Aēsop Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser for dry sensitive skin
Licorice Root
Lactic Acid
Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil
Jojoba Seed Oil
Parsley Seed Oil
Low
- LowDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A weak match for dry sensitive skin; the cleansers alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry sensitive skin: flakiness, tightness, redness, 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 exfoliation for your dry or flaky skin due to the presence of lactic acid, which can provide mild chemical exfoliation but may exacerbate your skin sensitivity.
- The cleanser is moderately unsuitable for your dry skin as sodium laureth sulfate can strip natural oils, and it lacks deeply hydrating ingredients like glycerin or jojoba seed oil in sufficient concentrations to counteract dryness.
How to apply
- Use your cleanser AM and PM every day to keep your face fresh. Start slowly once a day if your dry skin feels sensitive at first.
- Apply your cleanser first thing in your routine before any toner or moisturizer. Follow the usual steps for your AM or PM daily routine.
- Gently massage the cleanser onto your face using soft circular motions. Avoid harsh rubbing to protect your dry skin.
- Apply the cleanser to slightly damp skin to help it clean gently without stripping moisture. This method is very safe for sensitive and dry skin types.
- Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and avoid the delicate eye area. Always do a patch test before using the product for the first time.
People Say
★4.3Overall rating based on 600+ reviewsThis cleanser is highly praised for its gentle and effective cleansing, leaving skin feeling soft and refreshed, particularly beneficial for combination, oily, or sensitive skin types. It is noted as a good option for a morning cleanse or as a second step in a routine, though it may not be sufficient for removing heavy makeup and some users find it can be slightly drying. The product's high price point and polarizing scent are also frequently mentioned drawbacks.
Highlights
Gentle cleansing Often Mentioned
- “Leaves my face feeling soft after cleansing.”
- “Cleanses the skin well without any gross/sticky/greasy residue.”
- “Gentle on the skin but it is a shame it is so expensive.”
Non-stripping formula Often Mentioned
- “Will not remove makeup—which is exactly what you want for a gentle morning wash.”
- “Doesn't feel like it's stripping my skin at all.”
- “Does not cause the skin to feel or look dry.”
Expensive product Often Mentioned
- “The price is quite high for the amount you get.”
- “Expensive. But the price is more than a bit off-putting.”
- “It is a shame it is so expensive.”
Improves skin Sometimes Noted
- “I used to have severe flaking... but after using this product, it's disappeared.”
- “My skin absolutely glows after using this.”
- “Kept my problem skin in check.”
Refreshing scent Sometimes Noted
- “Soft herbal scent that feels fresh and floral.”
- “I love the scent—herbal refreshing and invigorating.”
- “Lovely calming smell.”
Packaging issues Sometimes Noted
- “The downside is the pump.”
- “Does not come with a pump.”
- “Glass bottle... makes it that much heavier, and more importantly, that much more fragile.”
Poor makeup removal Sometimes Noted
- “I found this doesn't effectively remove makeup.”
- “Not great at removing eye make-up.”
- “Not the most thorough cleanser on its own.”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “Nasty smell... would not buy again.”
- “The scent was too strong for a cleanser.”
- “A peculiar, subtle licorice-like scent.”
Sources: lovi.care, hwahae.com, spacenk.com, whatsinmyjar.com, youtube.com, thevelvetlife.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is Aēsop Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser a weak match for dry sensitive skin?
Aēsop Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser is a weak match for your dry sensitive skin because it contains sodium laureth sulfate, which can strip natural oils, and lactic acid, which may worsen your sensitivity. A cleanser of this type needs soothing ingredients like allantoin and witch hazel extract, along with ceramides and hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture and protect your skin.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a poor fit for dry sensitive skin?
Sodium laureth sulfate and lactic acid make this cleanser a weak match for your dry sensitive skin because they may strip natural oils and increase irritation. To work well for this skin type, a cleanser of this type needs gentle, hydrating ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid to maintain moisture and protect the skin barrier.
What does Licorice Root Extract do for dry sensitive skin?
Licorice root extract helps calm red and irritated dry skin while easing discomfort. It works through natural compounds that reduce inflammation, though long-term daily use requires caution as it may occasionally lead to unwanted side effects.
What does Lactic Acid do for dry sensitive skin?
Lactic acid helps hydrate dry skin, but for sensitive skin it may cause stinging and irritation unless it is formulated with soothing ingredients like colloidal oat or tangerine fruit extract to calm discomfort.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2021
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This cleanser is used in both your morning and evening routine, but it is a weak match for dry sensitive skin because it may strip natural oils and worsen sensitivity. Dry sensitive skin needs a very gentle, hydrating cleanser that avoids harsh detergents and includes plenty of nourishing moisturizers to keep skin soft and comfortable.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
Using this cleanser with retinol is a weak match for your dry sensitive skin because it contains sodium laureth sulfate and lactic acid, which can strip natural oils and increase irritation. To use them together, apply the cleanser first, wait for your skin to dry completely, and then apply your retinol. A product of this type needs mild, sulfate-free cleansers with nourishing oils and hydrating ingredients like glycerin or jojoba seed oil to keep dry sensitive skin soft and calm.
How often should I use this cleanser?
This cleanser is a weak match for your dry sensitive skin because its ingredients can strip natural oils and increase dryness and irritation. A cleanser for this skin type needs mild, sulfate-free cleansers paired with rich soothing hydrators and nourishing plant oils to keep skin calm and soft.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2026
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause purging, but it may strip natural oils and increase dryness and irritation on dry sensitive skin. A cleanser for this skin needs gentle, non-stripping cleansing agents and rich, deeply hydrating ingredients to protect the skin barrier.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
This cleanser is a weak match for dry sensitive skin because sodium laureth sulfate can strip natural oils, making it too harsh for the very thin skin around the eyes and sensitive areas of the body. Cleansers for this type of skin need gentle cleansing agents that do not strip natural oils, along with rich hydrating ingredients like glycerin and plant oils to protect the skin barrier.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2026
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (benzyl alcohol, linalool, and d-limonene).
What the research says
Treatment with sodium lauryl ether sulfate emulsion increased transepidermal water loss and skin surface pH while reducing stratum corneum hydration and natural moisturizing factor content compared to diacyl phospholipid emulsions and controls, irrespective of UVA irradiation, in eight healthy volunteers.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2026Squamometry successfully detected subclinical skin surface alterations and discriminated between the irritating effects of sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate on human skin using an open assay model.
Food and Chemical Toxicology, 2001Combining 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, 2025Application 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, 2020Multiple applications of blackcurrant seed oil successfully impregnated the stratum corneum of human dry skin, combining its essential and other fatty acids with endogenous lipids to potentially enhance protective effects.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 1988Clay jojoba oil facial masks reduced total skin lesions by a mean of 54% after 6 weeks in 133 participants with acne-prone, lesioned skin and mild acne compared to baseline.
Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012Topical application of jojoba wax reduced LPS-induced secretion of IL-6, IL-8, and TNFα by approximately 30% and increased the synthesis of pro-collagen III and hyaluronic acid compared to untreated skin in an ex-vivo human skin organ culture model.
Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024Topical jojoba oil application in male mice decreased exercise-induced pro-inflammatory gene expression (Il-1b and Il-6 in soleus, Il-1b in gastrocnemius) compared to untreated exercised mice.
Biomolecules, 2025
Why other cleansers fit dry sensitive skin better
- Sodium laureth sulfate in this cleanser
Treatment with sodium lauryl ether sulfate emulsion increased transepidermal water loss and skin surface pH while reducing stratum corneum hydration and natural moisturizing factor content compared to diacyl phospholipid emulsions and controls, irrespective of UVA irradiation, in eight healthy volunteers.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2026 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, 2017
Ingredients
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Olive Peg-7 Esters Oil, Sodium Peg-7 Olive Carboxylate Oil, Coco-Betaine, Potassium Lactate, Peg-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Sodium Citrate, Lactic Acid, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil Lavender Oil, Glycerin, Jojoba Seed Oil, Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil, Ormenis Multicaulis Oil, Chamomilla Recutita Oil Flower Matricaria Oil Flower, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Parsley Seed Oil, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Linalool, D-Limonene
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
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