DHC Face Wash Powder for dry sensitive skin
Zea Mays Starch
Sodium Hyaluronate
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Honey
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract Lavender Flower ExtractHigh
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for dry sensitive skin; a few products 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
- Offers excellent cleansing for your dry and sensitive skin, as protease and sodium cocoyl isethionate work to exfoliate and decongest pores without causing irritation.
- The inclusion of sodium hyaluronate and honey mel miel provides humectant benefits, which are supportive for dry or flaky skin, though additional emollients would further enhance moisture retention.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components like dipotassium glycyrrhizate.
How to apply
- Use your enzyme powder cleanser PM once a week as part of your weekly routine, and start slowly to check your skin's tolerance.
- Place this step right after your regular cleanser and before your hydrating toner, following the weekly routine order.
- Mix the powder with a little water in your hands to create a soft foam, then gently massage it onto your face without rubbing hard.
- Apply the foam on slightly damp skin to keep your dry flakes comfortable and safe from extra irritation.
- Be sure to avoid the delicate eye area and do a patch test before your very first use.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 800+ reviewsUsers consistently praise this enzyme-powder cleanser for its ability to gently exfoliate and smooth skin texture without causing irritation, making it a favorite for those with sensitive, oily, or combination skin. The water-activated formula is frequently noted for leaving the face feeling "squeaky clean" yet soft and hydrated, though a minority of users with very dry skin found it slightly stripping.
Highlights
Excellent for travel Mostly Mentioned
- “perfect for camping”
- “no liquid limits”
- “lightweight and easy to pack”
- “great for gym bag”
Gentle exfoliation Often Mentioned
- “smooths bumps”
- “gentle on sensitive skin”
- “cleared my blackheads”
- “mild enzyme action”
Soft, clean finish Often Mentioned
- “squeaky clean but soft”
- “skin feels baby soft”
- “doesn't dry me out”
- “leaves face refreshed”
Long-lasting value Sometimes Noted
- “lasts forever”
- “a little goes a long way”
- “bottle lasted months”
- “only need a pinch”
Drying for some Sometimes Noted
- “left my skin tight”
- “caused burning dryness”
- “too harsh for daily use”
- “stripped my moisture barrier”
Messy packaging Sometimes Noted
- “pours out too fast”
- “cap broke off”
- “powder gets everywhere”
- “hard to control amount”
Eye irritation Rarely Noted
- “stung my eyes bad”
- “extreme eye irritation”
- “burned my eyes”
- “be careful around eyes”
Price per size Rarely Noted
- “expensive for the size”
- “tiny bottle”
- “pricey compared to others”
- “not enough product”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, dermstore.com, ulta.com, target.com, lookfantastic.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes DHC Face Wash Powder a great fit for dry sensitive skin?
DHC Face Wash Powder is a great fit for dry sensitive skin because protease and sodium cocoyl isethionate gently exfoliate and clear pores without causing irritation. Sodium hyaluronate and honey add moisture for flaky areas, while dipotassium glycyrrhizate helps soothe the skin with an excellent safety profile.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
Protease and sodium cocoyl isethionate help clear pores gently, while sodium hyaluronate and honey keep dry skin soft by holding onto moisture. Dipotassium glycyrrhizate also soothes the skin and has an excellent safety profile with very low risk of irritation.
What does Corn Starch do for dry sensitive skin?
Corn starch helps protect dry sensitive skin by reducing friction and soothing irritation. It is unlikely to cause issues and may support skin defense when exposed to everyday stress.
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for dry sensitive skin?
Hyaluronic acid is a great fit for dry, sensitive skin because it brings a large boost in hydration, making the skin feel soft and smooth while improving barrier function. It helps calm tightness and dryness, and is unlikely to cause irritation.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Dermatology and Therapy, 2021
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This cleanser is used in the morning and evening, or just once a week when starting out with exfoliating powders. It gently clears pores while helping keep skin calm and hydrated.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol by using the cleanser first and applying retinol afterwards, as long as your skin does not feel overly dry or irritated. This gentle powder cleanser helps clear pores without harshness, and soothing components like dipotassium glycyrrhizate help keep sensitive skin calm while using stronger treatments.
How often should I use this cleanser?
Start by using this cleanser once a week, and if your skin feels comfortable and shows good results, you can carefully use it more often. The formula gently exfoliates and decongests pores without irritation, and ingredients like sodium hyaluronate and honey help support dry skin.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry sensitive skin because its ingredients gently clear away dead skin without causing irritation. Sodium cocoyl isethionate is mild to the skin and helps prevent barrier disruption.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol).
What the research says
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, 2007Enzymatic hydrolysis of codfish skin using SM9913 extracellular protease yielded over 66% of collagen oligopeptide-rich hydrolysates with high bioactivity, including moisture-retention, antioxidant activity, and promotion of human dermal fibroblast cell viability, while proving to be nontoxic and nonirritating.
Scientific Reports, 2017A topical formulation containing panthenol, niacinamide, and dipotassium glycyrrhizate increased skin hydration by 74.1% and reduced transepidermal water loss by 13.5% at 28 days compared to baseline and untreated control in 35 individuals with xerosis.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026Hydrolyzed corn starch containing maltotetraose activated the NRF2 pathway, upregulated antioxidant-responsive genes, increased NRF2 protein expression and nuclear translocation, and reduced reactive oxygen species levels in human keratinocytes exposed to oxidative stress.
PloS One, 2026Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019Combining 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, 2015Licochalcone 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, 2015Bioactive 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, 2025Honey-based dressings reduced mean healing duration, length of hospital stay, and VAS pain scores compared with povidone iodine-based dressings in 1236 participants.
Journal of Wound Care, 2021Topical honey application improved the mean duration of attacks and pain, occurrence of crusting, and healing time compared to acyclovir cream in 16 adult patients with recurrent labial and genital herpes lesions.
Medical Science Monitor, 2004Lavandula angustifolia leaf callus extract enhanced skin cell viability, reduced oxidative stress and melanin content, improved wound healing, and enhanced skin barrier function in human skin cells and clinical tests.
Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 2025Tea tree oil effectively treated acne while lavender and rosemary oils demonstrated anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties in derma cosmetic applications based on an evaluation of various essential oils.
Frontiers in Medicine, 2025A blend of Lavandula angustifolia flower extract and dipeptide-4 reduced oxidative and glycation markers, enhanced ATP, SOD, autophagy, and melatonin production, and improved tissue morphology in human skin models and fibroblasts.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2026
Ingredients
Zea Mays Starch, Maltitol, Potassium Myristate, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sorbitol, Protease, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glycyl Glycine, Silica, Water, Alcohol, Honey Mel Miel, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract Lavender Flower Extract
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
How does it fit your skin?
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