Sarah Chapman Ultimate Cleanse for oily acne-prone skin
Isopropyl Palmitate
Caprylic Capric Triglyceride
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Tocopheryl Acetate Vitamin E
Retinyl Palmitate Vitamin A
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
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 moderate cleansing and soothing benefits for your oily skin, with ingredients like Decyl Glucoside and Anthemis Nobilis Oil Flower providing general support without targeting your specific concerns of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- While Isopropyl Palmitate and Caprylic Capric Triglyceride are effective for makeup removal, their emollient nature may not optimally manage excess sebum for your oily skin type.
- The product is safe for your skin, as it lacks harsh ingredients and includes soothing components like Glycerin and Ubiquinone, minimizing irritation risks.
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
★4.8Overall rating based on 600+ reviewsThis balm-to-milk cleanser is highly regarded for its luxurious, spa-like experience, effectively dissolving stubborn makeup and waterproof mascara without drying out the skin. It is especially favored by those with dry, mature, and sensitive skin for its hydrating and soothing properties, leaving the complexion feeling plump. A notable drawback is the polarizing, potent essential oil fragrance.
Highlights
Spa-like scent Mostly Mentioned
- “smells like a spa”
- “heavenly scent”
- “relaxing evening ritual”
- “divine smell”
Effective makeup remover Often Mentioned
- “melts waterproof mascara”
- “removes all traces”
- “dissolves heavy makeup”
- “no scrubbing needed”
Hydrating and non-stripping Often Mentioned
- “leaves skin soft”
- “never feels tight”
- “nourishing for dry skin”
- “plump and bouncy”
High price point Often Mentioned
- “very expensive”
- “pricey for a cleanser”
- “luxury splurge”
- “wish it was cheaper”
Luxurious texture Sometimes Noted
- “buttery balm”
- “silky consistency”
- “glides on skin”
- “pleasure to massage”
Strong fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “scent is overpowering”
- “too much camphor”
- “smell is too strong”
- “fragrance lingers”
Opaque packaging Rarely Noted
- “can't see amount left”
- “runs out unexpectedly”
- “heavy bottle hides content”
- “hard to gauge usage”
Requires cloth removal Rarely Noted
- “needs a flannel”
- “leaves oily film”
- “residue if not wiped”
- “heavy for morning”
Sources: lovi.care, sarahchapman.com, spacenk.com, lookfantastic.com, cultbeauty.co.uk, qvcuk.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Sarah Chapman Ultimate Cleanse work for oily acne-prone skin?
Sarah Chapman Ultimate Cleanse works moderately well for oily acne-prone skin, removing makeup effectively while providing general soothing benefits. However, its heavier oils and rich ingredients may not manage excess sebum or target breakouts. Makeup removers for this skin need lightweight hydrators and ingredients that help control oil and keep pores clear without adding extra weight.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser works for oily skin because it has gentle cleansers and soothing plant extracts like chamomile and glycerin that calm irritation without harsh effects. However, a product of this type needs lightweight hydrators and oil-control ingredients that manage excess sebum and target breakouts without heavy oils or pore-clogging components.
What does Isopropyl Palmitate do for oily acne-prone skin?
Isopropyl palmitate is likely to clog pores and worsen breakouts on oily, acne-prone skin. Products of this type for this skin need non-clogging, lightweight ingredients that help keep pores clear without adding heavy oils.
What does Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride do for oily acne-prone skin?
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride helps keep skin hydrated and prevents moisture loss without leaving a heavy feel. For oily acne-prone skin, this type of ingredient works best when it is lightweight, non-greasy, and paired with balancing or clarifying ingredients that do not clog pores.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
Sarah Chapman Ultimate Cleanse goes in the evening routine as a makeup remover before your cleanser. Oily acne-prone skin needs a makeup remover that manages excess oil and helps clear blemishes.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this makeup remover in your evening routine before your cleanser, but oily acne-prone skin needs a product that helps clear breakouts and manage excess oil.
How often should I use it?
You can use this makeup remover in your evening routine and weekly routine to take off makeup. This product works for your oily acne-prone skin, though an oily acne-prone skin type needs a product that also manages excess oil and helps clear breakouts.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This makeup remover may not optimally manage excess sebum for your oily skin type, though it is unlikely to irritate. Oily acne-prone skin needs lightweight, clarifying ingredients that clear pores and help control breakouts without heavy oils.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It contains fragrance (limonene and linalool) and drying alcohol (ethanol).
What the research says
Topical application of an emollient emulsion containing 15.0% caprylic/capric triglyceride doubled the amount of urocanic acid isomers and increased skin hydration with reduced transepidermal water loss in healthy subjects, though it did not prevent ultraviolet-induced urocanic acid isomerization.
Life, 2023Topical treatment with coenzyme Q10 formulas replenishes Q10 levels in the skin surface and deeper epidermis, augments cellular energy metabolism, and reduces free radicals while increasing antioxidant capacity in stressed skin.
BioFactors, 2015A 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, 2017Topical 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, 2025Dermatological 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, 2021Topical 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, 2024Over-the-counter retinol products provided only weak evidence for a mild ameliorating effect on fine facial skin wrinkle lines in randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled trials, and major methodological flaws call the validity of positive results into question.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2021A cosmetic niacinamide/peptide/retinyl propionate regimen significantly improved periorbital wrinkle appearance relative to a 0.02% tretinoin regimen at 8 weeks with comparable benefits at 24 weeks, while demonstrating significantly better tolerability in 196 women.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010A novel triple-active cosmetic formulation containing 4-hexylresorcinol, retinyl propionate, and niacinamide improved the visual appearance of photoageing similarly to 0.02% tretinoin and reversed a consensus gene signature associated with ageing in female adults while causing less skin irritation.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024
Why other pre-cleansers fit oily acne-prone skin better
Epigallocatechin-3-gallate significantly improved acne in patients compared to the control side during an 8-week clinical trial.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2013
Ingredients
Isopropyl Palmitate, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Peg-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Sorbitan Oleate, Peg-10 Laurate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ceteareth-6 Olivate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Alba Cera Beeswax Cera, Decyl Glucoside, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Water, Camphor Oil Bark, Eucalyptus Globulus Oil Leaf, Limonene, Bergamot Oil Fruit, Propylene Carbonate, Tribehenin, Ethanol, Ubiquinone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil Lavender Oil, Ceramide 2, Peg-10 Phytosterol, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Oil Fruit, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Glycerin, Retinyl Palmitate, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Linalool, Citrus Aurantium Amara Oil Twig Leaf, Lemon Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara Oil Flower, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil Mandarin Orange Peel Oil, Myrtus Communis Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Oil Flower, Myrocarpus Fastigiatus Oil, Mimosa Tenuiflora Bark Extract, Cananga Odorata Oil Flower, Jasmine Leaf Extract Flower, Rosa Damascena Oil Flower
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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