Paula's Choice Perfectly Balanced Foaming Cleanser for mature skin
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Ceramide Np
Sodium Hyaluronate
Glycerin
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
High
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for mature skin; a few cleansers fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with mature skin: fine lines, wrinkles, and loss of firmness. 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
- Highly suitable for normal skin, this cleanser features sodium hyaluronate and ceramides to provide essential hydration and support your skin's natural barrier. While it offers excellent cleansing with sodium lauroamphoacetate and sodium cocoyl isethionate, its benefits for wrinkles and fine lines are supportive rather than primary.
- The formula is safe for your normal skin, as it lacks harsh ingredients and is free from irritants.
- This product is safe for your normal skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients, minimizing the risk of irritation.
How to apply
- Use your cleanser as part of both your AM and PM routine. Start using it daily since your skin is normal and not sensitive.
- Apply this first in your routine before using your toner, moisturizer, and SPF.
- Gently massage the cleanser onto your face using circular motions, then rinse well with water. Avoid rubbing your skin too hard.
- Apply the cleanser directly onto slightly damp skin for the best fresh feeling. Make sure your face is clean of heavy makeup first.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area while washing. Do a quick patch test before your very first use to be safe.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 4.7k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with oily, combination, and sensitive skin frequently praise this cleanser for its ability to effectively remove dirt and makeup without stripping the skin's natural moisture barrier. Many reviewers note that it balances oil production and leaves the face feeling soft and refreshed, though a small minority experienced dryness or disliked the scent.
Highlights
Gentle and non-drying Mostly Mentioned
- “Cleanses without stripping”
- “Gentle and non-drying cleanser”
- “Does not strip away the natural moisture”
- “Leaves skin soft and hydrated”
Effective cleansing Often Mentioned
- “Removes almost all of my makeup”
- “Skin felt so clean after cleansing”
- “Cleanses the skin from makeup and impurities so well”
- “Takes my makeup off easily”
Balances oily skin Sometimes Noted
- “Noticeably less oily”
- “Helps clear my skin”
- “Relieves my skin of feeling oily”
- “Great for oily acne prone skin”
Pleasant texture Sometimes Noted
- “Foams up beautifully into a silky froth”
- “Creamy and lightly foaming”
- “Feels like I am washing my face with clouds”
- “Smooth foam cleanser”
Safe for sensitive skin Sometimes Noted
- “No irritation or purging effect”
- “Soothes redness and irritation”
- “Best cleanser I've ever used [for sensitive skin]”
- “Gentle enough for daily use”
Can be drying Rarely Noted
- “Went a little dry”
- “Need to moisturize after drying off”
- “Skin feel tight after I rinse”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Causes breakouts”
- “Making my acne worse”
- “Break me out in a rash”
Ineffective on heavy makeup Rarely Noted
- “Heavy makeup is not washed enough”
- “Still need a Clarisonic”
- “Used 2 times [to remove makeup]”
Price point Rarely Noted
- “A bit pricy for the amount”
- “Upset that this is $19.00”
- “Wasting money”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “Smelled like an unwashed towel”
- “Bad smell”
- “Strange smell”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, paulaschoice.com, dermstore.com, sephora.com, theskyshine.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes the Perfectly Balanced Foaming Cleanser a great fit for mature skin?
This cleanser is a great fit for mature skin because it washes away dirt gently without stripping moisture, thanks to mild cleansers like sodium cocoyl isethionate. It also includes sodium hyaluronate and ceramides to help keep your skin feeling soft and supported. While these ingredients provide helpful hydration, their role in smoothing fine lines is only supportive rather than primary.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for mature skin?
This cleanser is a great fit for mature skin because it contains sodium hyaluronate and ceramides, which help keep your skin feeling soft and support its natural barrier. It gently cleanses while helping your skin hold onto essential moisture.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015
What does Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate do for mature skin?
Sodium cocoyl isethionate helps clean mature skin gently without leaving it dry or stripped. Because its molecules are too large to slip deep into the skin, it is unlikely to irritate or disrupt the skin barrier, keeping mature skin feeling soft and smooth.
What do Ceramides do for mature skin?
Ceramides help keep mature skin feeling soft and smooth by strengthening the moisture barrier and locking in hydration. This type of skin needs ingredients that rebuild lost moisture and protect against dryness to stay comfortable.
Experimental Dermatology, 2025American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2003
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for mature skin?
This cleanser is used in the morning and evening as the first cleansing step, or as the second step in the evening after removing makeup. It cleans gently with sodium cocoyl isethionate and sodium lauroamphoacetate while supporting your skin barrier with ceramides and sodium hyaluronate.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2007
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. Using a gentle cleanser with ceramides and sodium hyaluronate supports your skin barrier, which helps reduce the dryness and irritation often caused by retinol.
How often should I use this cleanser?
Use this cleanser twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine. Its mild formula cleanses effectively while supporting your skin barrier with hydration.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2007
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for mature skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for mature skin because its mild ingredients cleanse gently without disturbing your skin barrier. It has a safe formula free from harsh irritants that might otherwise upset your skin.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
Yes, you can safely use this gentle cleanser on your body and around the eyes because its mild formula lacks harsh ingredients that could cause irritation. This cleanser helps wash away dirt while supporting moisture in delicate areas, though mature skin also needs targeted treatments for fine lines.
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
Topical hyaluronic acid filler serum combined with Botulinum toxin type A lengthened the duration of the toxin's effect in reducing wrinkles compared to Botulinum toxin type A alone.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Hyaluronic acid extracts are safe and efficacious products for skin repair when used in tissue regeneration alone or in combination with herbal or Western medicine.
Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Sodium cocoyl isethionate micelles are too large to penetrate stratum corneum aqueous pores, resulting in significant steric hindrance that prevents skin barrier perturbation and explains its skin mildness.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2007Topical 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, 2019A 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, 2001A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010
Ingredients
Water, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Glycol Distearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil, Acrylates Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide Eop, Phytosphingosine, Sphingolipids, Lecithin, Arginine, Cholesterol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Disodium Edta, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol
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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