SkinCeuticals Gentle Cleanser for dry skin
Allantoin
Glycerin
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
Cetyl Alcohol
Glycolic Acid
Average
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for dry skin; other cleansers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. 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 dry skin due to glycerin providing humectant action, but lacks sufficient emollients like C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate to fully address dryness.
- Glycolic acid offers mild pore decongestion and exfoliation, which is supportive but not specialized for your dry or flaky skin concerns.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your dry skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this cleanser AM and PM every day to keep your skin clean. Start using it daily right away since your skin is not sensitive.
- Apply this cleanser as the very first step in your morning routine and right after your pre-cleanser in the evening. Follow with your toner and moisturizer afterwards.
- Gently massage a small amount of cleanser onto your face using soft circular motions. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and pat dry with a clean towel.
- Apply this cleanser on slightly damp skin for a comfortable and refreshing wash. This helps maintain your skin's natural moisture while cleansing away dirt.
- Avoid getting the cleanser directly into your eyes to prevent any irritation. Do a simple patch test before your first use to ensure your skin likes it.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 1000+ reviewsThis creamy, non-foaming cleanser is highly recommended for dry, sensitive, or reactive skin, effectively cleansing without stripping moisture. It is frequently noted as ideal for post-procedure care and calming irritated skin, though a moderate number of users mention it may not fully remove heavy or waterproof makeup.
Highlights
Extremely gentle Mostly Mentioned
- “doesn't dry out skin”
- “leaves face soft”
- “skin feels moisturized”
- “no tight feeling”
Ideal for sensitive skin Often Mentioned
- “great for sensitive skin”
- “calms redness”
- “soothing after peels”
- “doesn't cause breakouts”
Pleasant texture Sometimes Noted
- “creamy texture”
- “light orange scent”
- “smells like fresh citrus”
- “melts into skin”
Safe post-procedure Sometimes Noted
- “used after laser treatment”
- “safe after chemical peels”
- “good for traumatized skin”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “expensive for a cleanser”
- “wish it was cheaper”
- “pricey but worth it”
Struggles with makeup Sometimes Noted
- “doesn't remove waterproof eyeliner”
- “need a separate eye remover”
- “leaves mascara residue”
Eye irritation Rarely Noted
- “stings my eyes”
- “burns if it gets in eyes”
- “irritates eye area”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “pours out too fast”
- “hard to control amount”
- “waste product due to runny texture”
Sources: lovi.care, lovelyskin.com, dermstore.com, walmart.com, bestderm.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does SkinCeuticals Gentle Cleanser work for dry skin?
SkinCeuticals Gentle Cleanser works reasonably well for your dry skin, as glycerin helps provide moderate hydration while the formula remains gentle and safe to use. However, it lacks sufficient softeners to fully address dryness and needs ingredients like essential ceramides, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and rich hydrating agents to truly keep dry skin comfortable and properly moisturized.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for dry skin?
Glycerin and allantoin help make this cleanser work for dry skin by drawing in moisture and soothing the skin. However, this skin type needs extra rich moisturizers and skin-softening ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid to fully lock in hydration and prevent dryness.
What does Allantoin do for dry skin?
Allantoin helps dry skin by supporting skin barrier function and improving moisture retention. It is unlikely to cause irritation and is often included in formulations that aim to soothe and protect dry or sensitive skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2014
What does Glycerin do for dry skin?
Glycerin helps dry skin by drawing in moisture and keeping it locked in, which makes the skin feel much softer and smoother. It also supports your natural skin barrier to stop water from escaping easily. A product for dry skin needs extra ingredients like hyaluronic acid and soothing plant extracts to truly calm and hydrate dry patches.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This cleanser fits into both your morning and evening routines. A cleanser of this type for dry skin needs rich moisturizers and heavy skin softeners to keep the skin comfortable and prevent tightness.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
Yes, you can use this cleanser with retinol by applying it in the evening before your retinol treatment. A cleanser for this skin needs rich emollients and soothing ingredients to protect your skin barrier while using retinol.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser daily in the morning and evening as part of your routine. It is gentle and unlikely to cause irritation, but a product for dry skin needs more rich softening ingredients to fully comfort tight or flaky areas.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry skin, as it has an excellent safety profile with no harsh or irritating ingredients. Glycolic acid provides mild pore decongestion, but dry skin of this type needs richer emollients and added moisturizers to fully address dryness and maintain a smooth feel.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on your body, but the thin skin around the eyes needs extra care and richer moisturizing ingredients to prevent dryness.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (limonene). Cetyl 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, 2017A soap-free cleansing lotion containing cetyl alcohol and sodium cocoyl apple amino acids reduced skin surface impurities and improved skin hydration, barrier function, and skin tone in 27 healthy adult subjects over 30 days.
Cureus, 2025Topical gel containing chitosan, 0.2% chlorhexidine, allantoin and dexpanthenol did not improve postoperative comfort regarding swelling and pain, but improved the wound's aesthetic appearance following impacted lower third molar extraction compared to no gel.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2016A topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020An overnight patch containing Allium cepa extract and allantoin safely promotes scar healing after dermatologic surgery, resulting in significantly greater reductions in observer- and patient-assessed POSAS scores compared to no treatment.
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2018The 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, 2017
Why other cleansers fit dry skin better
Phytosphingosine increased filaggrin metabolism and skin hydration in human skin by stimulating filaggrin biosynthesis and degradation leading to natural moisturizing factor formation.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2017Topical dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.
Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000
Ingredients
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Propanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprate, Peg-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Phenoxyethanol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Orange Peel Oil Oil, Limonene, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Capryl Capramidopropyl Betaine, Caprylyl Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Allantoin, Sodium Hydroxide, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Disodium Edta, Polyquaternium-39, Sodium Chloride, Peg-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Trideceth-6, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Benzoate
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.
-
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-
Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-
Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-
Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-
Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.