Is your skin so sensitive, every cleanser you’ve tried stings like crazy? I hear ya. The cleansing process is always traumatic for skin. You risk raising its pH, breaking down its protective barrier, stripping away its natural oil… It’s a minefield. But it’s not like you can skip cleansing. Ugh. So what’s a girl to do, use only water? That may do in the morning, but it ain’t gonna take your makeup off… Enter La Roche Posay Toleriane Demo-Cleanser. When you’ve tried everything, this baby comes to the rescue and takes everything off without the sting. Here’s what makes it the gentlest cleanser for sensitive skin:
Key Ingredients In La Roche Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser: What Makes It Work?
ETHYLEHEXYL PALMITATE TO CLEANSE SKIN
The real reason why La Roche Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser is so gentle? It has NO cleansing agents. Wait, what?! How can it cleanse skin if it has no cleansing agents?!
Ethylhexyl Palmitate. It’s a substitute for mineral oil and works in pretty much the same way. It acts like a solvent that dissolves the oils and impurities on your skin so they can they easily be wiped off your face. Plus, it’s so moisturizing, it makes even the driest of skin types softer and smoother. No way this is gonna strip your skin. It moisturises as it cleanses.
FYI, don’t let its origin scare you. Mineral oil undergoes a strict purifying process to remove all toxins. At the end of this process, it has no resemblance to oil anymore. It’s super safe even for sensitive skin and non-toxic.
Related: 5 Myths About Mineral Oil You Need To Stop Believing Right Now
GLYCERIN TO HYDRATE SKIN
Glycerin is a humectant. That’s a fancy way of calling ingredients that attract moisture from the air into the skin. As your skin goes through the cleansing process, glycerin draws enough extra water to it to keep its moisture levels high. Once you’re done with it, your skin’s so soft and smooth. Like you’ve just moisturised instead of cleansed.
Related: Why Is Glycerin In All My Skincare Products?!
Struggling to put together a skincare routine that banishes dryness and makes your skin supple and dewy? Download your FREE “Best Skincare Routine For Dry Skin” to get started (it features product recommendations + right application order):
The Rest Of The Formula & Ingredients
NOTE: The colours indicate the effectiveness of an ingredient. It is ILLEGAL to put toxic and harmful ingredients in skincare products.
- Green: It’s effective, proven to work, and helps the product do the best possible job for your skin.
- Yellow: There’s not much proof it works (at least, yet).
- Red: What is this doing here?!
- Water/Aqua: The main solvent in the product, it helps to dissolve other ingredients in the formula.
- Dipropylene Glycol: A masking agent that masks the odour of skincare ingredients that don’t smell all that good.
- Carbomer: It thickens the texture.
- Sodium Hydroxide: It balances the pH of skincare products.
- Capryl Glycol/Caprylyl Glycol: It makes skin softer and smoother.
- Ethylhexylglycerin: A preservative with mild hydrating properties. It makes your skin softer while helping the cleanser be safer for longer.
Texture
This cleanser has a creamy and milky texture that glides smoothly onto your skin and doesn’t leave a greasy residue behind.
Fragrance
It’s fragrance-free. I like that. Fragrance is the most irritating ingredients in skincare products. I don’t care how good it makes a cleanser smell, it has no place in a product for sensitive skin.
How To Use It
Morning and night, it’s the first step of your skincare routine. I recommend you pour a small amount onto a cotton pad, pat it onto your skin to remove impurities, and then rinse off with lukewarm water.
Packaging
The cleanser comes in a sleek and practical white bottle. It releases just the right amount of poduct you need. And while it’s not the prettiest, the white colour makes me think of purity and sensitivity. It’s a cleanser for sensitive skin, after all.
Performance & Personal Opinion
La Roche Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser has a creamy, milky texture that leaves a moisturizing residue behind – unless you wipe off the cleanser with a cotton pad or washcloth. That’s what I do. It does a great job at removing dirt, impurities and most makeup from skin. I say “most” because it all depends on how much makeup you’re wearing.
I know the Kardashian look is very popular today. Personally, I’m not a fan of covering your skin under that many layers of long-lasting, waterproof makeup every single day. But if that’s your cup of tea, cool. Just don’t expect this to take it all off. I recommend you use an oil-based cleanser for that and keep this as a morning cleanser.
If you’re more of the minimalistic type, La Roche Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser doubles up as makeup remover. I favour sheer foundations and non-waterproof mascaras that subtly enhance my natural look and this cleanser takes them all off effortlessly. It’s also super gentle and does not irritate skin. If you feel like that tight, post-cleansing feeling is totally normal, give this one a go. Not only you don’t get that, but your skin feels so soft afterwards!
How Does La Roche Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser Compare To The Other La Roche Posay Cleansers For Sensitive Skin?
La Roche Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser is still the best cleanser for sensitive skin. But the brand has other gentler options, if you need something stronger to remove makeup. Let’s take a look at them:
- La Roche Posay Lipikar Wash AP+ Moisturizing & Face Wash ($16.99): A hydrating foaming cleanser that’s better suitable for your body than your face – at least if you have sensitive skin. Available at Boots, Look Fantastic, Superdrug, and Ulta.
- La Roche Posay Micellar Water Ultra (£17.99): I like this micellar water from when you’re on-the-go and needs something that cleanses skin without irritation. But for everyday use, you’re better off with a rinse-off cleanser. Available at Boots, La Roche Posay, Superdrug, and Ulta.
- La Roche Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Facial Cleanser ($13.99): A creamy cleanser with ceramides to repair your skin’s protective barrier. It cleanses and moisturises skin at the same time. It has some alcohol, so it may irritate very sensitive skin. Available at La Roche Posay.
What I Like About La Roche Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser
- Creamy texture
- Fragrance-free
- Removes makeup and impurities
- Makes skin softer
- Doesn’t irritate or dry out skin
- Practical packaging
What I DON’T Like About La Roche Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser
- Doesn’t remove heavy makeup
Who Should Use This?
This is one of the best cleansers for sensitive skin. It’s also suitable for dry skin.
Does La Roche Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| A wipe-off milk to gently cleanse sensitive, intolerant or even allergy-prone skin, every day. | True. |
| Removes impurities and make-up without stripping skin. | True. |
Price & Availability
Available at: $25.99 at Boots, Cult Beauty, La Roche Posay, Look Fantastic, and Sephora
The Verdict: Should You Buy It?
If you have sensitive skin, this is one of the best cleansers out there for you. So yes, get yourself a bottle.
Dupes & Alternatives
- Cerave Hydrating Cleanser ($16.99): One of my fave cleansers for dry and sensitive skin, it’s loaded with ceramides to moisturise skin. Plus, it does a good job at cleansing skin, too. Oh, did I mention the bottom is so huge, it’ll last you forever? Available at Boots, Cult Beauty, Dermstore, Look Fantastic, Sephora, Ulta and Walmart
- Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Softening Cream Cleanser ($17.00): This moisturising cleanser uses a mix of surfactants and natural oils to remove impurities and makeup from skin, leaving it soft and clean. Available at Paula’s Choice.
Water/Aqua, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Capryl Glycol/Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin.
About Gio
Hi, I’m Gio. I’m a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever – every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what’s worth the splurge and what’s best left on the shelf – using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.
