La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser Review
The Insider Score
Cream cleansersA generous pump of gentle cleanser for dry-feeling skin.
This is the Toleriane we’d buy for a non-foaming everyday wash. The 400 ml pump costs $19.99 and suits a sink-side routine especially well.
I liked the cream format for a gentle everyday wash.
Insider Beauty tester- Cleanse and after-feel
- 4.3/5
- Ease of rinsing
- 4.8/5
- Value per wash
- 4.8/5
How the score adds up
Our editors awarded 88 of 100 available points across these six criteria. Divide by 20 for the five-point rating.
- Cleanse and after-feel
- 26 / 30 pts
- The milky cream cleanses with little lather and is formulated for normal-to-dry skin.
- Ease of rinsing
- 19 / 20 pts
- The pump is convenient for a face wash used daily, and the cream rinses away without an extra step.
- Value per wash
- 19 / 20 pts
- The 400 ml size is about $1.48 per fluid ounce at the reviewed $19.99 price.
- Support for product claims
- 12 / 15 pts
- The published formula includes glycerin, niacinamide and ceramide and is fragrance-free.
- What sets it apart
- 7 / 10 pts
- A non-foaming cream in a large pump is an attractive option for people who dislike a bubbly wash.
- Formula disclosure
- 5 / 5 pts
- The brand distinguishes Hydrating Gentle Cleanser from the Purifying Foaming version.
How the fragrance-free Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser differs from the foaming wash and where it fits in a normal-to-dry skin routine.
- Rank
- Not ranked
- Current price
- $19.99
- Listed size
- 13.52 oz
- Updated
Reviewed byInsider BeautyEditorial team ·
Editor’s cut
At a glance
Choose the Hydrating bottle for a milky wash.
A lack of bubbles is expected with this formula.
The 400 ml pump works well as a regular bathroom cleanser.
A pump bottle for an ordinary morning wash
My pick of La Roche-Posay’s cleansers for a straightforward wash on normal-to-dry skin is Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser. The cream format makes sense on mornings when the skin already feels dry and all you want is a clean face before moisturizer. The full-size pump holds 400 ml and costs $19.99 at Target. That’s a lot of face wash for just a dollar more than the brand’s smaller Effaclar Medicated tube.
The word to look for on the white bottle is Hydrating. Toleriane also includes a Purifying Foaming wash. The hydrating version has a milky texture and little lather. Anyone who judges a cleanser by the amount of foam on their hands is likely to find it unfamiliar. For someone who actively prefers a cream cleanser, that’s the reason to buy this particular bottle.
What it’s like to build a routine around it
Wet the face, work the cream over the skin with fingertips and rinse thoroughly. You don’t need to pump out more in pursuit of bubbles. Glycerin, ceramide and niacinamide are among the ingredients, and the formula is fragrance-free. I’d judge those choices by how well the wash fits an everyday routine rather than expecting a rinse-off cleanser to do the work of a separate treatment.
At night, think about what you’re trying to remove. For a regular face wash, the cream can be the cleansing step. For waterproof eye makeup or a long-wear base that needs a dedicated remover, take that off first, then use Toleriane for the rest of the face. It saves you scrubbing the same spot simply because your foundation has excellent staying power.
Who gets value from the larger size?
The big pump earns its footprint on a bathroom sink, especially if you use the same cleanser morning and evening. It’s less useful in a travel bag, where a smaller bottle makes more sense. At roughly $1.48 per fluid ounce, the appeal here is being able to use a gentle wash regularly without watching the level every week. I’d keep the moisturizer you already like and change the wash first if cleansing is the part of the routine that leaves you uncomfortable.
Useful details
Frequently asked questions
Is Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser the foaming version?
No. This is the non-foaming cream cleanser. The Purifying Foaming Face Wash is a separate product in the Toleriane range.
Does the Hydrating Gentle Cleanser contain added fragrance?
The US product is sold as fragrance-free.