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Shiseido Complete Cleansing Microfoam for skin with dark spots

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

Shiseido Complete Cleansing Microfoam

Average

  • HighNormal Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • ConcerningSafety

Works for skin with dark spots; other cleansers fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dark spots: hyperpigmentation, sun spots, and uneven skin tone. 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

  • Suitable for normal skin due to the presence of glycerin and betaine with humectant action, and rice germ oil and tocopherol with antioxidant activity, this product offers moderate cleansing benefits relevant for pore decongestion.
  • While it provides general skincare benefits like hydration and cleansing, these are not directly targeted towards your pigmentation concerns.

How to apply

  • You can use this cleanser AM and PM every single day. Start slowly 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin likes it.
  • Apply this cleanser as the first step in your morning routine or the second step in your evening routine. Follow it with toner and moisturizer.
  • Massage a small amount of cleanser gently onto your face using circular motions. Rinse well with lukewarm water and pat dry.
  • For the best results, apply your cleanser directly to wet skin to help wash away dirt. Make sure your face is clean before you begin.
  • Avoid getting the cleanser in your eyes. Always do a quick patch test before using the product for the very first time.

People Say

★4.7Overall rating based on 300+ reviews

This cleanser is highly praised for its dense, luxurious foam that effectively removes light makeup and impurities without stripping the skin. Most users report that it leaves their skin feeling soft and hydrated. However, some users find it requires a second cleanse for heavy or waterproof makeup.

Highlights

  • Hydrating and gentle Mostly Mentioned
    • “leaves skin feeling smooth and hydrated”
    • “doesn't strip away essential moisture”
    • “skin feels soft... not tight”
  • Effective for daily use Often Mentioned
    • “gentle but does its job”
    • “removes makeup and impurities at once”
    • “great for sensitive skin”
  • Luxurious foam texture Often Mentioned
    • “dense, creamy lather”
    • “rich lather that lasted”
    • “airy foam feels lightweight”
  • Pleasant scent Sometimes Noted
    • “smells like a high-end spa”
    • “subtle, clean scent”
    • “smell is light and amazing”
  • High price point Sometimes Noted
    • “not worth the heavy price tag”
    • “product is unbelievable... but expensive”
    • “too pricey”
  • Struggles with makeup Sometimes Noted
    • “doesn't remove all of my eye makeup”
    • “too gentle to remove even sunscreen”
    • “doesn't remove waterproof lipstick”
  • Oily residue Rarely Noted
    • “left my face feeling oily”
    • “waxy feel to your face”
    • “oily after-feel”
  • Scent sensitivity Rarely Noted
    • “strong fragrance”
    • “irritated my hands”
    • “scent... adds to experience”

Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, macys.com, influenster.com, shiseido.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does Shiseido Complete Cleansing Microfoam work for skin with dark spots?

This cleanser works moderately well for your skin, though it does not directly target pigmentation concerns like dark spots. A cleanser for this skin needs ingredients that are very safe, soothe the skin, and actively help with dark spots while keeping the face soft and hydrated.

Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for skin with dark spots?

This cleanser does not contain ingredients that directly target dark spots, though glycerin and betaine help keep your skin hydrated. Skin with dark spots needs products that are very safe with no irritation risk, effectively address pigmentation with soothing and hydrating ingredients, cleanse excellently, and are perfectly suitable for normal skin.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

What does Glycerin do for skin with dark spots?

Glycerin helps keep dry skin hydrated and supports a healthy skin barrier, which makes skin feel soft and smooth. While it does not directly fade dark spots on its own, it is often added to spot-fading products to keep the skin comfortable while other ingredients work.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2017

What does Sodium Laureth Sulfate do for skin with dark spots?

Sodium laureth sulfate does not treat dark spots and can strip moisture and dry out skin. Because it disrupts the skin barrier, this type of product for uneven skin needs gentle cleansers paired with soothing ingredients like glycerin and niacinamide.

International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2026

Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for skin with dark spots?

This cleanser goes in your morning routine and evening routine, before your hydrating or cleansing toner, moisturizer, and sun protection. While it cleanses and hydrates, this skin with dark spots needs targeted brightening ingredients and treatments to effectively fade discoloration.

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

You can use this cleanser in your routine before applying retinol, as it helps clear pores and hydrate skin with glycerin and betaine. However, a product for this skin needs targeted brightening ingredients like vitamin C or specialized treatments to properly address dark spots.

How often should I use this cleanser?

You can use this cleanser daily in the morning and evening as part of your routine. While it offers moderate cleansing and hydration, skin with dark spots needs a cleanser with brightening ingredients to help fade pigmentation.

Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for skin with dark spots?

This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores for skin with dark spots, as it provides moderate cleansing to help keep pores clear. However, it does not target pigmentation concerns, so skin with dark spots needs brightening ingredients like vitamin C or niacinamide to help even out skin tone.

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

You can use this cleanser on the body, but it is not specifically formulated for the thin skin around the eyes. Cleansers used for body skin and general areas need gentle cleansing agents and hydrating ingredients like glycerin and betaine to keep the skin comfortable without stripping away essential moisture.

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002

Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It contains fragrance (parfum and linalool) and drying alcohol (alcohol denat).

What the research says

  • A topical serum containing vitamin C, vitamin E, and raspberry leaf cell culture extract improved skin color, elasticity, radiance, smoothness, scaliness, and wrinkles compared to the untreated contralateral side in fifty female volunteers.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • A Hamamelis virginiana leaf extract increased LOXL1 expression twofold, decreased elafin synthesis, restored functional elastic fibers, reduced nonfunctional elastin aggregates, decreased wrinkles, and improved skin firmness.

    Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2018

  • Hamamelis bark proanthocyanidins strongly increased the proliferation of cultured human keratinocytes and reduced transepidermal water loss and erythema formation in SLS-irritated skin, whereas the polysaccharide fraction had no effect.

    Phytochemistry, 2001

  • Witch hazel bark extract and hamamelitannin showed pronounced anti-inflammatory activity, supported keratinocyte migration in a wound healing assay, and inhibited Staphylococcus aureus growth, whereas their skin microbiota metabolite ellagic acid stimulated inflammatory mediator release.

    Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2025

  • Bacterial cellulose wound dressing containing silk sericin and PHMB improved wound quality and reduced pain compared to Bactigras in patients with split-thickness skin graft donor-site wounds.

    Archives of Dermatological Research, 2018

  • A bacterial nanocellulose wound dressing incorporating polyhexamethylene biguanide and sericin showed no skin irritation in healthy volunteers and significantly promoted wound healing with lower wound size and higher collagen formation in full-thickness rat wounds compared to controls.

    Archives of Dermatological Research, 2016

  • Topical application of sericin gels increased skin intrinsic moisturization, hydroxyproline content, and epidermal hydration while decreasing transepidermal water loss and skin impedance in healthy human volunteers.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2005

Why other cleansers fit skin with dark spots better

  • Transgenic cucumber expressing poly-γ-glutamic acid synthesis genes increased water content by 6-14%, reduced water loss by 11-12%, decreased facial wrinkles and roughness by 19.58% and 24.97%, decreased skin melanin by 5.27%, and improved facial elasticity in human skin and zebrafish compared to controls.

    International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2024

Ingredients

Water, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Peg-8 Glyceryl Isostearate, Peg Ppg-14 7 Dimethyl Ether, Ethylhexylglycerin, Triethylhexanoin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Citric Acid, Disodium Edta, Bht, Linalool, Rice Germ Oil, Tocopherol, Witch Hazel Leaf Extract, Betaine, Hydrolyzed Silk

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

How does it fit your skin?

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How does it fit your skin?

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

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play