Papa Recipe Blemish Enzyme Powder Cleanser for combination skin
Zea Mays Starch
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Juglans Regia Shell Powder
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Papain
High
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for combination skin; a few products 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
- Offers moderate exfoliation for your combination skin, as papain and gluconolactone work to gently remove dead skin cells and regulate desquamation, addressing oily shine.
- Sodium cocoyl isethionate and papain provide excellent cleansing by exfoliating pores, while allantoin and glycerin ensure a soothing experience.
- The formula is safe for your skin, containing no harsh ingredients and including soothing agents like allantoin and glycerin.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your PM routine once a week. Start 3x/week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply the enzyme powder cleanser after your regular cleanser and toner, but before your moisturizer.
- Pour a small amount into wet hands and rub together to create a creamy foam, then massage gently onto the face.
- Apply the enzyme powder cleanser on slightly damp skin to help activate the gentle exfoliating enzymes.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use to ensure your skin feels comfortable.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 900+ reviewsThis powder cleanser is highly praised by users with oily, acne-prone, and sensitive skin for its ability to gently exfoliate without stripping moisture. Most users report significantly smoother skin texture and reduced breakouts, though the unique fermented scent is a polarizing feature.
Highlights
Gentle exfoliation Mostly Mentioned
- “Smooths out skin without harsh scrubbing”
- “Dissolves dead skin cells instantly”
- “My face feels baby soft after one use.”
Improves texture/acne Often Mentioned
- “Helps with my closed comedones”
- “Reduces sebaceous filaments on nose”
- “Makeup applies much smoother now.”
Non-stripping Often Mentioned
- “Doesn't leave my face feeling tight”
- “Skin feels moist and fresh after rinsing”
- “Cleanses well but keeps barrier intact.”
Polarizing scent Often Mentioned
- “Smells like stale powdered milk”
- “Has a weird yeasty/vomit smell”
- “Scent is nutty like cereal but takes getting used to.”
Good for sensitive skin Sometimes Noted
- “Gentle enough for daily use”
- “Low pH formula calms my redness.”
Travel-friendly Sometimes Noted
- “Perfect for flying since it's not liquid”
- “No fear of leaking in my bag”
- “Lightweight and easy to pack.”
Packaging durability Sometimes Noted
- “The flip cap snapped off after a week”
- “Lid cracked when I dropped it”
- “Hard to control the amount of powder dispensed.”
Can be drying Rarely Noted
- “Too drying for twice-daily use”
- “Left dry patches when I used it every morning”
- “Better as a 2-3 times a week treatment.”
Price per quantity Rarely Noted
- “Bottle is smaller than expected”
- “Expensive compared to other enzyme powders”
- “Runs out quickly if used daily.”
Sources: lovi.care, oliveyoung.com, yesstyle.com, gopicky.com, reddit.com, skinsort.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Papa Recipe Blemish Enzyme Powder Cleanser a great fit for combination skin?
This cleanser is a great fit for your combination skin because papain and gluconolactone provide moderate exfoliation to help remove dead skin cells and control oily shine. It also cleanses pores deeply while using allantoin and glycerin to keep your skin feeling calm and comfortable.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for combination skin?
Papain and gluconolactone make this cleanser a great fit for your combination skin because they provide moderate exfoliation that helps remove dead skin cells and control oily shine. Sodium cocoyl isethionate cleanses pores effectively, while allantoin and glycerin help keep your skin calm and comfortable.
What does Corn Starch do for combination skin?
Corn starch helps protect combination skin from daily stress by supporting natural antioxidant defenses. It is unlikely to cause irritation and leaves skin feeling balanced.
What does Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate do for combination skin?
Sodium cocoyl isethionate helps clean combination skin gently without drying out the dry parts or stripping natural moisture. Its large cleansing structures are too big to sink into the skin barrier, which keeps your face feeling soft and comfortable instead of tight.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This enzyme powder cleanser goes in your weekly routine, used once a week as part of your evening steps. If your combination skin tolerates it well and shows good results, you can carefully use it more often.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this enzyme powder cleanser in your routine with retinol by applying the cleanser first to clean and exfoliate your skin, followed by your retinol treatment. It is best to use them on separate days or alternate them between morning and evening, because using too many exfoliating steps at once may lead to dryness or irritation.
How often should I use this cleanser?
This enzyme powder cleanser fits nicely into a weekly routine to gently remove dead skin cells and address oily shine on combination skin. You can start using it once a week, and if your skin tolerates it well and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for your combination skin because it features gentle ingredients that help clear away dead skin cells and oily shine while keeping skin calm. It has a safe profile without harsh components, making it a great fit to keep your skin smooth.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Combining 10% gluconolactone chemical peeling with oxybrasion or microneedle mesotherapy increased skin hydration and decreased sebum, pH, and TEWL in twenty-one Caucasian women, with no significant differences between the two methods.
Skin Research and Technology, 2023Gluconolactone 14% solution significantly improved mild to moderate acne by reducing inflamed and non-inflamed lesions similarly to 5% benzoyl peroxide, but with fewer side-effects in 150 patients.
The Australasian Journal of Dermatology, 1992A topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020Hydrolyzed corn starch containing maltotetraose activated the NRF2 pathway, upregulated antioxidant-responsive genes, increased NRF2 protein expression and nuclear translocation, and reduced reactive oxygen species levels in human keratinocytes exposed to oxidative stress.
PloS One, 2026Sodium cocoyl isethionate micelles are too large to penetrate stratum corneum aqueous pores, resulting in significant steric hindrance that prevents skin barrier perturbation and explains its skin mildness.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2007Enzyme-modified ginseng extract cream significantly reduced the global photo-damage score and various roughness measures including total roughness, smoothness depth, and arithmetic roughness average compared to placebo in 23 human subjects.
Rejuvenation Research, 2015A red ginseng hydrogel formulation with 1,2-hexanediol promoted selective growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis and decreased Cutibacterium acnes in 20 female subjects.
Journal of Ginseng Research, 2022A 1% fermented black ginseng cream significantly reduced eye wrinkles and brightened skin color in twenty-three human subjects compared to control cream and baseline.
Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. Part A, 2020Topical papain treatment may slightly decrease pain within 30 minutes in humans stung by Chrysaora chinensis compared to placebo.
Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 2016A fixed combination of hydroxypinacolone retinoate, retinol glycospheres, and papain glycospheres in aqueous gel applied once daily for 12 weeks achieved a 41% mean reduction in GAGS score and a 40.8% mean reduction in total lesions, with 15.3% of patients experiencing mild to moderate local side effects, in 94 evaluable patients with comedonal-papular, mild to moderate acne of the face.
Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2015Reflux extraction of Carica papaya leaves yielded higher antioxidant capacity and superior in vitro wound-healing activities including fibroblast proliferation, cell migration, and collagen synthesis in human skin fibroblasts compared to ultrasonic-assisted extraction and agitation.
Molecules, 2020
Ingredients
Zea Mays Starch, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Sodium Palmitate, Diglycerin, Juglans Regia Shell Powder, Rice Powder, Citric Acid, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract Rosemary Leaf Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Tricholoma Matsutake Extract, Angelica Keiskei Stem Extract Leaf, Rice Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Arbutin, Rice Ferment Filtrate Sake Ferment Filtrate, Gluconolactone, Gossypium Herbaceum Extract, Lactobionic Acid, Allantoin, Maltodextrin, Papain, Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, 1,2-Hexanediol
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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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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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
How does it fit your skin?
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