🇪🇸Spain

Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser for acne-prone skin

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

Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser

Average

  • AverageCombination Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

Works for acne-prone skin; other cleansers fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. 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 combination skin, as Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate and Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract help lift impurities, while Glycerin and Squalane provide hydration and emollient benefits, though these may not be sufficient for all areas of your combination skin.
  • While the formula offers general skincare benefits like hydration and cleansing, it does not directly address your primary concerns of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
  • The product is safe for your combination skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.

How to apply

  • Could be used as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it.
  • This cleanser is the first step in your morning routine and the second step after your pre-cleanser in the evening. Always follow up with a toner and moisturizer .
  • Gently massage a small amount of the cleanser onto your face in circular motions. Avoid harsh rubbing to keep your skin calm.
  • Apply the cleanser on slightly damp skin to help it work effectively against breakouts. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water .
  • Avoid the immediate eye area and do a patch test before your first use to check for any sensitivity.

People Say

★4.3Overall rating based on 5.7k+ reviews

Based 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 the Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser work for acne-prone skin?

This cleanser works moderately well for acne-prone skin, though other products fit it better because it does not directly target breakouts and blemishes. A product for this skin needs powerful ingredients like Niacinamide and Ceramides to effectively address acne while safely keeping skin balanced.

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2007

Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for acne-prone skin?

This cleanser works for acne-prone skin because it contains Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract, which helps clear impurities, alongside Glycerin and Squalane to keep the skin soft and hydrated. To best support acne-prone skin, a cleanser of this type needs powerful blemish-targeting ingredients like Niacinamide and Ceramides alongside safe and effective soothing agents.

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2020

What do Alpine Herbs do for acne-prone skin?

Alpine Herbs help calm acne-prone skin by soothing redness and reducing irritation. Skincare for this skin type also needs ingredients that clear pores and balance oil to keep breakouts away.

What does Shea Butter do for acne-prone skin?

Shea butter is a rich ingredient that can feel too heavy and is likely to clog pores on acne-prone skin. A product for this skin type needs lighter, oil-free hydration and ingredients that keep pores clear without adding extra weight.

Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?

This cleanser fits into both your morning and evening routines as the cleansing step. To best care for acne-prone skin, a cleanser of this type needs acne-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to directly target blemishes.

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

You can use this cleanser in your routine with retinol, applying the cleanser first to wash your face before putting on your retinol treatment. A cleanser for acne-prone skin needs soothing ingredients and blemish-targeting actives to properly clear breakouts.

How often should I use this cleanser?

You can use this cleanser twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine, as it gently lifts impurities while keeping your skin safe from irritation. A daily cleansing routine helps maintain clean skin, though acne-prone skin needs a cleanser that also directly targets breakouts and blemishes with clarifying and blemish-fighting ingredients.

Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?

This cleanser may occasionally cause breakouts for some people, as some reviewers have reported. Because it does not directly target acne, acne-prone skin needs a product that also includes ingredients to help clear blemishes and prevent clogged pores.

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

You can safely use this cleanser on the thin skin around the eyes and on the body because it has a gentle formula with a good safety profile. Skin thickness varies across the body, with the eyelid being one of the thinnest areas, but this product is unlikely to cause irritation.

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002

Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum).

What the research says

  • An antiacne herbal cream containing Saponaria officinalis, Inula helenium, and Solanum nigrum extracts led to the disappearance of 91.4% of acne lesions by the end of six weeks in 27 acne patients compared to placebo.

    Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2020

  • 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, 2017

  • A 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, 2007

  • Sodium 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, 2007

  • A 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, 2025

  • A 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, 2025

  • Topical 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, 2017

  • Tamarindus 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, 2022

  • The 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, 2020

  • Ten 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, 2001

  • Niacinamide/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 acne-prone skin better

  • Topical 5% tea tree oil gel significantly improved total acne lesions and acne severity index compared to placebo in 60 patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris, showing 3.55 times and 5.75 times greater efficacy respectively.

    Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, 2007

  • A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.

    Clinical Pharmacology, 2018

  • A 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, 2024

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.

  • 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

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Prices checked 10 Oct – 6 Nov 2026

The Lovi Fit is the same in every country; only the stores and prices differ, and the ones here are for Spain.

How does it fit your skin?

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