SkinMedica Facial Cleanser for dry skin
Glycerin
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
Panthenol
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
Average
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for dry skin; other cleansers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. 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 your dry skin as glycerin and panthenol provide humectant action to hydrate and alleviate flakiness. Camellia oleifera leaf extract offers antioxidant benefits, supporting overall skin health.
- The cleansing agents, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate and Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, effectively remove impurities without causing irritation to your dry skin.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no harsh or prohibited ingredients that would pose a risk to your skin.
How to apply
- Use this cleanser AM and PM every day to keep your skin clean. Start using it daily right away since your skin is not sensitive.
- Apply this cleanser as the very first step in your morning routine and right after your pre-cleanser in the evening. Follow with your toner and moisturizer afterwards.
- Gently massage a small amount of cleanser onto your face using soft circular motions. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and pat dry with a clean towel.
- Apply this cleanser on slightly damp skin for a comfortable and refreshing wash. This helps maintain your skin's natural moisture while cleansing away dirt.
- Avoid getting the cleanser directly into your eyes to prevent any irritation. Do a simple patch test before your first use to ensure your skin likes it.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 500+ reviewsThis cleanser is highly regarded for its gentle, hydrating, and effective cleansing properties, particularly by users with sensitive, dry, and post-procedure skin. Most users find it leaves their skin soft and calm, with many reporting improvements in texture and clarity. A significant number of reviews mention its high price point as a drawback.
Highlights
Gentle and hydrating Mostly Mentioned
- “leaves skin soft”
- “never overstripped”
- “soothing for sensitive skin”
- “doesn't dry me out”
Effective daily cleanse Often Mentioned
- “removes all makeup”
- “skin feels super clean”
- “removes dirt well”
- “great everyday cleanser”
High price point Often Mentioned
- “expensive for a wash”
- “pricey”
- “hard to justify cost”
- “not sure it's worth it”
Good value Sometimes Noted
- “a little goes a long way”
- “bottle lasts months”
- “only need a dime size”
- “foams up well”
Improves skin Sometimes Noted
- “skin looks fresh”
- “pores look smaller”
- “helps with acne”
- “smooths texture”
Makeup removal Rarely Noted
- “need double cleanse”
- “doesn't remove mascara”
- “struggles with waterproof makeup”
- “need separate remover”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “pump gets stuck”
- “pump broke”
- “hard to dispense”
- “leaky bottle”
Scent concerns Rarely Noted
- “smell is medicinal”
- “scent is okay”
- “wish it was unscented”
- “strong fragrance”
Sources: lovi.care, lovelyskin.com, dermstore.com, influenster.com, target.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does SkinMedica Facial Cleanser work for dry skin?
SkinMedica Facial Cleanser works reasonably well for dry skin, as glycerin and panthenol help hydrate the skin and reduce flakiness without causing irritation. However, dry skin needs products with essential ceramides and sodium hyaluronate to provide optimal moisture and barrier support.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for dry skin?
Glycerin and panthenol make this cleanser a good fit for dry skin by pulling in moisture to help calm flakiness. To work best for dry skin, a cleanser of this type needs essential ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide to keep the skin barrier strong and hold on to hydration.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
What does Glycerin do for dry skin?
Glycerin helps dry skin by drawing in moisture and keeping it locked in, which makes the skin feel much softer and smoother. It also supports your natural skin barrier to stop water from escaping easily. A product for dry skin needs extra ingredients like hyaluronic acid and soothing plant extracts to truly calm and hydrate dry patches.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008
What does Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract do for dry skin?
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract helps soothe dry skin and keeps it feeling soft and smooth by holding onto moisture. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may protect skin from everyday damage, though this type of skin also benefits from richer ingredients like ceramides to lock in hydration.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This cleanser goes in the morning and evening routine for dry skin, followed by a hydrating toner, moisturizer, and SPF during the day. A daily routine with a mild cleanser and moisturizer helps improve visual dryness and overall skin comfort. Dry skin of this type needs richer, hydrating cleansers with extra moisture-binding ingredients to better protect the skin barrier.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser in your routine when using retinol, applying it before your retinol treatment in the evening. Dry skin needs a cleanser that pairs gentle cleansing with added ceramides and rich moisturizers to protect your skin barrier.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser daily in the morning and evening as part of your routine. Using a gentle cleanser helps remove impurities while keeping dry skin comfortable and hydrated.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry skin because its safety profile is excellent, with no harsh or prohibited ingredients that pose a risk. It effectively washes away impurities without causing irritation, though dry skin generally does best with a rich cream cleanser that packs extra moisturizing ingredients to deeply hydrate and soothe flakiness.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on the thin skin around your eyes and on your body, as it has an excellent safety profile without harsh ingredients that pose a risk. Glycerin and panthenol help hydrate and calm the skin while cleansing agents remove impurities without causing irritation.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum).
What the research says
A new topical panthenol-containing emollient significantly improved transepidermal water loss reduction, stratum corneum hydration, and intercellular lipid lamellae length compared with control in healthy subjects without negatively impacting bacterial viability.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002A panthenol-enriched mask significantly decreased erythema and hyperpigmentation, increased sebum and stratum corneum moisture, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to a saline dressing in 60 subjects undergoing facial laser treatment.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025A 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, 2017The 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, 2001Topical green tea extract significantly improved clinical symptoms, tear breakup times, and meibomian gland health compared to standard treatment in patients with dry eye and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction.
Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 2017Topical low-dose green tea extract reduces UVB-induced p53 expression and apoptosis in human skin keratinocytes compared to placebo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2009An anti-acne hydrogel containing Aloe barbadensis, Garcinia mangostana, and Camellia sinensis extracts showed superior antiacne and antiblotch activities compared to 1% clindamycin gel in sixty subjects with mild-moderate acne.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Topical dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.
Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000Hyaluronic acid, hyaluronic acid plus dexpanthenol, and isotonic saline nasal sprays all significantly improved dry nose symptoms over four weeks in 240 patients, with hyaluronic acid plus dexpanthenol providing superior nasal moisturisation compared to the other two.
Auris, Nasus, Larynx, 2020
Ingredients
Water, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Peg-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Panthenol, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Peg-6 Caprylic Capric Glycerides, Disodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum, Blue 1 Ci 42090, Ci 47005
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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