The Ordinary Glucoside Foaming Cleanser for dry sensitive skin
Decyl Glucoside
Coco Glucoside
Tocopherol
Phytic Acid
Xanthan Gum
High
- HighDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for dry sensitive skin; a few cleansers fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry sensitive skin: flakiness, tightness, redness, 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 excellent cleansing for your dry and sensitive skin, as decyl glucoside and coco glucoside effectively remove impurities while providing humectant action to draw water into the skin.
- Tocopherol and benzyl alcohol offer soothing benefits and contribute to overall skin hydration, supporting your dry or flaky skin concerns.
- The formula is safe for your skin, with no harsh ingredients and a low risk of irritation.
How to apply
- Use your cleanser AM and PM every day to keep your face fresh. Start slowly once a day if your dry skin feels sensitive at first.
- Apply your cleanser first thing in your routine before any toner or moisturizer. Follow the usual steps for your AM or PM daily routine.
- Gently massage the cleanser onto your face using soft circular motions. Avoid harsh rubbing to protect your dry skin.
- Apply the cleanser to slightly damp skin to help it clean gently without stripping moisture. This method is very safe for sensitive and dry skin types.
- Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and avoid the delicate eye area. Always do a patch test before using the product for the first time.
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 The Ordinary Glucoside Foaming Cleanser a great fit for dry sensitive skin?
This cleanser is a great fit because its gentle cleansers wash away dirt while drawing water into your skin. It also includes vitamin E and other soothing ingredients that help keep your dry skin calm and hydrated with a very low risk of irritation.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
Decyl glucoside and coco glucoside make this cleanser a good fit by gently washing away dirt while pulling water into your dry sensitive skin. Tocopherol and benzyl alcohol also help by soothing the skin and supporting hydration, with a very low risk of irritation.
What does Decyl Glucoside do for dry sensitive skin?
Decyl Glucoside helps wash dry sensitive skin gently while keeping it soft and comfortable. This ingredient creates a safe, mild base that is unlikely to cause irritation when you cleanse.
What does Coco Glucoside do for dry sensitive skin?
Coco glucoside helps cleanse dry sensitive skin gently while supporting the skin's natural barrier. It is unlikely to cause irritation when used in properly formulated products, though rare allergic reactions can occur.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2025International Journal of Toxicology, 2013
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
You can use this cleanser in both your morning and evening routine, before a soothing toner and moisturizer. It is a great fit because its gentle cleansers wash away impurities while drawing water into your dry, sensitive skin.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol by applying the cleanser first to wash your face, rinsing it off, and then following up with your retinol product. This gentle cleanser is unlikely to cause irritation when paired with retinol because it has a very safe formula with no harsh ingredients.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser daily both morning and night as part of your routine. Its gentle cleansers remove impurities while drawing water into dry skin, and it has a low risk of irritation.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores, cause breakouts, or lead to purging on your dry sensitive skin. Its gentle cleansers and soothing ingredients are formulated with a low risk of irritation, though a few reviewers note it can sometimes feel drying.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
Yes, you can use this cleanser on the body and around the eyes because its mild ingredients and safe formula have a low risk of irritation. The thin skin on the eyelids and around the eyes benefits from gentle cleansing without harsh ingredients.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2025
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, 2020Benzyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid, and Sodium Benzoate can be used safely in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and Benzyl Alcohol is safe up to 10% in hair dyes, despite causing nonimmunologic contact reactions.
International Journal of Toxicology, 2001Topical 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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