Dermalogica Daily Superfoliant for oily acne-prone skin
Charcoal Powder
Niacinamide
Lactic Acid
Microcrystalline Cellulose
Zingiber Officinale Root ExtractHigh
- SuperiorOily Skin Fit
- SuperiorEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for oily acne-prone skin; a few products fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. 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
- Excellent suitability for your oily skin is provided by Niacinamide and Malic Acid, which work to regulate sebum and exfoliate dead skin cells, addressing your concerns with acne, blemishes, and breakouts. The inclusion of Papain, Subtilisin, and Lipase further enhances exfoliation and skin renewal, complementing the primary actives.
- The formulation is safe for your skin, as it avoids harsh ingredients and includes soothing agents like Lavender Oil, minimizing the risk of irritation for your oily skin type.
How to apply
- You can use this enzyme powder exfoliant PM as part of your weekly routine. Start once a week and slowly build up if your skin likes it.
- Apply it after cleansing and before your hydrating toner and moisturizer. This fits right into your weekly steps.
- Mix a small amount with a little water in your hands to create a foam , then gently massage it onto your face while avoiding harsh rubbing.
- Apply this to slightly damp skin to help the powder activate smoothly and work its magic on blemishes.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use to keep your acne-prone skin safe.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 1.7k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with aging, oily, or city-dwelling skin consistently praise this product for delivering exceptionally smooth results and deep pore cleansing, often citing it as a superior resurfacer. Some users with highly sensitive skin occasionally report redness or irritation, suggesting it may be too active for delicate complexions.
Highlights
Incredibly smooth skin Mostly Mentioned
- “baby smooth”
- “polished look”
- “soft texture”
- “instant difference”
Gentle but effective Often Mentioned
- “non-abrasive”
- “fine powder”
- “no micro-beads”
- “gentle scrub”
High price point Often Mentioned
- “very pricey”
- “expensive splurge”
- “price shock”
- “investment product”
Anti-aging glow Sometimes Noted
- “resurfacing effect”
- “radiant skin”
- “fades dark spots”
- “brightening”
Deep pore cleanse Sometimes Noted
- “cleans out toxins”
- “pores look smaller”
- “removes build-up”
- “detoxifies”
Messy packaging Sometimes Noted
- “powder goes everywhere”
- “spout too big”
- “hard to control”
- “wasteful dispensing”
Irritation for sensitive skin Rarely Noted
- “caused redness”
- “chemical burn”
- “skin felt tight”
- “too harsh”
Scent preference Rarely Noted
- “smells like dirt”
- “strong herbal scent”
- “unpleasant odor”
- “weird smell”
Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, influenster.com, lovelyskin.com, sephora.sg, skinsort.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Daily Superfoliant a great fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Dermalogica Daily Superfoliant is a great fit because niacinamide and malic acid regulate oil while enzymes like papain help clear dead skin cells and breakouts. Soothing ingredients in the formula also help keep irritation low on oily skin.
Which ingredients make this exfoliant a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Niacinamide, malic acid, papain, subtilisin, and lipase make this exfoliant a great fit by regulating oil and clearing dead skin cells to help with breakouts. Soothing lavender oil is also included to keep irritation low for your oily skin.
What does Charcoal Powder do for oily acne-prone skin?
Activated charcoal products lack clinical evidence to support claims that they can treat conditions like acne or provide exfoliative benefits for oily skin. A product of this type needs ingredients that effectively clear pores and balance oil to truly help acne-prone skin.
What does Niacinamide do for oily acne-prone skin?
Niacinamide helps balance oil production, calms redness, and is unlikely to irritate oily, acne-prone skin while improving blemishes. Clinical tests show it reduces excess oil and helps clear up both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne breakouts.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Where does this exfoliant go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This exfoliant goes into your weekly routine, starting at once a week and used carefully more often if your skin tolerates it well. Niacinamide and malic acid help regulate oil and clear dead skin cells, while soothing ingredients like lavender oil keep the risk of irritation low for oily skin.
Can I use this exfoliant with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this enzyme powder exfoliant with retinol by using them on different days or in separate routines to help prevent irritation on your oily skin. Since both ingredients help renew skin cells and clear breakouts, alternating them ensures your routine remains gentle and safe.
How often should I use this exfoliant?
Start by using this exfoliant once a week, and if your oily skin tolerates it well and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often. Niacinamide and malic acid regulate oil and clear away dead skin cells to help keep blemishes and breakouts under control.
Can this exfoliant clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This exfoliant is a great fit for oily acne-prone skin because niacinamide and malic acid help regulate oil and clear dead skin cells to prevent breakouts. It is unlikely to clog pores, and soothing ingredients help keep irritation low.
Is this exfoliant fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (limonene and linalool).
What the research says
Soap-and-water wash and superactive charcoal paste applied topically at various times after T-2 toxin exposure effectively reduced skin lesion severity in swine compared to untreated controls.
Fundamental and Applied Toxicology, 1989Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005Application of a cream containing lactic acid 12% and pramoxine HCl 1% significantly improved skin dryness, hydration, and itch compared with a nontreated control in 24 women with a history of dry itchy skin.
Cutis, 2004Topical 12% ammonium lactate produced a significant sparing of epidermal and dermal atrophy induced by clobetasol propionate in human volunteers, without influencing the corticosteroid's bioavailability or antiinflammatory properties.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1992A lactic acid/ceramide lotion significantly improved skin moisturization and desquamation compared to no treatment in women with dry, rough skin on the anterior shins.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020Nanofibrillar cellulose dressing provides efficient wound healing comparable to polylactide-based copolymer dressings at skin graft donor sites in 24 patients, with significant improvements in observer scar thickness and vascularity and skin elasticity.
Advances in Wound Care, 2020Bacterial cellulose membranes with and without glycerin showed good skin compatibility and no barrier disruption in human subjects compared to a negative control, with glycerin-containing membranes additionally providing a statistically significant skin moisturizing effect (p=0.044).
European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 2014AgNP-BC exhibited over 99% reduction in Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with no cytotoxicity, allowing epidermal cell attachment and growth compared to unmodified bacterial cellulose.
Carbohydrate Polymers, 2014A 1-year clinical study on human facial skin demonstrated that Zingiber officinale (L.) Rose extract inhibits the UV-induced decrease in skin elasticity and prevents or improves wrinkle formation around the eye.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2008Ginger extract transethosomal hydrogel improved skin permeability, sustained drug release, and exhibited significant inhibition of edema swelling along with reduced reactive oxygen species and prostaglandin E2 compared to free ginger extract hydrogel and ketoprofen gel in a rat-paw edema model.
International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2023Topical delivery of ginger extract-loaded nanoemulsions significantly reduced arthritic symptoms, paw edema inhibition by 27.7%, and inflammatory cytokines in RA-induced rats compared to the negative control.
Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2023
Ingredients
Microcrystalline Cellulose, Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Myristoyl Glutamate, Malic Acid, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Charcoal Powder, Vinyl Dimethicone Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Maltodextrin, Silica, Magnesium Oxide, Rice Bran Extract, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Sapindus Trifoliatus Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Citrus Aurantium Amara Peel Oil, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil Lavender Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf, Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract, Caesalpinia Spinosa Pod Extract Fruit, Lemon Peel Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Oil Leaf Rosemary Oil Leaf, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Subtilisin, Lipase, Papain, Lactic Acid, Rice Starch, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Xanthan Gum, Water, Coconut Acid, Calcium Lactate, Capryloyl Glycine, Undecylenoyl Glycine, Cetrimonium Chloride, Limonene, Linalool
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
How does it fit your skin?
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