Lumin Charcoal Face Wash for oily skin
Charcoal Powder
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter
Bergamot Oil Fruit
Centella Asiatica Extract
Camellia Sinensis Leaf ExtractAverage
- SuperiorOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily skin; other cleansers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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 cleansing benefits for your oily skin, as charcoal powder absorbs excess oil and potassium cocoyl glycinate effectively cleanses without stripping. Centella Asiatica Extract and Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract provide soothing properties, which are beneficial for your skin.
- While the formula addresses general cleansing needs for oily skin, it lacks specialized ingredients to specifically target and manage oily shine.
- The product is safe for your oily skin, with no harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing botanical extracts to minimize irritation risk.
How to apply
- Use your cleanser AM and PM every day to keep your skin fresh. Always make sure to follow with a good SPF in the morning.
- Apply your cleanser as the first step in the morning or the second step in the evening before your toner.
- Gently massage a small amount onto your face using circular motions, then rinse well with water .
- You can apply this cleanser safely on damp skin for a refreshing and easy wash.
- Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes and stop use if irritation occurs.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 1.6k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this cleanser is highly praised for its deep cleaning and oil control, particularly for oily and combination skin types. Many users enjoy its fresh scent and good lather. However, a moderate number of users with sensitive skin report experiencing irritation or dryness, likely due to the essential oil content.
Highlights
Deep cleaning feel Mostly Mentioned
- “Satisfying deep clean”
- “removes grime”
- “skin feels clean”
Effective oil control Often Mentioned
- “Balances oily skin”
- “removes excess oil”
- “less greasy residue”
Jar packaging Often Mentioned
- “Only con is the jar”
- “dip your fingers”
- “prefer pump containers”
Good lather Sometimes Noted
- “Excellent foaming action”
- “moderate foam”
- “satisfying lather”
Pleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “Smells clean”
- “citrussy fragrance”
- “fresh scent”
Drying effect Sometimes Noted
- “Left me feeling dry”
- “tightness after cleansing”
- “dry patches”
Potential irritation Sometimes Noted
- “Irritation potential”
- “not for sensitive skin”
- “reactive skin issues”
Price point Rarely Noted
- “Price is steep”
- “expensive for 3.4oz”
- “cheaper dupes exist”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, dermapproved.com, theadultman.com, standard.co.uk, ozhairandbeauty.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Lumin Charcoal Face Wash work for oily skin?
Lumin Charcoal Face Wash works moderately well for oily skin by using charcoal powder to absorb extra oil and soothing extracts to keep skin calm, though it lacks specialized ingredients to specifically manage oily shine. A cleanser for oily skin of this type needs ingredients like Niacinamide, Ceramides, or salicylic acid to properly control shine and support skin health.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily skin?
This cleanser works for oily skin because charcoal powder absorbs excess oil and potassium cocoyl glycinate cleanses without stripping, while Centella Asiatica Extract and Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract calm the skin. To truly master oily shine, a cleanser of this type needs specialized ingredients like Niacinamide, Ceramides, Salicylic acid, and probiotics.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Molecules, 2023
What does Charcoal Powder do for oily skin?
Charcoal Powder is unlikely to treat acne or provide exfoliative benefits for oily skin, as products with activated charcoal lack clinical evidence for these claims. An oily skin routine needs ingredients that balance oil production and gently clear pores.
What does Butyrospermum Parkii Butter do for oily skin?
Butyrospermum parkii butter is a rich ingredient that may feel too heavy for oily skin and can sometimes clog pores. For oily skin, a moisturizer needs lighter ingredients that hydrate without feeling greasy or heavy.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This cleanser fits in both your morning and evening routine as the first cleansing step, or as the second step in the evening after removing makeup. It cleanses oily skin and soothes it with botanical extracts, though this skin type needs extra ingredients that specifically target and manage oily shine.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser in your routine, but to keep your oily skin balanced and shine-free, a cleanser of this type needs specialized ingredients like clay, salicylic acid, or niacinamide to manage excess oil.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser daily in your morning and evening routines. It is safe for your oily skin and helps clear away excess oil, though an average fit cleanser like this needs specialized oil-controlling ingredients to properly manage oily shine.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily skin, as it contains charcoal powder to absorb excess oil and soothing plant extracts that help calm irritation. However, it lacks specialized ingredients to fully manage oily shine, so oily skin generally needs dedicated oil-controlling and pore-clearing ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Molecules, 2023
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can safely use this cleanser on your body, but you should avoid applying it to the very thin skin around your eyes. Cleansers used for the delicate eye area need extra-gentle, specialized ingredients that prevent irritation.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (linalool and limonene).
What the research says
Cosmetic formulations containing 5% Centella asiatica extract showed the best efficacy in improving skin moisture and decreasing transepidermal water loss, while also exhibiting antiinflammatory properties in 25 volunteers compared to baseline measurements.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Co-delivery of paeonol and madecassoside via nanoemulsions improved transdermal delivery, promoted barrier repair proteins, inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in cellular and 3D models, and reduced transepidermal water loss and acne in human facial skin compared to free components.
Molecules, 2023An anti-acne hydrogel containing Aloe barbadensis, Garcinia mangostana, and Camellia sinensis extracts showed superior antiacne and antiblotch activities compared to 1% clindamycin gel in sixty subjects with mild-moderate acne.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Topical low-dose green tea extract reduces UVB-induced p53 expression and apoptosis in human skin keratinocytes compared to placebo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2009Soap-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, 1989A combination cream of stimu-tex AS and saccharide isomerate reduced erythema, increased skin capacitance, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to placebo in 20 subjects after fractional CO2 laser procedure without causing serious adverse events.
Lasers in Medical Science, 2025A skin barrier restoring cream with shea butter, silkflo, and vitamin E increased type I procollagen synthesis, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, decreased reactive oxygen species generation, and promoted hyaluronic acid production in H2O2-stimulated human keratinocyte cells compared to untreated cells.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025Combining bergamot essential oil-loaded nano-phytosomes with spironolactone significantly improved therapeutic response against acne vulgaris compared to bergamot essential oil-loaded nano-phytosomes alone in patients.
Pharmaceuticals, 2023Topical cutaneous administration of bergamot essential oil and ammonium glycyrrhizinate co-loaded ultradeformable vesicles showed superior anti-inflammatory activity compared to vesicles containing ammonium glycyrrhizinate alone in human volunteers.
Biomedicines, 2022Topical application of suntan preparations containing bergamot oil with 5-methoxypsoralen produced no phototoxic response under solar simulated radiation but caused a photosensitizing effect in skin type I volunteers exposed to high ultraviolet A doses, along with low photogenotoxicity and low systemic concentrations.
Skin Pharmacology, 1993Topical application of 0.05% w/w ECa 233 gel reduced erythema index by 0.03 U and improved early crusting and general wound appearance compared to placebo in thirty individuals undergoing facial laser resurfacing.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2020A 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, 2017Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Topical green tea extract significantly improved clinical symptoms, tear breakup times, and meibomian gland health compared to standard treatment in patients with dry eye and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction.
Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 2017Topical application of green tea extract encapsulated chitosan microparticles improved skin elasticity, melanin index, and facial wrinkles compared to a placebo in female volunteers without causing skin irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022A moisturizing cream containing 2% l-carnitine and 5% EGCG significantly reduced sebum levels and improved skin hydration in ninety subjects with seborrhea over 4 weeks, showing greater anti-sebum efficacy in the combination group compared to the l-carnitine group alone.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023
Why other cleansers fit oily 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, 2019A panthenol-enriched mask improved skin hydration, regulated sebum, and reduced redness and TEWL across dry sensitive, oily sensitive, and oily acne skin subgroups with excellent tolerance and no adverse reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical application of Lactobacillus plantarum-GMNL6 enhanced collagen synthesis and SPTSSA gene expression while reducing melanin synthesis, Staphylococcus aureus biofilm, and Cutibacterium acnes proliferation, leading to clinical improvements in skin moisture, color, spots, wrinkles, UV spots, and porphyrins in human volunteers.
International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2021
Ingredients
Water, Myristic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cocamide Mea, Charcoal Powder, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Potassium Cocoate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Sorbitan Olivate, Bergamot Oil Fruit, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil Flower Geranium Oil Flower, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil Lavender Oil, Lemon Peel Oil, Rose Oil Flower, Sandalwood Oil, Cymbopogon Martini Oil Palmarosa Oil, Centella Asiatica Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract Japanese Knotweed Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract Baikal Skullcap Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract Matricaria Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract Rosemary Leaf Extract, Disodium Edta, Linalool, Limonene
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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