ZO Skin Health Exfoliating Cleanser for oily acne-prone skin
Salicylic Acid
Niacinamide
Ammonium Lactate
Glycerin
Tocopheryl AcetateSuperior
- HighOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
One of the best cleansers for oily acne-prone skin.
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 excellent cleansing for your oily skin, as sodium laureth sulfate and salicylic acid work to decongest pores and exfoliate effectively, while niacinamide and tocopheryl acetate provide soothing benefits.
- The moderate exfoliation from salicylic acid is well-suited for addressing your acne, blemishes, and breakouts, promoting skin renewal without irritation.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of beneficial compounds.
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
★4.8Overall rating based on 100+ reviewsUsers with normal to oily and acne-prone skin frequently praise this cleanser for its deep pore cleansing and oil reduction, leading to smoother skin and fewer breakouts. The formula's exfoliating beads and salicylic acid are noted for their effectiveness. Some users with drier or sensitive skin find it too aggressive, and a few mention concerns about counterfeit products when not purchased from authorized sellers. The high price point is also a recurring comment.
Highlights
Effective deep clean Mostly Mentioned
- “Leaves my face feeling fresh”
- “Removes all oil and dirt”
- “Skin feels incredibly clean”
- “Best for removing makeup”
Acne & oil control Often Mentioned
- “Keeps my acne at bay”
- “Reduces surface oil”
- “Helps with cystic breakouts”
- “Unclogs my pores”
Gentle exfoliation Often Mentioned
- “Beads melt into skin”
- “Not harsh or scratchy”
- “Gentle enough for daily use”
- “Smooths texture instantly”
High efficiency Sometimes Noted
- “A pea-sized amount is enough”
- “Lasts for months”
- “Lathers up beautifully”
- “A little goes a long way”
Non-stripping formula Sometimes Noted
- “Doesn't leave skin tight”
- “Hydrating finish”
- “Soft after washing”
- “Balanced clean”
Counterfeit concerns Sometimes Noted
- “Received a fake product”
- “Consistency was watery”
- “Beads didn't dissolve”
- “Smelled different than the clinic version”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “Very expensive”
- “Pricey for a face wash”
- “Hard on the wallet”
- “A splurge item”
Drying for some Rarely Noted
- “Made my skin peel”
- “Too drying for winter”
- “Left my face tight”
- “Not for dry skin”
Scent Rarely Noted
- “Smell is too strong”
- “Perfume scent is overpowering”
- “Smells like cologne”
- “Fragrance irritated me”
Sources: lovi.care, influenster.com, amazon.com, skinsort.com, bestviewsreviews.com, myfacedr.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes ZO Skin Health Exfoliating Cleanser one of the best fits for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is one of the best fits because sodium laureth sulfate and salicylic acid clear out pores and gently exfoliate, while niacinamide and tocopheryl acetate soothe your skin. This moderate exfoliation helps manage breakouts and encourages skin renewal without causing irritation.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is a great fit for your oily, acne-prone skin because sodium laureth sulfate and salicylic acid work to unclog pores and exfoliate, while niacinamide and tocopheryl acetate help soothe the skin. The salicylic acid provides moderate exfoliation that helps address acne and breakouts safely without causing irritation.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
What does Salicylic Acid do for oily acne-prone skin?
Salicylic acid helps clear breakouts and keeps oily skin balanced by reducing oil levels and calming inflammation. It is well suited for oily, acne-prone skin because it targets pimples while helping keep the skin hydrated and protected.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Experimental Dermatology, 2019
What does Niacinamide do for oily acne-prone skin?
Niacinamide helps balance oil production, calms redness, and is unlikely to irritate oily, acne-prone skin while improving blemishes. Clinical tests show it reduces excess oil and helps clear up both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne breakouts.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser fits into both your morning and evening routines as the main step for washing your face. It helps clear out pores and manage breakouts without causing irritation, thanks to ingredients like salicylic acid and niacinamide.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020BioMed Research International, 2020
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol by applying the cleanser first to clean your skin, and following up with your retinol treatment later in your routine. This helps clear out your pores while keeping your skin calm, as the formula washes away dirt without causing extra dryness.
How often should I use this cleanser?
This cleanser is a great fit for your oily acne-prone skin, helping to clear pores and soothe breakouts without irritation. You can use it daily in your morning and evening routine, starting just once a week if your skin is new to exfoliating acids and working up as tolerated.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog your pores or cause breakouts because ingredients like salicylic acid and niacinamide help clear out congestion and calm oily skin safely. It has an excellent safety profile with a low likelihood of irritation, though a small number of users may experience some dryness.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
This cleanser is designed for the face and may be too strong for the very thin skin around the eyes, though it is generally suitable for use on body breakouts. Its salicylic acid helps clear pores, but eye areas require extra gentle care to avoid irritation.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002BioMed Research International, 2020
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum, citronellol, hexyl cinnamal, limonene, and linalool).
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, 2020Twice 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, 2024The use of a salicylic acid-based dermocosmetic significantly reduces the needed quantity of benzoyl peroxide without impacting efficacy in mild to moderate acne, and as maintenance post-benzoyl peroxide allows a significant reduction of acne relapse compared to vehicle.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Cryotherapy 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, 2010Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005Application 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, 2020A 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, 2017The 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, 2020Ten 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, 2001Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024A topical antioxidant serum significantly reduced air pollution-induced skin pigmentation and proinflammatory gene expression ex vivo, and improved skin aging signs in 40 healthy adult females after 90 days of daily use.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Ingredients
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Acrylates Copolymer, Jojoba Esters, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Mannitol, Cellulose, Spiraea Ulmaria Extract, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Niacin, Niacinamide, Caprylyl Glycol, Laureth-2, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Sulfate, Disodium Edta, Ammonium Lactate, Salicylic Acid, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Sodium Pca, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzoic Acid, Parfum, Chromium Hydroxide Green Ci 77289, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool
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
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