Estée Lauder Soft Clean Moisture Rich Foaming Cleanser for skin with dark spots
Sodium Hyaluronate
Glycerin
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Passiflora Incarnata Flower Extract
Average
- AverageNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for skin with dark spots; other cleansers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dark spots: hyperpigmentation, sun spots, and uneven skin tone. 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 suitability for your normal skin due to the humectant action of Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate, which provide hydration but do not specifically target your main concern of pigmentation.
- The cleansing agents, potassium cocoyl glycinate and sodium coceth sulfate, effectively purify pores, while extracts like Passiflora Incarnata Flower Extract offer general skincare benefits.
- The product is safe for your normal skin, as it lacks harsh ingredients and includes soothing components like Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate and Urea to prevent irritation.
How to apply
- You can use this cleanser AM and PM every single day. Start slowly 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin likes it.
- Apply this cleanser as the first step in your morning routine or the second step in your evening routine. Follow it with toner and moisturizer.
- Massage a small amount of cleanser gently onto your face using circular motions. Rinse well with lukewarm water and pat dry.
- For the best results, apply your cleanser directly to wet skin to help wash away dirt. Make sure your face is clean before you begin.
- Avoid getting the cleanser in your eyes. Always do a quick patch test before using the product for the very first time.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 700+ reviewsUsers with dry to normal skin find this cleanser provides a deep, effective cleanse without stripping moisture, creating a luxurious lather that leaves skin feeling soft. Some users report the tube packaging is difficult to use and the fragrance may be too strong for sensitive individuals.
Highlights
Rich lather Mostly Mentioned
- “Lathers well”
- “creamy with a light scent”
- “foams a lot”
Long-lasting product Often Mentioned
- “A little goes a long way”
- “lasts a long time”
- “tube will last eons”
Non-drying formula Often Mentioned
- “Doesn't strip my skin”
- “doesn't make skin feel stiff”
- “leaves skin moisturized”
Effective cleansing Sometimes Noted
- “Leaves my skin very clean”
- “removes makeup”
- “no residue”
Difficult tube Sometimes Noted
- “Impossible to get out”
- “tube is very uncomfortable”
- “needs a pump”
High price Rarely Noted
- “Brings very little product for its price”
- “price hike”
Strong fragrance Rarely Noted
- “Fragrance a bit too strong”
- “not for those sensitive to scent”
Sources: lovi.care, influenster.com, nordstrom.com, esteelauder.com, solonelyingorgeous.com, soco.id, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Estée Lauder Soft Clean Moisture Rich Foaming Cleanser work for skin with dark spots?
Estée Lauder Soft Clean Moisture Rich Foaming Cleanser works moderately well for skin with dark spots, as it purifies and hydrates while keeping your skin calm, though it does not specifically target dark spots. A cleanser for this skin needs ingredients that safely wash away dirt while providing soothing and brightening benefits to help even out skin tone.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for skin with dark spots?
Sodium Hyaluronate and Glycerin make this cleanser a fit by keeping your skin hydrated, though a cleanser for this skin needs ingredients that directly target dark spots and brighten the skin.
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for skin with dark spots?
Hyaluronic acid is unlikely to directly fade dark spots, but it helps keep dry and uneven skin plump and deeply hydrated. To effectively target dark spots, this type of skin needs brightening ingredients like vitamin C or niacinamide alongside your hydrator.
What does Glycerin do for skin with dark spots?
Glycerin helps keep dry skin hydrated and supports a healthy skin barrier, which makes skin feel soft and smooth. While it does not directly fade dark spots on its own, it is often added to spot-fading products to keep the skin comfortable while other ingredients work.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2017
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for skin with dark spots?
This cleanser goes as the second step in your evening routine after a makeup remover, and as the first step in your morning routine before a hydrating toner, moisturizer, and sunscreen. It helps wash away dirt while keeping your skin calm, but skin with dark spots also needs targeted brightening ingredients and vitamin serums to truly fade dark spots.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser in your routine before applying retinol, as it purifies pores while keeping your skin calm and hydrated. A cleanser of this type for skin with dark spots works best when paired with targeted brightening ingredients like vitamin C or niacinamide to help fade discoloration.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser daily in the morning and evening as part of your routine. It cleans and hydrates your skin well, but skin with dark spots needs a cleanser that also includes brightening ingredients to help fade dark spots.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for skin with dark spots?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for skin with dark spots, as it purifies pores effectively without harsh ingredients. However, a cleanser for this skin needs brightening ingredients that specifically target dark spots and pigmentation.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on your body, but you should be cautious around the thin skin of your eyes since it is a foaming wash that may cause dryness there. Skin on the body and around the eyes benefits from gentle cleansing ingredients and extra moisture to protect delicate areas.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum).
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 topical formulation containing panthenol, niacinamide, and dipotassium glycyrrhizate increased skin hydration by 74.1% and reduced transepidermal water loss by 13.5% at 28 days compared to baseline and untreated control in 35 individuals with xerosis.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026Topical 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, 2019The 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, 2012Combining 755 nm alexandrite laser with topical licorice gel significantly reduces terminal hair counts compared to alexandrite laser with placebo in women with idiopathic hirsutism.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015Licochalcone A activated Nrf2 signaling, elevated cytoprotective enzymes, increased the reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio, and decreased reactive oxygen species in human fibroblasts and neutrophils, while a LicA-rich licorice extract lowered UVA-induced oxidative processes in vivo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2015Bioactive glycyrrhizic acid and oxymatrine ionic liquid self-assembled nanomicelles significantly promoted the transdermal permeation, subcutaneous retention, and anti-photoaging efficacy of palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 in cellular and animal models compared to unformulated peptide.
Advanced Science, 2025Topical chrysin nanoemulgel improved percutaneous absorption and in vitro cytotoxicity on A375 and SK-MEL-2 cell lines compared to unformulated chrysin, demonstrating effective localized transcutaneous delivery.
Pharmaceutics, 2021Chrysin attenuated apoptosis, ROS production, COX-2 expression, and AQP-3 down-regulation induced by UVB and UVA in HaCaT keratinocytes, while showing efficient percutaneous absorption and no skin irritation in animal studies.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2011Chrysin treatment reduced injury area and inflammation while increasing bFGF secretion, promoting the healing of amiodarone extravasation-induced skin injury in rats compared to control and 10% DMSO groups.
Microvascular Research, 2022
Why other cleansers fit skin with dark spots better
Transgenic cucumber expressing poly-γ-glutamic acid synthesis genes increased water content by 6-14%, reduced water loss by 11-12%, decreased facial wrinkles and roughness by 19.58% and 24.97%, decreased skin melanin by 5.27%, and improved facial elasticity in human skin and zebrafish compared to controls.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2024
Ingredients
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Decyl Glucoside, Potassium Myristoyl Glutamate, Glycol Stearate, Peg-40 Glyceryl Cocoate, Citric Acid, Sodium Pca, Sodium Coceth Sulfate, Parfum, Passiflora Incarnata Flower Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Lythrum Salicaria Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caffeine, Trehalose, Sucrose, Urea, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyquaternium-51, Phenoxyethanol
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.