La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser for oily acne-prone skin
Thermal Water
Glycerin
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Capryl Glycol
Dipropylene Glycol
High
- HighOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for oily acne-prone skin; a few cleansers fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. 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 excellent cleansing for your oily skin due to ethylhexyl palmitate effectively removing impurities, while glycerin provides essential hydration.
- While the formula is safe and free from harsh irritants, it lacks specialized ingredients to directly address your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The product is safe for your oily skin, with no risks of irritation from harsh or prohibited ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this cleanser as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using it daily to help clear your breakouts.
- Apply this cleanser as the first step in the morning and right after your pre-cleanser in the evening. Follow it with your toner and moisturizer.
- Gently massage a small amount of the cleanser onto your face using circular motions. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and pat dry.
- Apply the cleanser on slightly damp skin to help clean deeply and remove excess oil. This works best for oily skin types.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 800+ reviewsIt effectively soothes irritation and maintains skin moisture. However, many users report that it struggles to remove heavy makeup, often necessitating a second cleanse or a separate makeup remover.
Highlights
Extremely gentle formula Mostly Mentioned
- “The only thing that doesn't sting my face”
- “So gentle I can use it on my eyelids”
Hydrating and non-stripping Often Mentioned
- “Leaves my skin feeling soft and moisturized”
- “Doesn't leave that tight, squeaky feeling”
- “Restored my moisture barrier after over-exfoliating”
- “Feels like a lotion while cleansing”
Soothing for reactive skin Often Mentioned
- “Calms down my redness immediately”
- “Great for post-procedure or retinol peeling”
- “Stopped the burning sensation I had with other washes”
- “My skin finally feels comfortable again”
Poor makeup removal Often Mentioned
- “Smears mascara around but doesn't remove it”
- “Struggles with waterproof sunscreen”
- “Need to use a lot of product to get foundation off”
- “Definitely requires a double cleanse”
Convenient wipe-off texture Sometimes Noted
- “Love that I don't need water to use it”
- “Great for camping or travel”
- “I just tissue it off and my skin feels clean”
- “Perfect for mornings when I don't want to splash water”
Leaves filmy residue Sometimes Noted
- “Feels like there is a layer left on my skin”
- “I have to rinse it off even though it says no-rinse”
- “Can feel slightly greasy if not wiped thoroughly”
- “Left a film that broke me out eventually”
Runny consumption rate Rarely Noted
- “Bottle runs out very fast because I use so much”
- “Texture is very thin and watery”
- “Expensive for how quickly I go through it”
- “Need 4-5 pumps to cover my whole face”
Sources: lovi.care, boots.com, ulta.com, lovelyskin.com, laroche-posay.us, and more
Questions and answers
What makes La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser a great fit for oily acne-prone skin?
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser is a great fit for your oily skin because it effectively washes away impurities with ethylhexyl palmitate while glycerin keeps your face hydrated. The formula is very safe and gentle, though it is unlikely to directly treat or clear up blemishes and breakouts on its own.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology, 2009
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Ethylhexyl palmitate makes this cleanser a good fit because it effectively washes away impurities from oily skin, while glycerin helps keep the skin hydrated. Although the formula is very safe and gentle, it lacks specialized ingredients to directly tackle breakouts.
What does Thermal Water do for oily acne-prone skin?
Thermal water helps calm oily, acne-prone skin by reducing dryness, stinging, and redness while improving overall skin comfort. It is useful as an extra step in your routine because it supports hydration and makes acne treatments more gentle on the skin.
The Medical Journal of Malaysia, 2024Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2007
What does Glycerin do for oily acne-prone skin?
Glycerin helps keep oily acne-prone skin hydrated without feeling heavy. It draws moisture into the skin while supporting the skin barrier so it stays soft and balanced.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser goes in your morning and evening routine as the first or second step, right after a makeup remover at night. It is safe for your oily skin and effectively washes away dirt and oil while keeping skin hydrated, though it lacks special ingredients to clear breakouts.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser in your routine with retinol, applying it first to gently wash your face before putting on your retinol treatment. Using a gentle cleanser helps keep your skin calm and is unlikely to cause irritation when paired with active treatments.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser daily in the morning and evening as part of your routine. It gently washes away impurities while keeping your skin hydrated and safe from irritation.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores on oily acne-prone skin because its formula is safe and free from harsh irritants. However, it lacks specialized ingredients to directly target blemishes, so this skin type also needs ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to keep pores clear.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
Yes, you can use this cleanser on your body and around the eyes because it is safe and gentle for sensitive areas. Skin on the body and around the eyes tends to be thinner and more delicate, but this formula's safe profile and lack of harsh irritants mean it is unlikely to cause irritation.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
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, 2017Malaysian thermal spring water as an adjunct to standard acne therapy improved skin hydration, reduced dryness and stinging, enhanced overall tolerability, and improved the acne disability index in patients with mild to moderate acne.
The Medical Journal of Malaysia, 2024A preservative system containing 1,2-hexanediol and caprylyl glycol showed no delayed Type IV dermal sensitivity reactions in 200 subjects when tested as a 15% mixture in carbomer gel and in a cosmetic formulation.
Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology, 2009Balneotherapy with thermal water altered specific skin microbiota at genus and species levels in healthy female volunteers compared to tap water, which produced no significant microbiome changes.
Life, 2023A 2% Sphingomonas xenophaga ferment extract cream applied twice daily for 4 weeks significantly decreased facial vascular disorder scores compared to vehicle in 86 Caucasian female subjects, alongside dose-dependent inhibition of pre-kallikrein activity in vitro.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025A formulation containing vitamin C, biopeptides, hyaluronic acid, and mineralizing water accelerated cell turnover to 17.1 days versus 19.2 days for untreated skin, and reduced crow's-feet, forehead, and nasolabial folds by 9%, 11%, and 5% respectively after 28 days in female subjects.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2021The 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
Ingredients
Water, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylyl Glycol, 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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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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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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