🇮🇹Italy

Paula's Choice Softening Cream Cleanser for dry sensitive skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

Paula's Choice Softening Cream Cleanser

High

  • HighDry Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

A great choice for dry sensitive skin; a few cleansers fit it even better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry sensitive skin: flakiness, tightness, redness, 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 moderate benefits for your dry and flaky skin, as Beta-Glucan and Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract provide soothing and hydrating effects that are highly suitable for your dry and sensitive skin type.
  • The cleansing agents Cocamidopropyl Betaine and Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate offer excellent pore cleansing without compromising your skin's comfort.
  • The product is safe for your skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components.

How to apply

  • Use your cleanser AM and PM every day to keep your face fresh. Start slowly once a day if your dry skin feels sensitive at first.
  • Apply your cleanser first thing in your routine before any toner or moisturizer. Follow the usual steps for your AM or PM daily routine.
  • Gently massage the cleanser onto your face using soft circular motions. Avoid harsh rubbing to protect your dry skin.
  • Apply the cleanser to slightly damp skin to help it clean gently without stripping moisture. This method is very safe for sensitive and dry skin types.
  • Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and avoid the delicate eye area. Always do a patch test before using the product for the first time.

People Say

★4.4Overall rating based on 1000+ reviews

Recent reviews are dominated by disappointment over its discontinuation, and some users with oily skin found the rich, creamy texture too heavy or ineffective at removing heavy makeup.

Highlights

  • Hydrating and non-stripping Mostly Mentioned
    • “leaves skin hydrated”
    • “never tight or over-washed”
    • “skin feels nourished”
  • Product discontinued Mostly Mentioned
    • “devastated it's gone”
    • “why discontinue a great product”
    • “hard to find replacement”
  • Soothing for sensitive Often Mentioned
    • “calmed my skin”
    • “doesn't sting my eyes”
  • Creamy, luxurious texture Sometimes Noted
    • “smooth and creamy”
    • “glides over skin”
    • “feels like a lotion”
  • Softening effect Sometimes Noted
    • “skin feeling so soft”
    • “improves skin softness”
    • “supple and smooth”
  • Poor makeup removal Sometimes Noted
    • “doesn't remove waterproof makeup”
    • “struggles with heavy makeup”
    • “need a separate remover”
  • Packaging issues Rarely Noted
    • “miss the pump”
    • “hard to get out of bottle”
    • “cap breaks easily”
  • Too heavy for oily Rarely Noted
    • “left a greasy residue”
    • “too thick for my liking”
    • “caused breakouts”

Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, paulaschoice-eu.com, influenster.com, reddit.com, skinsort.com, and more

Questions and answers

What makes Paula's Choice Softening Cream Cleanser a great fit for dry sensitive skin?

Paula's Choice Softening Cream Cleanser is a great fit because ingredients like beta-glucan and chamomile extract help soothe and hydrate dry, flaky areas. It also uses gentle cleansing agents to clean pores while keeping sensitive skin comfortable and calm.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021

Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for dry sensitive skin?

Beta-glucan, chamomile extract, and soybean oil make this cleanser a great fit for your dry sensitive skin. These ingredients provide soothing and hydrating effects while cleansing gently without stripping away your skin's comfort.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 2016

What does Beta-Glucan do for dry sensitive skin?

Beta-glucan helps calm dry, sensitive skin while improving hydration and repairing the skin barrier to keep it soft and smooth. It works well for this skin type because it has soothing and moisturizing properties that are very unlikely to cause irritation.

Food Science & Nutrition, 2025Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021

What does Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract do for dry sensitive skin?

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract helps calm red, irritated skin and provides gentle relief for dry, sensitive areas. It is unlikely to cause irritation and is a soothing addition to your daily routine.

Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?

This cleanser fits into both your morning and evening routines as the first or second cleansing step. Using a gentle cleanser like this helps improve skin hydration and dryness without stripping your skin's comfort.

The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021

Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this cleanser with retinol, applying the cleanser first to clean your skin while keeping it calm and comfortable. Using a gentle cleanser helps wash away dirt without irritating dry and sensitive skin, and ingredients like beta-glucan support skin recovery while you use active treatments.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021

How often should I use this cleanser?

You can use this cleanser twice a day in the morning and evening as part of your daily routine for dry and sensitive skin. Using a mild cleanser daily helps improve visual dryness and keeps your skin comfortable without irritation.

The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022

Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?

This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry sensitive skin because its cleansing agents clean pores without stripping the skin of its natural comfort.

Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?

You can use this cleanser around the eyes and on your body because its mild formula cleans pores without compromising comfort on delicate skin. The soothing ingredients help keep dry and sensitive skin calm and hydrated during cleansing.

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021

Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

What the research says

  • Skin care regimens containing beta-glucan improved hemoglobin index, skin hydration, and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in 20 patients undergoing fractional laser therapy.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021

  • Apigenin protects against UVA-induced cytotoxicity and senescence in normal human dermal fibroblasts, decreases MMP-1 expression, and when applied topically as a cream in human subjects, increases dermal density and elasticity while reducing fine wrinkle length, skin evenness, moisture content, and transepidermal water loss compared to control cream.

    International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 2016

  • Treatment with topical formulations containing beta-glucan combined with nanofractional radiofrequency plus magnetic nanofractional radiofrequency showed the best efficacy and was tolerable and effective in Chinese women with abdominal stretch marks compared to control groups.

    Dermatology and Therapy, 2023

  • Topical beta-glucan mildly improved striae gravidarum, 1565-nm non-ablative fractional laser showed better results than topical beta-glucan, and the combined strategy further improved striae gravidarum atrophy compared to single treatment.

    The Journal of Dermatology, 2022

  • Topical application of oat beta-glucan ameliorates epidermal hyperplasia and accelerates epidermal barrier recovery by promoting keratinocyte differentiation through dectin-1-mediated ERK and p38 signaling pathways that upregulate CaSR expression.

    International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021

  • Topical chamomile oil combined with a night splint significantly improved the symptomatic and functional status of patients with severe carpal tunnel syndrome compared to placebo, while electrodiagnostic parameters showed no significant changes.

    Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 2015

  • German chamomile solution applied twice a day healed peristomal skin lesions significantly faster than once-a-day 1% hydrocortisone ointment in colostomy patients, with a mean healing time of 8.89 days versus 14.53 days.

    Ostomy/wound Management, 2011

  • Topical chamomile reduces the incidence and delays the occurrence of phlebitis due to amiodarone infusion in coronary care patients compared to a placebo of lanoline.

    Journal of Integrative Medicine, 2017

  • The 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

  • Repeated application of concentrated water-in-oil emulsions over four weeks caused no skin irritation, positively affected skin properties, and delivered almost 50% of the applied fluorescein sodium, with isopropyl myristate showing superior penetration performance compared to liquid paraffin in healthy volunteers.

    International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2019

Ingredients

Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Beta-Glucan, Butylene Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract Matricaria Flower Extract, Chlorphenesin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Disodium Edta, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycine Soja Oil Soybean Oil, Hexylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Laureth-4, Paraffinum Liquidum Mineral Oil, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Hydroxide, Water

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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play