Cetaphil PRO DermaControl Oil Removing Foam Wash for combination skin
Glycerin
Zinc Coceth Sulfate
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Zinc Gluconate
Peg-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate
High
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for combination skin; a few cleansers fit it even 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
- Highly suitable for your combination skin, this cleanser effectively addresses oily shine with zinc gluconate for oil control and glycerin for hydration, while Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate soothes. Zinc coceth sulfate provides excellent cleansing for your oily skin, removing impurities without causing dryness.
- The formula is safe for your combination skin, as it contains soothing ingredients like Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate and lacks harsh or prohibited substances.
- This product offers a high degree of compatibility for your skin concerns.
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 8.2k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with oily and acne-prone skin widely praise this cleanser for its ability to effectively remove excess sebum and control shine without stripping the moisture barrier, often describing it as a "holy grail" for sensitive, combination skin. While the majority report a gentle, non-irritating experience that leaves skin feeling matte and balanced, a notable minority experiences sensitivity to the fragrance or a burning sensation upon application.
Highlights
Effective oil control Often Mentioned
- “keeps my face matte for hours”
- “significantly reduced my midday shine”
- “removes grease without leaving residue”
- “best oil control wash I've tried”
Gentle and non-stripping Often Mentioned
- “cleans deep but doesn't leave skin tight”
- “gentle enough for my sensitive skin”
- “doesn't make my face feel dry or squeaky”
- “leaves skin feeling soft and balanced”
Helps clear acne Sometimes Noted
- “noticed fewer breakouts after two weeks”
- “keeps my hormonal acne at bay”
- “helped clear up my forehead bumps”
- “great maintenance wash for acne-prone skin”
Pleasant foam texture Sometimes Noted
- “love the light, airy foam”
- “one pump covers the whole face”
- “lathers well and rinses easily”
- “foam feels luxurious and soft”
Strong fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “scent is overpowering and lingers”
- “smells too like cheap perfume”
- “fragrance irritated my sensitive nose”
- “wish they made an unscented version”
Burning sensation Rarely Noted
- “burned my face immediately upon applying”
- “stung my eyes and cheeks bad”
- “caused redness and heat sensation”
- “felt like a chemical burn”
Can be drying Rarely Noted
- “left dry patches around my mouth”
- “too drying for winter use”
- “made my skin feel tight and flaky”
- “stripped my skin too much”
Pump issues Rarely Noted
- “pump gets stuck often”
- “dispenser broke halfway through bottle”
- “hard to get the last bit out”
Sources: lovi.care, iherb.com, ulta.com, walmart.com, influenster.com, well.ca, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Cetaphil PRO DermaControl Oil Removing Foam Wash a great fit for combination skin?
This cleanser is a great fit for your combination skin because it controls oily shine with zinc gluconate and hydrates with glycerin, while dipotassium glycyrrhizate soothes. Its zinc coceth sulfate cleanses your skin effectively by removing impurities without causing dryness.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for combination skin?
Zinc gluconate helps control oily shine, glycerin keeps your skin hydrated, and dipotassium glycyrrhizate calms irritation. Together with zinc coceth sulfate, they thoroughly clean your skin without leaving it dry.
What does Glycerin do for combination skin?
Glycerin helps keep combination skin soft and smooth by pulling moisture in and keeping it there. It improves hydration and supports your skin barrier, which is unlikely to cause irritation.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What does Zinc Coceth Sulfate do for combination skin?
Zinc coceth sulfate helps cleanse combination skin by lifting away excess oil and dirt without leaving it overly dry. This ingredient acts as a surfactant that washes away impurities effectively, though its suitability depends on your skin's sensitivity to cleansing agents.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This cleanser goes as the first step of your morning routine and the second step of your evening routine after a makeup remover. Using a mild cleanser helps remove impurities while keeping your skin hydrated and calm.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser in your routine before applying retinol, as its gentle ingredients help clean your skin without causing dryness or irritation. Using a mild cleanser like this is unlikely to interfere with your retinol treatment and may help keep your skin comfortable.
How often should I use this cleanser?
This cleanser is a great fit for your combination skin and is safe for daily use. It helps control oily shine without causing dryness while keeping your skin calm.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on combination skin because it helps control oily shine without stripping away needed moisture. Its gentle ingredients cleanse deeply while keeping skin calm and balanced.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
Yes, you can use this cleanser on the body and around the eyes because its gentle formula and ingredients are well-suited for these areas. It cleanses effectively while keeping the skin hydrated and calm without causing irritation.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Daily use of a deep cleansing gel containing salicylic acid 2%, zinc gluconate 0.2% and lipohydroxy acid 0.05% significantly reduced total lesion count by 56.3% after 84 days in 35 subjects with mild to moderate truncal acne.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2023A dermocosmetic cream containing Punica granatum Pericarp extract, Salicylic acid, Niacinamide, Zinc gluconate, and Aqua Posae Filiformis significantly decreased inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesion counts in subjects with mild to moderate acne compared to untreated hemi-faces after 15 days.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026A topical formulation containing panthenol, niacinamide, and dipotassium glycyrrhizate increased skin hydration by 74.1% and reduced transepidermal water loss by 13.5% at 28 days compared to baseline and untreated control in 35 individuals with xerosis.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026Dipotassium glycyrrhizinate-loaded hydroxypropyl chitosan and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogels applied to wounds in a mouse full-thickness skin defect model resulted in rapid wound closure, efficient tissue remolding, collagen deposition, and decreased inflammation compared to commercial Tegaderm film and 3M dressing controls.
Acta Biomaterialia, 2022A 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, 2001Combining 755 nm alexandrite laser with topical licorice gel significantly reduces terminal hair counts compared to alexandrite laser with placebo in women with idiopathic hirsutism.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015Licochalcone A activated Nrf2 signaling, elevated cytoprotective enzymes, increased the reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio, and decreased reactive oxygen species in human fibroblasts and neutrophils, while a LicA-rich licorice extract lowered UVA-induced oxidative processes in vivo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2015Bioactive glycyrrhizic acid and oxymatrine ionic liquid self-assembled nanomicelles significantly promoted the transdermal permeation, subcutaneous retention, and anti-photoaging efficacy of palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 in cellular and animal models compared to unformulated peptide.
Advanced Science, 2025Different strains of Propionibacterium acnes modulate cutaneous innate immunity with varying pro-inflammatory potentials, with P. acnes type III showing the highest and P. avidum the weakest, and zinc gluconate down-regulates the expression of most induced immune markers.
Experimental Dermatology, 2013Zinc gluconate induced alpha2, alpha3, alphaV, and alpha6 integrins, copper gluconate induced alpha2, alpha6, and beta1, and manganese gluconate induced most studied integrins in cultured keratinocytes.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 1999
Ingredients
Water, Zinc Coceth Sulfate, Glycerin, Peg-75, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Zinc Gluconate, Peg-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Sodium Benzoate, Masking, Disodium Edta
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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