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The Ordinary Glycolipid Cream Cleanser for dry sensitive skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

The Ordinary Glycolipid Cream Cleanser
  • Glycolipids
  • Behenyl Alcohol
  • Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate
  • Pentylene Glycol
  • Glyceryl Stearate

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

  • Highly suitable for your dry and sensitive skin as Glycolipids and Pentylene Glycol provide excellent hydration and emollient benefits, supporting your skin's moisture barrier.
  • The presence of phytic acid offers effective pore cleansing without compromising your skin's delicate nature.
  • This formula is safe for your skin, containing soothing Glycolipids and lacking harsh ingredients that could cause 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

★4.3Overall rating based on 1.6k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, users with dry and sensitive skin frequently praise this cleanser for its non-stripping and hydrating formula that leaves the face soft and comfortable. Many users also find it gentle and suitable for sensitive skin types. However, a significant number of reviews indicate that it struggles to remove heavy makeup, especially waterproof products, often requiring a double cleanse. Some users also note a moderate frequency of an unpleasant natural scent and a low frequency of residue or breakouts.

Highlights

  • Non-drying, hydrating Mostly Mentioned
    • “skin feels soft”
    • “doesn't feel stripping”
    • “leaves skin hydrated”
    • “no tight feeling”
  • Gentle, sensitive skin Often Mentioned
    • “no irritation”
    • “respects skin barrier”
    • “very gentle formula”
  • Poor makeup removal Often Mentioned
    • “struggles with mascara”
    • “doesn't remove foundation”
    • “need to scrub hard”
    • “requires double cleanse”
  • Creamy texture Sometimes Noted
    • “nice gel-cream consistency”
    • “glides over skin”
    • “milky texture”
    • “feels luxurious”
  • Good morning cleanser Sometimes Noted
    • “perfect for morning”
    • “removes SPF well”
    • “good second cleanse”
    • “refreshes skin”
  • Unpleasant scent Sometimes Noted
    • “weird nutty smell”
    • “smells like plastic”
    • “funky natural odor”
    • “bad scent”
  • Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
    • “caused cystic acne”
    • “broke me out”
    • “clogged pores”
    • “tiny whiteheads appeared”
  • Leaves residue Rarely Noted
    • “hard to rinse off”
    • “leaves a film”
    • “greasy residue”
    • “doesn't feel clean”

Sources: lovi.care, theordinary.com, influenster.com, ulta.com, sephora.co.uk, skinsort.com, and more

Questions and answers

What makes The Ordinary Glycolipid Cream Cleanser a great fit for dry sensitive skin?

This cleanser is a great fit because glycolipids and pentylene glycol provide deep hydration and keep your skin soft while protecting its moisture barrier. It also cleans pores effectively without stripping your delicate skin, and avoids harsh ingredients that may cause irritation.

Journal of Oleo Science, 2012International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025

Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for dry sensitive skin?

Glycolipids and Pentylene Glycol make this cleanser a great fit by providing deep hydration and supporting your moisture barrier, while phytic acid cleanses pores safely. These ingredients help keep dry, sensitive skin calm, soft, and comfortable without causing irritation.

Journal of Oleo Science, 2012International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025

What do Glycolipids do for dry sensitive skin?

Glycolipids help soothe dry and sensitive skin by increasing moisture and keeping skin soft and smooth while protecting against irritation. They may also help restore comfort and improve skin texture without causing unwanted reactions.

International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025Journal of Oleo Science, 2012

What does Behenyl Alcohol do for dry sensitive skin?

Behenyl alcohol helps keep dry sensitive skin soft and smooth by holding moisture in and protecting the skin barrier. This ingredient has a very gentle safety profile that is unlikely to cause irritation.

Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?

This cleanser is a great fit because glycolipids and pentylene glycol provide deep hydration while gently washing your face without causing irritation. You can use it in both your morning and evening routines before applying your toners, treatments, and moisturizers.

The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Journal of Oleo Science, 2012

Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this cleanser with retinol by applying the cleanser first to clean your skin gently before your retinol step. This cleanser is a great fit for your dry sensitive skin because glycolipids and pentylene glycol provide hydration and support your skin's moisture barrier without causing irritation.

Journal of Oleo Science, 2012International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025

How often should I use this cleanser?

This cleanser is a great fit and is gentle enough to use twice a day in your morning and evening routines. It helps keep your skin calm and hydrated while effectively cleansing away impurities without causing irritation.

The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Journal of Oleo Science, 2012

Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?

This cleanser is a great fit and is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores on dry sensitive skin, as it gently cleanses without harsh ingredients and has a very low complaint rate for breakouts. Glycolipids and pentylene glycol help hydrate your skin while keeping it calm and protected.

Journal of Oleo Science, 2012International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025

Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?

You can use this cleanser on your body and around your eyes, as its gentle formula cleans without irritation and supports your moisture barrier. Because the skin around your eyes and in certain body areas is much thinner than facial skin, gentle and hydrating ingredients like glycolipids help protect it from dryness.

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002Journal of Oleo Science, 2012

Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Behenyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.

What the research says

  • Mannosylerythritol lipids recovered the viability of SDS-damaged human skin cells by over 80% and increased stratum corneum water content while suppressing perspiration in human skin compared with a control.

    Journal of Oleo Science, 2012

  • An Acmella oleracea extract-loaded glycolipid emulsion serum applied topically demonstrated safety with no ocular irritation or systemic dermal absorption, alongside significant improvements in facial skin hydration, smoothness, and reductions in roughness, scaliness, and wrinkles.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025

  • Chemical 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, 2019

  • MEL-C showed antioxidant activity and a higher protective activity against H2O2-induced oxidative stress than arbutin in cultured human skin fibroblasts, along with the repression of cyclooxygenase-2 expression.

    Journal of Oleo Science, 2012

  • Acidic sophorolipids and mono-rhamnolipids showed negligible effects on cell viability, morphology, and pro-inflammatory cytokine production compared with SLES, while di-rhamnolipids attenuated IL-8 and increased IL-1RA production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated human keratinocytes.

    Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2023

  • Topical docosanol 10% cream applied 5 times daily reduced the median time to healing by 18 hours compared to placebo in adults with recurrent herpes simplex labialis.

    Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2001

  • A 10% docosanol cream initiated within 12 hours of symptom onset reduced time-to-healing compared with a polyethylene glycol control in patients with recurrent herpes labialis.

    Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy, 2004

  • Ten percent docosanol cream is a safe and effective topical treatment for recurrent herpes labialis in immunocompetent adults, offering efficacy comparable to prescription topical antivirals and a low risk of resistance due to its unique mechanism.

    Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy, 2010

  • Exposure of epidermal full-thickness skin equivalents to a blend of betaine, pentylene glycol, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Rhodiola rosea root extract significantly increased antioxidant, skin barrier, and oxidative stress biomarkers while reducing the negative impact of hydrogen peroxide on MMP3, MMP12, FBN2, ANXA1, and HGF, whereas a blend of Narcissus tazetta bulb extract and Schisandra chinensis fruit extract significantly increased 8 growth factors, 7 signaling, 7 structural/barrier function, 7 oxidative stress biomarkers, and specific microRNAs over control levels.

    International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2018

Ingredients

Water, Behenyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Glycolipids, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-6 Dicaprate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Diutan Gum, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Sodium Phytate, Phytic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin

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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

How does it fit your skin?

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How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play