Dr. Althea Amino Gel Cleanser for dry skin
Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice
Glycerin
Low
- HighDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A weak match for dry skin; the cleansers alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, 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 general hydration benefits for your dry or flaky skin due to the presence of Glycerin and Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, which provide moisturizing and humectant effects.
- Provides moderate cleansing due to cocamidopropyl betaine and sodium cocoyl isethionate, aiding in impurity removal without causing dryness.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your dry skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this cleanser AM and PM every day to keep your skin clean. Start using it daily right away since your skin is not sensitive.
- Apply this cleanser as the very first step in your morning routine and right after your pre-cleanser in the evening. Follow with your toner and moisturizer afterwards.
- Gently massage a small amount of cleanser onto your face using soft circular motions. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and pat dry with a clean towel.
- Apply this cleanser on slightly damp skin for a comfortable and refreshing wash. This helps maintain your skin's natural moisture while cleansing away dirt.
- Avoid getting the cleanser directly into your eyes to prevent any irritation. Do a simple patch test before your first use to ensure your skin likes it.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 100+ reviewsBased on limited data, this gel-to-foam cleanser is highly regarded by users with sensitive, oily, and acne-prone skin for its effective yet gentle cleansing. It is frequently praised for leaving the skin feeling soft and hydrated without stripping its natural moisture barrier, and is noted for its soothing properties. Some users with specific dehydration concerns found it slightly drying, and a few mentioned it requires effort to lather.
Highlights
Gentle & non-stripping Mostly Mentioned
- “skin doesn't feel stripped”
- “very gentle on the skin”
- “leaves face soft”
Soothing for sensitive Often Mentioned
- “no breakouts at all”
- “calming cleanser”
- “good for redness”
Hydrating finish Sometimes Noted
- “feels hydrated”
- “moisturizing sensation”
- “leaves skin soft like baby”
Pleasant texture Sometimes Noted
- “foams up well”
- “feels like a cloud”
- “rich and creamy foam”
Lathering effort Rarely Noted
- “takes a little water and elbow grease”
- “needs to be lathered well”
Residue feeling Rarely Noted
- “left a moisturizing film”
- “husband didn't like the film”
Slightly drying Rarely Noted
- “drying on my hands and face”
- “mildly irritated my cheeks”
- “not perfect for surface dehydration”
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Questions and answers
Why is Dr. Althea Amino Gel Cleanser a weak match for dry skin?
This cleanser is a weak match for dry skin because it lacks the rich blend of hydrating ingredients and barrier-repairing ceramides and hyaluronic acid that a cleanser of this type needs to maintain moisture levels in dry skin.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a poor fit for dry skin?
This cleanser is a weak match for dry skin because it lacks essential ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide, which are needed to provide deep hydration and support the skin barrier. While it contains glycerin to help draw in moisture and mild cleansers that remove impurities without stripping the skin, it does not offer enough moisture for dry skin types.
What does Water do for dry skin?
Drinking more water helps increase skin hydration and may reduce clinical signs of dryness and roughness, particularly for individuals with lower prior water consumption.
What does Birch Juice do for dry skin?
Birch juice is generally used in skincare to help hydrate dry skin, though it needs supportive ingredients like plant oils or ceramides to properly lock in moisture and reinforce the skin barrier.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This cleanser goes in both your morning and evening routine as the first step before your toners, treatments, and moisturizers. Using a mild cleanser as part of a consistent daily routine helps improve visual dryness and overall skin comfort.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol, applying it first to wash your face before putting on your retinol. Because this cleanser is a weak match for dry skin, a cleanser of this type needs extra moisturizing ingredients like ceramides and rich oils to keep dry skin soft and comfortable.
How often should I use this cleanser?
This cleanser may be used in your morning and evening routines. To keep dry skin comfortable, a cleanser of this type needs added richer moisturizing ingredients and oils that lock in hydration.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry skin. It has a very safe formula with gentle cleansing ingredients that clean without being harsh, though a dry skin type needs a creamy cleanser with rich oils and butters to stay soft and smooth.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
This cleanser is generally safe to use on the thin skin around your eyes and on your body because it has a very safe formula with no harsh ingredients. However, because it is a weak match for dry skin, a cleanser for this skin needs extra rich oils and heavy moisturizing ingredients to keep dry skin soft and smooth.
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 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, 2007Betula alba bark extract and Empetrum nigrum fruit juice upregulated barrier genes, strengthened the skin barrier, and showed significantly better skin restructuring, hydration, and TEWL compared to placebo and 3% niacinamide.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 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
Ingredients
Water, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Chloride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, 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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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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