Clinique Acne Solutions Oil-Control Cleansing Mask for combination skin
Salicylic Acid
Kaolin
Aloe Barbadensis Powder
Acetyl Glucosamine
Gentiana Lutea Root ExtractHigh
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for combination skin; a few cleansing masks 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 mask effectively decongests pores and controls oil with kaolin and salicylic acid, which exfoliate and absorb excess sebum.
- Gentiana lutea root extract and aloe barbadensis powder offer soothing benefits, complementing the cleansing action for your oily shine.
- The formula is safe for your skin, containing no harsh ingredients and including beneficial components like chamomile extract to minimize irritation.
How to apply
- Use this cleansing mask during your PM routine once a week to control oil. Start slowly 3 times a week and increase if your skin feels comfortable.
- Apply the cleansing mask after the cleansing step and before using your hydrating toner. This ensures it works effectively on your skin.
- Spread an even layer over your face using gentle motions. Avoid any harsh rubbing to keep your skin calm.
- Apply the mask to clean and slightly damp skin for the best results. This helps the product target oily shine efficiently.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Do a simple patch test before your very first use.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 600+ reviewsThis clay-based mask is frequently praised for its ability to dry out active breakouts and unclog pores, leading to smoother, clearer skin and excellent oil control for users with oily and acne-prone skin. A minority of users report it can be drying or irritating if left on too long.
Highlights
Clears acne & blemishes Mostly Mentioned
- “dried out pimples”
- “cleared blemishes”
- “reduces spots”
- “stops breakouts”
Controls oil & shine Often Mentioned
- “keeps skin shine-free”
- “mattifies oily skin”
- “removes excess oil”
- “less greasy”
Deep cleans pores Often Mentioned
- “unclogs pores”
- “pores look smaller”
- “deep clean feeling”
- “blackheads reduced”
Fast-acting treatment Sometimes Noted
- “works in 5 mins”
- “overnight spot treatment”
- “quick results”
- “fast drying”
Smooths & softens skin Sometimes Noted
- “skin feels smooth”
- “baby soft”
- “texture improved”
- “softer complexion”
Can be drying Sometimes Noted
- “dried my skin”
- “flaky patches”
- “too harsh”
- “tight feeling”
Hard to remove Rarely Noted
- “hard to wash off”
- “scrubbing required”
- “stuck to skin”
- “messy removal”
Ineffective for some Rarely Noted
- “did nothing”
- “saw no difference”
- “breakouts continued”
- “waste of money”
Pricey for size Rarely Noted
- “expensive”
- “small tube”
- “pricey”
- “not enough product”
Strong chemical smell Rarely Noted
- “smells like paint”
- “strong scent”
- “chemical odor”
- “unpleasant smell”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, macys.com, boots.com, clinique.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Clinique Acne Solutions Oil-Control Cleansing Mask a great fit for combination skin?
This mask is a great fit because kaolin and salicylic acid clear out pores and control oil by absorbing excess shine and exfoliating the skin. Soothing ingredients like gentiana lutea root extract and aloe barbadensis powder help calm the skin and balance the cleansing action.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Which ingredients make this mask a good fit for combination skin?
Salicylic acid and kaolin make this mask a great fit by exfoliating the skin and absorbing excess oil to clear out pores. Soothing ingredients like gentiana lutea root extract and aloe barbadensis powder help calm the skin and keep oily shine under control.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
What does Salicylic Acid do for combination skin?
Salicylic acid helps clear clogged pores and balance oily areas while remaining gentle enough for dry spots on combination skin. It reduces breakouts and oiliness effectively with a low likelihood of irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023
What does Kaolin Clay do for combination skin?
Kaolin clay helps absorb excess oil in oily areas while keeping dry patches comfortable and calm. This gentle mineral ingredient is unlikely to irritate sensitive combination skin.
Where does this mask go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This cleansing mask is used once a week as part of your weekly routine, right after your cleanser and enzyme powder, and before your toner. It is a great fit for your combination skin because salicylic acid and kaolin help clear pores and control oil, while soothing ingredients keep your skin calm.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Can I use this mask with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this mask in your weekly routine, but it is best to avoid using it on the same nights as your retinol to prevent irritation. Use the mask first as part of your weekly steps, follow with a hydrating toner and moisturizer, and save your retinol for a different evening.
How often should I use this mask?
You can use this mask once a week as part of your weekly routine, since exfoliating steps start at this frequency. People who tolerate it well and see good results may carefully use it more often.
Can this mask clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This mask is a great fit for your combination skin because salicylic acid and kaolin help clear out pores and absorb extra oil without clogging them. It is unlikely to cause breakouts for you, though it may feel a bit drying if used too often since it deeply cleans and controls shine.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Is this mask fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020Twice daily application of a multitargeted dermocosmetic cream provided comparable efficacy to benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in reducing inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesions in 150 Caucasian subjects with mild-to-moderate acne over 56 days, while demonstrating superior skin tolerability.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024The use of a salicylic acid-based dermocosmetic significantly reduces the needed quantity of benzoyl peroxide without impacting efficacy in mild to moderate acne, and as maintenance post-benzoyl peroxide allows a significant reduction of acne relapse compared to vehicle.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.
CMAJ, 2010Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid achieved the greatest lesion reduction at early 2 to 4 week time points compared to benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin, and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin, while 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin showed similar efficacy at 10 to 12 weeks in acne patients.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2010Vectorization of high molecular weight hyaluronic acid with clay enabled its penetration into deeper skin layers and led to a significant clinical reduction in fine lines in the crow's feet area compared to placebo after 28 days.
Skin Research and Technology, 2024Twice-weekly use of a clay mask over 4 weeks in 75 adults with oily or combination skin improved acne-related outcomes, sebum content, skin evenness, hydration, and reduced dryness and irritation.
Skin Research and Technology, 2023Clay 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, 2012A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010Topical 2% N-acetyl glucosamine reduced facial hyperpigmentation in an 8-week split-face clinical test, with an even greater effect observed when combined with 4% niacinamide.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2007N-acetyl-glucosamine-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers successfully delivered the hydrophilic agent through the skin and reduced melanin distribution in healthy volunteers.
Advanced Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 2016Topical cosmetic products containing hyaluronic acid, N-acetyl glucosamine, and gamma-amino butyric acid improved skin hydration by 24.28% to 33.60%, elasticity by 11.98%, and skin lightening by 5.26% over 2 months in 20 female participants.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2019Gentiana lutea extract increases lipid synthesis and triglyceride levels in human primary keratinocytes in vitro via p38 MAPK and PPARgamma signaling, and significantly increases skin lipid content in a proof-of-concept trial of 33 volunteers compared to placebo.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2017Topical application of Gentiana lutea extract reduced average roughness, relief of the upper eyelid skin, and redness of dark circles in 22 subjects after 14 days compared to placebo.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2023
Ingredients
Water, Kaolin, Butylene Glycol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Gentiana Lutea Root Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Sucrose, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract Matricaria Flower Extract, Algae Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Powder, Acetyl Glucosamine, Inulin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Disodium Edta, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Titanium Dioxide Ci 77891, Salicylic Acid
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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