Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser for oily acne-prone skin
Glycolic Acid
Glycerin
Jojoba Seed Oil
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Sodium HyaluronateSuperior
- SuperiorOily Skin Fit
- SuperiorEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
One of the best cleansers for oily acne-prone skin.
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
- Excellent suitability for your oily skin and acne concerns is provided by the high concentration of glycolic acid, which effectively exfoliates and regulates sebum, complemented by succinoglycan for essential hydration.
- The inclusion of Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract and urea further supports skin health by offering soothing and moisturizing benefits, ensuring a balanced cleansing experience.
- This formula is exceptionally safe for your skin, with no risk of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of beneficial components.
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
★4.6Overall rating based on 400+ reviewsUsers consistently praise this cleanser for its ability to combat dullness and uneven texture, leaving skin noticeably brighter and smoother without the harshness often associated with glycolic products. While effective for most skin types, those with drier or sensitive skin often recommend using it once daily or every other day to avoid tightness.
Highlights
Gentle exfoliation Mostly Mentioned
- “non-stripping”
- “gentle enough for daily use”
- “doesn't irritate sensitive skin”
Brightens and adds glow Often Mentioned
- “lit from within glow”
- “undoes dullness”
- “radiant skin”
Pleasant sensory experience Sometimes Noted
- “fresh citrus scent”
- “jelly-like texture”
- “nice lather”
Smoothes skin texture Sometimes Noted
- “glass skin effect”
- “removes texture”
- “face feels completely flat/smooth”
Can be drying Sometimes Noted
- “tightness”
- “dry as a bone”
- “flaking”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “splurge”
- “luxury side of skincare”
- “expensive”
Effective cleansing Rarely Noted
- “remove makeup well”
- “cleanse away brightness blockers”
- “squeaky clean”
Eye irritation Rarely Noted
- “avoid eye area”
- “stings”
- “burns”
Initial breakouts Rarely Noted
- “mini freak outs”
- “small breakouts”
- “purging”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.co.uk, johnlewis.com, skinsort.com, lovelyskin.com, ulta.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser one of the best fits for oily acne-prone skin?
Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser is one of the best fits because it features a high concentration of glycolic acid to exfoliate and regulate oil, along with succinoglycan for essential hydration. Calendula extract and urea also help soothe and moisturize the skin for a balanced cleansing experience.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Glycolic acid, succinoglycan, calendula extract, and urea make this cleanser a great fit because they help control oil, gently clear away dead skin, keep your skin hydrated, and soothe breakouts. These ingredients work together to give you a very safe and balanced cleansing experience without causing irritation.
What does Glycolic Acid do for oily acne-prone skin?
Glycolic acid helps clear acne-prone skin by reducing pimples and soothing breakouts. It exfoliates the surface to keep pores clear and leaves the skin feeling smooth.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Dermatologic Surgery, 2014
What does Glycerin do for oily acne-prone skin?
Glycerin helps keep oily acne-prone skin hydrated without feeling heavy. It draws moisture into the skin while supporting the skin barrier so it stays soft and balanced.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser goes in your morning and evening routine. Lovi routines start exfoliating steps like this one once a week, and people who tolerate them well and see good results can carefully use them more often.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser in your routine alongside retinol, as long as you apply it at a different time of day or alternate days to keep your skin calm and smooth. Using an exfoliating cleanser with strong active treatments at the same time may raise the likelihood of irritation.
How often should I use this cleanser?
This cleanser is a great fit because glycolic acid helps clear excess oil while soothing ingredients keep your skin comfortable. You can use it as part of your daily morning and evening routine, though you should start just once a week with exfoliating steps and build up slowly if your skin tolerates it well.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause major breakouts for oily acne-prone skin, as its glycolic acid helps clear dead cells and oil while soothing calendula and urea keep skin balanced. Reviewers rarely report initial breakouts, though some note a moderate risk of dryness.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on your body, but you should avoid applying it directly around the delicate skin of your eyes due to the active exfoliating ingredients. This cleanser is best suited for keeping oily and acne-prone skin clean and balanced.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (limonene).
What the research says
A combination of dermapen and glycolic acid peel significantly decreased acne scar grades and resulted in higher patient satisfaction compared to either monotherapy in 30 patients.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Urea is a safe and effective dermatologic therapy with wide-ranging clinical utility for various skin conditions and minimal, non-systemic side effects based on a review of the clinical literature.
Dermatology Online Journal, 2013Repeated short-contact 70% glycolic acid peels provided superior results in atrophic acne scars compared to daily low-strength glycolic acid cream or placebo in 58 women over 24 weeks.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2000Serial glycolic acid peels combined with a modified Kligman formula significantly reduced facial PIH severity in Indian patients compared to the modified Kligman formula alone.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2017A 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, 2001Clay jojoba oil facial masks reduced total skin lesions by a mean of 54% after 6 weeks in 133 participants with acne-prone, lesioned skin and mild acne compared to baseline.
Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012Topical application of jojoba wax reduced LPS-induced secretion of IL-6, IL-8, and TNFα by approximately 30% and increased the synthesis of pro-collagen III and hyaluronic acid compared to untreated skin in an ex-vivo human skin organ culture model.
Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024Topical jojoba oil application in male mice decreased exercise-induced pro-inflammatory gene expression (Il-1b and Il-6 in soleus, Il-1b in gastrocnemius) compared to untreated exercised mice.
Biomolecules, 2025Topical application of Calendula officinalis extract cream significantly improved skin hydration and firmness (reflected in significant changes in R0 and R6 parameters) in 21 healthy human volunteers compared to a base cream.
Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica, 2011Treatment with standardized extract of Calendula officinalis L. led to a shorter epithelization time and faster healing speed compared to mineral oil in patients with acute skin loss wounds of the hand and fingers healing by secondary intention.
Tissue Barriers, 2022Topical administration of Calendula provides weak evidence of effectiveness in acute and chronic wounds compared to standard treatments based on a narrative review of available trials.
Wounds, 2008Topical 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, 2019
Ingredients
Water, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycolic Acid, Glycerin, Peg-6 Cocamide, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Succinoglycan, Jojoba Seed Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Grapefruit Peel Oil, Leuconostoc Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Urea, Allantoin, Polyquaternium-51, Trehalose, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Glyceryl Oleate, Coconut Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, T-Butyl Alcohol, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Pca, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, 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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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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