Walgreens Foaming Facial Cleanser for oily acne-prone skin

Niacinamide
Ceramide Ap
Ceramide Np
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Glycerin
High
- HighOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for oily acne-prone skin; a few cleansers 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
- Offers high suitability for your oily skin, as niacinamide effectively regulates sebum production and reduces inflammation, addressing your acne, blemishes, and breakouts. Hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid also provides essential humectant action to maintain skin hydration.
- The cleansing agents, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate and Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, are present in moderate concentrations for effective pore decongestion, further supporting your goals.
- The product has a favorable safety profile with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this cleanser as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using it daily to help clear your breakouts.
- Apply this cleanser as the first step in the morning and right after your pre-cleanser in the evening. Follow it with your toner and moisturizer.
- Gently massage a small amount of the cleanser onto your face using circular motions. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and pat dry.
- Apply the cleanser on slightly damp skin to help clean deeply and remove excess oil. This works best for oily skin types.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.1Overall rating based on 100+ reviewsBased on limited data, this cleanser is praised as a cost-effective option suitable for normal to oily and sensitive skin. It effectively cleanses without stripping moisture, though it may not fully remove heavy makeup. Some users also noted issues with product availability.
Highlights
Great value Mostly Mentioned
- “Affordable alternative”
- “Fraction of the cost”
- “Budget-friendly choice”
Gentle cleansing Often Mentioned
- “Doesn't strip skin”
- “Mild yet effective”
- “Good for sensitive skin”
Effective oil control Sometimes Noted
- “Removes excess oil”
- “Great for oily skin”
- “Keeps pores clear”
Skin barrier support Sometimes Noted
- “Contains ceramides”
- “Respects skin barrier”
- “Hydrating ingredients”
Weak makeup removal Sometimes Noted
- “Doesn't remove heavy makeup”
- “Needs a double cleanse”
- “Struggles with mascara”
Basic packaging Rarely Noted
- “Packaging varies”
- “Simple design”
- “Not premium feel”
Limited availability Rarely Noted
- “Out of stock locally”
- “Hard to find in-store”
- “Shipping delays”
Sources: lovi.care, walgreens.com, skinsort.com, lemon8-app.com, ewg.org, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Walgreens Foaming Facial Cleanser a great fit for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is a great fit because niacinamide helps control extra oil and calm breakouts on oily skin, while hyaluronic acid keeps the skin hydrated. Its gentle cleansing ingredients effectively clear out pores without harshness, making it unlikely to cause irritation.
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2026Colloids and Surfaces. B, Biointerfaces, 2022
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Niacinamide, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, and ceramides make this cleanser a great fit by keeping your oily skin calm and hydrated without irritation. Niacinamide helps control oil and breakouts, while gentle cleansers clear out pores.
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2026Colloids and Surfaces. B, Biointerfaces, 2022
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
What does Ceramide AP do for oily acne-prone skin?
Ceramide AP helps restore the skin barrier, which is often weakened and deficient in ceramides when dealing with acne. Because acne-prone skin needs a strong barrier and balanced oil levels to prevent breakouts, this ingredient works best alongside lightweight, non-greasy hydrators and oil-controlling extracts.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser goes as the first step of your morning routine and as the second step after makeup removal in your evening and weekly routines. It is unlikely to cause irritation on oily skin, helping to clean out pores and keep your face calm.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol by using it to wash your face before applying your retinol treatment. This cleanser is a great fit for your oily acne-prone skin because it clears out pores and calms breakouts without causing irritation.
How often should I use this cleanser?
This cleanser is a great fit for your oily acne-prone skin, so you can use it daily in both your morning and evening routines. It helps keep pores clear and calm without causing irritation.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily acne-prone skin, as it contains niacinamide to help control excess oil and calm inflammation. It has a great safety profile for your skin and avoids harsh ingredients that typically lead to irritation.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
This cleanser is a great fit for oily acne-prone skin, but you should avoid using it around the eyes or on the body since facial cleansers are specifically formulated for facial skin and may dry out thinner or more sensitive areas.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Topical 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, 2005Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001
Ingredients
Water, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Peg-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Glycerin, Peg-6 Caprylic Capric Glycerides, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Niacinamide, Propylene Glycol, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Eop, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Cholesterol, Sodium Chloride, Phytosphingosine, Citric Acid, Disodium Edta, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum
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
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