🇮🇹Italy

Paula's Choice Pore Normalizing Cleanser for combination skin

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

Paula's Choice Pore Normalizing Cleanser

Average

  • AverageCombination Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

Works for combination skin; other cleansers fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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 sodium laureth sulfate and sodium lauroyl sarcosinate effectively remove impurities, while glycerin provides humectant action to balance oiliness. The formula lacks specialized ingredients for pore normalization, which is a key concern for your oily shine.
  • Allantoin and panthenol offer soothing benefits, contributing to a gentle cleansing experience without irritation for your combination skin.
  • The safety profile is excellent, with no harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components suitable for sensitive skin.

How to apply

  • Use this cleanser AM and PM as part of your daily routine. Start 3×/week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
  • Apply this cleanser as the very first step in your morning routine and right after your pre-cleanser in the evening.
  • Gently massage a small amount of cleanser onto your skin using circular motions. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.
  • For the best results , apply the cleanser directly onto slightly damp skin to help lift away excess oil.
  • Avoid the immediate eye area and do a patch test before your first use to check for any sensitivity.

People Say

★4.4Overall rating based on 500+ reviews

Users with oily and acne-prone skin frequently praise this gel cleanser for effectively clearing breakouts and controlling sebum without stripping the moisture barrier. While most find it gentle and refreshing, a minority of users with combination or sensitive skin experienced dryness, tightness, or purging after use.

Highlights

  • Effective acne control Mostly Mentioned
    • “Holy grail for acne”
    • “cleared my clogged comedones”
    • “tackle my blemishes”
    • “fights spots.”
  • Gentle & non-stripping Often Mentioned
    • “Squeaky clean but not stripped”
    • “doesn't dry me out”
    • “gentle but does the job”
    • “no redness.”
  • Oil balancing Often Mentioned
    • “Keeps oil in check”
    • “removes excess oil”
    • “helped with oily t-zone”
    • “skin feels balanced.”
  • Makeup removal Sometimes Noted
    • “Cleans off leftover makeup”
    • “removes heavy makeup”
    • “takes off makeup very well”
    • “dissolves pore-clogging debris.”
  • Pleasant texture Sometimes Noted
    • “Great gel consistency”
    • “lathers up well”
    • “silky feel”
    • “refreshing gel.”
  • Drying for some Sometimes Noted
    • “Made my skin pretty dry”
    • “skin around lips went dry”
    • “felt tight after using”
    • “drying? yes.”
  • Breakouts/Purging Rarely Noted
    • “Broke me out”
    • “caused itchy papules”
    • “brought zits to a head”
    • “bad reaction.”
  • Packaging issues Rarely Noted
    • “Bad packaging”
    • “leaked in transit”
    • “cap broke easily”
    • “hard to dispense.”
  • Skin irritation Rarely Noted
    • “Slightly irritating”
    • “caused redness”
    • “felt slightly itchy”
    • “burned my skin.”
  • Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
    • “Chemical smell”
    • “bad smell”
    • “smells like medicine”
    • “weird scent.”

Sources: lovi.care, sephora.ph, sephora.com.au, dermstore.com, paulaschoice.com, cultbeauty.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does Paula's Choice Pore Normalizing Cleanser work for combination skin?

Paula's Choice Pore Normalizing Cleanser works reasonably well for combination skin, effectively washing away impurities and balancing oiliness while keeping the face calm and comfortable. However, because it lacks specialized ingredients for pore normalization, a cleanser for this skin needs pore-clarifying ingredients alongside soothing and hydrating agents to balance oil production and maintain moisture.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for combination skin?

Glycerin, allantoin, and panthenol help make this cleanser a good fit by balancing oiliness and soothing the skin without causing irritation. To work best for combination skin, a cleanser of this type needs ingredients that effectively balance oil production, maintain hydration for oily shine, and support the skin barrier while remaining exceptionally safe and non-irritating.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

What does Sodium Laureth Sulfate do for combination skin?

Sodium laureth sulfate is a cleansing ingredient that may leave combination skin feeling dry and can disrupt skin moisture if not balanced properly. A product of this type needs milder cleansing agents, moisturizing ingredients, and a balanced pH to keep the skin barrier calm and hydrated.

International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2026Food and Chemical Toxicology, 2001

What does Cocamidopropyl Betaine do for combination skin?

Cocamidopropyl Betaine helps clean combination skin without stripping natural moisture, making it a gentle option for daily use. It is widely used in cleansers to lift away excess oil while keeping dry areas comfortable.

Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for combination skin?

This cleanser works for your combination skin both morning and night, and helps balance oiliness while gently soothing without irritation. A product of this type for combination skin needs specialized ingredients that target pore normalization to properly handle oily shine.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

Can I use this cleanser with BHA, and in what order?

You can use this cleanser with BHA by washing your face with the cleanser first and applying your BHA treatment afterwards. This product is safe and gentle for your skin, though combination skin with oily shine works best with a cleanser that also includes specialized ingredients to help normalize pores.

How often should I use this cleanser?

You can use this cleanser twice a day in your morning and evening routine to wash your combination skin. It gently removes impurities while helping balance oiliness, but a product of this type for your skin needs specialized pore-normalizing ingredients to properly handle your oily shine.

Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?

This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts, as reviewers report only low risks for these issues and the formula features gentle ingredients. However, because it lacks specialized ingredients for pore normalization, combination skin with oily shine needs a product that includes targeted pore-clearing agents and oil-balancing components.

Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?

You can use this cleanser on your body, but you should use caution around the thin skin of the eyes. Its gentle ingredients like glycerin and panthenol help keep skin hydrated and calm, making it unlikely to cause irritation.

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

What the research says

  • 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

  • Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.

    American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

  • A new topical panthenol-containing emollient significantly improved transepidermal water loss reduction, stratum corneum hydration, and intercellular lipid lamellae length compared with control in healthy subjects without negatively impacting bacterial viability.

    The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017

  • A topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.

    Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020

  • Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) treatment decreases lipid membrane chain conformational order and stiffness leading to increased water sorption and diffusivity, whereas sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES) treatment increases lipid membrane conformational order and stiffness with increased water sorption capacity driven by its hygroscopic nature.

    Langmuir, 2014

  • The cytotoxic effect of sodium lauryl sulphate on normal human keratinocytes was significantly decreased when combined with cocamidopropyl betaine, Tween 20, and Tween 80 at concentrations well below the critical micelle concentration.

    Skin Pharmacology and Applied Skin Physiology, 2003

  • The 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, 2020

  • Ten 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

  • Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012

  • Topical gel containing chitosan, 0.2% chlorhexidine, allantoin and dexpanthenol did not improve postoperative comfort regarding swelling and pain, but improved the wound's aesthetic appearance following impacted lower third molar extraction compared to no gel.

    Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2016

  • An overnight patch containing Allium cepa extract and allantoin safely promotes scar healing after dermatologic surgery, resulting in significantly greater reductions in observer- and patient-assessed POSAS scores compared to no treatment.

    Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2018

  • Prophylactic application of a topical scar gel containing Allium cepae extract, allantoin, and heparin significantly improves patient-assessed scar color, stiffness, and irregularity compared to no treatment in women following a cesarean section.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2014

  • 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

  • Topical dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.

    Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000

  • Hyaluronic acid, hyaluronic acid plus dexpanthenol, and isotonic saline nasal sprays all significantly improved dry nose symptoms over four weeks in 240 patients, with hyaluronic acid plus dexpanthenol providing superior nasal moisturisation compared to the other two.

    Auris, Nasus, Larynx, 2020

Ingredients

Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Peg-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Allantoin, Panthenol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, 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 5 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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