Curél Curel Intensive Moisture Care Foaming Facial Wash for oily acne-prone skin
Ceramides
Glycerin
Glycyrrhizinic Acid
Sodium Lauroyl Aspartate
Coconut Fatty Acid Acyl Glutamate Na Oil
Low
- LowOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A weak match for oily acne-prone skin; the cleansers alongside 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 cleansing for your oily skin with Sodium Lauroyl Aspartate and Glycerin, which gently remove impurities while maintaining hydration, but it lacks targeted ingredients like salicylic acid to effectively address your acne and breakouts.
- The presence of glycerin and maltitol provides humectant action that may be too heavy for oily skin, and the formula lacks specific ingredients for seboregulation.
- The safety profile is good, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
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
★4.7Overall rating based on 2.5k+ reviewsIt is frequently praised for its suitability for sensitive skin and its effectiveness as a second cleanse. Some users note that the product can be pricey for the amount, may not remove heavy makeup on its own, and a small number of ingredient-conscious users dislike the presence of parabens.
Highlights
Gentle, non-stripping Mostly Mentioned
- “doesn't strip skin”
- “no tight feeling”
- “skin feels soft”
- “gentlest cleanse possible”
Dense foam texture Often Mentioned
- “one pump gives rich foam”
- “airy creamy lather”
- “dense and soft”
- “marshmallow texture”
Sensitive skin safe Often Mentioned
- “no irritation”
- “calms redness”
- “fragrance-free”
Effective second cleanse Sometimes Noted
- “perfect morning wash”
- “great second step”
- “removes oil residue”
- “leaves face fresh”
Not for makeup Sometimes Noted
- “won't remove mascara”
- “too gentle for makeup”
- “needs oil cleanser first”
- “struggles with foundation”
Price vs. quantity Sometimes Noted
- “a bit pricey”
- “bottle runs out fast”
- “expensive for size”
- “wish it was cheaper”
Contains parabens Rarely Noted
- “contains methylparaben”
- “wish it was paraben-free”
- “avoid if avoiding parabens”
Not hydrating Rarely Noted
- “still need moisturizer”
- “neutral but not hydrating”
- “expected more moisture”
Sources: lovi.care, yesstyle.com, curel.com, target.com, influenster.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is Curél Intensive Moisture Care Foaming Facial Wash a weak match for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is a weak match for your oily acne-prone skin because it lacks targeted ingredients like salicylic acid to manage breakouts and oil. To fit this skin type well, a cleanser needs soothing and effective ingredients like Niacinamide, salicylic acid, and probiotics that balance oil production and clear pores without causing irritation.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a poor fit for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is a weak match for your oily acne-prone skin because it lacks targeted blemish-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid and oil-balancing agents. Additionally, ingredients like glycerin and maltitol provide heavy hydration that may not suit your skin type well. Cleansers that fit this skin better need soothing and effective ingredients like niacinamide, ceramides, probiotics, and salicylic acid.
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
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 the morning and evening routine for your oily acne-prone skin, gently washing away impurities without irritation. However, because it lacks ingredients like salicylic acid to target breakouts and contains heavy hydrating ingredients, this skin type needs a cleanser with blemish-fighting acids and oil-balancing ingredients instead.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol, applying the cleanser first on damp skin before your retinol treatment. It is unlikely to cause irritation, and this type of skin needs ingredients like salicylic acid to effectively address breakouts and help control oil.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser twice a day as part of your normal routine. It gently washes away dirt while keeping your skin hydrated, though oily acne-prone skin needs ingredients like salicylic acid and oil-controlling elements to properly manage breakouts.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to cause irritation or allergic reactions on your oily skin, but it lacks targeted ingredients like salicylic acid to effectively clear breakouts. Oily acne-prone skin needs cleansers with pore-clearing ingredients like salicylic acid and oil-controlling agents to manage pimples.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on your body or around the eyes since it is gentle and unlikely to cause irritation. However, oily acne-prone skin needs a cleanser of this type to include targeted ingredients like salicylic acid to address breakouts and specific ingredients for oil control.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
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, 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, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012Combining 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, 2025
Why other cleansers fit oily acne-prone skin better
A 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, 2021A 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
Glycyrrhizinic Acid 2k, Water, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Aspartate, Maltitol, Lauryl Hydroxy Sulfobetaine, Pg, Peg 6000, Coconut Fatty Acid Acyl Glutamate Na Oil, Poe Sorbitan Stearate, Glyceryl Ethyl Hexyl Ether, Potassium Hydroxide, Edetate, Phenoxyethanol, Paraben
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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