Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads for oily skin
Lactic Acid
Lactococcus Lysate Ferment
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter
Papain
Tocopheryl Acetate
Average
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily skin; other products fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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 exfoliation for your oily skin due to lactic acid and papain, which help regulate desquamation and provide keratolytic action, though these benefits are primarily supportive and do not directly address oily shine.
- The formula is highly suitable for oily skin and generally safe, as it lacks harsh ingredients that could cause irritation.
- 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 exfoliant product as part of your PM routine once a week. Start slowly and build up frequency only if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin and let it absorb fully. Avoid any harsh rubbing to keep your skin calm.
- Apply the exfoliant directly onto completely dry skin to get the best balance and results. Clean, dry skin helps the product work evenly.
- Always avoid the delicate eye area when applying. Be sure to use a broad-spectrum SPF 30+ daily while using exfoliating acids.
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 8.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users consistently praise these pads for delivering "glass-like" skin by smoothing rough texture and brightening dull complexions without the irritation often associated with acid exfoliators. While highly effective for reducing dark spots and milia, a small minority of users experienced purging or breakouts, and some found the strong fragrance polarizing.
Highlights
Smoother skin texture Mostly Mentioned
- “baby soft”
- “glass skin”
- “rough patches”
Brightening and radiance Often Mentioned
- “healthy glow”
- “radiant complexion”
- “brighter skin tone”
Gentle exfoliation Often Mentioned
- “non-irritating”
- “gentle enough for daily use”
- “safe for sensitive skin”
High price point Often Mentioned
- “expensive”
- “pricey”
- “luxury splurge”
Convenient application Sometimes Noted
- “pre-soaked”
- “easy one-step”
- “pleasant spa-like scent”
Reduces imperfections Sometimes Noted
- “faded dark spots”
- “reduced milia”
- “smaller appearing pores”
Breakouts or purging Rarely Noted
- “terrible spots”
- “purging phases”
- “worsened acne”
Drying or irritating Rarely Noted
- “dryness”
- “slight stinging”
- “redness”
Strong fragrance Rarely Noted
- “overpowering”
- “too strong”
- “perfumey”
Sources: lovi.care, dermstore.com, sephora.co.uk, ulta.com, johnlewis.com, lovelyskin.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads work for oily skin?
Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads offer moderate exfoliation for oily skin with lactic acid and papain, though they do not directly control excess oil or shine. To better manage oily skin, a product of this type needs ingredients like niacinamide, zinc PCA, and ferulic acid to control sebum and pores while keeping the skin balanced.
Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2015Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021
Which ingredients make this exfoliant a good fit for oily skin?
Lactic acid and papain make this exfoliant a good fit for oily skin by helping sweep away dead cells, while being safe and unlikely to cause irritation. Oily skin often needs ingredients like niacinamide, zinc pca, and ferulic acid to control shine and address excess oil.
Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2015Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021
What does Lactic Acid do for oily skin?
Lactic acid helps manage oily skin by significantly reducing oil production and pore size while improving moisture levels. It supports a clearer and smoother look through gentle surface renewal.
What does Lactococcus Ferment Lysate do for oily skin?
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate helps keep oily skin calm and balanced while strengthening the skin barrier. Because it supports the skin's natural defenses and reduces irritation, this type of ingredient helps oily skin stay smooth and less prone to redness. Oily skin of this type needs lightweight hydrators and balancing ingredients that control shine without clogging pores.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023Scientific Reports, 2023
Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This exfoliant treatment goes in your evening routine, starting at once a week so you can see how your skin reacts. Because it does not directly target oily shine, an oily skin routine also needs products with ingredients that control excess oil and balance sebum.
Can I use this exfoliant with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this exfoliant with retinol by applying the exfoliant first and following with your retinol on separate nights or alternating days to avoid irritation. Oily skin also benefits from oil-controlling ingredients and direct sebum-regulating treatments that target shine.
How often should I use it?
Start by using this exfoliant treatment once a week in your evening routine, and if your oily skin tolerates it well and you see good results, you may carefully use it more often. Oily skin also needs ingredients that directly regulate oil production and shine.
Can this exfoliant clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This exfoliant is unlikely to cause breakouts or clogged pores for oily skin, as it has a very safe formula with no harsh ingredients that typically trigger irritation. An oily skin type still needs a product with ingredients that actively help control excess oil and shine.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum). Behenyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Application of a cream containing lactic acid 12% and pramoxine HCl 1% significantly improved skin dryness, hydration, and itch compared with a nontreated control in 24 women with a history of dry itchy skin.
Cutis, 2004Topical 12% ammonium lactate produced a significant sparing of epidermal and dermal atrophy induced by clobetasol propionate in human volunteers, without influencing the corticosteroid's bioavailability or antiinflammatory properties.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1992A lactic acid/ceramide lotion significantly improved skin moisturization and desquamation compared to no treatment in women with dry, rough skin on the anterior shins.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020A combination cream of stimu-tex AS and saccharide isomerate reduced erythema, increased skin capacitance, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to placebo in 20 subjects after fractional CO2 laser procedure without causing serious adverse events.
Lasers in Medical Science, 2025A skin barrier restoring cream with shea butter, silkflo, and vitamin E increased type I procollagen synthesis, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, decreased reactive oxygen species generation, and promoted hyaluronic acid production in H2O2-stimulated human keratinocyte cells compared to untreated cells.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025Topical papain treatment may slightly decrease pain within 30 minutes in humans stung by Chrysaora chinensis compared to placebo.
Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 2016A fixed combination of hydroxypinacolone retinoate, retinol glycospheres, and papain glycospheres in aqueous gel applied once daily for 12 weeks achieved a 41% mean reduction in GAGS score and a 40.8% mean reduction in total lesions, with 15.3% of patients experiencing mild to moderate local side effects, in 94 evaluable patients with comedonal-papular, mild to moderate acne of the face.
Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2015Reflux extraction of Carica papaya leaves yielded higher antioxidant capacity and superior in vitro wound-healing activities including fibroblast proliferation, cell migration, and collagen synthesis in human skin fibroblasts compared to ultrasonic-assisted extraction and agitation.
Molecules, 2020Topical 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, 2024
Why other products fit oily skin better
A panthenol-enriched mask improved skin hydration, regulated sebum, and reduced redness and TEWL across dry sensitive, oily sensitive, and oily acne skin subgroups with excellent tolerance and no adverse reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Niacinamide and ferulic acid incorporated in a stable multiple emulsion successfully reduced melanin, sebum, and skin erythema while improving skin elasticity and hydration in human skin compared to a placebo.
BioMed Research International, 2022
Ingredients
Water, Butylene Glycol, Lactococcus Lysate Ferment, Polysorbate 20, Methyl Gluceth-20, Lactic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Betaine, Propylene Glycol, Disodium Edta, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Dehydroacetic Acid, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Papain, Saponins, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, Behenyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Stearyl Alcohol, Poria Cocos Extract, Protease, Saponaria Officinalis Root Extract Leaf, Subtilisin, Tocopheryl Acetate
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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