Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser for oily skin
Glycerin
Vitamin B5 Panthenol
Niacinamide
Cetearyl Alcohol
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Low
- LowOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- Low RiskSafety
A weak match for oily skin; the cleansers alongside 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 cleansing for your oily skin, with sodium cocoyl isethionate helping to clear pores, but the inclusion of glycerin may exacerbate oiliness without sufficient oil-controlling ingredients.
- While Niacinamide and Panthenol offer soothing benefits, the formula lacks targeted ingredients to address your primary concern of oily shine.
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
★4.4Overall rating based on 45.0k+ reviewsThe summary is based on a very large amount of data and should definitely be taken into account.
Highlights
Extremely gentle Mostly Mentioned
- “The only thing my reactive skin tolerates.”
- “Feels like a lotion, very soothing.”
- “Perfect for morning cleanse, never strips.”
Safe for sensitive skin Mostly Mentioned
- “No breakouts since switching to this.”
- “Great for acne-prone sensitive skin.”
- “Calms my redness significantly.”
Hydrating and non-stripping Often Mentioned
- “Leaves my face feeling soft, not tight.”
- “Great for winter dryness.”
- “My skin feels moisturized after rinsing.”
- “Doesn't leave that squeaky clean feeling, which is good.”
Poor makeup removal Often Mentioned
- “Doesn't take off mascara at all.”
- “Need to use a balm first to get foundation off.”
- “Left residue when I wore full glam.”
- “Not strong enough for waterproof sunscreen.”
Fragrance-free Sometimes Noted
- “Love that it has no scent.”
- “Great for those allergic to perfumes.”
- “Smells like nothing, which is perfect.”
- “No masking fragrance to irritate skin.”
Lack of lather Sometimes Noted
- “Miss the bubbles, feels like washing with lotion.”
- “Hard to tell if it's actually cleaning.”
- “Weird slime texture that doesn't foam.”
- “Feels like I'm just rubbing conditioner on my face.”
New formula complaints Sometimes Noted
- “New version burns my face.”
- “Caused breakouts after they changed ingredients.”
- “Consistency is thinner than the old one.”
- “Preferred the original formula much more.”
Parabens (Old Formula) Rarely Noted
- “Contains parabens which I try to avoid.”
- “Wish it had cleaner ingredients.”
- “Stopped using because of the preservatives.”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, ulta.com, target.com, walmart.com, influenster.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser a weak match for oily skin?
This cleanser offers moderate cleaning, but glycerin may make oily skin feel even oilier without enough oil-controlling ingredients. A cleanser for this skin needs ingredients like salicylic acid, ceramides, or probiotics to help manage oily shine and keep the skin balanced.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a poor fit for oily skin?
Glycerin may make oily skin feel even more oily because this cleanser lacks strong oil-controlling ingredients. To work well for oily skin, a cleanser of this type needs ingredients that help manage oily shine, like salicylic acid, ceramides, and probiotics.
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
What does Vitamin B5 do for oily skin?
Vitamin B5 helps regulate oil and keeps oily skin feeling soft and smooth. It also reduces redness and keeps the skin calm with a very low chance of irritation.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This cleanser goes in your morning and evening routine as the main cleansing step before toners, treatments, and moisturizers. Because it is a weak match for oily skin, a cleanser for this skin type needs stronger oil-controlling ingredients and pore-clearing actives to properly manage excess shine.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser in the same routine as retinol, applying it first to cleanse your skin before putting on your retinol treatment. A cleanser of this type for oily skin needs ingredients that help control excess oil and clear pores without leaving behind heavy moisture that can worsen greasy shine.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser daily in the morning and evening as part of your routine. However, because it is a weak match for oily skin, this type of skin needs a cleanser with stronger oil-controlling ingredients to properly manage shine and clear pores.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores since it helps clear them, but it may not control excess shine for oily skin. A product for this skin needs oil-controlling ingredients and stronger cleansing agents to prevent breakouts.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can safely use this cleanser both around your eyes and on your body, as the gentle formula is suitable for delicate areas and general skin use. Studies show that skin thickness varies significantly across the body, with areas like the eyelids being much thinner, so a mild cleanser is ideal for these diverse regions.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
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, 2017The 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, 2001Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Topical dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.
Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005Sodium 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, 2007
Why other cleansers fit oily skin better
A botanical face cleanser with hops and willow bark extract continuously reduced skin sebum levels without reactive seborrhea after treatment in 21 healthy volunteers compared to a sodium laureth sulfate cleanser, with neither cleanser causing skin irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Topical application of Lactobacillus plantarum-GMNL6 enhanced collagen synthesis and SPTSSA gene expression while reducing melanin synthesis, Staphylococcus aureus biofilm, and Cutibacterium acnes proliferation, leading to clinical improvements in skin moisture, color, spots, wrinkles, UV spots, and porphyrins in human volunteers.
International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2021
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Pantolactone, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric 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.
-
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-
Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-
Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-
Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-
Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.