🇮🇹Italy

Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm for oily acne-prone skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm

Average

  • AverageOily Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

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 suitability for your oily skin as Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil and Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil provide antioxidant activity, but it lacks strong seboregulating ingredients for optimal oil control.
  • The cleansing balm effectively dissolves makeup and impurities due to Cetyl Ethylhexanoate and Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, offering general cleansing benefits.
  • The product is safe for your oily skin with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.

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

★4.7Overall rating based on 600+ reviews

This cleansing balm is highly recommended for sensitive and acne-prone skin, with users frequently praising its hygienic grinding dispenser and gentle, moisturizing formula that leaves skin soft. The innovative packaging and smooth texture are also commonly highlighted positive aspects. A significant number of users find the 50ml size runs out quickly and note that it may require extra effort to remove heavy waterproof makeup.

Highlights

  • Hygienic packaging Mostly Mentioned
    • “Innovative dial mechanism”
    • “sanitary dispensing”
    • “no dipping fingers”
    • “mess-free”
  • Gentle formula Often Mentioned
    • “Soothes sensitive skin”
    • “no tight feeling”
    • “safe for acne-prone areas”
    • “moisturizing finish”
  • Smooth texture Often Mentioned
    • “Melts instantly”
    • “spreads easily”
    • “non-greasy feel”
    • “emulsifies quickly”
  • Small quantity Often Mentioned
    • “Runs out fast”
    • “only 50ml”
    • “expensive for size”
    • “wish for larger version”
  • Effective daily cleansing Sometimes Noted
    • “Removes sunscreen well”
    • “dissolves foundation”
    • “clears pores”
    • “leaves no residue”
  • Packaging design Sometimes Noted
    • “Hard to see remaining amount”
    • “difficult to empty completely”
    • “plastic waste concerns”
  • Weak on waterproof Sometimes Noted
    • “Struggles with waterproof mascara”
    • “requires scrubbing”
    • “needs separate eye remover”
  • Eye irritation Rarely Noted
    • “Clouds vision temporarily”
    • “film on eyes”
    • “slight stinging for some”

Sources: lovi.care, oliveyoung.com, stylekorean.com, olivekollection.com, iherb.com, stylevana.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm work for oily acne-prone skin?

Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm works moderately well for your oily skin because it dissolves makeup nicely and brings soothing plant extracts, but it lacks strong oil control ingredients. A makeup remover for this skin needs to manage excess oil and prevent clogged pores without heavy oils or butters.

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

Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil and Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil make this cleanser a decent fit because they provide antioxidant activity for your skin. However, this skin type needs oil-controlling ingredients to manage excess sebum effectively.

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.

Life, 2023

What does Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil do for oily acne-prone skin?

Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil is unlikely to clog pores and helps calm redness for oily, acne-prone skin. This type of skin needs ingredients that reduce inflammation and balance oil without irritation.

Fitoterapia, 2012

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

This makeup remover goes in the evening routine before your cleanser to melt away makeup and impurities. It is safe for oily skin, but to keep your skin balanced, an oily skin routine also needs strong oil-controlling ingredients.

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 retinol treatment. It is unlikely to irritate your skin, but an oily acne-prone skin needs a product of this type with strong oil-controlling ingredients to manage oil best.

How often should I use it?

You can use this makeup remover in the evening to dissolve makeup and impurities as part of your routine. It has a safe profile with no harsh ingredients, but because it lacks strong ingredients to control oil, oily skin needs a product with added oil-balancing ingredients for the best fit.

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

This cleansing balm is unlikely to cause irritation on oily acne-prone skin, but it only offers moderate suitability because it lacks strong oil-controlling ingredients. A cleanser for this skin needs oil-balancing ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to help keep pores clear and prevent breakouts.

Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

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, 2023

  • Tea seed oil makeup remover successfully removed foundation and eyeliner without causing skin irritation in 20 human volunteers, with the 60% formulation showing superior foundation removal compared to other formulations and an olive oil benchmark.

    Annales Pharmaceutiques Francaises, 2017

  • Tea seed oil loaded nanostructured lipid carriers prepared with a combination of surfactants (NLC-C) showed significantly greater nontoxicity and hair growth-stimulating effects on human follicle dermal papilla cells compared to intact oil, while improving the sensory and diffusion properties of the hair serum.

    Pharmaceutics, 2022

  • Topical application of 0.05% w/w ECa 233 gel reduced erythema index by 0.03 U and improved early crusting and general wound appearance compared to placebo in thirty individuals undergoing facial laser resurfacing.

    Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2020

  • A 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, 2017

  • Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019

  • Grapeseed oil-loaded dermocosmetic nanoemulgel applied on the cheeks of healthy volunteers significantly reduced skin melanin, erythema, sebum production, and pores while increasing moisture and elasticity compared to a placebo.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022

  • Topical treatment with cranberry oil and grape oil improved wound healing in rats, with cranberry oil showing an 88.1% wound area reduction and grape oil showing 84.6% compared to 74.1% in controls and 78.4% in the mupirocin standard group on day 13.

    Phytotherapy Research, 2011

  • An ionic liquid-based grapeseed oil emulsion increased transdermal penetration by 4.63-fold and improved skin hydration, firmness, elasticity, and facial wrinkles after 28 days of continuous use compared to ordinary emulsion.

    Pharmaceuticals, 2024

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

Ingredients

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Peg-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Synthetic Wax, Peg-10 Isostearate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil Grape Seed Oil, Madecassoside, Centella Asiatica Extract, Asiaticoside, Water, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin

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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

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Prices checked 14 Oct – 6 Nov 2026

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

How does it fit your skin?

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

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