Best Gentle Face Cleanser? 858 Reviews of CeraVe, La Roche-Posay, Cetaphil

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Review-analysis guide: 858 customer reviews read on Ulta (October 26, 2026), sorted and counted by us; product details from Amazon listings checked October 26, 2026.

By The Beauty Read · Checked October 26, 2026 · AI-assisted research and editing · Contains Amazon affiliate links

Of the three face cleanser picks here, CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser (paid link) drew the smallest share of irritation reports (8% of 213 usable Ulta reviews) and of one- and two-star reviews (20%). La Roche-Posay Toleriane (paid link) tied it on hydrated, not-stripped praise (32% each) and was called gentle most often (27%), yet 24% described burning, stinging, itching, redness or a rash. Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser (paid link) split reviewers with its newer formula: 31% said it changed for the worse.

Gentle face cleanser: what 858 Ulta reviews say

Looking for a gentle face cleanser that does not leave your skin tight? We read 858 Ulta reviews of three popular gentle picks to see how often reviewers say the face cleanser left skin hydrated, felt gentle and cleaned well, and how often it stung, broke them out or left residue: CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser, La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Face Cleanser and Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. [R-ULT-CER] [R-ULT-LRP] [R-ULT-CET] [A1] [A2] [A3]

CeraVe and La Roche-Posay tied on hydrated, not-stripped praise (32% each), but CeraVe drew far fewer reports of burning, stinging, itching, redness or a rash (8% of 213 usable reviews, against 24% for La Roche-Posay and 25% for Cetaphil). La Roche-Posay was called gentle most often (27%), just ahead of Cetaphil (24%). Since Cetaphil's newer formula, 31% of its usable reviews said the formula or bottle changed for the worse. [R-ULT-CER] [R-ULT-LRP] [R-ULT-CET]

Why 287 reviews were set aside, including older Cetaphil reviews

We read every distinct review Ulta's pages served: the newest 295 of 3,113 shown for CeraVe and 280 of 1,089 for La Roche-Posay (Ulta's pages stop after about 300), and 283 of 544 for Cetaphil. We kept 571 and set aside 287. [R-ULT-CER] [R-ULT-LRP] [R-ULT-CET]

What we set aside: 191 Cetaphil reviews from before October 2021, when a steady run of reviews saying the formula had changed begins (the Amazon listing we link describes a new and improved ingredient blend, so older reviews describe a different formula); 58 about another product, 56 of them on CeraVe's page; 25 repeated on the same page; 6 that said the cleanser was free; and 7 that were empty, not in English, about shipping or from someone who had not used it. That leaves 213 usable reviews for CeraVe, 267 for La Roche-Posay and 91 for Cetaphil. [R-ULT-CER] [R-ULT-LRP] [R-ULT-CET]

Some cautions. All reviews come from one retailer and cover different stretches: CeraVe's from September 2023 to September 2026, La Roche-Posay's from December 2023 to August 2026, and Cetaphil's usable reviews from October 2021 to March 2025, with only 12 from 2024 on. Cetaphil's 91 reviews are a small sample, so a few reviews move its shares a lot. [R-ULT-CER] [R-ULT-LRP] [R-ULT-CET]

See Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, 20 oz on Amazon (paid link) · This link opens the 20 oz bottle of the current formula shipped and sold by Amazon.com.

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser drew the fewest irritation reports

CeraVe's listing describes the CeraVe hydrating cleanser as a non-foaming, lotion-like daily face wash with hyaluronic acid, ceramides and glycerin that removes makeup, dirt and excess oil, fragrance-free and certified by the National Eczema Association. We link the 16 oz bottle shipped and sold by Amazon.com. [A1]

Across 213 usable Ulta reviews, 68 (32%) said their skin felt hydrated or soft rather than stripped, 54 (25%) said it cleaned well, 45 (21%) said they repurchase it or call it a favorite and 35 (16%) called it gentle. Complaints: 19 (9%) blamed breakouts on it, 17 (8%) described irritation, 16 (8%) said it did not clean well or left residue and 15 (7%) said skin felt dry or tight. 42 (20%) gave one or two stars. [R-ULT-CER]

Of 31 reviewers who said they have oily, combination or acne-prone skin, 8 said it helped their breakouts and 5 blamed breakouts on it. [R-ULT-CER]

See CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser, 16 oz on Amazon (paid link) · This link opens the 16 oz bottle shipped and sold by Amazon.com; other sizes are on the same page.

La Roche-Posay face cleanser: most often called gentle

La Roche-Posay's listing describes Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser as a cream face wash for normal to dry, sensitive skin with prebiotic thermal water, niacinamide and ceramide-3, soap-free and fragrance-free. We link the bottle shipped and sold by Amazon.com. [A2]

In 267 usable Ulta reviews of the La Roche-Posay face cleanser, 86 (32%) said skin felt hydrated, 72 (27%) called it gentle and 58 (22%) said it cleaned well. About as many described irritation as for Cetaphil: 64 (24%) described burning, stinging, itching, redness or a rash. Of those 64, 25 came from January to March 2025, when 12 reviewers also said the cleanser had changed; outside those months the share was 18%. 37 (14%) said it did not clean well or left residue, 23 (9%) said skin felt dry or tight and 82 (31%) gave one or two stars. [R-ULT-LRP]

See La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Facial Cleanser on Amazon (paid link) · This link opens the Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Facial Cleanser shipped and sold by Amazon.com; check the size on the page.

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser and its newer formula

Cetaphil's listing calls its Gentle Skin Cleanser a new and improved ingredient blend with glycerin, panthenol (vitamin B5) and niacinamide (vitamin B3), free of fragrances, parabens and sulfates, for dry to normal, sensitive skin. We link the 20 oz bottle shipped and sold by Amazon.com. [A3]

Of 91 usable Ulta reviews since the formula change complaints began, 28 (31%) said the formula changed and they liked it less, 24 (26%) said skin felt hydrated and 22 (24%) called it gentle. 23 (25%) described irritation, 15 (16%) said it did not clean well and 12 (13%) blamed breakouts on it. 33 (36%) gave one or two stars. Most of the formula complaints, 22 of 28, came in the first eight months after the change; since June 2022, 6 of 47 reviews said so. [R-ULT-CET]

See Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, 20 oz on Amazon (paid link) · This link opens the 20 oz bottle of the current formula shipped and sold by Amazon.com.

Face cleanser for sensitive skin, and how each one feels

Shopping for a face cleanser for sensitive skin? Of reviewers who said they have sensitive skin, 33 of 59 for La Roche-Posay, 10 of 21 for CeraVe and 8 of 21 for Cetaphil called it gentle, while 12, 4 and 6 described irritation, so among sensitive-skin reviewers La Roche-Posay and CeraVe drew irritation reports at about the same rate. These groups are small, and sensitive skin reacts differently from person to person. [R-ULT-CER] [R-ULT-LRP] [R-ULT-CET]

For a face cleanser for dry skin, 11 of 20 CeraVe reviewers and 21 of 45 La Roche-Posay reviewers who said they have dry skin reported that it left skin hydrated; Cetaphil had 7 such reviewers. To remove makeup, 9 of 12 CeraVe users and 17 of 33 La Roche-Posay users said it cleaned well, against 8 of 21 for Cetaphil, where 10 of 21 said it did not. [R-ULT-CER] [R-ULT-LRP] [R-ULT-CET]

Keep reading

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Frequently asked questions

What is the best face cleanser for sensitive skin in these reviews?

It depends on what you weigh most. CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser drew the smallest share of irritation reports (8% of 213 usable reviews). La Roche-Posay Toleriane was called gentle most often (27%) but 24% described irritation. Cetaphil's newer formula drew irritation reports from 25%.

Is the CeraVe hydrating cleanser good for dry skin?

Many reviewers thought so. 32% of usable Ulta reviews said skin felt hydrated or soft, and 11 of 20 reviewers who said they have dry skin reported the same. 7% said it left skin dry or tight. Its listing describes a non-foaming, lotion-like wash for normal to dry skin.

Do reviewers say the La Roche-Posay face cleanser stings?

Some did. 24% of 267 usable Ulta reviews described burning, stinging, itching, redness or a rash, even though 27% called it gentle and 32% said it left skin hydrated. If your skin reacts easily, patch-test first.

Did Cetaphil change its Gentle Skin Cleanser formula?

Its Amazon listing calls it a new and improved ingredient blend, and a steady run of Ulta reviews saying the formula changed begins in October 2021. Since then, 31% of 91 usable reviews said they liked it less. We set aside 191 older reviews that describe the earlier formula.

Does a hydrating cleanser remove makeup?

In these reviews it varied. Of reviewers who used it to remove makeup, 9 of 12 for CeraVe and 17 of 33 for La Roche-Posay said it cleaned well, against 8 of 21 for Cetaphil, where 10 of 21 said it did not.