Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser for sensitive skin
Salicylic Acid
Soy Extracts
Glycerin
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Average
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for sensitive skin; other cleansers fit it 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 moderate cleansing for your acne-prone skin as salicylic acid exfoliates and decongests pores, while glycerin provides humectant action beneficial for normal skin. Cocamidopropyl betaine supports general cleansing, offering some benefit for redness and irritation.
- The formulation is highly suitable for normal skin, maintaining skin balance with its mild keratolytic and humectant properties.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your sensitive skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
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
★4.4Overall rating based on 14.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with acne-prone and sensitive skin frequently praise this cleanser for its ability to treat breakouts with salicylic acid without causing excessive irritation or redness. Many report smoother skin texture and a clearer complexion, though a significant minority experiences dryness or frustration with the pump mechanism failing before the bottle is empty.
Highlights
Effective acne control Mostly Mentioned
- “Cleared up my breakouts within a week”
- “Keeps hormonal acne at bay”
- “Reduces blemishes without stripping”
Faulty pump Mostly Mentioned
- “Pump gets stuck and stops working”
- “Hard to press down”
- “Dispenser broke halfway through bottle”
Gentle on sensitive skin Often Mentioned
- “Did not irritate my sensitive skin”
- “Soothing and hydrating for acne wash”
- “No redness or burning after use”
Improves skin texture Often Mentioned
- “Leaves skin feeling soft and smooth”
- “Helps even out skin tone”
- “Face feels refreshed and squeaky clean”
Pleasant lightweight foam Sometimes Noted
- “Airy foam is easy to apply”
- “Rinses clean with no residue”
- “One pump is enough for whole face”
Causes dryness Sometimes Noted
- “Left my skin feeling tight and dry”
- “Caused peeling around my nose”
- “Too drying for daily use”
Ineffective for severe acne Rarely Noted
- “Did not see any improvement”
- “Breakouts continued after weeks of use”
- “Stopped working after a few months”
Scent dislikes Rarely Noted
- “Smells like lawn clippings/grass”
- “Scent is too strong/perfumey”
- “Prefer fragrance-free options”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, target.com, walmart.com, cvs.com, influenster.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Aveeno Clear Complexion Cleanser work for sensitive skin?
Aveeno Clear Complexion Cleanser works reasonably well for sensitive skin, helping clear pores with salicylic acid and keeping skin soft with glycerin without causing irritation. Cleansers that fit this skin even better need effective hydrating and soothing ingredients like niacinamide and ceramides to keep skin calm and protect its moisture barrier.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for sensitive skin?
This cleanser works for sensitive skin because it contains glycerin, which helps keep skin hydrated, along with mild cleansing ingredients that are unlikely to cause irritation. Cleansers of this type need effective hydrating and soothing ingredients like niacinamide and ceramide-3, plus a balanced combination of ingredients that calm redness while keeping skin soft.
What does Salicylic Acid do for sensitive skin?
Salicylic acid may cause irritation on sensitive skin, so it requires careful use and good sun protection to keep skin comfortable. A product for this skin type needs gentle, soothing ingredients and a mild formula that respects the skin barrier.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 1999International Journal of Toxicology, 2003
What does Soy Extract do for sensitive skin?
Soy Extract helps calm sensitive skin by reducing irritation and redness, while supporting skin healing. It is unlikely to cause issues because of its strong safety profile and antioxidant properties. This product type needs soothing ingredients like plant extracts and anti-inflammatory compounds to properly care for sensitive skin.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This cleanser goes in the morning and evening routine for sensitive skin, followed by soothing toner and moisturizer. It is unlikely to cause irritation for your sensitive skin because it lacks harsh ingredients, though this type of skin needs gentle cleansers with soothing ingredients and hydrating glycerin for the best fit.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol by applying it first to clean your skin, followed by your retinol treatment and a moisturizer. Because this product uses salicylic acid, combining it with strong treatments like retinol may cause dryness or irritation, so it helps to start slowly.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser daily as part of your morning and evening routine, as it is unlikely to cause irritation on sensitive skin. To work best for sensitive skin, this type of product needs calming and hydrating ingredients like soothing plant extracts and glycerin.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to cause irritation for your sensitive skin because it lacks harsh ingredients, but salicylic acid may sometimes cause mild dryness or purging as it clears out pores. A cleanser for this skin needs gentle exfoliating ingredients and soothing hydrators to keep the face calm and smooth.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on your body, but you should avoid applying it directly on the thin skin around your eyes. A cleanser for this sensitive area needs gentle, hydrating ingredients like glycerin and soothing plant extracts that keep the skin soft without stripping moisture.
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, 2017Twice daily application of a multitargeted dermocosmetic cream provided comparable efficacy to benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in reducing inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesions in 150 Caucasian subjects with mild-to-moderate acne over 56 days, while demonstrating superior skin tolerability.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024The use of a salicylic acid-based dermocosmetic significantly reduces the needed quantity of benzoyl peroxide without impacting efficacy in mild to moderate acne, and as maintenance post-benzoyl peroxide allows a significant reduction of acne relapse compared to vehicle.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.
CMAJ, 2010A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024ANT1 soybean extract cream ameliorated complications and enhanced skin recovery after Nd:YAG laser therapy in 45 Asian women, with higher concentrations significantly reducing wrinkles, spots, and pores compared to placebo.
Annals of Plastic Surgery, 2018Genistein and daidzein inhibited UVB-induced hydrogen peroxide production in keratinocytes acting as free radical scavengers with negligible skin disruption, whereas glycitein showed no protective activity.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2008A phytoestrogen-enriched cosmetic formulation containing biotransformed soybean extract increased collagen-I expression in fibroblast cells and skin explants in an estrogen receptor beta-dependent manner without harming skin microbiota.
Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research = Revista Brasileira de Pesquisas Medicas E Biologicas, 2023The 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, 2012The 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
Salicylic Acid, Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Glycerin, Sorbitol, Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate, Polysorbate 20, Peg-6 Caprylic Capric Glycerides, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Disodium Edta, Peg-16 Soy Sterol, Butylene Glycol, Glycine Soja Protein Soybean Protein
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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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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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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