Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser for oily skin
Alpine Herbs
Shea Extracts Butter
Tamarindus Indica Pulp
Glycerin
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily skin; other cleansers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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 cleansing for your oily skin due to Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate and Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate effectively removing impurities, while Glycerin and Squalane provide hydration and emollient effects that are supportive but not primary for controlling oily shine.
- The formula is safe for your oily skin, as it lacks harsh ingredients and has a low risk of irritation.
- It provides general skincare benefits, but lacks strong seboregulating ingredients to fully address your main goal of controlling oily shine.
How to apply
- Use your cleanser AM and PM every day to keep your skin fresh. Always make sure to follow with a good SPF in the morning.
- Apply your cleanser as the first step in the morning or the second step in the evening before your toner.
- Gently massage a small amount onto your face using circular motions, then rinse well with water .
- You can apply this cleanser safely on damp skin for a refreshing and easy wash.
- Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes and stop use if irritation occurs.
People Say
★4.3Overall rating based on 5.7k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, the Gentle Foaming Cleanser line is highly regarded for its effective yet gentle cleansing, creating a rich lather that removes impurities without stripping the skin, leaving it feeling soft and hydrated. While many appreciate the pleasant scent and the product's longevity, a notable number of long-time users express disappointment with the reformulation from the original version, citing a strong fragrance and occasional skin irritation as drawbacks.
Highlights
Effective gentle cleansing Mostly Mentioned
- “removes all traces of makeup”
- “leaves face squeaky clean”
- “takes off foundation easily”
- “cleans without stripping”
Non-drying formula Often Mentioned
- “skin feels soft afterwards”
- “no tight feeling”
- “leaves skin supple”
- “doesn't dry me out”
Rich creamy lather Often Mentioned
- “lathers beautifully”
- “thick creamy foam”
- “feels luxurious on skin”
- “rich mousse texture”
Long-lasting tube Sometimes Noted
- “pea size is enough”
- “tube lasts for months”
- “little goes a long way”
- “lasts forever”
Pleasant spa scent Sometimes Noted
- “smells like a spa”
- “lovely fresh scent”
- “enjoy the herbal smell”
- “relaxing fragrance”
Reformulation disappointment Sometimes Noted
- “miss the cottonseed version”
- “not as good as the original”
- “bring back the old formula”
- “changed the ingredients”
Strong fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “smell is too strong”
- “perfume is overwhelming”
- “scent lingers too long”
- “fragrance irritated me”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “broke me out”
- “caused redness”
- “skin reacted badly”
- “gave me bumps”
Drying for some Rarely Noted
- “left skin tight”
- “felt dry after use”
- “stripped my natural oils”
- “too drying for winter”
Eye irritation Rarely Noted
- “stings my eyes”
- “burns if it gets in eyes”
- “have to be careful around eyes”
- “irritates eye area”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, ulta.com, clarins.co.uk, influenster.com, macys.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser work for oily skin?
This cleanser works okay for oily skin, cleaning away dirt safely while keeping skin soft, though other products fit this skin type better. Oily skin needs a cleanser with ingredients like Niacinamide, ceramides, or salicylic acid to help control excess shine and manage oil effectively.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2007Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2007
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily skin?
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate and Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate make this cleanser a good fit because they effectively remove impurities without disturbing the skin barrier, while Glycerin and Squalane provide supportive hydration. However, an oily skin type needs a product of this type to include ingredients like Niacinamide, Ceramides, or Salicylic Acid to properly manage oily shine.
What do Alpine Herbs do for oily skin?
Alpine herbs help balance oily skin by supporting the skin barrier and keeping it calm and smooth. This type of skin needs ingredients that regulate oil and provide lightweight moisture without clogging pores.
What does Shea Butter do for oily skin?
Shea butter is generally too heavy for oily skin and may clog pores, leading to breakouts. Skin of this type needs lightweight hydrators and ingredients that help balance oil without feeling greasy.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This cleanser goes in your morning and evening routine, before a hydrating toner or makeup remover. Oily skin also needs a cleanser of this type to include strong oil-controlling ingredients to properly manage shine.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser in your routine before applying retinol, as its mild ingredients provide safe cleansing with a low risk of irritation. Oily skin using this cleanser alongside strong treatments needs ingredients that actively control shine.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2007Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2007
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser daily in the morning and evening as part of your routine. It effectively removes impurities while remaining mild on your skin, though an oily skin type also needs strong oil-controlling ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to fully manage shine.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2007
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily skin, as it has a very low risk of irritation and uses gentle ingredients like sodium cocoyl isethionate. Reviewers rarely report breakouts from it, though it lacks strong oil-controlling ingredients.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on your body, but you should avoid the thin skin around your eyes. It is unlikely to irritate your skin, as it has a safe profile.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2007
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum).
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, 2017Sodium lauroyl sarcosinate in facial cleanser decreased prokaryotic microbial alpha diversity, altered prokaryotic microbiome structure, increased phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylcholine, and decreased ceramides on facial skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Sodium 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 cleansing lotion containing tamarind fruit pulp extract showed no significant difference in skin irritation, transepidermal water loss, or erythema compared with a placebo product and de-ionized water in 15 healthy females.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 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, 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, 2025Topical application of a water-in-oil cosmetic emulsion containing 4% Tamarindus indica seeds extract significantly improved skin elasticity, moisture content, and surface evaluation parameters in 11 healthy male volunteers compared to a control base over 12 weeks.
Postepy Dermatologii I Alergologii, 2017Tamarindus indica n-hexane extracts from various organs demonstrated anti-inflammatory and wound healing activities by inhibiting nitric oxide and promoting fibroblast migration in in-vitro assays compared to control cells.
Plants, 2022The 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, 2012
Why other cleansers fit oily skin better
A 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, 2019A panthenol-enriched mask improved skin hydration, regulated sebum, and reduced redness and TEWL across dry sensitive, oily sensitive, and oily acne skin subgroups with excellent tolerance and no adverse reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical application of Lactobacillus plantarum-GMNL6 enhanced collagen synthesis and SPTSSA gene expression while reducing melanin synthesis, Staphylococcus aureus biofilm, and Cutibacterium acnes proliferation, leading to clinical improvements in skin moisture, color, spots, wrinkles, UV spots, and porphyrins in human volunteers.
International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2021
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Squalane, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Propanediol, Glycol Distearate, Coconut Acid, Glyceryl Behenate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, C14-22 Alcohols, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Sodium Isethionate, Parfum, Sodium Citrate, Chlorphenesin, Citric Acid, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Disodium Edta, Maltodextrin, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, T-Butyl Alcohol, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract, Gentiana Lutea Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract Matricaria Flower Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
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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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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