Darphin Aromatic Cleansing Balm with Rosewood for oily acne-prone skin
Rosewood Oil
Jojoba Seed Oil
Macadamia Seed Oil
Salvia Officinalis Oil
Vanilla Fruit Extract
Low
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A weak match for oily acne-prone skin; the pre-cleansers alongside 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 suitability for your oily skin as jojoba seed oil and rosewood oil provide some emollient action, but lacks strong seboregulating ingredients to fully address oiliness.
- The formula provides excellent makeup removal due to Hydrogenated Polydecene and Oleic Linoleic Linolenic Polyglycerides, though it lacks targeted ingredients for your specific concerns of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The safety profile is good, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components like rosewood oil and jojoba seed oil.
How to apply
- Use this makeup remover PM as the first step of your evening routine to clear away impurities. Start by using it 3×/week before working up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply this makeup remover before your regular cleanser and toner. Follow it with your usual cleansing steps to ensure all residue is thoroughly washed away.
- Gently press a small amount of the makeup remover onto your face using soft cotton pads. Avoid harsh rubbing to prevent irritating your blemishes and active breakouts.
- Apply the makeup remover on completely dry skin to effectively break down excess oil and makeup. Clean away thoroughly before moving on to the next skincare steps .
- Do a patch test before your first use to ensure your skin reacts well. Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes .
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 100+ reviewsBased on limited data, this luxurious balm is highly praised for its spa-like scent and rich texture that effectively removes makeup while leaving dry and dull skin feeling soft, hydrated, and radiant. Some users find the scent strong and the price point high.
Highlights
Divine Spa-Like Scent Mostly Mentioned
- “smells absolutely incredible”
- “divine thanks to Marula Oil”
- “like a well deserved me time”
- “ambiance of tranquility”
Luxurious Texture Often Mentioned
- “honey-like balm”
- “transforms into a silky milk”
- “rich and heavy consistency”
- “lush and lavish sensory experience”
Non-Stripping Hydration Often Mentioned
- “never made my skin feel dry”
- “leaves face feeling nourished”
- “skin is glowing and dewy”
- “epitome of hydration”
High Price / Low Value Often Mentioned
- “price is quite steep”
- “burning through my tub”
- “not good value”
- “amount is too small”
Effective Makeup Removal Sometimes Noted
- “melts away makeup”
- “removes face makeup really well”
- “takes off eye and face makeup”
- “cleanses squeaky clean”
Indulgent Ritual Sometimes Noted
- “invitation to indulge”
- “treat myself”
- “relaxing skincare ritual”
- “blissful purifying spa experience”
Difficult to Rinse Sometimes Noted
- “nightmare to remove”
- “leaves a coating”
- “sits there as a white milky substance”
- “hard to wash off”
Packaging Issues Rarely Noted
- “inconvenient... use a spatula”
- “heavy glass jar”
- “pain when travelling”
- “hassle to unscrew”
Potential Irritation Rarely Noted
- “tingling sensation”
- “eyes sting”
- “irritate someone's skin”
- “strong scent”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, allbeauty.com, mecca.com, notino.co.uk, escentual.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is Darphin Aromatic Cleansing Balm with Rosewood a weak match for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleansing balm is a weak match because it lacks targeted ingredients to control oil and breakouts, and its heavier oils and butters can clog pores or lead to excess oiliness. Oily acne-prone skin needs lightweight, non-clogging formulas with oil-controlling and breakout-minimizing ingredients.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a poor fit for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is a weak match because it contains rich oils and heavier components like jojoba seed oil and macadamia seed oil that can leave oily skin feeling overly slick and may clog pores. Makeup removers for this skin type need balancing ingredients that control excess oil and target blemishes without heavy oils.
Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024
What does Rosewood Oil do for oily acne-prone skin?
Rosewood Oil helps calm oily acne-prone skin by soothing redness and balancing skin oils. It is unlikely to clog pores and may help keep your skin clear and smooth.
What does Jojoba Seed Oil do for oily acne-prone skin?
Jojoba seed oil helps calm oily, acne-prone skin and may reduce blemishes when used regularly as part of your routine. Studies show it helps lower skin inflammation and supports a clear, balanced complexion.
Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024
Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This makeup remover goes in the evening routine before your cleanser, but it is a weak match for oily acne-prone skin because it lacks strong ingredients to control oil and breakouts. A product of this type needs targeted blemish-fighting ingredients and oil-balancing components to properly care for this skin.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this makeup remover in the evening before your cleanser and before applying your retinol. Oily acne-prone skin needs a product of this type that also includes targeted oil-controlling and breakout-clearing ingredients to properly manage blemishes.
How often should I use it?
This product is a weak match for your oily acne-prone skin, so you may use it in the evening to remove makeup while avoiding irritation. A makeup remover for this skin needs oil-balancing ingredients and targeted blemish-fighting components to properly manage breakouts.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser may not trigger irritation on your oily acne-prone skin, but it is a weak match because it lacks targeted ingredients for breakouts and blemishes. Oily acne-prone skin needs lightweight, oil-balancing ingredients and blemish-fighting components like salicylic acid to properly manage breakouts.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It contains fragrance (linalool and benzyl salicylate) and drying alcohol (alcohol).
What the research says
Clay jojoba oil facial masks reduced total skin lesions by a mean of 54% after 6 weeks in 133 participants with acne-prone, lesioned skin and mild acne compared to baseline.
Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012Topical application of jojoba wax reduced LPS-induced secretion of IL-6, IL-8, and TNFα by approximately 30% and increased the synthesis of pro-collagen III and hyaluronic acid compared to untreated skin in an ex-vivo human skin organ culture model.
Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024Linalool treatment at 30 μM prevented UVB-induced oxidative stress, oxidative DNA damage, and the activation of MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways in human dermal fibroblast cells compared to UVB exposure alone.
PloS One, 2017Cinnamomi cortex extract and its components epicatechin and linalool enhanced circadian amplitude, reduced oxidative stress, and upregulated skin barrier-related and ceramide synthesis genes in HaCaT keratinocytes compared to untreated controls.
Scientific Reports, 2025Topical jojoba oil application in male mice decreased exercise-induced pro-inflammatory gene expression (Il-1b and Il-6 in soleus, Il-1b in gastrocnemius) compared to untreated exercised mice.
Biomolecules, 2025Nanolipidgel formulations with argan or jojoba oil and humectants demonstrate good sensory attributes, instrumental properties, and moisturizing efficacy for cosmetic application.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2014Volatile compounds including 1,8-cineole, borneol, camphor, and thujone reduce PMA/I-stimulated IL-6 and IL-8 release by more than 50% in human gingival fibroblasts, proving more effective than rosmarinic acid.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2013Gelatin/vanillin/Fe3+/AGP-AgNPs hydrogels promoted wound contraction, reduced inflammation, upregulated dermal growth factors, and minimized skin irritation in rats and rabbits compared to untreated controls.
ACS Omega, 2025L-arginine-loaded chitosan/PVA/vanillin hydrogels achieved 95% wound healing after 24 hours and demonstrated sustained drug release for over 7 days alongside strong antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria.
RSC Advances, 2024Vanillin exhibited cytocompatibility, protected human keratinocytes and fibroblast cells against ROS-induced cell death with >80% survival, and increased cell migration in vitro.
Journal of Advanced Pharmaceutical Technology & Research, 2023
Why other pre-cleansers fit oily acne-prone skin better
Epigallocatechin-3-gallate significantly improved acne in patients compared to the control side during an 8-week clinical trial.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2013
Ingredients
Hydrogenated Polydecene, Oleic Linoleic Linolenic Polyglycerides, Glycerin, Hydroxystearic Linolenic Oleic Polyglycerides, Sorbitan Oleate, Peg-10 Laurate, Peg-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Behenate Eicosadioate, Polyglyceryl-10 Behenate Eicosadioate, Decyl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-10 Hydroxystearate Stearate Eicosadioate, Jojoba Seed Oil, Rosewood Oil Wood, Cananga Odorata Oil Flower, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Water, Beta-Carotene, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Behenyl Alcohol, Alcohol, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Dextrin Palmitate, Hexylene Glycol, Benzyl Benzoate, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Phenoxyethanol
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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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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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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