Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser for skin with dark spots
Alpine Herbs
Shea Extracts Butter
Tamarindus Indica Pulp
Glycerin
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Average
- AverageNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for skin with dark spots; other cleansers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dark spots: hyperpigmentation, sun spots, and uneven skin tone. 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 suitability for normal skin as Glycerin and Squalane provide humectant and emollient actions, though the formulation's primary benefits of hydration and cleansing are largely irrelevant to your main goal of pigmentation.
- The cleansing agents, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate and Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, effectively remove impurities without posing a risk of irritation for your normal skin.
- The safety profile is excellent due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components like Shea Butter.
How to apply
- You can use this cleanser AM and PM every single day. Start slowly 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin likes it.
- Apply this cleanser as the first step in your morning routine or the second step in your evening routine. Follow it with toner and moisturizer.
- Massage a small amount of cleanser gently onto your face using circular motions. Rinse well with lukewarm water and pat dry.
- For the best results, apply your cleanser directly to wet skin to help wash away dirt. Make sure your face is clean before you begin.
- Avoid getting the cleanser in your eyes. Always do a quick patch test before using the product for the very first time.
People Say
★4.3Overall rating based on 5.7k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, the Gentle Foaming Cleanser line is highly regarded for its effective yet gentle cleansing, creating a rich lather that removes impurities without stripping the skin, leaving it feeling soft and hydrated. While many appreciate the pleasant scent and the product's longevity, a notable number of long-time users express disappointment with the reformulation from the original version, citing a strong fragrance and occasional skin irritation as drawbacks.
Highlights
Effective gentle cleansing Mostly Mentioned
- “removes all traces of makeup”
- “leaves face squeaky clean”
- “takes off foundation easily”
- “cleans without stripping”
Non-drying formula Often Mentioned
- “skin feels soft afterwards”
- “no tight feeling”
- “leaves skin supple”
- “doesn't dry me out”
Rich creamy lather Often Mentioned
- “lathers beautifully”
- “thick creamy foam”
- “feels luxurious on skin”
- “rich mousse texture”
Long-lasting tube Sometimes Noted
- “pea size is enough”
- “tube lasts for months”
- “little goes a long way”
- “lasts forever”
Pleasant spa scent Sometimes Noted
- “smells like a spa”
- “lovely fresh scent”
- “enjoy the herbal smell”
- “relaxing fragrance”
Reformulation disappointment Sometimes Noted
- “miss the cottonseed version”
- “not as good as the original”
- “bring back the old formula”
- “changed the ingredients”
Strong fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “smell is too strong”
- “perfume is overwhelming”
- “scent lingers too long”
- “fragrance irritated me”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “broke me out”
- “caused redness”
- “skin reacted badly”
- “gave me bumps”
Drying for some Rarely Noted
- “left skin tight”
- “felt dry after use”
- “stripped my natural oils”
- “too drying for winter”
Eye irritation Rarely Noted
- “stings my eyes”
- “burns if it gets in eyes”
- “have to be careful around eyes”
- “irritates eye area”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, ulta.com, clarins.co.uk, influenster.com, macys.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser work for skin with dark spots?
Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser is an average fit for skin with dark spots because its cleansing and hydration do not target pigmentation, though glycerin helps keep the skin soft and smooth. A cleanser for dark spots needs to be very safe and gentle while containing brightening ingredients like niacinamide and ceramides.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for skin with dark spots?
This cleanser works for skin with dark spots because it contains glycerin and squalane to keep skin soft and hydrated while cleansing. However, it lacks ingredients like niacinamide and ceramides that are needed to actively fade dark spots.
What do Alpine Herbs do for skin with dark spots?
Alpine Herbs help brighten dark spots and even out uneven skin tone. They work gently to calm the skin while fading discoloration over time.
What does Shea Butter do for skin with dark spots?
Shea butter helps dark spots by providing polar constituents with antimelanogenic activities that may improve uneven skin tone. It also offers antioxidant benefits to support overall skin health.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for skin with dark spots?
This cleanser goes in your morning and evening routine as the first step to wash away impurities without irritation. Because this skin needs products that specifically target pigmentation, a cleanser of this type needs added brightening ingredients.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser alongside retinol as part of your morning and evening routine by washing your face before applying your retinol treatment. This cleanser is unlikely to irritate your skin because it lacks harsh ingredients and includes soothing components like shea butter. For skin with dark spots, a cleanser of this type needs added brightening ingredients that help fade discoloration.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine. It gently washes away impurities without irritating your skin, though dealing with dark spots requires targeted treatments like brightening serums rather than just a cleanser.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for skin with dark spots?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for your skin with dark spots, as it washes away impurities safely without harsh ingredients. Reviewers rarely report breakouts from this formula.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on your body, but you should take care around the thin skin of the eyes since cleansers can sometimes be drying. This product cleanses well without causing irritation, though a product for dark spots needs targeted brightening ingredients and antioxidants.
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, 2017Sodium 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, 2007A combination cream of stimu-tex AS and saccharide isomerate reduced erythema, increased skin capacitance, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to placebo in 20 subjects after fractional CO2 laser procedure without causing serious adverse events.
Lasers in Medical Science, 2025A skin barrier restoring cream with shea butter, silkflo, and vitamin E increased type I procollagen synthesis, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, decreased reactive oxygen species generation, and promoted hyaluronic acid production in H2O2-stimulated human keratinocyte cells compared to untreated cells.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025Topical application of a water-in-oil cosmetic emulsion containing 4% Tamarindus indica seeds extract significantly improved skin elasticity, moisture content, and surface evaluation parameters in 11 healthy male volunteers compared to a control base over 12 weeks.
Postepy Dermatologii I Alergologii, 2017Tamarindus indica n-hexane extracts from various organs demonstrated anti-inflammatory and wound healing activities by inhibiting nitric oxide and promoting fibroblast migration in in-vitro assays compared to control cells.
Plants, 2022The 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, 2012
Why other cleansers fit skin with dark spots better
Niacinamide significantly decreased hyperpigmentation and increased skin lightness compared with vehicle alone after 4 weeks of use in women by inhibiting melanosome transfer.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Squalane, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Propanediol, Glycol Distearate, Coconut Acid, Glyceryl Behenate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, C14-22 Alcohols, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Sodium Isethionate, Parfum, Sodium Citrate, Chlorphenesin, Citric Acid, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Disodium Edta, Maltodextrin, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, T-Butyl Alcohol, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract, Gentiana Lutea Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract Matricaria Flower Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
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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