Image: paulaschoice.com
Paula's Choice
Perfectly Balanced Foaming Cleanser
A face cleanser built around Hyaluronic acid and Ceramide, for barrier repair and smoothing.
Brand price
USD 28.00 · checked 8 Oct 2026 · on the brand's site
From the brand
What the brand says about this product. Our ingredient analysis follows below.
The brand recommends it for
- Acne & blemishes
- Redness & rosacea
- Large pores
How to use
Wet face and apply a small amount of foaming cleanser (1-2 pumps) to your face and eye area with vigorous, yet gentle, circular motions. Rinse well. To remove heavy makeup, repeat or use with a clean, wet washcloth.
What's inside
Ingredients List
21 trigger at least one check · 24 trigger none
- Fatty esters (glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate)
- May Worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis
- Fatty acids (stearic, oleic, lauric)
- May Worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis
- Fatty acids (stearic, oleic, lauric)
- Fatty alcohols (Malassezia)
- Possibly animal-derived
- May Trigger Acne
- May Worsen Keratosis Pilaris
- May Worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis
- Fatty esters (glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate)
- May Worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis
- Plant oils and butters (coconut, olive, shea)
- Plant or mineral oil
- Barrier Repair
- Hydrating
- May Worsen Oily Skin
- May Worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis
- Plant oils and butters (coconut, olive, shea)
- Plant or mineral oil
- Barrier Repair
- May Trigger Acne
- May Worsen Keratosis Pilaris
- May Worsen Oily Skin
- May Worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis
- Fatty alcohol
- Fatty alcohols (Malassezia)
- May Trigger Acne
- May Worsen Irritation
- May Worsen Keratosis Pilaris
- May Worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis
Key Ingredients
Fatty alcohol2
Waxy fatty alcohols used as emollients and thickeners; unrelated to drying alcohol.
Ceramide3
Skin-identical lipids that hold the barrier together.
Hyaluronic acid1
Hyaluronic acid and its salts; a humectant that binds water to the skin.
Benefits
Hydrating10
Boosts hydration and relieves dry, tight skin.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Tocopherol
Barrier Repair21
Strengthens and restores the skin's natural barrier.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Arachidyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Cetyl Alcohol, Cholesterol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glycerin, Glycol Distearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Lauryl Alcohol, Lecithin, Myristyl Alcohol, Phytosphingosine, Sphingolipids, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Tocopherol
Smoothing13
Refines rough or uneven texture.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Arachidyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Cholesterol, Glycol Distearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Lauryl Alcohol, Lecithin, Myristyl Alcohol, Sphingolipids, Stearyl Alcohol
Concerns
May Trigger Acne7
Can clog pores or trigger breakouts.
Cetyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Hexylene Glycol, Myristyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Tocopherol
May Worsen Seborrheic Dermatitis20
May feed the yeast involved in seborrheic dermatitis.
Arachidyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Cetyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glycol Distearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Lauryl Alcohol, Lecithin, Myristyl Alcohol, Phospholipids, Phytosphingosine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sphingolipids, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol
May Worsen Keratosis Pilaris7
May clog follicles or strip skin prone to keratosis pilaris.
Cetyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Hexylene Glycol, Myristyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Tocopherol
May Worsen Oily Skin2
May increase shine or excess oil.
May Worsen Irritation4
May cause stinging, redness or sensitivity.
Cetyl Alcohol, Myristyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Tocopherol
Ingredients Explained
Click on any ingredient to learn more about it
Aqua
Solvent
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing, Hair Conditioning, Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate isn't fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate →Sodium Lauroamphoacetate
Cleansing, Foaming, Hair Conditioning, Cleansing, Foam Boosting
Sodium Lauroamphoacetate isn't fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Sodium Lauroamphoacetate →Stearic Acid
Cleansing, Emulsion Stabilising, Fragrance, Refatting, Cleansing, Emulsifying
Stearic Acid may be plant, synthetic or animal depending on the supplier.
Learn more about Stearic Acid →Glycerin
Denaturant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Oral Care, Perfuming, Humectant, Skin Protecting, Solvent, Viscosity Controlling
Glycerin may be plant, synthetic or animal depending on the supplier.
Learn more about Glycerin →Glycol Distearate
Opacifying, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Emulsifying, Viscosity Controlling
Glycol Distearate isn't fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Glycol Distearate →Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient, Skin Conditioning, Occlusive, Solvent
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil isn't fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil →Cocos Nucifera Oil
Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil isn't fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cocos Nucifera Oil →Acrylates Copolymer
Antistatic, Binding, Film Forming
2-propenoic acid, 2-methyl-, polymer with ethyl 2-propenoate and methyl 2-methyl-2-propenoate
Learn more about Acrylates Copolymer →Cetyl Alcohol
Emulsion Stabilising, Fragrance, Opacifying, Emollient, Cleansing, Emulsifying, Foam Boosting, Viscosity Controlling
Cetyl Alcohol isn't fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetyl Alcohol →
Dupes
- CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar74% match
- CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser71% match
- Paula's Choice Oil-Reducing Cleanser70% match
- CeraVe SA Cleanser Bar for Rough & Bumpy Skin63% match