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Paula's Choice Softening Cream Cleanser for oily skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

Paula's Choice Softening Cream Cleanser

Caution

  • AverageOily Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • ConcerningSafety

A poor match for oily skin; the cleansers alongside fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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 oily skin due to cocamidopropyl betaine and disodium cocoamphodiacetate, but lacks targeted ingredients for effective seboregulation to address oily shine.
  • Beta-Glucan and Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract provide anti-inflammatory action and hydration, offering general skincare benefits that are supportive but not primary for your concerns.

How to apply

  • Use your cleanser AM and PM every day to keep your skin fresh. Always make sure to follow with a good SPF in the morning.
  • Apply your cleanser as the first step in the morning or the second step in the evening before your toner.
  • Gently massage a small amount onto your face using circular motions, then rinse well with water .
  • You can apply this cleanser safely on damp skin for a refreshing and easy wash.
  • Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes and stop use if irritation occurs.

People Say

★4.4Overall rating based on 1000+ reviews

Recent reviews are dominated by disappointment over its discontinuation, and some users with oily skin found the rich, creamy texture too heavy or ineffective at removing heavy makeup.

Highlights

  • Hydrating and non-stripping Mostly Mentioned
    • “leaves skin hydrated”
    • “never tight or over-washed”
    • “skin feels nourished”
  • Product discontinued Mostly Mentioned
    • “devastated it's gone”
    • “why discontinue a great product”
    • “hard to find replacement”
  • Soothing for sensitive Often Mentioned
    • “calmed my skin”
    • “doesn't sting my eyes”
  • Creamy, luxurious texture Sometimes Noted
    • “smooth and creamy”
    • “glides over skin”
    • “feels like a lotion”
  • Softening effect Sometimes Noted
    • “skin feeling so soft”
    • “improves skin softness”
    • “supple and smooth”
  • Poor makeup removal Sometimes Noted
    • “doesn't remove waterproof makeup”
    • “struggles with heavy makeup”
    • “need a separate remover”
  • Packaging issues Rarely Noted
    • “miss the pump”
    • “hard to get out of bottle”
    • “cap breaks easily”
  • Too heavy for oily Rarely Noted
    • “left a greasy residue”
    • “too thick for my liking”
    • “caused breakouts”

Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, paulaschoice-eu.com, influenster.com, reddit.com, skinsort.com, and more

Questions and answers

Why does Lovi advise caution with the Softening Cream Cleanser for oily skin?

Lovi advises caution because this cleanser lacks targeted ingredients to control oily shine, even though it offers moderate cleansing and calming benefits. A cleanser for oily skin needs effective formulas that manage oiliness and promote a clear complexion without causing irritation.

Which ingredients make this cleanser a poor fit for oily skin?

This cleanser is a poor fit for your oily skin because it contains mineral oil and soybean oil, which can add unwanted greasiness. Oily skin needs a cleanser with ingredients that clear away extra oil and impurities while keeping the skin balanced without heavy oils.

What does Beta-Glucan do for oily skin?

This product is an average fit for oily skin because it lacks lightweight hydration and oil-controlling ingredients. Oily skin needs balancing ingredients like niacinamide or lightweight hydrators such as hyaluronic acid to stay smooth without feeling heavy.

What does Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract do for oily skin?

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract helps calm oily skin by reducing inflammation and irritation. It also helps manage bacteria on the skin surface, making it less prone to breakouts.

Frontiers in Immunology, 2024Journal of Investigative Medicine, 2024

Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily skin?

This cleanser fits into both your morning and evening routine as the first cleansing step, or second in the evening if you use a makeup remover first. A cleanser for this skin needs targeted ingredients for effective seboregulation to address oily shine.

Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this cleanser in your routine, but a cleanser of this type needs targeted ingredients for oil control to truly suit oily skin. When using retinol, apply the cleanser first to clean your skin before your treatment step.

How often should I use this cleanser?

This cleanser may be used daily in the morning and evening as part of a regular skincare routine, though it is a poor match for oily skin because it lacks targeted ingredients for controlling oil and shine. Oily skin needs a cleanser with ingredients that help balance oil production to properly manage shine.

Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?

This cleanser is unlikely to directly cause purging, but it may feel too heavy and fail to control excess shine for oily skin. A cleanser for this skin needs oil-balancing and clarifying ingredients to keep pores clear and manage oil effectively.

Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?

This cleanser may be used around the eyes and on the body, though it lacks targeted oil-control ingredients needed for oily skin. Cleansers for this skin type generally need oil-balancing ingredients and deep-cleaning agents to effectively manage shine.

Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

What the research says

  • Skin care regimens containing beta-glucan improved hemoglobin index, skin hydration, and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in 20 patients undergoing fractional laser therapy.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021

  • Apigenin protects against UVA-induced cytotoxicity and senescence in normal human dermal fibroblasts, decreases MMP-1 expression, and when applied topically as a cream in human subjects, increases dermal density and elasticity while reducing fine wrinkle length, skin evenness, moisture content, and transepidermal water loss compared to control cream.

    International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 2016

  • Treatment with topical formulations containing beta-glucan combined with nanofractional radiofrequency plus magnetic nanofractional radiofrequency showed the best efficacy and was tolerable and effective in Chinese women with abdominal stretch marks compared to control groups.

    Dermatology and Therapy, 2023

  • Topical beta-glucan mildly improved striae gravidarum, 1565-nm non-ablative fractional laser showed better results than topical beta-glucan, and the combined strategy further improved striae gravidarum atrophy compared to single treatment.

    The Journal of Dermatology, 2022

  • Topical application of oat beta-glucan ameliorates epidermal hyperplasia and accelerates epidermal barrier recovery by promoting keratinocyte differentiation through dectin-1-mediated ERK and p38 signaling pathways that upregulate CaSR expression.

    International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021

  • Topical chamomile oil combined with a night splint significantly improved the symptomatic and functional status of patients with severe carpal tunnel syndrome compared to placebo, while electrodiagnostic parameters showed no significant changes.

    Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 2015

  • German chamomile solution applied twice a day healed peristomal skin lesions significantly faster than once-a-day 1% hydrocortisone ointment in colostomy patients, with a mean healing time of 8.89 days versus 14.53 days.

    Ostomy/wound Management, 2011

  • Topical chamomile reduces the incidence and delays the occurrence of phlebitis due to amiodarone infusion in coronary care patients compared to a placebo of lanoline.

    Journal of Integrative Medicine, 2017

  • The 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

  • Repeated application of concentrated water-in-oil emulsions over four weeks caused no skin irritation, positively affected skin properties, and delivered almost 50% of the applied fluorescein sodium, with isopropyl myristate showing superior penetration performance compared to liquid paraffin in healthy volunteers.

    International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2019

Ingredients

Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Beta-Glucan, Butylene Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract Matricaria Flower Extract, Chlorphenesin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Disodium Edta, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycine Soja Oil Soybean Oil, Hexylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Laureth-4, Paraffinum Liquidum Mineral Oil, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Hydroxide, Water

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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

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How does it fit your skin?

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