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Shiseido Complete Cleansing Microfoam for acne-prone skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

Shiseido Complete Cleansing Microfoam

Low

  • HighCombination Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • ConcerningSafety

A weak match for acne-prone skin; the cleansers alongside fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. 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

  • Suboptimal compatibility with your combination skin as Glycerin and Betaine provide humectant action, while Witch Hazel Leaf Extract offers mild astringent properties, but these do not directly address your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
  • The cleansing agents, Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Cocamidopropyl Betaine, offer moderate impurity removal, which is a supportive benefit for your skin.

How to apply

  • Could be used as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it.
  • This cleanser is the first step in your morning routine and the second step after your pre-cleanser in the evening. Always follow up with a toner and moisturizer .
  • Gently massage a small amount of the cleanser onto your face in circular motions. Avoid harsh rubbing to keep your skin calm.
  • Apply the cleanser on slightly damp skin to help it work effectively against breakouts. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water .
  • Avoid the immediate eye area and do a patch test before your first use to check for any sensitivity.

People Say

★4.7Overall rating based on 300+ reviews

This cleanser is highly praised for its dense, luxurious foam that effectively removes light makeup and impurities without stripping the skin. Most users report that it leaves their skin feeling soft and hydrated. However, some users find it requires a second cleanse for heavy or waterproof makeup.

Highlights

  • Hydrating and gentle Mostly Mentioned
    • “leaves skin feeling smooth and hydrated”
    • “doesn't strip away essential moisture”
    • “skin feels soft... not tight”
  • Effective for daily use Often Mentioned
    • “gentle but does its job”
    • “removes makeup and impurities at once”
    • “great for sensitive skin”
  • Luxurious foam texture Often Mentioned
    • “dense, creamy lather”
    • “rich lather that lasted”
    • “airy foam feels lightweight”
  • Pleasant scent Sometimes Noted
    • “smells like a high-end spa”
    • “subtle, clean scent”
    • “smell is light and amazing”
  • High price point Sometimes Noted
    • “not worth the heavy price tag”
    • “product is unbelievable... but expensive”
    • “too pricey”
  • Struggles with makeup Sometimes Noted
    • “doesn't remove all of my eye makeup”
    • “too gentle to remove even sunscreen”
    • “doesn't remove waterproof lipstick”
  • Oily residue Rarely Noted
    • “left my face feeling oily”
    • “waxy feel to your face”
    • “oily after-feel”
  • Scent sensitivity Rarely Noted
    • “strong fragrance”
    • “irritated my hands”
    • “scent... adds to experience”

Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, macys.com, influenster.com, shiseido.com, and more

Questions and answers

Why is Shiseido Complete Cleansing Microfoam a weak match for acne-prone skin?

Shiseido Complete Cleansing Microfoam is a weak match for acne-prone skin because its ingredients mainly provide mild cleansing and moisture without directly addressing breakouts and blemishes. A cleanser of this type needs a gentle, safe formulation with soothing extracts and targeted blemish-fighting ingredients to keep this skin clear and balanced without irritation.

Which ingredients make this cleanser a poor fit for acne-prone skin?

This cleanser is a weak match for acne-prone skin because ingredients like glycerin, betaine, and witch hazel leaf extract do not directly target acne, blemishes, and breakouts. Cleansers that fit this skin well need gentle yet soothing ingredients, safe cleansing agents that prevent over-drying, and components that actively address breakouts while keeping skin balanced.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

What does Glycerin do for acne-prone skin?

Glycerin helps keep acne-prone skin hydrated and calm without clogging pores or feeling heavy. It supports the skin barrier so it stays soft and smooth while handling everyday treatments.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008International Journal of Toxicology, 2019

What does Sodium Laureth Sulfate do for acne-prone skin?

Sodium laureth sulfate is a detergent that cleanses the skin, but it may cause dryness and irritation on acne-prone skin, which can weaken the skin barrier.

Food and Chemical Toxicology, 2001

Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?

This cleanser fits into a morning and evening skincare routine as the first cleansing step, or as the second step in the evening after removing makeup. It cleans away impurities, but because it does not directly target breakouts, acne-prone skin needs a product of this type that also includes acne-fighting active ingredients.

Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this cleanser with retinol, applying the cleanser first to wash your face before putting on your retinol treatment. A cleanser for acne-prone skin needs soothing and blemish-clearing ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to help manage breakouts.

How often should I use this cleanser?

You can use this cleanser twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine. Because this product is only a weak match for acne-prone skin, your routine needs ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to directly target breakouts and blemishes.

Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?

This cleanser is a weak match for acne-prone skin because its ingredients do not directly target breakouts and blemishes. A cleanser for this skin needs ingredients that deeply clean pores and target acne-causing factors.

Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?

You can use this cleanser on your body, but it is best to avoid the thin skin around your eyes to prevent irritation. This type of product needs gentle, hydrating ingredients and a mild formula to safely cleanse delicate areas without drying them out.

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002

Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It contains fragrance (parfum and linalool) and drying alcohol (alcohol denat).

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, 2017

  • A combination of Aloe barbadensis leaf extract and trimethylglycine in a 1:1 mass ratio synergistically increased aquaporin 3 expression by up to 380% in keratinocytes and safely improved skin hydration in healthy volunteers.

    Molecules, 2024

  • The 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, 2020

  • Ten 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, 2001

  • Niacinamide/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, 2012

  • Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) treatment decreases lipid membrane chain conformational order and stiffness leading to increased water sorption and diffusivity, whereas sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES) treatment increases lipid membrane conformational order and stiffness with increased water sorption capacity driven by its hygroscopic nature.

    Langmuir, 2014

  • A Hamamelis virginiana leaf extract increased LOXL1 expression twofold, decreased elafin synthesis, restored functional elastic fibers, reduced nonfunctional elastin aggregates, decreased wrinkles, and improved skin firmness.

    Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2018

  • Hamamelis bark proanthocyanidins strongly increased the proliferation of cultured human keratinocytes and reduced transepidermal water loss and erythema formation in SLS-irritated skin, whereas the polysaccharide fraction had no effect.

    Phytochemistry, 2001

  • Witch hazel bark extract and hamamelitannin showed pronounced anti-inflammatory activity, supported keratinocyte migration in a wound healing assay, and inhibited Staphylococcus aureus growth, whereas their skin microbiota metabolite ellagic acid stimulated inflammatory mediator release.

    Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2025

  • Bacterial cellulose wound dressing containing silk sericin and PHMB improved wound quality and reduced pain compared to Bactigras in patients with split-thickness skin graft donor-site wounds.

    Archives of Dermatological Research, 2018

  • A bacterial nanocellulose wound dressing incorporating polyhexamethylene biguanide and sericin showed no skin irritation in healthy volunteers and significantly promoted wound healing with lower wound size and higher collagen formation in full-thickness rat wounds compared to controls.

    Archives of Dermatological Research, 2016

  • Topical application of sericin gels increased skin intrinsic moisturization, hydroxyproline content, and epidermal hydration while decreasing transepidermal water loss and skin impedance in healthy human volunteers.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2005

Why other cleansers fit acne-prone skin better

Ingredients

Water, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Peg-8 Glyceryl Isostearate, Peg Ppg-14 7 Dimethyl Ether, Ethylhexylglycerin, Triethylhexanoin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Citric Acid, Disodium Edta, Bht, Linalool, Rice Germ Oil, Tocopherol, Witch Hazel Leaf Extract, Betaine, Hydrolyzed Silk

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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

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How does it fit your skin?

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