Estée Lauder Soft Clean Moisture Rich Foaming Cleanser for oily skin
Sodium Hyaluronate
Glycerin
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Passiflora Incarnata Flower Extract
Caution
- CautionOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A poor match for oily skin; the cleansers alongside fit it better.
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
- Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2011
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
- This cleanser offers excellent pore decongestion for your oily skin due to potassium cocoyl glycinate and sodium coceth sulfate, but the inclusion of glycerin and sodium hyaluronate may overwhelm oily skin by providing excessive humectant action.
- While Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate and Urea offer soothing benefits, the formula lacks specialized ingredients to effectively target and reduce oily shine.
- The product is safe for your oily skin, as it contains no harsh ingredients and includes soothing components.
How to apply
- Use your cleanser AM and PM every day to keep your skin fresh. Always make sure to follow with a good SPF in the morning.
- Apply your cleanser as the first step in the morning or the second step in the evening before your toner.
- Gently massage a small amount onto your face using circular motions, then rinse well with water .
- You can apply this cleanser safely on damp skin for a refreshing and easy wash.
- Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes and stop use if irritation occurs.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 700+ reviewsUsers with dry to normal skin find this cleanser provides a deep, effective cleanse without stripping moisture, creating a luxurious lather that leaves skin feeling soft. Some users report the tube packaging is difficult to use and the fragrance may be too strong for sensitive individuals.
Highlights
Rich lather Mostly Mentioned
- “Lathers well”
- “creamy with a light scent”
- “foams a lot”
Long-lasting product Often Mentioned
- “A little goes a long way”
- “lasts a long time”
- “tube will last eons”
Non-drying formula Often Mentioned
- “Doesn't strip my skin”
- “doesn't make skin feel stiff”
- “leaves skin moisturized”
Effective cleansing Sometimes Noted
- “Leaves my skin very clean”
- “removes makeup”
- “no residue”
Difficult tube Sometimes Noted
- “Impossible to get out”
- “tube is very uncomfortable”
- “needs a pump”
High price Rarely Noted
- “Brings very little product for its price”
- “price hike”
Strong fragrance Rarely Noted
- “Fragrance a bit too strong”
- “not for those sensitive to scent”
Sources: lovi.care, influenster.com, nordstrom.com, esteelauder.com, solonelyingorgeous.com, soco.id, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise caution with Estee Lauder Soft Clean Moisture Rich Foaming Cleanser for oily skin?
Lovi advises caution because this cleanser may overwhelm your oily skin with excessive hydration, while lacking specialized ingredients to reduce oily shine. A cleanser for oily skin needs ingredients that promote a clear complexion and manage oiliness without causing excess shine.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a poor fit for oily skin?
Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate make this cleanser a poor fit because they may overwhelm your skin with too much moisture. Oily skin needs a cleanser that manages shine and promotes a clear complexion without any conflicting heavy ingredients.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for oily skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps oily skin by reducing extra oil and sebum production without causing irritation. Clinical studies show it successfully balances oil levels while keeping the skin comfortable.
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 cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This cleanser fits into both your morning and evening routines for oily skin. While it clears away pore congestion, ingredients like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate may overwhelm oily skin with too much moisture, so this skin type also needs oil-controlling ingredients like niacinamide or salicylic acid.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser in your routine, but a cleanser for oily skin of this type needs to include ingredients that reduce shine rather than adding heavy moisture.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You should use this cleanser once or twice daily as part of your normal cleansing routine, though it may overwhelm oily skin due to excessive hydrating ingredients. A cleanser for oily skin needs ingredients that provide effective pore decongestion without heavy moisture and specialized components to target oily shine.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on oily skin, as it contains no harsh ingredients and provides good pore decongestion. However, because it includes extra hydrating ingredients like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate, it may sometimes feel a bit heavy on oily skin. To properly care for oily skin, a cleanser of this type needs balancing ingredients that help reduce oily shine.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on your body, but it is not recommended for the thin skin around your eyes. A cleanser for this area needs to be specially formulated for delicate skin and should be gentle enough to avoid irritation.
Is this cleanser 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, 2017Chrysin attenuated apoptosis, ROS production, COX-2 expression, and AQP-3 down-regulation induced by UVB and UVA in HaCaT keratinocytes, while showing efficient percutaneous absorption and no skin irritation in animal studies.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2011Hyaluronic acid extracts are safe and efficacious products for skin repair when used in tissue regeneration alone or in combination with herbal or Western medicine.
Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Topical 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, 2019The 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, 2012Combining 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, 2025Topical chrysin nanoemulgel improved percutaneous absorption and in vitro cytotoxicity on A375 and SK-MEL-2 cell lines compared to unformulated chrysin, demonstrating effective localized transcutaneous delivery.
Pharmaceutics, 2021Chrysin treatment reduced injury area and inflammation while increasing bFGF secretion, promoting the healing of amiodarone extravasation-induced skin injury in rats compared to control and 10% DMSO groups.
Microvascular Research, 2022
Ingredients
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Decyl Glucoside, Potassium Myristoyl Glutamate, Glycol Stearate, Peg-40 Glyceryl Cocoate, Citric Acid, Sodium Pca, Sodium Coceth Sulfate, Parfum, Passiflora Incarnata Flower Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Lythrum Salicaria Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caffeine, Trehalose, Sucrose, Urea, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyquaternium-51, Phenoxyethanol
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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