Dermalogica Clear Start Breakout Clearing Foaming Wash for oily acne-prone skin
Salicylic Acid
Melaleuca Alternifolia Tree Oil Leaf
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil Lavender Oil
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Rhizome Licorice Root Extract RhizomeSuperior
- SuperiorOily Skin Fit
- SuperiorEffectiveness
- 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
- Excellent suitability for your oily, acne-prone skin is provided by salicylic acid and Melaleuca Alternifolia Tree Oil Leaf, which work synergistically to deeply cleanse pores and combat breakouts.
- Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil and Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract further enhance the formula by offering antioxidant benefits and soothing properties, complementing your skin's needs.
- The product is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of beneficial components like Melaleuca Alternifolia Tree Oil Leaf and Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract.
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
★4.7Overall rating based on 3.6k+ reviewsThis foaming wash is widely praised for effectively clearing hormonal and teenage acne on both the face and body without stripping the skin of moisture. While most users find it gentle and refreshing, a minority experience dryness or irritation, and some note a "purging" phase before seeing results. This summary is based on a very large amount of data and should definitely be taken into account.
Highlights
Clears acne Mostly Mentioned
- “helped keep oil under control”
- “3 pimples went away overnight”
- “cleared my hormonal acne”
- “great for teenage acne”
Gentle and non-drying Often Mentioned
- “doesn't strip my skin”
- “gentle enough for sensitive skin”
- “face feels clean not dry”
- “balanced cleanser”
Improves texture Sometimes Noted
- “brightened my skin”
- “skin looks healthier”
- “less oily throughout the day”
- “smooths texture”
Pleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “smells nice and fresh”
- “love the scent”
- “smells like orange peel”
- “refreshing botanical smell”
Versatile for body Sometimes Noted
- “helped tremendously with body acne”
- “use on face, back, neck”
- “cleared my back breakouts”
- “great for chest acne”
Price point Sometimes Noted
- “pricey but worth it”
- “expensive for a face wash”
- “wish it was cheaper”
- “good but costly”
Can be drying Rarely Noted
- “makes your skin really dry”
- “left my face feeling tight”
- “too drying for me”
- “caused flaky skin”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “do not travel with this it leaks”
- “bottle cap does not pop open”
- “packaging arrived damaged”
- “leaked in my bag”
Purging period Rarely Noted
- “skin may experience purging”
- “caused initial breakout”
- “had to wait for purge to end”
- “worse before better”
Skin irritation Rarely Noted
- “turning red around nose”
- “caused burning sensation”
- “irritated my sensitive skin”
- “skin became inflamed”
Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, sephora.com, dermstore.com, lovelyskin.com, adorebeauty.com.au, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Dermalogica Breakout Clearing Foaming Wash one of the best fits for oily acne-prone skin?
Salicylic acid and tea tree oil work together to deeply clean pores and fight breakouts on oily, acne-prone skin. Green tea extract and orange peel oil add soothing and antioxidant benefits, while the gentle formula avoids harsh ingredients to keep skin calm.
Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, 2007Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Salicylic acid and tea tree oil make this cleanser a great fit because they work together to deeply clean pores and help fight breakouts. Soothing green tea extract and licorice root further help calm the skin and keep it comfortable.
Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, 2007Journal 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 Tea Tree Oil do for oily acne-prone skin?
Tea tree oil helps target oily, acne-prone skin by fighting the bacteria that cause breakouts and reducing redness and pimples. It is unlikely to cause harsh side effects compared to stronger treatments, making it a well-tolerated option for clearing up skin.
Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, 2007The Medical Journal of Australia, 1990
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser goes as the first step in both your morning and evening skincare routines. It deeply cleanses pores and helps combat breakouts safely without harshness, making it a great fit for your skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, 2007
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser in your routine alongside retinol, using it before your retinol treatment. It helps cleanse pores and combat breakouts while keeping your skin calm, and is unlikely to cause irritation.
Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, 2007Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine. Salicylic acid and tea tree oil help deeply clean pores and fight breakouts while being very gentle on your skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, 2007
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is one of the best fits for your oily, acne-prone skin because salicylic acid and tea tree oil deeply clean pores and fight breakouts. It is very unlikely to cause irritation or breakouts, though a mild and temporary purging period may occasionally happen when you start using it.
Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, 2007Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
This cleanser is intended for facial use, so you should avoid applying it directly around the delicate eye area where skin is much thinner. It is unlikely to cause irritation if used on the body, though it is specifically formulated to deeply cleanse pores and combat breakouts on the face.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Topical 5% tea tree oil gel significantly improved total acne lesions and acne severity index compared to placebo in 60 patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris, showing 3.55 times and 5.75 times greater efficacy respectively.
Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, 2007Twice 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, 2024A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018An anti-acne hydrogel containing Aloe barbadensis, Garcinia mangostana, and Camellia sinensis extracts showed superior antiacne and antiblotch activities compared to 1% clindamycin gel in sixty subjects with mild-moderate acne.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Lactobacillus-fermented Chamaecyparis obtusa reduced inflammatory acne lesions by 65.3% compared to 38.2% with tea tree oil in 34 patients over 8 weeks, demonstrating superior efficacy, faster onset, and safety.
Dermatology, 2014Cryotherapy 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, 2010A 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, 2020Treatment 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, 2024Tea tree oil nanoemulsion containing adapalene gel demonstrated significantly greater reductions in total, inflammatory, and non-inflammatory acne lesions as well as acne severity index compared to adapalene marketed gel in 100 patients with acne vulgaris over 12 weeks.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 2022Topical tea tree oil treatment confirmed efficacy on Demodex mite blepharitis across fourteen papers evaluating chronic blepharitis compared to no treatment or alternative management.
BioMed Research International, 2022Weekly treatment with tea tree oil-saturated human amniotic membrane showed superior efficacy in healing pityriasis versicolor lesions and fungicidal activity compared to daily application of 1% tioconazole cream in 120 patients.
Cell and Tissue Banking, 2020A novel D-limonene and Gelucire 44/12 based microemulsion formulated with Labrasol and Labrafil M 1944 CS showed high stability, optical transparency, nanometric globule size, and a safe in vivo skin profile on mice ear skin.
Advanced Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 2021Polysaccharide-based O/W emulsions incorporated with lavender essential oil applied to cellulosic support are non-irritating, provide softness and moisturizing effects, and are safe for topical patch applications.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021Gellan gum hydrogel films co-encapsulating ofloxacin with tea tree or lavender oil achieved 98% wound contraction and completely healed epidermis in rats after ten days of treatment compared to baseline.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021Topical application of lavender oil significantly promoted wound contraction, collagen synthesis, and fibroblast differentiation with up-regulation of TGF-beta in a rat model compared to control.
BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2016Combining 755 nm alexandrite laser with topical licorice gel significantly reduces terminal hair counts compared to alexandrite laser with placebo in women with idiopathic hirsutism.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015Licochalcone A activated Nrf2 signaling, elevated cytoprotective enzymes, increased the reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio, and decreased reactive oxygen species in human fibroblasts and neutrophils, while a LicA-rich licorice extract lowered UVA-induced oxidative processes in vivo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2015Bioactive glycyrrhizic acid and oxymatrine ionic liquid self-assembled nanomicelles significantly promoted the transdermal permeation, subcutaneous retention, and anti-photoaging efficacy of palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 in cellular and animal models compared to unformulated peptide.
Advanced Science, 2025
Ingredients
Salicylic Acid, Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Acrylates Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Copolymer, Polysorbate-20, Melaleuca Alternifolia Tree Oil Leaf, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil Lavender Oil, Oleanolic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Spiraea Ulmaria Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Porphyra Umbilicalis Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Rhizome Licorice Root Extract Rhizome, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, 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
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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
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