La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser for oily acne-prone skin
Prebiotic Thermal Water
Niacinamide
Ceramide-3
Glycerin
PanthenolHigh
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- Low RiskSafety
A great choice for oily acne-prone skin; a few cleansers fit it even better.
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
- The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. 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 your oily skin as niacinamide helps regulate sebum and glycerin provides hydration, though stronger oil-controlling ingredients could enhance results.
- The cleansing action from coco-betaine and glycerin is effective for pores and hydration, supporting general skin health.
- The formula is generally safe for your skin, with a low risk of irritation due to the absence of harsh components.
How to apply
- Use this cleanser as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using it daily to help clear your breakouts.
- Apply this cleanser as the first step in the morning and right after your pre-cleanser in the evening. Follow it with your toner and moisturizer.
- Gently massage a small amount of the cleanser onto your face using circular motions. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and pat dry.
- Apply the cleanser on slightly damp skin to help clean deeply and remove excess oil. This works best for oily skin types.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 48.7k+ reviewsA minority of users experience a burning sensation or are dissatisfied with its inability to remove heavy makeup and lack of lather.
Highlights
Gentle and non-stripping Mostly Mentioned
- “leaves my skin feeling fresh but still hydrated, not tight”
- “removes dirt without stripping my skin”
- “gentle treat for my skin every time I wash”
Hydrating creamy texture Often Mentioned
- “texture is soft and creamy”
- “melts in smoothly”
- “like rubbing moisture into your face”
Safe for sensitive skin Often Mentioned
- “best face wash for breakouts”
- “calmed my red, irritated skin”
Does not lather Often Mentioned
- “does not lather much”
- “miss the bubbly feeling”
- “feels like washing with lotion”
Restores moisture barrier Sometimes Noted
- “helps skin retain essential moisture”
- “skin feels comfortable and hydrated”
- “great for repairing damaged barrier”
Poor makeup removal Sometimes Noted
- “doesn't remove heavy makeup”
- “need a separate makeup remover first”
- “struggles with waterproof mascara”
Residue or film Rarely Noted
- “left a nasty sort of film”
- “felt like it clogged my pores”
- “doesn't rinse clean”
Stinging or burning Rarely Noted
- “makes my skin sting/burn”
- “face feels a warm tingling sensation”
- “caused irritation on my sensitive skin”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, target.com, dermstore.com, lovely.com, ulta.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser a great fit for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is a great fit because niacinamide helps balance oil and glycerin provides hydration without heaviness. Its gentle ingredients clear pores effectively while keeping irritation risk low.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Niacinamide and glycerin make this cleanser a good fit because niacinamide helps balance oil while glycerin provides lightweight hydration without clogging pores. The formula is also unlikely to cause irritation due to the gentle cleansing action and lack of harsh components.
What does Prebiotic Thermal Water do for oily acne-prone skin?
Prebiotic Thermal Water helps calm oily, acne-prone skin by soothing irritation and supporting the skin's natural balance. It may also improve overall skin condition and help reduce dryness without clogging pores.
What does Niacinamide do for oily acne-prone skin?
Niacinamide helps balance oil production, calms redness, and is unlikely to irritate oily, acne-prone skin while improving blemishes. Clinical tests show it reduces excess oil and helps clear up both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne breakouts.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser fits in both your morning and evening routines as the first or second cleansing step. Using a gentle cleanser helps remove impurities while keeping your skin calm and balanced.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
Yes, you can use this cleanser in the same routine as retinol, applying the cleanser first on damp skin, rinsing it off, and then following with your retinol treatment once your skin is dry. Gentle cleansers like this one help keep skin comfortable and are unlikely to cause extra irritation when paired with stronger acne or anti-aging treatments.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine. Using a gentle cleanser daily is safe for your skin and helps keep pores clean while maintaining hydration.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is generally safe for your oily skin and is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts because it lacks harsh components. Niacinamide helps regulate oil while glycerin keeps skin hydrated without heavy residue.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on your body and around the eyes because its gentle formula is safe and unlikely to irritate thin or body skin.
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, 2017A new topical panthenol-containing emollient significantly improved transepidermal water loss reduction, stratum corneum hydration, and intercellular lipid lamellae length compared with control in healthy subjects without negatively impacting bacterial viability.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017Balneotherapy 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, 2025Topical 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, 2005The 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, 2012Topical 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, 2000
Ingredients
Water, Water La Roche-Posay Prebiotic Thermal Water, Glycerin, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Propanediol, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Polysorbate 60, Ceramide Np, Niacinamide, Sodium Chloride, Coco-Betaine, Disodium Edta, Caprylyl Glycol, Panthenol, T-Butyl Alcohol, Tocopherol
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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