The Ordinary Glucoside Foaming Cleanser for sensitive skin
Decyl Glucoside
Coco Glucoside
Tocopherol
Phytic Acid
Xanthan Gum
High
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for sensitive skin; a few cleansers fit it even 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
- Highly suitable for your normal skin type, the decyl glucoside and coco glucoside gently cleanse without stripping your natural moisture barrier, while tocopherol and phytic acid offer antioxidant benefits and mild exfoliation to help with redness and irritation.
- The formulation is safe for your sensitive skin, as it lacks harsh ingredients and includes tocopherol for soothing effects.
- This cleanser provides excellent cleansing functionality, effectively clearing pores with its gentle yet effective surfactant blend.
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
★4.4Overall rating based on 3.3k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users consistently describe this cleanser as a gentle, effective option for daily use that cleanses without stripping the moisture barrier, making it particularly popular among those with sensitive, oily, and combination skin. While many praise its affordability and non-irritating formula, a significant number of reviewers dislike its runny, "snot-like" texture and note that it struggles to remove heavy makeup on its own.
Highlights
Gentle and non-stripping Mostly Mentioned
- “skin feels clean not tight”
- “doesn't strip my barrier”
- “very gentle on sensitive skin”
- “leaves face soft”
Affordable price point Often Mentioned
- “great value for money”
- “can't beat the price”
- “budget friendly staple”
- “good size for cost”
Great for sensitive skin Often Mentioned
- “no irritation or redness”
- “perfect for reactive skin”
- “didn't break me out”
- “safe for acne-prone”
Runny, slime-like texture Often Mentioned
- “consistency like snot”
- “too liquidy and spills”
- “hard to control amount”
- “slips off hands”
Effective second cleanse Sometimes Noted
- “perfect after cleansing balm”
- “removes residue well”
- “great morning cleanser”
- “good for double cleansing”
Fragrance-free formula Sometimes Noted
- “no strong perfume”
- “great it has no scent”
- “doesn't sting eyes”
- “good for fragrance sensitivity”
Poor makeup removal Sometimes Noted
- “struggles with mascara”
- “doesn't remove foundation”
- “need a separate remover”
- “not for heavy makeup”
Unpleasant chemical scent Sometimes Noted
- “smells like chemicals”
- “weird plastic smell”
- “scent is off-putting”
- “has a funk to it”
Drying for some Rarely Noted
- “left skin feeling tight”
- “too drying for dry skin”
- “caused dry patches”
- “stripped my skin”
Messy packaging Rarely Noted
- “leaks from the cap”
- “dispenses too much”
- “cap gets messy”
- “product runs out tube”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, ulta.com, theordinary.com, influenster.com, skinsort.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Glucoside Foaming Cleanser a great fit for sensitive skin?
This cleanser is a great fit because it uses gentle cleansers that wash away dirt without stripping your natural moisture, while vitamin E soothes and calms redness. It also skips harsh ingredients, making it very safe and comfortable for easily irritated skin.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for sensitive skin?
Decyl glucoside and coco glucoside make this cleanser a good fit because they gently wash the face without stripping natural moisture, while tocopherol helps soothe sensitive areas. These ingredients help keep skin calm while effectively clearing pores.
What does Decyl Glucoside do for sensitive skin?
Decyl glucoside is a gentle cleanser that is unlikely to irritate sensitive skin when formulated properly. However, alkyl glucosides may occasionally cause allergic reactions in some individuals due to their chemical nature or impurities.
What does Coco Glucoside do for sensitive skin?
Coco glucoside helps cleanse and support the skin barrier without causing irritation. Products of this type need mild surfactants combined with moisturizing ingredients to keep sensitive skin calm and hydrated.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2025Dermatologic Therapy, 2004
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This cleanser fits in both your morning and evening routine, gently washing away impurities without stripping your natural moisture barrier. Using a mild cleanser daily helps keep your skin calm and clean while supporting your skin barrier.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2025
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser in your routine before applying retinol, as its gentle ingredients wash your face without stripping your natural moisture. This helps keep your skin calm and is unlikely to cause irritation when paired with stronger treatments.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser twice a day in your morning and evening routines. It gently cleans pores without stripping your natural moisture barrier, making it safe for daily use on sensitive skin.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2025
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, as it uses gentle cleansers that clear out pores without harshness. It also includes soothing ingredients that help keep redness and irritation at bay.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2025Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
Yes, you can use this cleanser on your body and around your eyes because its gentle ingredients clean effectively without stripping your natural moisture barrier. It is very safe for sensitive skin as it lacks harsh ingredients and includes soothing additions like vitamin E.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (benzyl alcohol).
What the research says
Coco-glucoside powered emulgels containing probiotics and prebiotics demonstrated stability without phase separation and preserved probiotic viability for up to 11 days, supporting the skin's natural barrier.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2025A topical serum containing vitamin C, vitamin E, and raspberry leaf cell culture extract improved skin color, elasticity, radiance, smoothness, scaliness, and wrinkles compared to the untreated contralateral side in fifty female volunteers.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Topical 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, 2024L-ascorbic acid 10% plus phytic acid 2% serum significantly reduced the pigmentation index of solar lentigines compared to a vehicle control in 30 healthy subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2011Chemical peels using 35% glycolic acid, 20% salicylic-10% mandelic acid, and phytic acid reduce acne scores by 70.55%, 74.14%, and 69.7% respectively, and significantly decline the postacne hyperpigmentation index in Asian patients with mild to moderate acne.
Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, 2019A topical facial emulsion containing 10% glycolic acid, 2% phytic acid, and a soothing complex significantly improved skin hyperpigmentation, texture, and tone homogeneity from week 4 through week 12 in American female volunteers with Fitzpatrick skin types II-VI.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Biodegradable wound dressings functionalized with silver nanoparticles showed >99% pathogen growth inhibition, bactericidal effects, free radical scavenging, reduced inflammatory response in macrophages, and accelerated wound healing in animals.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2022A topical xanthan gum nanogel containing gamma-oryzanol-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers and nanosized TiO2 and MBBT filters demonstrated high photoprotection with an SPF of 34 and no skin irritation or sensitization in a rat model.
Pharmaceuticals, 2023Dense chitosan-xanthan membranes associated with multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells accelerated wound healing in Wistar rats compared to untreated conditions, demonstrating safety and feasibility for dermo-epidermal wound treatment.
Journal of Biomaterials Applications, 2015
Ingredients
Water, Decyl Glucoside, Coco Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Phytic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, 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
How does it fit your skin?
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