The Ordinary Glucoside Foaming Cleanser for acne-prone skin
Decyl Glucoside
Coco Glucoside
Tocopherol
Phytic Acid
Xanthan Gum
High
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for acne-prone skin; a few cleansers fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. 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 your combination skin as decyl glucoside and coco glucoside provide gentle yet effective pore cleansing without stripping the skin. Tocopherol offers antioxidant benefits, supporting your skin's overall health.
- The formula is well-balanced for acne-prone skin, focusing on cleansing without introducing harsh ingredients that could exacerbate blemishes.
- This product is safe for your skin, containing no harsh or prohibited ingredients and including soothing tocopherol.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it.
- This cleanser is the first step in your morning routine and the second step after your pre-cleanser in the evening. Always follow up with a toner and moisturizer .
- Gently massage a small amount of the cleanser onto your face in circular motions. Avoid harsh rubbing to keep your skin calm.
- Apply the cleanser on slightly damp skin to help it work effectively against breakouts. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water .
- Avoid the immediate eye area and do a patch test before your first use to check for any sensitivity.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 3.3k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users consistently describe this cleanser as a gentle, effective option for daily use that cleanses without stripping the moisture barrier, making it particularly popular among those with sensitive, oily, and combination skin. While many praise its affordability and non-irritating formula, a significant number of reviewers dislike its runny, "snot-like" texture and note that it struggles to remove heavy makeup on its own.
Highlights
Gentle and non-stripping Mostly Mentioned
- “skin feels clean not tight”
- “doesn't strip my barrier”
- “very gentle on sensitive skin”
- “leaves face soft”
Affordable price point Often Mentioned
- “great value for money”
- “can't beat the price”
- “budget friendly staple”
- “good size for cost”
Great for sensitive skin Often Mentioned
- “no irritation or redness”
- “perfect for reactive skin”
- “didn't break me out”
- “safe for acne-prone”
Runny, slime-like texture Often Mentioned
- “consistency like snot”
- “too liquidy and spills”
- “hard to control amount”
- “slips off hands”
Effective second cleanse Sometimes Noted
- “perfect after cleansing balm”
- “removes residue well”
- “great morning cleanser”
- “good for double cleansing”
Fragrance-free formula Sometimes Noted
- “no strong perfume”
- “great it has no scent”
- “doesn't sting eyes”
- “good for fragrance sensitivity”
Poor makeup removal Sometimes Noted
- “struggles with mascara”
- “doesn't remove foundation”
- “need a separate remover”
- “not for heavy makeup”
Unpleasant chemical scent Sometimes Noted
- “smells like chemicals”
- “weird plastic smell”
- “scent is off-putting”
- “has a funk to it”
Drying for some Rarely Noted
- “left skin feeling tight”
- “too drying for dry skin”
- “caused dry patches”
- “stripped my skin”
Messy packaging Rarely Noted
- “leaks from the cap”
- “dispenses too much”
- “cap gets messy”
- “product runs out tube”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, ulta.com, theordinary.com, influenster.com, skinsort.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes The Ordinary Glucoside Foaming Cleanser a great fit for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is a great fit because it uses gentle decyl glucoside and coco glucoside to clean pores without stripping your skin. The formula avoids harsh ingredients that can make breakouts worse, and includes tocopherol to help keep your skin healthy and calm.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Decyl glucoside and coco glucoside make this cleanser a great fit by cleaning pores gently without stripping your skin. Tocopherol also supports overall skin health with soothing antioxidant benefits.
What does Decyl Glucoside do for acne-prone skin?
Decyl Glucoside is a gentle cleanser that helps wash away dirt and excess oil without stripping acne-prone skin. It is unlikely to clog pores, making it a safe choice for keeping your skin clean and calm.
What does Coco Glucoside do for acne-prone skin?
Coco-glucoside helps create stable formulas that support your skin's natural barrier while delivering beneficial ingredients without clogging pores. This makes it a gentle option for acne-prone skin that helps keep your face feeling balanced and clean.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is used in the morning and evening as the first cleansing step before your toners, treatments, and moisturizer. A gentle daily routine using a mild cleanser helps improve skin comfort and cleanliness without stripping acne-prone skin.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser in your routine alongside retinol, applying the cleanser first to clean your skin before using your retinol treatment. Gentle cleansers help remove impurities without stripping the skin, making them suitable to use with active treatments.
How often should I use this cleanser?
This cleanser is a great fit for your acne-prone skin because it washes away dirt and oil gently without harsh ingredients that could make blemishes worse. You can use it twice a day in the morning and evening as part of a balanced daily routine.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is a great fit for acne-prone skin because it cleans pores effectively without harsh ingredients that tend to cause breakouts. It avoids heavy oils and pore-clogging elements, so it is unlikely to trigger purging or clog your pores.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
Yes, you can use this cleanser around the eyes and on the body because its gentle cleansers wash away dirt without harsh ingredients or irritation. The formula is safe and well-balanced, and it is unlikely to harm even the thinner areas of skin.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2025
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (benzyl alcohol).
What the research says
Coco-glucoside powered emulgels containing probiotics and prebiotics demonstrated stability without phase separation and preserved probiotic viability for up to 11 days, supporting the skin's natural barrier.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2025A topical serum containing vitamin C, vitamin E, and raspberry leaf cell culture extract improved skin color, elasticity, radiance, smoothness, scaliness, and wrinkles compared to the untreated contralateral side in fifty female volunteers.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024L-ascorbic acid 10% plus phytic acid 2% serum significantly reduced the pigmentation index of solar lentigines compared to a vehicle control in 30 healthy subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2011Chemical peels using 35% glycolic acid, 20% salicylic-10% mandelic acid, and phytic acid reduce acne scores by 70.55%, 74.14%, and 69.7% respectively, and significantly decline the postacne hyperpigmentation index in Asian patients with mild to moderate acne.
Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, 2019A topical facial emulsion containing 10% glycolic acid, 2% phytic acid, and a soothing complex significantly improved skin hyperpigmentation, texture, and tone homogeneity from week 4 through week 12 in American female volunteers with Fitzpatrick skin types II-VI.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Biodegradable wound dressings functionalized with silver nanoparticles showed >99% pathogen growth inhibition, bactericidal effects, free radical scavenging, reduced inflammatory response in macrophages, and accelerated wound healing in animals.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2022A topical xanthan gum nanogel containing gamma-oryzanol-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers and nanosized TiO2 and MBBT filters demonstrated high photoprotection with an SPF of 34 and no skin irritation or sensitization in a rat model.
Pharmaceuticals, 2023Dense chitosan-xanthan membranes associated with multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells accelerated wound healing in Wistar rats compared to untreated conditions, demonstrating safety and feasibility for dermo-epidermal wound treatment.
Journal of Biomaterials Applications, 2015
Ingredients
Water, Decyl Glucoside, Coco Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Phytic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin
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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