Skincare routine for acne-prone skin
Cleansers, toners, and masks with salicylic, glycolic, and lactic acid clear out pores and help smooth blackheads and breakouts. Serums and moisturizers with niacinamide, vitamin C, and zinc PCA help fade post-acne marks and calm the skin.
The morning routine prepares the skin for the day: it cleans off the night, hydrates, and protects, with sunscreen as its last step. The evening routine removes sunscreen, makeup, and the day's oil, then treats the skin while it rests and stays away from the sun. The weekly routine takes the place of the evening routine once a week and adds the deeper steps to target breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks.
Experimental Dermatology, 2019Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2004Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023
Products are rated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. For a routine based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Morning
Step 1Cleanser
Cleansers with Matcha Green Tea, Centella Asiatica Extract, Niacinamide, and Salicylic Acid help manage breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks, while moisturizing components like glycerin and hyaluronic acid keep skin soft and hydrated. These cleansers are used every morning, every evening, and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
B.LAB
Matcha Hydrating Foam Cleanser
€13.98
-
CeraVe
Foaming Facial Cleanser
€11.35
-
Paula's Choice
Perfectly Balanced Foaming Cleanser
€32.00
-
Paula's Choice
CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser
€25.00
-
Torriden
DIVE IN Cleansing Foam
€20.99
-
Pyunkang Yul
Deep Cleansing Foam
€14.19
-
Pyunkang Yul
Low pH Cleansing Water
€15.99
-
iS Clinical
Cleansing Complex
€67.02
Step 2Hydrating Toner
This step in your routine is used every morning and once a week in place of the evening routine. Hydrating toners with hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and centella asiatica extract help hydrate your skin, soothe inflammation, and balance dry and oily areas.
-
La Mer
The Tonic
€10.25
-
Some By Mi
Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Toner
€19.99
-
belif
Aqua Bomb Hydrating Toner
€25.95
-
Pyunkang Yul
Calming Deep Moisture Toner
€12.45
-
Paula's Choice
Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner
€36.00
-
ROUND LAB
Birch Juice Moisturizing Toner
€17.98
-
Beauty of Joseon
Ginseng Essence Water
€14.90
-
Etude House
Soon Jung pH 5.5 Relief Toner
€19.99
Step 3Moisturizer
Moisturizers with yuja extract, niacinamide, glutathione, and arbutin help brighten dark spots and manage breakouts for acne-prone skin, while formulas with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin support hydration and repair. These products are used every morning and every evening, and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
Some By Mi
Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream
€17.90
-
CeraVe
PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
€39.42
-
COSRX
Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap)
€17.47
-
COSRX
Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
€14.90
-
COSRX
Full Fit Propolis Light Ampoule
€20.99
-
NEOGEN Dermalogy
Real Ferment Micro Essence
€35.95
-
innisfree
Green Tea Seed Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum
€29.00
-
MISSHA
Premium Cica Aloe Soothing Gel
€11.00
Step 4SPF
Sunscreens with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide defend against UV damage in the morning routine, while versions with centella asiatica extract and madecassoside help calm breakouts and post-acne marks. Additional options with niacinamide and hyaluronic acid help keep acne-prone skin smooth and balanced.
-
d'Alba
Piedmont Waterfull Mild Sunscreen
€16.99
-
d'Alba
UVessence Mild Waterfull Sun Cream SPF 50
€29.95
-
make p:rem
UV Defense Me Blue Ray Sun Cream
€34.30
-
EltaMD
UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46
€75.18
-
Torriden
DIVE-IN Mild Sunscreen
€24.00
-
Purito
Daily Soft Touch Sunscreen
€12.98
-
make p:rem
UV Defense Me Daily Sun Fluid SPF 50+ PA++++
€34.30
Evening
Step 1Pre-Cleanser
Makeup removers with Camellia Seed Oil, Squalane, Corn Germ Oil, and Shea Butter help remove oil-based debris and hydrate skin, while those with Jojoba Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, and Centella Asiatica Extract help clear away sebum and soothe breakouts. This step is used every evening and once a week, in place of the evening routine.
-
Shu Uemura
Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil
€40.00
-
Pyunkang Yul
Deep Cleansing Oil
€21.99
-
MISSHA
Ultra Hyalon Cleansing Cream
€16.10
-
DHC
Pore Cleansing Oil
€16.50
-
Dermalogica
Precleanse
€56.00
-
Estée Lauder
Take It Away Makeup Remover Lotion
€33.24
-
Cetaphil
Gentle Makeup Removing Wipes
€22.99
-
Pyunkang Yul
Deep Clear Cleansing Balm
€15.90
Step 2Cleanser
Cleansers with Matcha Green Tea, Centella Asiatica Extract, Niacinamide, and Salicylic Acid help manage breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks, while moisturizing components like glycerin and hyaluronic acid keep skin soft and hydrated. These cleansers are used every morning, every evening, and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
B.LAB
Matcha Hydrating Foam Cleanser
€13.98
-
CeraVe
Foaming Facial Cleanser
€11.35
-
Paula's Choice
Perfectly Balanced Foaming Cleanser
€32.00
-
Paula's Choice
CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser
€25.00
-
Torriden
DIVE IN Cleansing Foam
€20.99
-
Pyunkang Yul
Deep Cleansing Foam
€14.19
-
Pyunkang Yul
Low pH Cleansing Water
€15.99
-
iS Clinical
Cleansing Complex
€67.02
Step 3Cleansing Toner
In the Lovi routine for this skin the cleansing toner step is used every evening. Cleansing toners with lactic and salicylic acid help clear out breakouts and blackheads, while formulas with glycolic acid and aloe vera gently smooth skin and fade post-acne marks.
-
Medicube
Zero Pore Pad 2.0
€17.15
-
Pixi
Glow Tonic
€29.29
-
REN Clean Skincare
Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic
€50.00
-
Caudalie
Vinopure Purifying Toner
€15.50
-
Neogen
Real Ferment Micro Toner
€46.60
-
SKIN1004
Tea-Trica Purifying Toner
€24.08
-
COSRX
AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner
€14.62
-
The Ordinary
Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution
€13.69
Step 4Serum or Treatment
Serums and ampoules with niacinamide, zinc PCA, and propolis help calm breakouts and balance oil production for acne-prone skin. These treatments are applied every evening and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
The Ordinary
Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
€5.75
-
Beauty of Joseon
Propolis + Niacinamide Glow Serum
€18.25
-
Peach & Lily
Glass Skin Refining Serum
€86.15
-
NEOGEN Dermalogy
Real Niacinamide 15% Firming Serum
€35.99
-
innisfree
Green Tea Enzyme Vitamin C Brightening Serum
€29.00
-
NEOGEN Dermalogy
Real Vitamin C Serum
€37.67
-
Purito
Centella Unscented Serum
€17.60
-
L'Oreal Paris
Revitalift 12% Vitamin C + E + Salicylic Serum
€29.18
Step 5Moisturizer
Moisturizers with yuja extract, niacinamide, glutathione, and arbutin help brighten dark spots and manage breakouts for acne-prone skin, while formulas with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin support hydration and repair. These products are used every morning and every evening, and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
Some By Mi
Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream
€17.90
-
CeraVe
PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
€39.42
-
COSRX
Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap)
€17.47
-
COSRX
Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
€14.90
-
COSRX
Full Fit Propolis Light Ampoule
€20.99
-
NEOGEN Dermalogy
Real Ferment Micro Essence
€35.95
-
innisfree
Green Tea Seed Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum
€29.00
-
MISSHA
Premium Cica Aloe Soothing Gel
€11.00
Once a week
Step 1Pre-Cleanser
Makeup removers with Camellia Seed Oil, Squalane, Corn Germ Oil, and Shea Butter help remove oil-based debris and hydrate skin, while those with Jojoba Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, and Centella Asiatica Extract help clear away sebum and soothe breakouts. This step is used every evening and once a week, in place of the evening routine.
-
Shu Uemura
Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil
€40.00
-
Pyunkang Yul
Deep Cleansing Oil
€21.99
-
MISSHA
Ultra Hyalon Cleansing Cream
€16.10
-
DHC
Pore Cleansing Oil
€16.50
-
Dermalogica
Precleanse
€56.00
-
Estée Lauder
Take It Away Makeup Remover Lotion
€33.24
-
Cetaphil
Gentle Makeup Removing Wipes
€22.99
-
Pyunkang Yul
Deep Clear Cleansing Balm
€15.90
Step 2Cleanser
Cleansers with Matcha Green Tea, Centella Asiatica Extract, Niacinamide, and Salicylic Acid help manage breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks, while moisturizing components like glycerin and hyaluronic acid keep skin soft and hydrated. These cleansers are used every morning, every evening, and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
B.LAB
Matcha Hydrating Foam Cleanser
€13.98
-
CeraVe
Foaming Facial Cleanser
€11.35
-
Paula's Choice
Perfectly Balanced Foaming Cleanser
€32.00
-
Paula's Choice
CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser
€25.00
-
Torriden
DIVE IN Cleansing Foam
€20.99
-
Pyunkang Yul
Deep Cleansing Foam
€14.19
-
Pyunkang Yul
Low pH Cleansing Water
€15.99
-
iS Clinical
Cleansing Complex
€67.02
Step 3Enzyme Powder
Enzyme powders with salicylic acid and papain help clear breakouts and blackheads, while formulas with licorice root extract and rice bran extract help fade post-acne marks and reveal smoother skin. This step is used once a week, in place of the evening routine.
-
Dermalogica
Daily Microfoliant
€49.00
-
FANCL
Facial Washing Powder
€30.65
-
Good Molecules
Pineapple Exfoliating Powder
€62.04
-
By Wishtrend
Green Tea & Enzyme Powder Wash
€16.71
-
Dermalogica
Daily Superfoliant
€66.00
-
NEEDLY
Mild Enzyme Cleansing Powder
€39.00
-
Anua
Rice Enzyme Brightening Cleansing Powder
€15.89
-
DHC
Face Wash Powder
€40.50
Step 4Cleansing Mask
Cleansing masks with salicylic acid and blue tansy help clear out pores and soothe breakouts on acne-prone skin. These masks are used once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
HERBIVORE Botanicals
Blue Tansy BHA and Enzyme Pore Refining Mask
€79.97
-
Origins
Original Skin Retexturizing Mask with Rose Clay
€15.50
-
Sand & Sky
Australian Pink Clay Porefining Face Mask
€50.77
-
Glamglow
Supermud Clearing Treatment
€31.98
-
Murad
Clarifying Mask
€28.00
-
ANUA
Heartleaf 70 Mud Cream Mask
€27.00
-
Dr. Sebagh
Deep Exfoliating Mask
€83.40
-
REN Clean Skincare
Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask
€42.51
Step 5Hydrating Toner
This step in your routine is used every morning and once a week in place of the evening routine. Hydrating toners with hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and centella asiatica extract help hydrate your skin, soothe inflammation, and balance dry and oily areas.
-
La Mer
The Tonic
€10.25
-
Some By Mi
Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Toner
€19.99
-
belif
Aqua Bomb Hydrating Toner
€25.95
-
Pyunkang Yul
Calming Deep Moisture Toner
€12.45
-
Paula's Choice
Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner
€36.00
-
ROUND LAB
Birch Juice Moisturizing Toner
€17.98
-
Beauty of Joseon
Ginseng Essence Water
€14.90
-
Etude House
Soon Jung pH 5.5 Relief Toner
€19.99
Step 6Serum or Treatment
Serums and ampoules with niacinamide, zinc PCA, and propolis help calm breakouts and balance oil production for acne-prone skin. These treatments are applied every evening and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
The Ordinary
Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
€5.75
-
Beauty of Joseon
Propolis + Niacinamide Glow Serum
€18.25
-
Peach & Lily
Glass Skin Refining Serum
€86.15
-
NEOGEN Dermalogy
Real Niacinamide 15% Firming Serum
€35.99
-
innisfree
Green Tea Enzyme Vitamin C Brightening Serum
€29.00
-
NEOGEN Dermalogy
Real Vitamin C Serum
€37.67
-
Purito
Centella Unscented Serum
€17.60
-
L'Oreal Paris
Revitalift 12% Vitamin C + E + Salicylic Serum
€29.18
Step 7Moisturizer
Moisturizers with yuja extract, niacinamide, glutathione, and arbutin help brighten dark spots and manage breakouts for acne-prone skin, while formulas with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin support hydration and repair. These products are used every morning and every evening, and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
Some By Mi
Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream
€17.90
-
CeraVe
PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
€39.42
-
COSRX
Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap)
€17.47
-
COSRX
Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
€14.90
-
COSRX
Full Fit Propolis Light Ampoule
€20.99
-
NEOGEN Dermalogy
Real Ferment Micro Essence
€35.95
-
innisfree
Green Tea Seed Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum
€29.00
-
MISSHA
Premium Cica Aloe Soothing Gel
€11.00
Research behind this routine
Glycerol and the skin: holistic approach to its origin and functions
Salicylic acid treats acne vulgaris by suppressing AMPK/SREBP1 pathway in sebocytes
Behind this routine
Lovi builds every routine from each product's 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.
-

Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-

Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-

Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-

Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-

Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-

Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-

Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-

Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
Get a routine for your skin
Scan your face, and Lovi builds a morning, evening, and weekly routine around your skin and goals.






































































