CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser for sensitive skin
Niacinamide
Sodium Hyaluronate
Ceramide Np
Ceramide Ap- Ceramide Eop
Superior
- SuperiorNormal Skin Fit
- SuperiorEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
One of the best cleansers for sensitive skin.
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
- Excellent suitability for your normal skin and concerns with redness and irritation is provided by niacinamide and ceramides, which offer potent anti-inflammatory and barrier-strengthening benefits. Hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid further enhances hydration, complementing the cleansing action of cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine and sodium lauroyl sarcosinate. The formulation is safe for your sensitive skin, featuring soothing ingredients and avoiding harsh components.
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
★4.6Overall rating based on 27.8k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with normal to oily skin widely praise this cleanser for effectively removing excess oil and dirt without disrupting the skin barrier, often crediting the ceramides and niacinamide for calming acne-prone areas. While most find it refreshing and gentle, a minority of users experience tightness or dryness after use, suggesting it may be too stripping for those with drier or more sensitive skin types.
Highlights
Effective oil control Mostly Mentioned
- “dialed back oiliness”
- “leaves skin oil-free”
- “great for oily t-zone”
- “removes excess sebum”
Gentle & non-stripping Often Mentioned
- “clean but not dry”
- “doesn't strip face”
- “gentle on sensitive skin”
- “refreshing feel”
Great value Often Mentioned
- “reasonably priced”
- “bottle lasts months”
- “great value for size”
- “affordable staple”
Beneficial ingredients Sometimes Noted
- “love the niacinamide”
- “contains ceramides”
- “hyaluronic acid plumps skin”
- “restores skin barrier”
Helps clear acne Sometimes Noted
- “cleared my acne”
- “minimizes pores”
- “stopped cystic acne”
- “helps prevent blemishes”
Can be drying Sometimes Noted
- “face feels stripped”
- “incredibly dry after use”
- “left skin tight”
- “too harsh for winter”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “caused horrible breakouts”
- “started breaking out”
- “gave me cystic acne”
- “skin purged”
Eye irritation Rarely Noted
- “stung my eyes”
- “made eyelids itch”
- “burned my eyes”
- “irritating to eye area”
Struggles with makeup Rarely Noted
- “doesn't remove mascara”
- “need a separate remover”
- “leftover eyeliner”
- “not for heavy makeup”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “smells like plastic”
- “weird chemical smell”
- “scent like old celery”
- “medicinal odor”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, ulta.com, target.com, cerave.com, youtube.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes CeraVe Foaming Cleanser one of the best fits for sensitive skin?
CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser is an excellent fit for sensitive skin because it features soothing ingredients like niacinamide and ceramides that help calm redness and irritation while strengthening the skin barrier. It also includes sodium hyaluronate to boost hydration, and its gentle formula is safe and free of harsh components.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for sensitive skin?
This cleanser is a great fit for sensitive skin because it contains niacinamide and ceramides, which help calm redness and irritation while strengthening the skin barrier. It also includes sodium hyaluronate and hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid to keep your skin hydrated, all without any harsh components that might cause discomfort.
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 Hyaluronic Acid do for sensitive skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps calm and hydrate sensitive skin while supporting the skin barrier to keep it soft and comfortable. Clinical studies show it improves surface moisture and reduces dryness, roughness, and redness without irritation.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2025Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2018
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This cleanser goes in your morning and evening routine, used after a makeup remover at night. It is well-suited for sensitive skin by helping calm redness and irritation while keeping your skin comfortable.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
Yes, you can use this cleanser with retinol by cleansing your skin with it before applying your retinol treatment. Using gentle cleansers with barrier-strengthening ingredients helps keep sensitive skin calm and supported while using stronger products like retinol.
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 mild cleanser daily helps keep your sensitive skin clean while supporting your natural skin barrier.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to cause breakouts for sensitive skin, as complaints about clogged pores or breakouts are very low. It is formulated with soothing ingredients and avoids harsh components to keep your skin calm and clear.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on your body and around your eyes because its gentle formulation is safe and well-tolerated by sensitive skin.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Profhilo treatment led to significant improvements in superficial skin hydration and transepidermal water loss over time in Chinese females, while demonstrating good product tolerability.
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2026Polyelectrolyte nanocomplexes of quaternized cyclodextrin grafted chitosan and low molecular weight hyaluronic acid improved skin texture and elasticity by increasing skin hydration in clinical evaluation.
Colloids and Surfaces. B, Biointerfaces, 2022Topical 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, 2005Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019
Ingredients
Water, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Peg-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Niacinamide, Peg-6 Caprylic Capric Glycerides, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Propylene Glycol, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide Eop, Carbomer, Methylparaben, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Disodium Edta, Propylparaben, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium Edta, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum
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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