Clinique Acne Solutions Cleansing Foam for sensitive skin
Salicylic Acid
Glycerin
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Caffeine
Acetyl GlucosamineAverage
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
Works for sensitive skin; other cleansers fit it 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
- Suitable for normal skin, this cleanser utilizes glycerin and sodium hyaluronate to provide humectant action, while salicylic acid offers mild keratolytic benefits for your redness and irritation concerns.
- The formulation is safe for your sensitive skin, as it lacks harsh ingredients that could cause irritation.
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 5.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with oily and acne-prone skin consistently praise this foam for effectively clearing breakouts and reducing redness without leaving a residue. Users with dry or sensitive skin frequently report that the formula is too stripping, leading to tightness and flaking if not paired with a strong moisturizer.
Highlights
Effective acne treatment Mostly Mentioned
- “cleared my cystic acne”
- “reduced redness significantly”
- “stopped new breakouts”
- “best for hormonal acne”
Gentle on oily skin Often Mentioned
- “doesn't strip my skin”
- “leaves face feeling soft”
- “gentle enough for daily use”
- “clean but not tight”
Drying and stripping Often Mentioned
- “made my skin flake”
- “face felt very tight”
- “too harsh for sensitive skin”
- “dried out my cheeks”
Convenient pump Sometimes Noted
- “love the foam pump”
- “easy to use in shower”
- “one pump is enough”
- “dispenses perfect amount”
Deep cleaning, oil control Sometimes Noted
- “removes all excess oil”
- “pores look smaller”
- “face feels squeaky clean”
- “great for greasy T-zone”
Unpleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “smells like bandages”
- “strong chemical odor”
- “scent is off-putting”
- “smells medicinal”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “pump stopped working”
- “leaked in my bag”
- “dispenser broke quickly”
- “cap doesn't stay on”
Watery consistency Rarely Noted
- “liquid is too runny”
- “pours out like water”
- “hard to keep in hand”
- “expected a thicker gel”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, macys.com, ulta.com, bluemercury.com, my-navy-exchange.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Clinique Acne Solutions work for sensitive skin?
Clinique Acne Solutions Cleansing Foam works reasonably well for sensitive skin, though other products fit it better because they contain a broader range of soothing and barrier-repairing ingredients like niacinamide and ceramide-3. It utilizes glycerin to help keep your skin hydrated and salicylic acid for mild exfoliating benefits, but a cleanser of this type needs effective hydrating and calming ingredients to prevent irritation and maintain moisture.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for sensitive skin?
This cleanser works for sensitive skin because it uses glycerin and sodium hyaluronate to keep skin soft and hydrated, alongside salicylic acid to help calm redness and irritation. To fit this skin type even better, a cleanser of this type needs effective soothing and barrier-repairing ingredients like niacinamide and ceramides without any risk of irritation.
What does Salicylic Acid do for sensitive skin?
Salicylic acid may cause irritation on sensitive skin, so it requires careful use and good sun protection to keep skin comfortable. A product for this skin type needs gentle, soothing ingredients and a mild formula that respects the skin barrier.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 1999International Journal of Toxicology, 2003
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
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This cleanser fits into both your morning and evening routine, though other products may feel gentler on sensitive skin. To care for sensitive skin properly, this type of cleanser needs soothing ingredients like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate to keep skin soft and comfortable without causing irritation.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol, applying the cleanser first on damp skin, rinsing thoroughly, and following with your retinol product once your face is completely dry. Because this cleanser contains salicylic acid, using it with strong retinoids may sometimes cause extra dryness or irritation, so it helps to monitor how your skin feels and perhaps use them on alternate nights if needed.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser daily in your morning and evening routines, as it is generally safe for sensitive skin without harsh ingredients that cause irritation. When adding cleansers with salicylic acid to your routine, start by using them once a week to see how your skin tolerates them before increasing frequency.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores, but reviewers frequently complain that it leaves sensitive skin feeling dry and stripped. To avoid this dryness and protect sensitive skin, a cleanser of this type needs gentle moisturizing ingredients and barrier-supporting components like glycerin and hyaluronic acid.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
This cleanser is safe for your sensitive skin because it lacks harsh ingredients, though the thin skin around the eyes and certain body areas may need extra gentle, hydrating formulas with soothing ingredients to prevent dryness.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
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, 2017Twice daily application of a multitargeted dermocosmetic cream provided comparable efficacy to benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in reducing inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesions in 150 Caucasian subjects with mild-to-moderate acne over 56 days, while demonstrating superior skin tolerability.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.
CMAJ, 2010A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024The 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, 2012A skincare regimen containing Macrocystis pyrifera ferment consisting of a cleansing foam, a serum, and a moisturizer decreases the visible effects of inflammation and aging while promoting healing and improving patient satisfaction.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Macrocystis pyrifera ferment-containing creams decrease visible inflammation and signs of aging while enhancing barrier resilience and recovery.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023Aqueous extracts from Macrocystis pyrifera and Durvillaea antarctica exhibited antiviral activity against acyclovir-sensitive and acyclovir-resistant HSV-1 and HSV-2, and topical formulations significantly reduced the severity and duration of HSV-1 skin lesions in an animal model compared to mock treatment and acyclovir.
Frontiers in Microbiology, 2020A topical cosmetic slimming product containing tetrahydroxypropyl ethylenediamine, caffeine, carnitine, forskolin and retinol significantly reduced body circumferences and improved skin aspect compared with placebo in 78 women over 12 weeks.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2011Topical sunscreen formulations containing caffeine combined with UV filters increased in vivo anti-UVB protection by approximately 25% and showed higher SPF values compared to caffeine-free sunscreen, while being well tolerated by the skin of healthy subjects.
Frontiers in Physiology, 2019Caffeine gel combined with choline geranate showed high skin permeation capacity and superior clinical results in cellulite treatment compared to caffeine gel without ionic liquid.
AAPS PharmSciTech, 2021Topical 2% N-acetyl glucosamine reduced facial hyperpigmentation in an 8-week split-face clinical test, with an even greater effect observed when combined with 4% niacinamide.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2007N-acetyl-glucosamine-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers successfully delivered the hydrophilic agent through the skin and reduced melanin distribution in healthy volunteers.
Advanced Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 2016Topical cosmetic products containing hyaluronic acid, N-acetyl glucosamine, and gamma-amino butyric acid improved skin hydration by 24.28% to 33.60%, elasticity by 11.98%, and skin lightening by 5.26% over 2 months in 20 female participants.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2019
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sucrose, Disodium Phosphate, Arginine Cocoate, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Caffeine, Algae Extract, Cola Acuminata Seed Extract, Sea Whip Extract, Peg Ppg-18 18 Dimethicone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ppg-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, Lactobacillus Ferment, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Acetyl Glucosamine, Capryloyl Glycine, 10-Hydroxydecanoic Acid, Polyquaternium-7, Stearic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, Chloroxylenol, Salicylic Acid
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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