Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser for sensitive skin

Glycerin
Niacinamide
Panthenol Vitamin B5
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
High
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
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
- Offers excellent cleansing for your normal skin, as cocamidopropyl betaine and disodium laureth sulfosuccinate effectively remove impurities and balance oil without stripping.
- Panthenol and niacinamide provide moderate benefits for your redness and irritation by soothing inflammation and supporting barrier repair.
- The formula is safe for your sensitive skin, containing gentle cleansing agents and beneficial ingredients like glycerin and panthenol with no harsh additives.
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 1.4k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users consistently praise this cleanser as a gentle, non-stripping option ideal for sensitive, combination, and oily skin types, noting that it effectively removes dirt and oil without disrupting the moisture barrier. While the majority report softer, balanced skin, a subset of long-time users expressed dissatisfaction with the recent formula change, citing issues with the new scent and occasional irritation.
Highlights
Gentle and non-stripping Mostly Mentioned
- “cleans without stripping”
- “doesn't leave skin tight”
- “gentle enough for daily use”
- “skin feels soft”
- “no over-scrubbed sensation”
Safe for sensitive skin Often Mentioned
- “no redness or irritation”
- “great for sensitive skin”
- “doesn't cause breakouts”
- “hypoallergenic formula”
Dermatologist recommended Sometimes Noted
- “recommended by my derm”
- “staple brand”
- “trusted for years”
- “doctor suggested”
- “classic skincare staple”
Effective daily cleansing Sometimes Noted
- “removes excess oil”
- “reliable everyday face wash”
- “skin feels fresh”
- “good morning cleanser”
- “minimizes pores”
Poor makeup removal Sometimes Noted
- “doesn't remove mascara”
- “struggles with heavy makeup”
- “need a second cleanse”
- “leaves residue behind”
- “not for waterproof makeup”
Scent complaints Sometimes Noted
- “smells like masking fragrance”
- “scent is too strong”
- “smells like chemical/glue”
- “preferred the old smell”
- “weird perfume odor”
Hydrating ingredients Rarely Noted
- “contains niacinamide”
- “hydrating glycerin”
- “leaves skin moisturized”
- “vitamin B5 included”
- “helps moisture barrier”
Drying for some Rarely Noted
- “dried out my cheeks”
- “skin felt tight”
- “caused flaky patches”
- “not hydrating enough”
- “stripped my natural oils”
Formula change irritation Rarely Noted
- “new formula burns”
- “caused stinging”
- “face turned red”
- “broke me out”
- “irritated my eyes”
Texture issues Rarely Noted
- “feels slimy”
- “leaves a film”
- “hard to rinse off”
- “too runny”
- “lotion-like consistency”
Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, influenster.com, walmart.com, cetaphil.com, byrdie.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser a great fit for sensitive skin?
This cleanser is a great fit because it uses gentle ingredients to wash away impurities without stripping your skin, while glycerin and panthenol help keep it calm and hydrated. It is safe for sensitive skin because it avoids harsh additives and includes soothing components that support your skin barrier.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for sensitive skin?
Glycerin, panthenol, and niacinamide make this cleanser a great fit by soothing irritation and keeping moisture locked in without harsh additives. Gentle cleansing agents like cocamidopropyl betaine also help wash away impurities while keeping your skin calm.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
What does Glycerin do for sensitive skin?
Glycerin helps keep sensitive skin soft and deeply hydrated while supporting the skin barrier. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may protect against dryness and roughness.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Acta Dermato-venereologica, 1999
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.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This cleanser is used both morning and evening as the first step before applying toners, treatments, and moisturizers. Using a gentle cleanser helps remove impurities while keeping the skin calm and comfortable.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol by washing your face with it before applying your retinol treatment. The gentle formula cleans without stripping, while soothing ingredients like panthenol and niacinamide help keep irritation low.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser twice a day in your morning and evening routine, as its gentle ingredients are safe for sensitive skin. Daily use of a mild cleanser helps remove impurities while keeping your skin calm and comfortable.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
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 it uses gentle cleansing agents that remove impurities without harsh additives. The formula includes soothing ingredients like glycerin and panthenol to help keep your skin calm and balanced.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this gentle cleanser on your body, but you should take care around the thin skin of your eyes to avoid irritation. Its mild cleansing agents and soothing ingredients like glycerin and panthenol help keep sensitive areas comfortable.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A panthenol-enriched mask significantly decreased erythema and hyperpigmentation, increased sebum and stratum corneum moisture, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to a saline dressing in 60 subjects undergoing facial laser treatment.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Topical 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, 2002A 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, 2017A 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, 2017The 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 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, 2005Moisturizer 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, 2000Hyaluronic acid, hyaluronic acid plus dexpanthenol, and isotonic saline nasal sprays all significantly improved dry nose symptoms over four weeks in 240 patients, with hyaluronic acid plus dexpanthenol providing superior nasal moisturisation compared to the other two.
Auris, Nasus, Larynx, 2020The 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
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Pantolactone, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Benzoate, Masking, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid
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
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