Skinbetter Science Refining Foam Cleanser for oily acne-prone skin
Glycolic Acid
Lactic Acid
Salicylic AcidAverage
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other cleansers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. 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, as glycolic acid, lactic acid, and salicylic acid work to decongest pores and regulate desquamation. These ingredients provide general cleansing benefits that address your concerns with acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The formula is highly suitable for oily skin due to the keratolytic action of these acids, which helps manage oiliness and shine.
- The product is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this cleanser as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using it daily to help clear your breakouts.
- Apply this cleanser as the first step in the morning and right after your pre-cleanser in the evening. Follow it with your toner and moisturizer.
- Gently massage a small amount of the cleanser onto your face using circular motions. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and pat dry.
- Apply the cleanser on slightly damp skin to help clean deeply and remove excess oil. This works best for oily skin types.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 900+ reviewsThis cleanser is praised for its ability to gently exfoliate and brighten skin, with many users reporting smoother texture and reduced congestion after consistent use. While it is highly effective for normal to oily skin types, some users with drier skin or those accustomed to the previous "Oxygen Infusion Wash" formula find the texture less satisfying or occasionally drying.
Highlights
Gentle exfoliation Often Mentioned
- “Gently exfoliates and purifies the skin, leaving it soft.”
- “Offers gentle exfoliation without irritation.”
- “AHA blend is effective but not harsh.”
Improves skin texture Often Mentioned
- “My skin felt smoother, and I noticed a visible improvement in texture.”
- “My texture improved noticeably.”
- “Softens rough patches and enhances your skin's natural glow.”
Brightens complexion Sometimes Noted
- “My skin is brighter and smoother after a few uses.”
- “Skin looked brighter and more refined.”
- “Enhances your skin's natural glow.”
Non-stripping cleanse Sometimes Noted
- “Works diligently to remove excess oil... yet it does so in a way that feels gentle.”
- “Cleans well without stripping my skin.”
- “Leaves it feeling clean but not tight.”
Less luxurious feel Sometimes Noted
- “I didn't get a luxury feeling when using this product.”
- “The new formula just doesn't hit the same.”
- “It felt like an unscented version of a foaming hand soap.”
Can be drying Rarely Noted
- “Too drying for my combination skin.”
- “Can feel a bit drying if I use too much.”
- “I experienced a little tightness afterward.”
Inconsistent deep clean Rarely Noted
- “I still feel some residue after rinsing.”
- “I didn't feel like my skin was getting a proper deep cleanse.”
- “I find myself needing to double-cleanse... to get that really clean feeling.”
Sources: lovi.care, ellemesmedspa.com, lovelyskin.com, lazskincare.com, reddit.com, dermapproved.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Refining Foam Cleanser work for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser works moderately well for oily acne-prone skin, as its glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acids help clear out pores and manage shine. It is generally safe for your skin with low risk of irritation. Cleansers that fit this skin type better need soothing and effective ingredients like Niacinamide, ceramides, or probiotics to balance oil production without causing excess dryness.
BioMed Research International, 2020Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Glycolic acid, lactic acid, and salicylic acid make this cleanser a good fit by clearing pores and managing oiliness and shine. To be an even better fit for oily acne-prone skin, a product of this type needs soothing and protective ingredients like niacinamide and ceramides, along with probiotics, to balance oil and clear blemishes safely without causing excess dryness or irritation.
BioMed Research International, 2020Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
What does Glycolic Acid do for oily acne-prone skin?
Glycolic acid helps clear acne-prone skin by reducing pimples and soothing breakouts. It exfoliates the surface to keep pores clear and leaves the skin feeling smooth.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Dermatologic Surgery, 2014
What does Lactic Acid do for oily acne-prone skin?
Lactic acid helps oily acne-prone skin by gently clearing pores and reducing breakouts, which supports a smoother and clearer face. Using appropriate cosmetic acids helps calm red bumps and works well alongside acne treatments.
Der Hautarzt; Zeitschrift Fur Dermatologie, Venerologie, und Verwandte Gebiete, 2010Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2023
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser goes in the morning and evening routine, before your toner, moisturizer, and other steps. An oily acne-prone routine needs a gentle cleanser with exfoliating acids and soothing ingredients to help clear pores and manage shine.
BioMed Research International, 2020Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol by using it to wash your face before applying your retinoid, though this skin type often does better with a gentler, hydrating wash that supports the skin barrier alongside retinol treatments.
How often should I use this cleanser?
Start using this cleanser once a week, and if your skin handles it well and you see good results, you may carefully use it more often. This helps your skin adjust to the exfoliating acids while managing oiliness and breakouts.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts because it uses glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acids to clear out pores and manage oil. However, because it actively clears congestion, you may experience mild purging when you first start using it.
BioMed Research International, 2020Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
This cleanser is safe for use on the body, but it is not meant for the thin skin around the eyes where irritation is more likely. Oily skin on the body and face needs cleansers with exfoliating acids like glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acid to help clear out pores and manage extra shine.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002BioMed Research International, 2020
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020Glycolic acid, salicylic acid, gluconolactone, and licochalcone A combined with 0.1% adapalene showed no hindrance compared to adapalene monotherapy and provided benefits in reducing complications in 25 subjects with mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Twice daily application of a multitargeted dermocosmetic cream provided comparable efficacy to benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in reducing inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesions in 150 Caucasian subjects with mild-to-moderate acne over 56 days, while demonstrating superior skin tolerability.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Repeated 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, 2000Serial 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, 2017Application 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, 2020Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.
CMAJ, 2010Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid achieved the greatest lesion reduction at early 2 to 4 week time points compared to benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin, and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin, while 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin showed similar efficacy at 10 to 12 weeks in acne patients.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2010
Ingredients
Water, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Pca, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, 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.
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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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