🇫🇷France

Paula's Choice Hydrating Gel-To-Cream Cleanser for sensitive skin

High

  • HighNormal Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

A great choice for sensitive skin; a few cleansers fit it even better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. 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 normal skin, this cleanser effectively addresses redness and irritation with soothing ingredients like Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, which calm inflammation and provide hydration. Glycerin and Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice further support your normal skin type by offering humectant action to maintain moisture balance.
  • The formula's excellent cleansing capabilities are due to sodium cocoyl glycinate and cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine, ensuring impurities are removed without stripping your skin.
  • The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your sensitive skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components.

How to apply

  • Use your cleanser in the AM and PM routines every day. Start using it daily since your sensitive skin needs gentle care.
  • Apply this first in your morning and evening skincare routine before toner and moisturizer. This clears away dirt without upsetting your skin.
  • Gently massage a small amount onto your face using soft circles. Avoid any rough rubbing to keep redness away.
  • Apply the cleanser on slightly damp skin to help it wash away impurities softly. Clean skin feels fresh and comfortable afterwards.
  • Avoid getting the cleanser in your eyes and do a quick patch test before first use. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.

People Say

★4.5Overall rating based on 200+ reviews

Users find this cleanser effectively removes makeup and impurities while maintaining skin's moisture, making it suitable for sensitive and combination skin. The gel-to-cream texture is generally well-received for leaving skin soft and refreshed. Some users report issues with the packaging being difficult to dispense and occasional mild irritation around the eyes.

Highlights

  • Gentle and non-drying Mostly Mentioned
    • “Does not dry skin”
    • “Leaves skin feeling soft and refreshed”
    • “Never strips or dries”
  • Effective cleansing Often Mentioned
    • “Melts off make up”
    • “Lifts away dirt and excess oil”
    • “Removes makeup including mascara well”
  • Fragrance-free formula Sometimes Noted
    • “It has no scent”
    • “Great for sensitive skin”
    • “Fragrance free”
  • Pleasant texture Sometimes Noted
    • “Silky cleanser”
    • “Rich, creamy foam”
    • “Refreshing gel texture”
  • Difficult packaging Sometimes Noted
    • “Packaging is a bit inconvenient”
    • “Hard to squeeze out”
    • “Container isn't very pliable”
  • Expensive product Rarely Noted
    • “Pricey for a cleanser”
    • “Small bottle for the cost”
    • “Good but expensive”
  • Eye irritation Rarely Noted
    • “Irritating for sensitive eyes”
    • “Stung my eyes”
    • “Avoid the eye area”
  • Hard to rinse Rarely Noted
    • “Takes a lot of rinsing”
    • “Film left behind”
    • “Hard to wash off”

Sources: lovi.care, paulaschoice.com, dermstore.com, cultbeauty.co.uk, spacenk.com, skinsort.com, and more

Questions and answers

What makes Paula's Choice Hydrating Gel-To-Cream Cleanser a great fit for sensitive skin?

This cleanser is a great fit because it gently removes impurities without stripping your skin, while soothing ingredients like aloe vera and green tea extract calm redness and irritation. It also features glycerin to maintain moisture balance, and its overall formula is very unlikely to cause irritation on sensitive skin.

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

This cleanser is a great fit for sensitive skin because it uses aloe vera leaf juice and green tea extract to calm redness and irritation, along with glycerin to keep your skin hydrated. These soothing ingredients help remove impurities without stripping moisture, making it very unlikely to cause any irritation.

What does Glycerin do for sensitive skin?

Glycerin helps keep sensitive skin soft and deeply hydrated while supporting the skin barrier. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may protect against dryness and roughness.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Acta Dermato-venereologica, 1999

What does Aloe Vera Leaf Juice do for sensitive skin?

Aloe Vera Leaf Juice helps calm sensitive skin and keeps it hydrated without causing irritation. Studies show it supports skin comfort and can safely improve moisture levels.

Skin Research and Technology, 2006Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025

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

This cleanser goes in your morning and evening routine, before a soothing toner and moisturizer. It removes impurities gently without stripping your skin, and is very unlikely to cause irritation.

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

You can use this cleanser with retinol by washing your face with it before applying your retinol treatment. It cleanses gently without stripping your skin, which helps lower the risk of irritation when using strong ingredients like retinol.

How often should I use this cleanser?

You can use this cleanser twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine, because its mild ingredients wash away impurities without stripping your skin. This gentle approach helps keep your sensitive skin calm and clean while maintaining your moisture balance.

The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022

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

This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for sensitive skin because it is formulated without harsh ingredients and includes soothing components like aloe and green tea extract that help calm irritation.

Experimental Dermatology, 2009

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

Yes, you can use this cleanser around the eyes and on your body because its gentle formula cleanses without stripping or irritating sensitive skin. Glycerin and aloe barbadensis leaf juice help keep delicate areas like the eyelids and body feeling soft and hydrated.

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002

Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

What the research says

  • Topical low-dose green tea extract reduces UVB-induced p53 expression and apoptosis in human skin keratinocytes compared to placebo.

    Experimental Dermatology, 2009
  • Licochalcone A activated Nrf2 signaling, elevated cytoprotective enzymes, increased the reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio, and decreased reactive oxygen species in human fibroblasts and neutrophils, while a LicA-rich licorice extract lowered UVA-induced oxidative processes in vivo.

    Experimental Dermatology, 2015
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.

    Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018
  • Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.

    Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010
  • Topical 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, 2017
  • An 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, 2019
  • Topical application of green tea extract encapsulated chitosan microparticles improved skin elasticity, melanin index, and facial wrinkles compared to a placebo in female volunteers without causing skin irritation.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
  • Combining 755 nm alexandrite laser with topical licorice gel significantly reduces terminal hair counts compared to alexandrite laser with placebo in women with idiopathic hirsutism.

    Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015
  • Bioactive glycyrrhizic acid and oxymatrine ionic liquid self-assembled nanomicelles significantly promoted the transdermal permeation, subcutaneous retention, and anti-photoaging efficacy of palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 in cellular and animal models compared to unformulated peptide.

    Advanced Science, 2025
  • Topical application of Glycyrrhiza glabra and Sophora japonica flavonoid-rich fractions individually and in combination significantly increased the wound healing rate and reduced oxidative stress compared to wound and Nolaver-treated groups.

    Molecules, 2023
  • Application of a cream containing lactic acid 12% and pramoxine HCl 1% significantly improved skin dryness, hydration, and itch compared with a nontreated control in 24 women with a history of dry itchy skin.

    Cutis, 2004
  • Topical 12% ammonium lactate produced a significant sparing of epidermal and dermal atrophy induced by clobetasol propionate in human volunteers, without influencing the corticosteroid's bioavailability or antiinflammatory properties.

    Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1992
  • A lactic acid/ceramide lotion significantly improved skin moisturization and desquamation compared to no treatment in women with dry, rough skin on the anterior shins.

    The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020

Ingredients

Water, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Sorbeth-230 Tetraoleate, Decyl Glucoside, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Lauric Acid, Lactic Acid, Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids, Sorbitan Laurate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Disodium Edta, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Linoleic Acid, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Cocoyl Proline, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Pca, Sodium Lactate, Arginine, Glycine Soja Soybean Sterols, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Pca, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Lactoperoxidase, Glucose Oxidase, Aspartic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, 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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Prices checked 4 Nov 2026

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

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