Kanebo Suisai Beauty Clear Black Powder Wash for acne-prone skin
Enzymes
Amino Acids
Activated Charcoal
Moroccan Lava Clay
Lactic Acid
Average
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for acne-prone skin; other products fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. 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 for your combination skin, as activated charcoal and Moroccan lava clay help decongest the pores and provide gentle exfoliation. Lactic acid further supports this by offering mild exfoliation, though these ingredients primarily offer general cleansing benefits rather than targeted treatment for your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The formulation includes sodium hyaluronate, which provides some hydration, and protease and lipase enzymes that can aid in breaking down impurities.
- The safety profile is good, with no risks of irritation for your acne-prone skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components.
How to apply
- Use your enzyme powder cleanser as part of your PM weekly routine. Start by using it once a week and build up slowly if your skin is happy.
- Place this step after your regular cleanser and before applying your hydrating toner. Follow the weekly routine order for the best results.
- Mix the powder with a little water in your hands to create a soft foam. Gently massage onto your face and avoid rubbing too hard.
- Apply the enzyme powder cleanser on slightly damp skin to help activate the formula evenly. Make sure your face is clean before applying.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Do a patch test first and do not combine this with strong acids on the same night.
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 100+ reviewsBased on limited data, this enzyme powder wash is highly praised for its ability to deeply cleanse pores and significantly reduce oiliness, leaving skin feeling smoother and looking clearer. While users appreciate its travel-friendly design and effectiveness on acne-prone skin, some note that it can be drying with frequent use and is considered expensive per wash.
Highlights
Deep pore cleansing Mostly Mentioned
- “Blackheads on nose disappeared”
- “pores look smaller”
- “skin texture is much smoother”
Excellent oil control Often Mentioned
- “Keeps my T-zone matte”
- “great for greasy summer skin”
- “skin feels less oily all day”
Travel-friendly packaging Often Mentioned
- “Best travel cleanser ever”
- “so easy to pack”
- “no liquid spill worries”
Expensive per wash Often Mentioned
- “Too expensive for everyday”
- “wish it came in a bottle”
- “good but pricey treat”
Smooths skin texture Sometimes Noted
- “Face feels baby soft”
- “makeup glides on after”
- “removes rough patches”
Can be drying Sometimes Noted
- “Felt tight after washing”
- “too stripping for daily use”
- “need heavy moisturizer afterwards”
Wasteful packaging Sometimes Noted
- “So much plastic waste”
- “feel bad throwing away pods”
- “not eco-friendly”
Fiddly application Rarely Noted
- “Hard to open with wet hands”
- “powder spills easily”
- “needs a foaming net to work well”
Sources: lovi.care, yesstyle.com, stylevana.com, japanesetaste.com, kokorojapanstore.com, youtube.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Suisai Black Powder Wash work for acne-prone skin?
Kanebo Suisai Beauty Clear Black Powder Wash works reasonably well for acne-prone skin, as its activated charcoal, clays, and acids help clear out pores and gently smooth the surface. However, it offers general cleansing rather than targeted breakout treatment. To work best for acne-prone skin, this type of cleanser needs soothing and gentle ingredients that safely tackle breakouts while keeping the skin calm and hydrated.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Scientific Reports, 2017
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Activated charcoal, Moroccan lava clay, and lactic acid make this cleanser an average fit by helping decongest pores and gently exfoliating your acne-prone skin. To achieve a better fit, an acne-prone skin type needs targeted ingredients like niacinamide and licorice root extract that effectively treat breakouts while keeping skin calm and hydrated without irritation.
What do enzymes do for acne-prone skin?
Enzymes help calm acne-prone skin by gently clearing away dead buildup that can clog pores and lead to breakouts. This mild action helps keep skin smooth and clear without causing the irritation often triggered by harsher scrubbing.
What do amino acids do for acne-prone skin?
Amino acids help acne-prone skin by supporting a balanced skin barrier, calming redness, and working alongside ingredients like salicylic acid to reduce acne breakouts. Studies show that amino acid complexes also provide antibacterial benefits against acne-causing bacteria while remaining gentle on the skin.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2021Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This enzyme powder cleanser goes into your weekly routine as an exfoliating step, as well as in your morning and evening routines as a regular cleanser. It offers general cleansing and mild pore-decongestion benefits for your skin, though an acne-prone skin type needs targeted blemish-fighting ingredients and treatments for breakouts.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this enzyme powder cleanser in your routine, but because it is not a targeted treatment for breakouts, acne-prone skin needs a dedicated routine step with active ingredients like topical retinoids or benzoyl peroxide. When combining them, use the cleanser to wash your face first, and follow with your retinol treatment.
How often should I use this cleanser?
Start by using this enzyme powder cleanser once a week, and if your acne-prone skin tolerates it well without irritation, you may carefully use it more often. To truly tackle breakouts, your routine needs targeted blemish-fighting ingredients and treatments rather than general cleansing alone.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts because it has a good safety profile with no harsh ingredients, though it may leave skin a bit dry. Acne-prone skin generally needs targeted treatments with stronger blemish-fighting ingredients and oil-balancing components rather than general cleansing benefits alone.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Hyaluronic acid extracts are safe and efficacious products for skin repair when used in tissue regeneration alone or in combination with herbal or Western medicine.
Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Optimized transfersomes loaded with epigallocatechin-3-gallate and hyaluronic acid increased cell viability while reducing lipid peroxidation, intracellular ROS, and MMP expression in HaCaT cells, and exhibited higher skin permeation and deposition compared to plain EGCG.
Drug Delivery, 2017A bentonite-based facial mask with Alcea sulphurea extract combined with oral azithromycin significantly reduced total lesion count and acne severity index while enhancing patient satisfaction in patients with moderate acne compared to placebo plus azithromycin over 8 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Enzymatic hydrolysis of codfish skin using SM9913 extracellular protease yielded over 66% of collagen oligopeptide-rich hydrolysates with high bioactivity, including moisture-retention, antioxidant activity, and promotion of human dermal fibroblast cell viability, while proving to be nontoxic and nonirritating.
Scientific Reports, 2017Soap-and-water wash and superactive charcoal paste applied topically at various times after T-2 toxin exposure effectively reduced skin lesion severity in swine compared to untreated controls.
Fundamental and Applied Toxicology, 1989Vectorization of high molecular weight hyaluronic acid with clay enabled its penetration into deeper skin layers and led to a significant clinical reduction in fine lines in the crow's feet area compared to placebo after 28 days.
Skin Research and Technology, 2024Twice-weekly use of a clay mask over 4 weeks in 75 adults with oily or combination skin improved acne-related outcomes, sebum content, skin evenness, hydration, and reduced dryness and irritation.
Skin Research and Technology, 2023Clay jojoba oil facial masks reduced total skin lesions by a mean of 54% after 6 weeks in 133 participants with acne-prone, lesioned skin and mild acne compared to baseline.
Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012Application 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, 2020
Why other products fit acne-prone skin better
A 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, 2015
Ingredients
Tark, Coco, Ilex Paraguariensis, C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Laurate, Chondrus Crispus, Methicone, Activated Charcoal, Isostearyl Alcohol, Bht, Moroccan Lava Clay, Dpg, Silk, Heptyl Glucoside, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxide, Protease, Lipase, Methylparaben, Iron Oxides
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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