
- “feels like a cloud”
- “smooth milky consistency”
- “creamy and cushioning”
- “glides over skin”
Leaves a film Sometimes Noted
- “leaves a filmy layer”
- “feels slightly sticky”
- “hard to rinse off completely”
- “residue sits on skin”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “gave me closed comedones”
- “caused small bumps”
- “broke me out”
- “too heavy for acne-prone skin”
Lack of lather Rarely Noted
- “doesn't foam at all”
- “feels like washing with lotion”
- “miss the bubbles”
- “hard to tell if it's working”
Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, thayers.com, target.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Thayers Hydrating Milky Cleanser work for acne-prone skin?
Thayers Hydrating Milky Cleanser works well enough for acne-prone skin, though other products fit it better. A cleanser for this skin needs a safe, gentle formula that effectively clears pores and spots while balancing moisture without irritation.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2007
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Aloe Barbadensis leaf juice helps soothe breakouts, while glycerin and Hyaluronic Acid provide gentle moisture. This cleanser works for acne-prone skin, though this skin type needs targeted oil control ingredients and a balanced mix of hydrating and soothing agents for an optimal fit.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for acne-prone skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps acne-prone skin by soothing irritation, calming redness, and keeping the skin balanced without clogging pores. When combined with targeted ingredients like zinc oxide, it may also help reduce breakouts.
What does Tremella Mushroom do for acne-prone skin?
Tremella Mushroom helps hydrate dry and sensitive acne-prone skin without clogging pores, leaving it soft and smooth. Because acne-prone skin still needs moisture, this ingredient supports your skin barrier while keeping your face calm. A product of this type for acne-prone skin needs lightweight hydrators and soothing ingredients that add moisture without feeling heavy or greasy.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser fits into both your morning and evening routines as the first step of cleansing, while in the evening it follows a makeup remover. It gently washes pores with safe ingredients, though acne-prone skin needs a cleanser of this type that also includes targeted oil control ingredients.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol, applying the cleanser first on damp skin before rinsing and following with your retinol treatment. This cleanser is unlikely to irritate your skin, but acne-prone skin generally needs products with targeted oil-controlling ingredients for optimal results.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser daily in the morning and evening as part of your routine. It cleans pores well, but this type of skin needs targeted oil-control ingredients to work best.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser works for your skin, though other products fit it better because it lacks targeted ingredients for oil control. While it cleans pores well, acne-prone skin needs lightweight, oil-balancing ingredients and blemish-soothing extracts to keep skin clear.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2007
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on your body and around the eyes because its gentle ingredients have a very safe profile with no harsh elements that would cause irritation. A cleanser for this delicate area needs ultra-soothing extracts and lightweight hydrators like glycerin and hyaluronic acid to keep thin skin soft and calm without feeling heavy.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018A 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, 2017Sodium 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 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, 2025Topical 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, 2019Snow mushroom alcohol-based hand rub gel significantly improved skin moisture better than the placebo through 180 minutes while maintaining comparable antiseptic efficacy in 20 human volunteers.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Tremella fuciformis extract demonstrates potential cutaneous benefits including skin antiaging, photoprotection, wound healing, and barrier protection based on in vitro and animal models.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2023Tremella fuciformis inhibits melanogenesis by decreasing melanin content and tyrosinase expression in B16F10 cells while promoting wound healing in human HaCaT keratinocytes and Detroit 551 fibroblasts.
In Vivo, 2022A 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, 2025Overnight virgin coconut oil application provides a skin protective effect against damage and increased TEWL from frequent alcohol-based hand sanitizer usage in 60 volunteers, resulting in a 25% increase in perceived moisture content compared to the control group.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010Formulations containing 0.10%, 0.25%, and 0.50% freeze-dried Aloe vera extract increased stratum corneum water content compared with the vehicle in 20 female subjects, while transepidermal water loss was not modified.
Skin Research and Technology, 2006
Why other cleansers fit acne-prone skin better
Topical 5% tea tree oil gel significantly improved total acne lesions and acne severity index compared to placebo in 60 patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris, showing 3.55 times and 5.75 times greater efficacy respectively.
Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, 2007A botanical face cleanser with hops and willow bark extract continuously reduced skin sebum levels without reactive seborrhea after treatment in 21 healthy volunteers compared to a sodium laureth sulfate cleanser, with neither cleanser causing skin irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Co-delivery of paeonol and madecassoside via nanoemulsions improved transdermal delivery, promoted barrier repair proteins, inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in cellular and 3D models, and reduced transepidermal water loss and acne in human facial skin compared to free components.
Molecules, 2023
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Coconut Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract Matricaria Flower Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Allantoin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
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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