La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+ Gentle Foaming Cleansing Oil for sensitive skin
Niacinamide
Shea Butter
La Roche-Posay Prebiotic Thermal Water
Glycerin
Vitreoscilla FermentHigh
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for sensitive skin; a few cleansers fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. 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
- Highly suitable for normal skin, this cleanser effectively addresses your redness and irritation with niacinamide's anti-inflammatory properties, while glycerin provides essential hydration. Coco-betaine and sodium laureth sulfate work synergistically to offer excellent cleansing without compromising your sensitive skin.
- The formula is safe for your sensitive skin as it lacks harsh or prohibited ingredients, ensuring a gentle yet effective cleansing experience.
- The absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients ensures a safe experience for your sensitive skin.
How to apply
- Use your cleanser in the AM and PM routines every day. Start using it daily since your sensitive skin needs gentle care.
- Apply this first in your morning and evening skincare routine before toner and moisturizer. This clears away dirt without upsetting your skin.
- Gently massage a small amount onto your face using soft circles. Avoid any rough rubbing to keep redness away.
- Apply the cleanser on slightly damp skin to help it wash away impurities softly. Clean skin feels fresh and comfortable afterwards.
- Avoid getting the cleanser in your eyes and do a quick patch test before first use. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 9.0k+ reviewsWhile many appreciate its gentle, hydrating, and versatile nature for face and body, a significant number of reviews mention it functions more like a foaming gel than a traditional oil, and some dislike its natural scent or experience eye irritation.
Highlights
Hydrating and non-stripping Mostly Mentioned
- “Leaves skin feeling soft”
- “Doesn't strip moisture”
- “No tight feeling after”
Gentle on sensitive skin Often Mentioned
- “Safe for my baby”
- “Soothing on reactive skin”
Not a true oil Often Mentioned
- “More like a gel”
- “Doesn't dissolve waterproof makeup”
- “Expected a cleansing balm”
Effective second cleanse Sometimes Noted
- “Perfect morning cleanser”
- “Removes sunscreen residue”
- “Great second step cleanse”
Versatile for face/body Sometimes Noted
- “Use it head to toe”
- “Huge bottle lasts forever”
- “Convenient for shower use”
Unpleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “Smells like plastic”
- “Odd chemical scent”
- “Scent is off-putting”
Causes eye irritation Rarely Noted
- “Stings my eyes bad”
- “Burns if it gets in eyes”
- “Not eye-safe”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “Pump arrived broken”
- “Leaked in the box”
- “Dispenser stops working”
Sources: lovi.care, dermstore.com, walmart.com, ulta.com, lovelyskin.com, laroche-posay.us, and more
Questions and answers
What makes La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+ Gentle Foaming Cleansing Oil a great fit for sensitive skin?
This cleanser is a great fit because it uses niacinamide to calm redness and irritation while glycerin keeps your skin hydrated. It also avoids harsh ingredients, making it very gentle and safe for sensitive skin.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for sensitive skin?
This cleanser is a great fit for sensitive skin because niacinamide helps calm redness and irritation, while glycerin provides essential hydration. Additionally, gentle cleansing ingredients clean your skin effectively without disturbing it.
What does Niacinamide do for sensitive skin?
Niacinamide helps calm sensitive skin by strengthening the skin barrier and reducing redness and irritation. It is very well tolerated and may improve overall comfort and resilience with regular use.
What does Shea Butter do for sensitive skin?
Shea butter helps calm sensitive skin by reducing redness and soothing irritation while keeping the skin barrier strong and well-hydrated. It is unlikely to cause issues and provides gentle comfort similar to petrolatum-based care.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This cleanser goes in both your morning and evening routine, before your soothing toner and moisturizer. It effectively cleanses your sensitive skin without causing irritation by using gentle cleansers and soothing ingredients like niacinamide and glycerin.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
Yes, you can use this cleanser with retinol by washing your face with it before applying your retinol treatment. It helps clean your skin safely without harsh ingredients, while keeping your skin calm and hydrated.
How often should I use this cleanser?
This cleanser is a great fit for your sensitive skin and is gentle enough to use twice a day in your morning and evening routines. Daily use helps calm redness and irritation while keeping your skin comfortable and hydrated.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for sensitive skin because its gentle formula avoids harsh ingredients. It helps cleanse your skin safely while keeping it feeling comfortable and calm.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
Yes, you can use this cleanser on your body and the thin skin around your eyes. Its gentle formula is safe and unlikely to cause irritation while washing these areas.
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, 2017Topical 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, 2005A 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, 2025Balneotherapy with thermal water altered specific skin microbiota at genus and species levels in healthy female volunteers compared to tap water, which produced no significant microbiome changes.
Life, 2023Malaysian thermal spring water as an adjunct to standard acne therapy improved skin hydration, reduced dryness and stinging, enhanced overall tolerability, and improved the acne disability index in patients with mild to moderate acne.
The Medical Journal of Malaysia, 2024A 2% Sphingomonas xenophaga ferment extract cream applied twice daily for 4 weeks significantly decreased facial vascular disorder scores compared to vehicle in 86 Caucasian female subjects, alongside dose-dependent inhibition of pre-kallikrein activity in vitro.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025The 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, 2012A dermocosmetic formulation containing Vichy volcanic mineralizing water, Vitreoscilla filiformis extract, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin E accelerated skin renewal, improved antioxidant defenses, enhanced skin barrier recovery after acute stress, and improved microbiome recovery compared to untreated skin.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2022The combination of Vitreoscilla filiformis extract and Vichy volcanic mineralizing water strengthens the skin barrier by stimulating skin differentiation and tight junctions, enhances biochemical defenses via antimicrobial peptides, and supports cellular immune defenses by increasing the IL-10/IL-12 ratio and protecting Langerhans cells from ultraviolet radiation compared to controls.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2022
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Sucrose, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Coco-Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Niacinamide, Parfum, Peg-75 Shea Glycerides Butter, Polysorbate 20, Ppg-5-Ceteth-20, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Vitreoscilla Ferment
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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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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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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