La Roche-Posay Soothing Lotion Sensitive Skin for oily skin
Thermal Spring Water
Glycerin
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Citric Acid
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Average
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for oily skin; other toners fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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 soothing and calming for your oily skin, as glycerin provides hydration and chlorhexidine digluconate offers antimicrobial action, which is generally supportive but not directly targeting oily shine.
- The formula is highly suitable for oily skin due to the presence of glycerin and chlorhexidine digluconate, though it lacks specific ingredients to address concerns like oily shine.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing glycerin.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine. Start using your soothing toner 3 times a week and work up to daily use if your skin likes it.
- Apply your soothing toner after cleansing and before your moisturizer or SPF.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the soothing toner into your skin with your hands. Let it absorb for a minute before moving on ⏱ to the next step.
- For the best results , apply your soothing toner to slightly damp skin to help it sink in better.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a quick patch test before using the soothing toner for the very first time.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsThis product is widely praised as a gentle, non-stripping toner specifically formulated for sensitive and reactive skin. Users consistently report that it effectively removes residual makeup and cleanser while calming redness and leaving the skin feeling soft and balanced, though some find the price high for a toner.
Highlights
Extremely gentle Mostly Mentioned
- “never stings or irritates”
- “gentle enough for sensitive skin”
- “100% hypoallergenic”
Soothing and calming Often Mentioned
- “reduced my redness”
- “instantly calms and refreshes”
- “feels very soothing on skin”
Effective cleansing Sometimes Noted
- “removes any leftover cleanser residue”
- “wiped away grime”
- “pores look tighter”
Non-drying Sometimes Noted
- “leaves skin soft”
- “doesn't strip skin”
- “hydrating and non-greasy”
Pleasant texture Sometimes Noted
- “absorbs very fast”
- “fresh and clean feeling”
- “non-greasy formula”
Price point Sometimes Noted
- “bit expensive for a toner”
- “pricey for the size”
- “good but expensive”
Breakouts or reactions Rarely Noted
- “skin completely breaks out”
- “caused blemishes”
- “face turned red”
Hydration level Rarely Noted
- “doesn't provide much hydration”
- “need to layer it”
- “too watery for dry skin”
Scent Rarely Noted
- “scent is similar to men's skincare”
- “strong fragrance”
- “smell is a bit much”
Sources: lovi.care, laroche-posay.co.uk, boots.ie, makeup.uk, face-the-future.co.uk, beautycrew.com.au, and more
Questions and answers
How well does La Roche-Posay Soothing Lotion work for oily skin?
La Roche-Posay Soothing Lotion works moderately well for oily skin, offering gentle calming and hydration through glycerin and chlorhexidine digluconate. It is unlikely to cause irritation, but it lacks specific oil-controlling ingredients to manage oily shine. A soothing toner for oily skin needs ingredients that target shine and balance oil while keeping the skin hydrated without clogging pores.
Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for oily skin?
Glycerin and chlorhexidine digluconate make this toner a moderate fit for oily skin by offering hydration and antimicrobial action. However, a soothing toner for oily skin also needs oil-controlling ingredients to properly address oily shine.
What does Thermal Spring Water do for oily skin?
Thermal spring water helps calm oily skin by reducing redness and irritation while supporting skin comfort. Hot environments may increase greasiness and oiliness, and this water helps keep skin refreshed and balanced throughout the day.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2020Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2019
What does Glycerin do for oily skin?
Glycerin helps keep oily skin hydrated without feeling heavy and supports the skin barrier. Because this product is a weak fit for your skin, an ideal product of this type needs lightweight hydrators and ingredients that balance oil while protecting the skin.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008International Journal of Toxicology, 2019
Where does this toner go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This toner goes in your morning routine after cleansing and before your moisturizer, or in your evening routine as a cleansing toner after your cleanser. It offers moderate soothing and calming, though an oily skin type needs a product with ingredients that directly target oily shine.
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this toner with retinol by applying the toner first to damp skin to calm and hydrate, followed by your retinol treatment once dry. This product works well for oily skin through gentle hydration, though oily skin ultimately needs ingredients that directly balance shine and oil production.
How often should I use this toner?
You can use this soothing toner daily in your morning or evening routine, as it is very safe and unlikely to cause irritation. Because it only offers moderate calming without directly targeting oily shine, oily skin also needs ingredients like niacinamide, clay, or salicylic acid to control excess oil.
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This toner is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily skin, as it has a very safe formula without harsh ingredients and includes soothing glycerin. However, because it lacks specific ingredients to control oily shine, oily skin often needs mattifying ingredients like niacinamide or salicylic acid to help stay clear.
Is this toner fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum).
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, 2017Balneotherapy 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, 2023Malaysian 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 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, 2025The 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, 2012Detergent containing castor wax beads caused significantly lower transepidermal water loss and erythema compared with walnut shell powder while providing comparably superior cleaning to detergent alone in 30 healthy volunteers.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010Resveratrol microemulsion gel significantly increased drug penetration, skin retention, and inhibition of tyrosinase activity and melanin production compared to suspension, with no side effects observed in 15 volunteers.
Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy, 2023A novel composition containing salicylic acid, capryloyl salicylic acid, HEPES, glycolic acid, citric acid, and dioic acid showed similar tolerance and efficacy compared with clindamycin 1% and benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in subjects with acne vulgaris.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2013Daily treatment with a facial serum containing multiple acids reduced post-inflammatory hyperchromia lesion grade and number by 29.4% at 56 days, and decreased skin oiliness by 30.7% at 7 days in Brazilian patients with acne vulgaris.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical 20% citric acid lotion increases viable epidermal thickness and dermal glycosaminoglycan content in sun-damaged skin compared to vehicle alone.
Dermatologic Surgery, 1997Topical gel containing chitosan, 0.2% chlorhexidine, allantoin and dexpanthenol did not improve postoperative comfort regarding swelling and pain, but improved the wound's aesthetic appearance following impacted lower third molar extraction compared to no gel.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2016Topical application of an intimate cleansing gel containing chlorhexidine, hyaluronic acid, and anti-inflammatory agents after ultrasound scalpel-assisted hemorrhoidectomy reduced pain and itching while accelerating complete wound healing at 4 weeks compared to washing with warm water alone in adult patients.
Annals of Coloproctology, 2024Topical therapy with 4% chlorhexidine digluconate products resolved clinical signs in all dogs with superficial pyoderma, including those with meticillin-resistant strains, showing comparable efficacy to systemic amoxicillin-clavulanic acid.
Veterinary Dermatology, 2015
Ingredients
Water, Peg-8, Glycerin, Peg-60, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Poloxamer 124, Citric Acid, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Parfum
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
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