DHC Pore Cleansing Oil for oily acne-prone skin
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract
Grapefruit Peel Extract
Glycerin
Olea Europaea Oil Fruit Olive Oil Fruit
Butylene Glycol
High
- SuperiorOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for oily acne-prone skin; a few pre-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
- Excellent suitability for your oily skin is provided by Zinc PCA and Fomes Officinalis Extract, which help regulate oil production and refine pores, addressing your concerns about oiliness and breakouts.
- The formula also offers moderate benefits for acne and blemishes through 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, which aids in brightening the skin, and effectively removes makeup without stripping your skin thanks to cleansing agents like Ppg-13-Decyletra-Deceth 24 and hydrating Glycerin.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing agents like Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate and Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract.
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 500+ reviewsUsers with oily and acne-prone skin praise this oil for its lighter, gel-like texture and refreshing citrus scent compared to the heavier original version. While many report effective makeup removal and a reduction in perceived oiliness, results regarding actual pore shrinkage and blackhead removal are mixed, with some seeing drastic improvements and others noticing little change.
Highlights
Effective makeup removal Mostly Mentioned
- “dissolves foundation”
- “removes waterproof mascara”
- “cleans thoroughly”
Ideal for oily skin Often Mentioned
- “lightweight”
- “non-greasy”
- “balances sebum”
- “gel-like texture”
Pleasant citrus scent Often Mentioned
- “fresh”
- “grapefruit”
- “orange”
- “lemon”
- “relaxing aroma”
Gentle and non-stripping Sometimes Noted
- “leaves skin soft”
- “not tight”
- “hydrating”
- “smooth finish”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “expensive for size”
- “pricey”
- “small bottle”
Mixed pore results Sometimes Noted
- “no change in pores”
- “blackheads remained”
- “didn't shrink pores”
Eye area sensitivity Rarely Noted
- “stings eyes”
- “requires separate eye remover”
- “blurry vision”
Harder to find Rarely Noted
- “out of stock”
- “less available than Deep version”
Sources: lovi.care, dhccare.com, femaledaily.com, skindeep.blog, intrice.blogspot.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes DHC Pore Cleansing Oil a great fit for oily acne-prone skin?
DHC Pore Cleansing Oil is a great fit for your oily acne-prone skin because Zinc PCA and Fomes Officinalis Extract help control oil and refine pores. The formula also brightens blemishes with 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid while hydrating glycerin and cleansing agents remove makeup without stripping your skin. It has an excellent safety profile with soothing ingredients like Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate and Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract that are unlikely to cause irritation.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Zinc PCA and Fomes Officinalis Extract help make this a great fit by regulating oil and refining pores for your oily acne-prone skin. The formula also includes 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid to brighten the skin, alongside soothing ingredients like Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate and Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract that keep irritation unlikely.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020Polymers, 2023
What does Orange Peel Extract do for oily acne-prone skin?
Orange Peel Extract helps fight the bacteria that cause breakouts, making it a great match for oily, acne-prone skin. Research shows it may work even better than common acne antibiotics to keep your skin clear and calm.
What does Grapefruit Peel Extract do for oily acne-prone skin?
Grapefruit Peel Extract helps balance oily skin by gently clearing away excess oil and calming redness linked to breakouts. It is unlikely to cause irritation when used in your daily routine.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This makeup remover goes in your evening routine as the first step before your cleanser. It removes makeup without stripping your skin and helps manage oiliness and breakouts.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this makeup remover in your evening routine before your cleanser, followed by your retinol treatment and moisturizer. It is unlikely to cause irritation due to soothing ingredients like dipotassium glycyrrhizate and calendula officinalis flower extract, which help keep your skin calm while using stronger treatments.
How often should I use it?
This makeup remover is used in your evening routine and your weekly routine as the first step before cleansing. It effectively removes makeup and helps control oil without irritating your oily skin.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020Polymers, 2023
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is a great fit and is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for your oily skin because Zinc PCA and mushroom extract help control oil and refine pores. It also removes makeup safely without stripping moisture, thanks to gentle cleansing agents and hydrating glycerin.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (limonene).
What the research says
Topical nicotinamide plus an antibacterial adhesive agent and zinc-pyrrolidone carboxylic acid combined with adapalene significantly reduced noninflammatory acne lesions by the second week of therapy compared to placebo with adapalene in patients with moderate acne vulgaris.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020A multi-component dissolving microneedle patch loaded with glabridin, 3-O-ethyl-L-ascorbic acid, and tranexamic acid effectively reduced chloasma and age spots while demonstrating safety in clinical evaluation, alongside significant antioxidant, anti-tyrosinase, and melanin-reduction effects in vitro and in vivo.
Polymers, 2023A topical formulation containing panthenol, niacinamide, and dipotassium glycyrrhizate increased skin hydration by 74.1% and reduced transepidermal water loss by 13.5% at 28 days compared to baseline and untreated control in 35 individuals with xerosis.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026Topical application of an aqueous gel containing 0.1% w/w naringenin demonstrated in vitro safety, significantly reduced UV-induced stratum corneum lipid peroxidation, and showed in vivo anti-inflammatory efficacy against methyl nicotinate-induced inflammation in human participants compared to a blank gel and untreated area, while chlorogenic acid, apigenin, and kaempferol displayed pro-oxidant profiles.
Frontiers in Chemistry, 2024Topical application of a naringenin-containing formulation protected hairless mice from ultraviolet B-induced skin damage by inhibiting edema, cytokine production, superoxide anion, and lipid hydroperoxides while maintaining antioxidant enzymes and glutathione levels.
PloS One, 2016Encapsulating naringenin, nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), and kaempferol into nanostructured lipid carriers provided prolonged release, stability, and antioxidant protection against oxidative stress in human keratinocytes, with an NDGA and kaempferol mixture showing synergistic antioxidant effects.
Pharmaceutics, 2021A 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, 2017The 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, 2001
Ingredients
Water, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Ppg-13-Decyletra-Deceth 24, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Arginine, Citric Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Disodium Edta, Zinc Pca, Fomes Officinalis Extract Mushroom Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Grapefruit Peel Extract, Cladosiphon Novae-Caledoniae Extract, Lemon Peel Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil Mandarin Orange Peel Oil, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract Olive Leaf Extract, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Oligopeptide-56-Amido Peg-75 Methyl Ether, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara Oil Flower, Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract, Punica Granatum Pericarp Extract, Artocarpus Lakoocha Extract Wood, 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.
-
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
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.