Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel for combination skin
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil Lavender Oil
Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
High
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for combination skin; a few cleansers fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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 combination skin, as Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate and Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract effectively purify pores and manage oily shine.
- Glycerin provides essential hydration, complementing the cleansing action and ensuring your skin feels balanced.
- The formula is safe for your combination skin, free from harsh ingredients that could cause irritation.
How to apply
- Use this cleanser AM and PM as part of your daily routine. Start 3×/week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply this cleanser as the very first step in your morning routine and right after your pre-cleanser in the evening.
- Gently massage a small amount of cleanser onto your skin using circular motions. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.
- For the best results , apply the cleanser directly onto slightly damp skin to help lift away excess oil.
- Avoid the immediate eye area and do a patch test before your first use to check for any sensitivity.
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 1.2k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this gel cleanser is highly recommended for sensitive, combination, and acne-prone skin, effectively removing impurities without stripping the skin. Users frequently report a calm, soft, and smooth complexion with reduced redness and improved texture over time. The product is also noted for its longevity and value, though some find it pricey and occasionally experience issues with the pump design or scent.
Highlights
Gentle & Non-stripping Mostly Mentioned
- “doesn't strip skin”
- “no tightness after washing”
- “moisture barrier stays intact”
- “skin feels soft not raw”
Effective Cleansing Often Mentioned
- “removes all makeup”
- “face feels squeaky clean”
- “removes impurities well”
- “great second cleanse”
High Price Often Mentioned
- “very pricey”
- “expensive for a face wash”
- “hard on the wallet”
- “luxury price tag”
Longevity & Value Sometimes Noted
- “little goes a long way”
- “bottle lasts 8-12 months”
- “tiny amount lathers well”
- “worth the investment”
Soothing & Calming Sometimes Noted
- “calms my redness”
- “soothing on sensitive skin”
- “lavender feels therapeutic”
Pump Design Issues Sometimes Noted
- “pump dispenses too much”
- “wastes product”
- “hard to control amount”
- “pump shoots out gel”
Improves Texture Rarely Noted
- “removed texture”
- “pores look smaller”
- “skin looks smoother”
- “cleared up spots”
Breakouts/Reactions Rarely Noted
- “gave me acne”
- “caused breakouts”
- “reaction to essential oils”
- “irritated my skin”
Not Hydrating Enough Rarely Noted
- “felt a bit dry”
- “left dry patches”
- “not for very dry skin”
- “needed heavy moisturizer after”
Scent Dislike Rarely Noted
- “smell is too strong”
- “don't like the lavender”
- “scent is overpowering”
- “medicinal smell”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.co.uk, dermstore.com, dermalogica.com, productreview.com.au, ulta.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel a great fit for combination skin?
Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel is a great fit for your combination skin because it purifies pores and manages oily shine while keeping your skin balanced. Glycerin helps provide essential hydration to complement the cleansing action, and the formula is safe and free from harsh ingredients that could cause irritation.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for combination skin?
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate and Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract purify pores and manage oily shine, while glycerin keeps your skin balanced by providing essential hydration. The formula is safe for your skin, as it is free from harsh ingredients that may cause irritation.
What does Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate do for combination skin?
Sodium lauroyl sarcosinate in a facial cleanser helps clean combination skin, but it may leave dry areas feeling dry and increase skin dryness because it affects skin lipids and the microbiome. A product for this skin needs gentle, balanced cleansers that wash away oil without stripping moisture or disrupting the skin barrier.
What does Lavender Oil do for combination skin?
Lavender oil helps calm combination skin by reducing redness and soothing irritated areas while supporting the skin barrier. It also helps manage extra shine in oily zones without drying out dry areas, keeping the skin balanced and smooth.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2022Pharmaceuticals, 2026
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This cleanser goes first in your morning routine and second in your evening routine after a makeup remover. It purifies pores and manages oily shine while glycerin provides essential hydration to keep your skin feeling balanced.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol by applying it first on dry skin to wash away dirt and oil before putting on your retinol treatment. Using a gentle cleanser helps keep your skin balanced and is unlikely to cause irritation when combined with active treatments.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser twice a day in both your morning and evening routines. Daily use of a gentle cleanser helps purify pores and manage oily shine while keeping your skin balanced.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for combination skin, as it is free from heavy ingredients that typically cause irritation or blockages. Reviewers rarely report breakouts or reactions, and the formula effectively purifies pores while keeping the skin balanced.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on the body and around the eyes, though the thin skin in the eye area needs gentle care since body skin is much thicker. The gentle cleansing ingredients purify pores while glycerin provides hydration to help keep skin balanced without irritation.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
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, 2017Sodium lauroyl sarcosinate in facial cleanser decreased prokaryotic microbial alpha diversity, altered prokaryotic microbiome structure, increased phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylcholine, and decreased ceramides on facial skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Coacervates formed from mixed micelles of sodium lauroylsarcosinate and cocamidopropyl betaine with cationic guar gum exhibited a dense porous structure with high viscoelastic modulus under strong electrostatic interactions, and a looser mesh structure with lower viscoelasticity and enhanced skin adsorption under weakened interactions.
Soft Matter, 2024Polysaccharide-based O/W emulsions incorporated with lavender essential oil applied to cellulosic support are non-irritating, provide softness and moisturizing effects, and are safe for topical patch applications.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021Gellan gum hydrogel films co-encapsulating ofloxacin with tea tree or lavender oil achieved 98% wound contraction and completely healed epidermis in rats after ten days of treatment compared to baseline.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021Topical application of lavender oil significantly promoted wound contraction, collagen synthesis, and fibroblast differentiation with up-regulation of TGF-beta in a rat model compared to control.
BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2016Topical application of a cream containing the NHE1 activator rosmarinic acid decreased skin surface pH and transepidermal water loss while increasing skin hydration in 50-60-year-old adult females compared to vehicle cream and no treatment.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2022Topical treatment with a lemon balm leaf extract formulation reduced eye-corner wrinkles in 20 healthy women compared to placebo by promoting Endo180 production and inhibiting the decline in collagen levels.
Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine, 2025Incorporating rosmarinic acid into sunscreens enhanced the in vivo SPF of octocrylene by over 157% and reduced lipid peroxidation in the human stratum corneum.
Antioxidants, 2025The cytotoxic effect of sodium lauryl sulphate on normal human keratinocytes was significantly decreased when combined with cocamidopropyl betaine, Tween 20, and Tween 80 at concentrations well below the critical micelle concentration.
Skin Pharmacology and Applied Skin Physiology, 2003
Ingredients
Water, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil Lavender Oil, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Lemon Peel Oil, Bergamot Oil Fruit, Cymbopogon Winterianus Herb Oil, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Coco-Betaine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Capryloyl Glycine, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Methylpropanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Ppg-5-Ceteth-20, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium Edta
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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