Elemis Superfood Facial Wash for combination skin
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Persea Gratissima Oil Avocado Oil
Brassica Oleracea Italica Seed Oil
Pumpkin Seed Oil
Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil
Average
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for combination skin; other cleansers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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 your combination skin, as sodium lauroyl sarcosinate and glycerin effectively cleanse and hydrate, supporting your goal of managing oily shine.
- Sodium lactate and alpha-glucan oligosaccharide provide additional humectant benefits, though more potent ingredients could further enhance results for specific concerns.
- The product is safe for your combination skin, with no harsh or prohibited ingredients that would cause irritation.
How to apply
- Use this cleanser AM and PM as part of your daily routine. Start 3×/week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply this cleanser as the very first step in your morning routine and right after your pre-cleanser in the evening.
- Gently massage a small amount of cleanser onto your skin using circular motions. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.
- For the best results , apply the cleanser directly onto slightly damp skin to help lift away excess oil.
- Avoid the immediate eye area and do a patch test before your first use to check for any sensitivity.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 2.9k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this facial wash is highly praised for its gentle, hydrating formula that effectively cleanses and leaves skin feeling soft and refreshed. Most users report improved skin texture and fewer breakouts. A small number of users experienced dryness or breakouts, and some found the price point to be high.
Highlights
Gentle, non-stripping Mostly Mentioned
- “Doesn't leave skin tight”
- “Cleanses without stripping”
- “Feels soft and nourished”
Effective cleansing Often Mentioned
- “Removes makeup and impurities”
- “Deeply cleanses”
- “Gets oily face clean”
Refreshing scent Often Mentioned
- “Smells so natural and fresh”
- “Spa-like aroma”
- “Refreshing green juice scent”
Improves skin texture Sometimes Noted
- “Skin feels like silk”
- “Leaves skin smooth”
- “Clearer, radiant complexion”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “Wish it was more affordable”
- “Pricey compared to many”
- “Expensive for a cleanser”
Causes breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Horrible cystic breakouts”
- “Reacted terribly”
- “Caused clogged pores”
Drying for some Rarely Noted
- “Leaves skin very dry”
- “Dries my skin out”
- “Not for dry types”
Fragrance sensitivity Rarely Noted
- “Not a fan of fragrance”
- “Strong scent affects eyes”
- “Fairly scented”
Sources: lovi.care, elemis.com, ulta.com, lovelyskin.com, influenster.com, dermstore.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Elemis Superfood Facial Wash work for combination skin?
This cleanser offers moderate suitability for your combination skin, as sodium lauroyl sarcosinate and glycerin help clean and hydrate while managing oily shine. It is unlikely to cause irritation, though a cleanser for this skin needs more potent balancing and hydrating ingredients to address both oily and dry areas effectively.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for combination skin?
Sodium lauroyl sarcosinate and glycerin make this cleanser a good fit because they effectively clean and hydrate the skin while managing oily shine. To work best for combination skin, a cleanser of this type needs additional potent ingredients that balance oil production, hydrate dry areas, and repair the skin barrier without causing irritation.
What does Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide do for combination skin?
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide helps keep combination skin calm and balanced by supporting the natural good bacteria on the skin surface. This ingredient works as a prebiotic to nourish helpful microbes and is unlikely to upset oily or dry areas. A product for this skin type needs microbiome-friendly ingredients and gentle prebiotics to maintain a clear and healthy skin barrier.
What does Persea Gratissima Oil do for combination skin?
Persea Gratissima Oil helps keep combination skin smooth and hydrated while improving elasticity and reducing the look of fine lines. It is generally safe and well tolerated, making it a fitting choice for balanced daily moisture without feeling overly heavy.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This cleanser fits in the morning routine after waking up and in the evening routine after removing makeup, followed by a hydrating toner, moisturizer, and sunscreen. It helps clean and hydrate the skin while managing oily shine, though a cleanser of this type for combination skin needs stronger balancing and oil-controlling ingredients to achieve optimal results.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol, applying the cleanser first to clean your skin before your retinol treatment. A cleanser of this type for combination skin needs balancing ingredients like niacinamide or green tea extract to better control oily shine while keeping the skin calm.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser daily in the morning and evening as part of your routine. It cleans and hydrates to help manage oily shine while remaining safe and gentle on your skin. To better balance combination skin, a cleanser of this type needs added balancing ingredients and oil-controlling properties.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for combination skin, as it has a very low complaint rate and a safe makeup without harsh ingredients. However, to better manage oily shine and balance this skin type, it needs targeted ingredients that deeply hydrate and gently control excess oil.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, 2017
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on your body, but you should take care when using it near the eyes since thin skin in that area needs extra gentle care and specialized formulas. Combination skin needs targeted hydrating ingredients and balanced cleansers that manage oily shine without causing dryness.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum, limonene, geraniol, and linalool). Lauryl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
What the research says
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, 2017Sodium lauroyl sarcosinate in facial cleanser decreased prokaryotic microbial alpha diversity, altered prokaryotic microbiome structure, increased phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylcholine, and decreased ceramides on facial skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024A novel sunprotective dermal formulation containing melatonin, pumpkin seed oil, and four UV filters showed no acute oral or dermal toxicity, no skin sensitization or irritation, no ocular irritation, and no genotoxicity in animal models.
Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, 2017Topical cream containing saffron extract and avocado oil improved wrinkle grading, reduced nasolabial fold area and volume, and increased skin elasticity in twenty healthy volunteers over 12 weeks without allergic reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Topical treatment with SSFAO 50% or avocado oil increased wound contraction, reepithelialization, collagen density, and tensile strength while showing anti-inflammatory activity compared to petroleum jelly in rats.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013Topical treatment with pumpkin seed oil healed uniform wounds in rats, achieving full re-epithelialization, reappearance of skin appendages, and well-organized collagen fibers compared to untreated controls.
Lipids in Health and Disease, 2016A combinational sunscreen formulation of UV filters, melatonin, and pumpkin seed oil ameliorated UV radiation-induced photoaging in adult Wistar albino rats by increasing SOD, GSH-Px, CAT, and collagen levels, while decreasing skin edema, skin thickness, and inflammatory cytokines compared to UV-exposed controls.
European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2019Topical pumpkin seed oil increased hair follicle proliferation in mice without causing liver toxicity, oxidative stress, or genotoxicity.
Acta Histochemica, 2022
Why other cleansers fit combination skin better
A botanical face cleanser with hops and willow bark extract continuously reduced skin sebum levels without reactive seborrhea after treatment in 21 healthy volunteers compared to a sodium laureth sulfate cleanser, with neither cleanser causing skin irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019
Ingredients
Water, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Acrylates Copolymer, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Lactate, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Lauryl Alcohol, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Persea Gratissima Oil Avocado Oil, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Parfum, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Brassica Oleracea Italica Seed Oil, Pumpkin Seed Oil, Galactoarabinan, Disodium Edta, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Limonene, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Caramel, Amyris Balsamifera Oil Bark, Urtica Dioica Juice, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Geraniol, Linalool, Rosmarinus Officinalis Oil Leaf Rosemary Oil Leaf, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil Carrot Seed Oil, Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract, Triticum Aestivum Leaf Extract Wheatgrass Leaf Extract, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Maltodextrin, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Tocopherol, Copper Gluconate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Ascorbic Acid
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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