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ZO Skin Health Enzymatic Peel for acne-prone skin

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

ZO Skin Health Enzymatic Peel

Average

  • HighCombination Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

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 exfoliation for your combination skin, as glycolic acid and bromelain work to chemically and enzymatically address acne, blemishes, and breakouts. This keratolytic action promotes skin renewal and is highly suitable for your skin type.
  • The formulation is safe for your combination skin, with no harsh ingredients that would cause irritation.
  • The product provides moderate exfoliation for acne, blemishes, and breakouts due to the presence of glycolic acid and bromelain in concentrations that provide enzymatic and chemical exfoliation.

How to apply

  • Use this exfoliant PM once a week to start, and gradually increase if your combination skin tolerates it well. Always apply SPF the next morning to protect your clear skin.
  • Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toning, but right before your moisturizer step. This ensures the treatment targets blemishes effectively.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin without rubbing. Let it absorb for a minute before moving to the next step.
  • Apply the exfoliant on clean, dry skin to help control breakouts safely. Since your skin is not sensitive, this dry application method ensures good product absorption.
  • Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a patch test before your first use. Do not mix this exfoliant with other strong acids in the same routine.

People Say

★4.5Overall rating based on 1.8k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, this product is highly praised for its ability to gently exfoliate, leaving skin feeling smoother, brighter, and more radiant without significant downtime. Users frequently report that it effectively addresses dullness, rough texture, and minor sun damage, making it a popular choice for maintaining skin health between professional treatments.

Highlights

  • Smoother skin texture Mostly Mentioned
    • “Skin feels amazingly soft”
    • “noticeably smoother”
    • “promotes smoother texture”
  • Brighter complexion Often Mentioned
    • “Look renewed”
    • “brighter appearance”
    • “skin glow”
  • Easy to use Sometimes Noted
    • “Amazing and so simple”
    • “perfect at-home treat”
    • “simple application”
  • No visible peeling Sometimes Noted
    • “No obvious peeling”
    • “minimal downtime”
    • “no shedding”
  • High price point Sometimes Noted
    • “Expensive”
    • “investment”
    • “premium cost”
  • Requires consistency Sometimes Noted
    • “Takes time to see results”
    • “needs regular use”
  • Sun sensitivity Rarely Noted
    • “Increases sun sensitivity”
    • “must use sunscreen”

Sources: lovi.care, zoskinhealth.com, leboskincare.com, myfacedr.com, dermstreet.com, aptmedicalaesthetics.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does ZO Enzymatic Peel work for acne-prone skin?

This peel works reasonably well for your acne-prone skin, as glycolic acid and bromelain provide moderate chemical and enzymatic exfoliation to help clear breakouts. It has a safe profile that is unlikely to cause irritation, though an exfoliant treatment for this skin needs effective ingredients like niacinamide, propolis, or zinc PCA to provide balanced hydration and control oiliness.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019

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

Glycolic acid and bromelain make this exfoliant a good fit by providing moderate chemical and enzymatic action that helps address acne, blemishes, and breakouts. To fit acne-prone skin even better, an exfoliant of this type needs effective ingredients like niacinamide, zinc PCA, or propolis to balance oil and hydrate without causing irritation.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019

What does Glycolic Acid do for acne-prone skin?

Glycolic acid helps clear acne-prone skin by reducing pimples and breakouts. It also helps fade dark spots left behind by acne and controls skin oiliness, with very few side effects when used properly.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Dermatologic Surgery, 2014

What does Bromelain do for acne-prone skin?

Bromelain helps calm acne-prone skin by reducing swelling and irritation. This ingredient may also support clearer skin through its anti-inflammatory properties.

Molecular Carcinogenesis, 2012Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 1988

Where does this exfoliant go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?

This exfoliant treatment fits into an evening routine, starting at once a week so your skin can adjust. Acne-prone skin works best with products that offer gentle chemical exfoliation and soothing ingredients to help clear breakouts without causing irritation.

Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this treatment alongside retinol, but apply them on different nights to keep your skin calm and avoid irritation. This product needs soothing hydrators and gentle, non-irritating ingredients to keep acne-prone skin balanced.

How often should I use this exfoliant?

You can start using this exfoliant once a week, and if your skin tolerates it well and shows good results, you may carefully use it more often. This product of this type needs gentle exfoliating ingredients like glycolic acid and fruit enzymes to help clear blemishes while keeping your skin calm.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021

Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?

This product helps address acne and breakouts with glycolic acid and bromelain, but because it is an average fit for your skin, acne-prone skin often does better with a product that balances gentle exfoliation with soothing, oil-balancing ingredients.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019

Is this exfoliant fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.

What the research says

  • Repeated short-contact 70% glycolic acid peels provided superior results in atrophic acne scars compared to daily low-strength glycolic acid cream or placebo in 58 women over 24 weeks.

    International Journal of Dermatology, 2000

  • Serial glycolic acid peels combined with a modified Kligman formula significantly reduced facial PIH severity in Indian patients compared to the modified Kligman formula alone.

    Dermatologic Surgery, 2017

  • Oral bromelain slightly reduced pain compared to controls (mean difference -0.27) and topical bromelain reduced time to complete debridement by 6.89 days, with no major health risks reported.

    Nutrition and Health, 2023

  • An upcycled pineapple leaf fibre crosspolymer forms a physical barrier that protects against environmental aggressors while providing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antipollution, UV protection, hydration, and hair benefits.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2026

  • A coaxial electrospun core-shell nanofiber scaffold delivering bromelain and salvianolic acid B demonstrated sustained drug release, in vitro endothelial cell migration, increased capillary formation in an in ovo assay, and in vivo efficacy for skin regeneration and wound healing.

    Biomedical Materials, 2017

  • Topical papain treatment may slightly decrease pain within 30 minutes in humans stung by Chrysaora chinensis compared to placebo.

    Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 2016

  • 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

  • Reflux 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, 2020

  • Topical sulforaphane treatment reduced mottled skin pigmentation in humans and UV-induced pigmentation in wild-type mice through NRF2 and keratinocyte-specific IL-6Rα signaling.

    JCI Insight, 2020

  • Topical application of sulforaphane-rich broccoli sprout extracts reduced UVR-induced erythema by a mean of 37.7% in six human subjects.

    Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2007

  • Pre-treatment with sulforaphane and phenylethyl isothiocyanate significantly counteracted UVR-induced increases in apoptosis and decreases in catalase in human skin by inducing Nrf2-dependent antioxidant pathways.

    Pharmacological Research, 2013

Ingredients

Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycolic Acid, Dimethicone, Methylheptyl Isostearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Diglycerin, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Isohexadecane, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil, Dimethiconol, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Maltodextrin, Aleurites Moluccana Seed Oil, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Oleth-20, Bromelain, Algin, Tocopherol, Papain, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Disodium Edta, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin

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