Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser for oily acne-prone skin
Amino Acids
Coco-Glucoside
Sodium Hyaluronate
Ceramide Np
Glycerin
High
- HighOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for oily acne-prone skin; a few cleansers fit it even 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
- Highly suitable for your oily skin, this cleanser effectively addresses oiliness with coco-glucoside and sodium cocoyl apple amino acids for pore cleansing, while glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide essential hydration without adding excess oil.
- The inclusion of amino acids and bisabolol offers soothing benefits, ensuring a gentle experience for your skin.
- This formula is safe for your skin, as it contains no harsh ingredients and is formulated with soothing components.
How to apply
- Use this cleanser as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using it daily to help clear your breakouts.
- Apply this cleanser as the first step in the morning and right after your pre-cleanser in the evening. Follow it with your toner and moisturizer.
- Gently massage a small amount of the cleanser onto your face using circular motions. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and pat dry.
- Apply the cleanser on slightly damp skin to help clean deeply and remove excess oil. This works best for oily skin types.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsThis water-based cleanser is highly regarded for its exceptionally gentle and non-drying formula, effectively cleansing the skin while preserving moisture. It is frequently recommended for sensitive, acne-prone, and dry skin types due to its calming properties and luxurious foam, leaving the skin feeling hydrated and smooth.
Highlights
Gentle and non-stripping Mostly Mentioned
- “doesn't dry out my face”
- “leaves skin soft like a baby”
- “no stripped feel”
- “moisturizing finish”
Rich, dense foam Often Mentioned
- “foam is rich and creamy”
- “lovely big flump of foam”
- “bubbles sound better than foam”
- “velvet foam”
Soothing for sensitive skin Often Mentioned
- “perfect for sensitive skin”
- “doesn't sting my eyes”
- “calming effect”
- “no redness after use”
Effective second cleanse Sometimes Noted
- “great for morning routine”
- “removes residue nicely”
- “perfect after cleansing oil”
- “ideal second cleanser”
Weak makeup removal Sometimes Noted
- “won't remove mascara”
- “more of a skin cleanse than makeup remover”
- “need oil cleanser first”
- “struggled with heavy foundation”
Fast consumption Rarely Noted
- “bottle goes fast”
- “used up quickly”
- “wish it was bigger”
- “pump dispenses a lot”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “prominent acidic hint”
- “smells slightly chemical”
- “weird scent”
- “medicinal smell”
Sources: lovi.care, iherb.com, yesstyle.com, stylekorean.com, picky.com, britishbeautyblogger.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser a great fit for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is a great fit because coco-glucoside and sodium cocoyl apple amino acids clean out pores and wash away excess oil, while glycerin and sodium hyaluronate keep your skin hydrated without feeling heavy. Amino acids and bisabolol calm your skin, and the gentle formula has no harsh ingredients.
Cureus, 2025Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Coco-glucoside and sodium cocoyl apple amino acids make this cleanser a great fit by effectively cleansing pores and removing oil. Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate add essential hydration without making your skin oily, while amino acids and bisabolol help soothe it.
Cureus, 2025Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What do Amino Acids do for oily acne-prone skin?
Amino acids help support oily, acne-prone skin by providing soothing and antibacterial benefits that keep skin calm and clear. They work well with ingredients like zinc and salicylic acid to gently manage breakouts and improve overall skin texture without causing irritation.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2021Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026
What does Coco Glucoside do for oily acne-prone skin?
Coco glucoside helps create stable formulas that support your skin's natural barrier while delivering beneficial ingredients to oily, acne-prone skin. It is gentle and unlikely to cause irritation when used in your daily routine.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser goes in the morning and evening routine as the first cleansing step, or as the second cleansing step in the evening after a makeup remover. Using a mild cleanser like this helps remove impurities and excess oil while keeping your skin hydrated and comfortable.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol, using it before applying your retinol treatment to gently cleanse your skin without harshness. Using a gentle cleanser with hydrating ingredients helps calm your skin and supports your skin barrier while using strong acne or anti-aging treatments.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser twice a day in your morning and evening routine to wash away excess oil and impurities. Using a gentle cleanser regularly helps maintain clear pores and keeps your skin comfortable without stripping away necessary moisture.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is a great fit because it cleans out pores without adding excess oil, and it is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts. It has a very safe formula with soothing ingredients that help keep your skin calm and balanced.
Cureus, 2025Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on your body, but you should use caution around the thin skin of your eyes. Its gentle ingredients cleanse effectively while preserving moisture, though the delicate eye area may require specially formulated products to avoid irritation.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (limonene).
What the research says
A soap-free cleansing lotion containing cetyl alcohol and sodium cocoyl apple amino acids reduced skin surface impurities and improved skin hydration, barrier function, and skin tone in 27 healthy adult subjects over 30 days.
Cureus, 2025A 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, 2017Coco-glucoside powered emulgels containing probiotics and prebiotics demonstrated stability without phase separation and preserved probiotic viability for up to 11 days, supporting the skin's natural barrier.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2025Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019The 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, 2020Ten 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, 2001Niacinamide/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
Ingredients
Water, Coco-Glucoside, Glycerin, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Hexylene Glycol, Potassium Cocoate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium Edta, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract, Glycine, Bambusa Vulgaris Water, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Aspartic Acid, Leucine, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Valine, Threonine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Cysteine, Methionine, Bisabolol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phytosteryl Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Ceramide Np, Limonene
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
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