🇫🇷France

The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm for oily acne-prone skin

The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm
  • Avena Sativa Kernel Oil Oat Kernel Oil
  • Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
  • Candelilla Cera Cire De Candelilla Cera
  • Tocopherol Vitamin E
  • Biosaccharide Gum-4

Average

  • AverageOily Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • Low RiskSafety

Works for oily acne-prone skin; other pre-cleansers 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 excellent makeup removal for your oily skin, as Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil and Avena Sativa Kernel Oil effectively dissolve impurities and cleanse pores. However, it lacks targeted ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to address your primary concerns of acne, blemishes, and oiliness.
  • While Cetearyl Alcohol provides emollient action suitable for oily skin, the formula does not offer strong seboregulation to manage excess shine.
  • The product is generally safe for your skin, with a low risk of irritation from Ascorbic Acid.

How to apply

  • Use this makeup remover PM as the first step of your evening routine to clear away impurities. Start by using it 3×/week before working up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
  • Apply this makeup remover before your regular cleanser and toner. Follow it with your usual cleansing steps to ensure all residue is thoroughly washed away.
  • Gently press a small amount of the makeup remover onto your face using soft cotton pads. Avoid harsh rubbing to prevent irritating your blemishes and active breakouts.
  • Apply the makeup remover on completely dry skin to effectively break down excess oil and makeup. Clean away thoroughly before moving on to the next skincare steps .
  • Do a patch test before your first use to ensure your skin reacts well. Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes .

People Say

★4.2Overall rating based on 8.5k+ reviews

Users frequently mention texture separation and packaging issues, with some also noting an oily residue or occasional grainy texture.

Highlights

  • Excellent value Mostly Mentioned
    • “One of the best balms for quality and also price”
    • “Great value for money”
    • “A steal for the amount of product you get”
    • “Beats other balms in terms of price”
  • Gentle and soothing Mostly Mentioned
    • “Safe and gentle especially for my dry, sensitive skin”
    • “Soothes irritation and calms redness”
    • “Absolutely bombproof for sensitive and angry skin”
  • Texture separation Mostly Mentioned
    • “Tube leaks liquified oil when opened”
    • “Came out as a runny oil instead of a balm”
    • “Product separates creating oil leakage”
    • “Had to massage the tube to mix it back together”
  • Effective makeup removal Often Mentioned
    • “Melts away makeup and impurities without drying”
    • “Took off my waterproof mascara 100x easier”
    • “Dissolves all visible traces of makeup”
    • “Great at removing minimal makeup or sunscreen”
  • Hydrating and moisturizing Often Mentioned
    • “Skin feels instantly hydrated, nourished and looks more glowing”
    • “Leaves my skin feeling comfortable and moist”
    • “Can be left on for 10 minutes as a mask”
    • “Perfect for dry skin during the winter”
  • Poor packaging Often Mentioned
    • “Very difficult to squeeze out at first”
    • “Tube gets dirty easily and cap leaks”
    • “Had to use both hands to get it out”
    • “Hard to extract remaining product”
  • Oily residue Sometimes Noted
    • “Leaves a greasy film on face after washing”
    • “Felt like I needed to triple cleanse”
    • “Leaves a light residue requiring a washcloth”
    • “Vision gets blurry if it gets in eyes”
  • Grainy texture Rarely Noted
    • “Felt a bit grainy/scratchy on the skin”
    • “Grittiness felt like a physical exfoliator”
    • “Slightly sharp powder feeling”
    • “Texture can be inconsistent bottle to bottle”

Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, cultbeauty.co.uk, boots.com, ulta.com, reddit.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm work for oily acne-prone skin?

This balm removes makeup well on oily skin, but it lacks ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to help with breakouts and shine. A better makeup remover for oily acne-prone skin needs ingredients that control oil and breakouts without clogging pores, while keeping the skin calm and hydrated.

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

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil and Avena Sativa Kernel Oil make this cleanser a good fit because they effectively dissolve impurities and cleanse pores. To better fit oily acne-prone skin, this type of product needs targeted ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to help control oil and breakouts.

What does Avena Sativa Kernel Oil do for oily acne-prone skin?

Avena Sativa Kernel Oil is a weak fit for oily acne-prone skin because it can feel too heavy and clog pores. A product of this type needs lightweight, non-greasy ingredients that help balance oil and calm irritation without adding extra weight.

What does Sweet Almond Oil do for oily acne-prone skin?

Sweet almond oil is generally too heavy and rich in oleic acid for oily, acne-prone skin, as oils with high oleic acid content may disrupt the skin barrier and worsen breakouts. Oily and acne-prone skin types need lightweight ingredients with a higher linoleic acid to oleic acid ratio, such as sunflower seed oil, which helps preserve skin integrity without causing irritation.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2018

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

This makeup remover goes in the evening routine before your cleanser, or as a weekly step before cleansing. Oily acne-prone skin needs a product of this type that also brings salicylic acid or niacinamide to clear pores and manage excess shine.

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

You can use this makeup remover in your evening routine before your cleanser, and it is safe to follow with your retinol treatment. A product of this type for oily acne-prone skin works best when it also includes ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to help manage breakouts and excess shine.

How often should I use this cleanser?

You can use this makeup remover in the evening as part of your routine for oily acne-prone skin. Because it lacks ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to manage excess oil and breakouts, your routine needs blemish-fighting ingredients and oil-balancing care.

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

This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on oily skin, but it does not actively target blemishes or manage excess shine like products containing salicylic acid or niacinamide do.

Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (benzyl alcohol). Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.

What the research says

  • Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025
  • Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.

    Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021
  • Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

Why other pre-cleansers fit oily acne-prone skin better

Ingredients

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Peg-6 Caprylic Capric Glycerides, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil Oat Kernel Oil, Candelilla Cera Cire De Candelilla Cera, Silica, Sorbitan Stearate, Tribehenin, Peg-60 Almond Glycerides, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour Oat Kernel Flour, Water, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Lecithin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil

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.

How does it fit your skin?

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Prices checked 16 Oct – 5 Nov 2026

The Lovi Fit is the same in every country; only the stores and prices differ, and the ones here are for France.

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.