PanOxyl Acne Creamy Wash for sensitive skin
Benzoyl Peroxide
Glycerin
Glycolic Acid
Lactic Acid
Cetearyl Alcohol
Caution
- CautionNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- RiskySafety
A poor match for sensitive skin; the cleansers alongside fit it better.
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
- The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020
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
- Unsuitable for normal skin as Benzoyl Peroxide and Glycolic Acid can be overly drying and irritating, even though Glycerin offers some humectant action.
- Offers moderate exfoliation for redness and irritation due to Glycolic Acid and Lactic Acid, which may exacerbate sensitivity.
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 28.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users find this wash to be a highly effective and gentle acne treatment for the face, chest, and back. It is frequently praised for its creamy texture and suitability for sensitive skin, clearing breakouts without significant irritation. Some users still report dryness and caution that the product can permanently bleach fabrics.
Highlights
Gentle on skin Mostly Mentioned
- “gentle on sensitive and dry skin”
- “doesn't dry out skin like others”
- “creamy texture feels gentle”
- “didn't cause any sensitivity”
Bleaches fabrics Mostly Mentioned
- “bleaches towels and clothes”
- “stained my shirt orange”
- “ruined my pillowcases”
- “be careful, it bleaches fabric”
Clears acne Often Mentioned
- “clears texture and is gentle”
- “reduced back acne with almost daily use”
- “90% breakout free after 3 months”
- “clears cystic acne effectively”
Versatile use Often Mentioned
- “works well for body acne”
- “cleared my back from acne scars”
- “use it on face, chest, and back”
- “great for armpits to reduce odor”
Drying and irritation Often Mentioned
- “leaves skin a bit dry”
- “made face itchy at beginning”
- “damaged my skin barrier”
- “can be drying if used too often”
Fast results Sometimes Noted
- “saw results after the first night”
- “clears skin in a matter of 7 days”
- “immediate results and satisfaction”
- “clears acne at lightning speed”
Unpleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “has a weird scent”
- “smells like chlorine”
- “chemical smell is strong”
- “scent is mild but medicinal”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “product comes spilling out”
- “hard to control amount squeezed”
- “leaks if not closed tightly”
- “tube design could be better”
Sources: lovi.care, iherb.com, target.com, walmart.com, ulta.com, drugs.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise caution with PanOxyl Acne Creamy Wash for sensitive skin?
Lovi advises caution because Benzoyl Peroxide and Glycolic Acid can be overly drying and irritating on sensitive skin, and the exfoliating acids may make redness worse. A cleanser for this skin needs soothing and hydrating ingredients like Niacinamide and Ceramide-3, along with a gentle formula that cleans without stripping moisture.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a poor fit for sensitive skin?
Benzoyl peroxide and glycolic acid make this cleanser a poor fit because they can be overly drying and irritating on sensitive skin. A cleanser for this skin needs soothing and hydrating ingredients like niacinamide and ceramide-3, along with a gentle formula that cleans without stripping moisture.
What does Benzoyl Peroxide do for sensitive skin?
Benzoyl peroxide may help improve acne, but it is unlikely to suit sensitive skin well because it often causes irritation and dryness. This type of skin needs gentle, soothing ingredients and calming cleansers that reduce redness without harsh side effects.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2005
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
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This cleanser goes in the morning and evening routine for sensitive skin, but it is a poor match because benzoyl peroxide and glycolic acid can be overly drying and irritating. Sensitive skin needs a mild, soothing cleanser with gentle hydration ingredients to keep the skin calm and comfortable.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
Using this cleanser with retinol is a poor match because its active ingredients can be overly drying and irritating on sensitive skin. A product of this type needs soothing and hydrating ingredients like ceramides and gentle moisturizers to keep skin soft and calm without causing irritation.
How often should I use this cleanser?
This cleanser is a poor match for sensitive skin because benzoyl peroxide and glycolic acid can be overly drying and irritating. A product for this skin needs gentle, soothing, and hydrating ingredients to keep it calm, soft, and smooth.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores, but it may cause dryness and irritation on sensitive skin because benzoyl peroxide and glycolic acid can be too harsh. A cleanser for this skin needs gentle soothing ingredients and mild hydrators instead of strong acne treatments and exfoliants.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
This cleanser is generally a poor match for sensitive skin because ingredients like benzoyl peroxide and glycolic acid can be overly drying and irritating, making it unsuitable for the thin skin around the eyes. While the body's skin is generally thicker and may tolerate stronger washes better than the face, this type of product still needs gentle, hydrating ingredients and soothing plant extracts to avoid aggravating sensitive areas.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
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, 2017Topical benzoyl peroxide may improve acne more effectively than placebo or no treatment, while showing little to no difference compared with adapalene or clindamycin, but with an increased risk of treatment discontinuation due to adverse effects compared to placebo.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020Twice 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, 2024Once-daily fixed-dose clindamycin phosphate 1.2%/benzoyl peroxide 3.1%/adapalene 0.15% gel achieved superior treatment success (52.5%) and greater reductions in inflammatory and noninflammatory lesions compared to vehicle (8.1%) and dyad component gels in participants with moderate-to-severe acne over 12 weeks.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2022Topical clindamycin phosphate 1.2%/adapalene 0.15%/benzoyl peroxide 3.1% gel achieved significantly greater treatment success and lesion reductions compared to vehicle in participants with moderate-to-severe acne.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 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, 2012Repeated short-contact 70% glycolic acid peels provided superior results in atrophic acne scars compared to daily low-strength glycolic acid cream or placebo in 58 women over 24 weeks.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2000Serial glycolic acid peels combined with a modified Kligman formula significantly reduced facial PIH severity in Indian patients compared to the modified Kligman formula alone.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2017Application of a cream containing lactic acid 12% and pramoxine HCl 1% significantly improved skin dryness, hydration, and itch compared with a nontreated control in 24 women with a history of dry itchy skin.
Cutis, 2004Topical 12% ammonium lactate produced a significant sparing of epidermal and dermal atrophy induced by clobetasol propionate in human volunteers, without influencing the corticosteroid's bioavailability or antiinflammatory properties.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1992A lactic acid/ceramide lotion significantly improved skin moisturization and desquamation compared to no treatment in women with dry, rough skin on the anterior shins.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020
Ingredients
Benzoyl Peroxide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Glycerin, Glycolic Acid, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Imidurea, Lactic Acid, Methylparaben, Mineral Oil, Peg 14 M, Potassium Lauryl Sulfate, Potassium Phosphate, Water, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Pca, Titanium Dioxide, Zea Mays Starch
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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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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