🇨🇦Canada

e.l.f. Skin Holy Hydration! Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm for oily acne-prone skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

e.l.f. Skin Holy Hydration! Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm

Average

  • AverageOily Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

Works for oily acne-prone skin; other pre-cleansers fit it 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 moderate suitability for oily skin as cleansing oils like Cetyl Ethylhexanoate and Caprylic Capric Triglyceride effectively dissolve makeup and provide emollient action, though it lacks strong seboregulation for your concerns.
  • While the product offers general hydration and cleansing benefits, it does not contain targeted ingredients to address your specific concerns of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
  • The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.

How to apply

  • Use this makeup remover PM as the first step of your evening routine to clear away impurities. Start by using it 3×/week before working up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
  • Apply this makeup remover before your regular cleanser and toner. Follow it with your usual cleansing steps to ensure all residue is thoroughly washed away.
  • Gently press a small amount of the makeup remover onto your face using soft cotton pads. Avoid harsh rubbing to prevent irritating your blemishes and active breakouts.
  • Apply the makeup remover on completely dry skin to effectively break down excess oil and makeup. Clean away thoroughly before moving on to the next skincare steps .
  • Do a patch test before your first use to ensure your skin reacts well. Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes .

People Say

★4.7Overall rating based on 13.0k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, users overwhelmingly find this cleansing balm highly effective at melting away even waterproof makeup, leaving skin feeling hydrated and soft. It is frequently noted as being gentle and suitable for sensitive skin, offering excellent value. A moderate number of users report temporary blurry vision if the product gets into the eyes, while a smaller number experience an oily residue or occasional breakouts.

Highlights

  • Effective makeup removal Mostly Mentioned
    • “melts makeup like butter”
    • “removes lash glue with ease”
    • “takes off waterproof mascara”
    • “dissolves everything instantly”
  • Great value Often Mentioned
    • “budget friendly”
    • “fraction of the price”
    • “better than high end”
    • “unbeatable price point”
  • Hydrating and non-stripping Often Mentioned
    • “skin feels soft and hydrated”
    • “no tightness at all”
    • “leaves skin silky smooth”
    • “moisturizing after rinse”
  • Gentle on sensitive skin Sometimes Noted
    • “didn't break me out”
    • “no strong fragrance”
    • “extremely gentle”
    • “safe for sensitive eyes”
  • Temporary blurry vision Sometimes Noted
    • “cloudy eyes”
    • “blurry vision for minutes”
    • “film on eyes”
    • “fogs up my sight”
  • Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
    • “worst breakout”
    • “gave me cystic acne”
    • “clogged my pores”
    • “caused whiteheads”
  • Oily residue Rarely Noted
    • “leaves a film”
    • “waxy feel”
    • “greasy residue”
    • “hard to rinse off completely”
  • Small quantity Rarely Noted
    • “runs out fast”
    • “wish it was bigger”
    • “small amount for the jar”
    • “finished in two weeks”

Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, target.com, walmart.com, influenster.com, well.ca, and more

Questions and answers

How well does e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Cleansing Balm work for oily acne-prone skin?

This cleansing balm works reasonably well to melt away makeup on oily skin, but it lacks oil control and ingredients to help with breakouts. A makeup remover for this skin needs to keep skin hydrated without heavier oils or butters that can clog pores, while adding soothing ingredients and oil-balancing agents.

Life, 2023

Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?

This cleanser dissolves makeup and softens your skin using ingredients like Cetyl Ethylhexanoate and Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, though it lacks targeted oil control or breakout-fighting ingredients for oily acne-prone skin. A better option for this skin type needs oil-regulating ingredients and soothing components that help manage excess shine and blemishes without clogging pores.

Life, 2023

What does Hyaluronic Acid do for oily acne-prone skin?

Hyaluronic acid helps calm oily acne-prone skin by reducing sebum production and lipid synthesis in sebaceous glands. It also supports skin barrier function and improves hydration while helping deliver treatments without causing irritation.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2017Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022

What do Ceramides do for oily acne-prone skin?

Ceramides help restore the protective barrier of oily, acne-prone skin, which often lacks these vital lipids and suffers from moisture loss and irritation. Using products with ceramides supports skin hydration, calms redness, and improves overall texture while managing breakouts.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023

Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?

This makeup remover goes in the evening routine before your cleanser, and in your weekly routine before your cleanser and other steps. It melts away makeup effectively, though oily and blemish-prone skin needs targeted acne-fighting ingredients and oil-balancing care.

Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this makeup remover in your evening routine before your cleanser and retinol treatment. It is unlikely to irritate your oily skin, but because it lacks ingredients that target breakouts, oily acne-prone skin needs a makeup remover that also helps control oil and clear blemishes.

How often should I use this cleanser?

You can use this makeup remover in the evening to take off makeup, as it works fine for your oily acne-prone skin even though other products fit it better. It has a great safety profile with no irritation risks, but to properly manage blemishes and breakouts, this skin type needs oil-controlling and acne-fighting ingredients.

Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?

This cleanser works for your skin, though other products fit it better because it lacks ingredients to manage acne and breakouts. It is unlikely to cause irritation, but a product of this type needs oil-controlling ingredients to truly suit oily skin.

Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (geraniol, linalool, and parfum).

What the research says

  • Topical 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, 2011

  • Topical 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, 2022

  • Treatment 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, 2019

  • A 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, 2017

  • The 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, 2020

  • Ten 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

Why other pre-cleansers fit oily acne-prone skin better

Ingredients

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Peg-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Polyethylene, Peg-10 Isostearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Sunflower Seed Oil, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Ceramide Np, Ceramide 6 Ii, Ceramide 1, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Phytosphingosine, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Water, Polysorbate 20, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Geraniol, Linalool, Parfum

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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

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Prices checked 17 Oct – 3 Nov 2026

The Lovi Fit is the same in every country; only the stores and prices differ, and the ones here are for Canada.

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

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