Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser for oily skin
High
- SuperiorOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for oily skin; a few cleansers fit it even better.
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
- Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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 suitability for your oily skin, as glycolic acid provides beneficial keratolytic action for managing excess sebum, complemented by glycerin's humectant properties for hydration.
- The cleanser provides moderate exfoliation, smoothing texture and addressing oily shine effectively due to glycolic acid's resurfacing benefits.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing agents like Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract and Allantoin.
How to apply
- Use your cleanser AM and PM every day to keep your skin fresh. Always make sure to follow with a good SPF in the morning.
- Apply your cleanser as the first step in the morning or the second step in the evening before your toner.
- Gently massage a small amount onto your face using circular motions, then rinse well with water .
- You can apply this cleanser safely on damp skin for a refreshing and easy wash.
- Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes and stop use if irritation occurs.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 400+ reviewsUsers consistently praise this cleanser for its ability to combat dullness and uneven texture, leaving skin noticeably brighter and smoother without the harshness often associated with glycolic products. While effective for most skin types, those with drier or sensitive skin often recommend using it once daily or every other day to avoid tightness.
Highlights
Gentle exfoliation Mostly Mentioned
- “non-stripping”
- “gentle enough for daily use”
- “doesn't irritate sensitive skin”
Brightens and adds glow Often Mentioned
- “lit from within glow”
- “undoes dullness”
- “radiant skin”
Pleasant sensory experience Sometimes Noted
- “fresh citrus scent”
- “jelly-like texture”
- “nice lather”
Smoothes skin texture Sometimes Noted
- “glass skin effect”
- “removes texture”
- “face feels completely flat/smooth”
Can be drying Sometimes Noted
- “tightness”
- “dry as a bone”
- “flaking”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “splurge”
- “luxury side of skincare”
- “expensive”
Effective cleansing Rarely Noted
- “remove makeup well”
- “cleanse away brightness blockers”
- “squeaky clean”
Eye irritation Rarely Noted
- “avoid eye area”
- “stings”
- “burns”
Initial breakouts Rarely Noted
- “mini freak outs”
- “small breakouts”
- “purging”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.co.uk, johnlewis.com, skinsort.com, lovelyskin.com, ulta.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser a great fit for oily skin?
This cleanser is a great fit for oily skin because glycolic acid helps manage excess oil and smooth texture, while glycerin keeps skin hydrated. It also includes soothing ingredients like calendula and allantoin, making it unlikely to cause irritation.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily skin?
Glycolic acid makes this cleanser a great fit for your oily skin by clearing away excess oil and smoothing texture, while glycerin adds hydration and ingredients like calendula and allantoin keep things calm without irritation.
What does Glycolic Acid do for oily skin?
Glycolic acid helps clear away dead skin and excess oil for a smooth, clean feel. It gently removes buildup from the surface, which keeps pores clear and skin looking fresh.
Molecules, 2023Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2011
What does Glycerin do for oily skin?
Glycerin helps keep oily skin hydrated without feeling heavy and supports the skin barrier. Because this product is a weak fit for your skin, an ideal product of this type needs lightweight hydrators and ingredients that balance oil while protecting the skin.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008International Journal of Toxicology, 2019
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This cleanser goes into your morning and evening routines as the first step after removing makeup. It helps clear away excess shine and smooths your skin without causing irritation.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser in your routine when using retinol, provided you use the cleanser and retinol at different times of day to prevent irritation. Using glycolic acid and retinol together in the same routine can cause excessive peeling and redness for oily skin.
How often should I use this cleanser?
This cleanser is a great fit for your oily skin because it manages excess shine while keeping skin hydrated. Lovi routines start exfoliating cleansers once a week, and people who tolerate them well and see good results can carefully use them more often.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This cleanser is a great fit for oily skin and is unlikely to clog pores, though initial breakouts may happen in rare cases. It helps manage excess oil and smooth texture safely with glycolic acid, while soothing ingredients help calm your skin.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
This cleanser is suitable for use on your body, but you should avoid applying it directly around your eyes. The skin around your eyes is significantly thinner than the skin on the rest of your body and face, making it much more sensitive to active ingredients like glycolic acid.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (limonene).
What the research says
A 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, 2017A topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020Repeated 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, 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, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012Clay 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, 2024Topical 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, 2025Topical application of Calendula officinalis extract cream significantly improved skin hydration and firmness (reflected in significant changes in R0 and R6 parameters) in 21 healthy human volunteers compared to a base cream.
Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica, 2011Treatment with standardized extract of Calendula officinalis L. led to a shorter epithelization time and faster healing speed compared to mineral oil in patients with acute skin loss wounds of the hand and fingers healing by secondary intention.
Tissue Barriers, 2022Topical administration of Calendula provides weak evidence of effectiveness in acute and chronic wounds compared to standard treatments based on a narrative review of available trials.
Wounds, 2008Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019
Ingredients
Water, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycolic Acid, Glycerin, Peg-6 Cocamide, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Succinoglycan, Jojoba Seed Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Grapefruit Peel Oil, Leuconostoc Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Urea, Allantoin, Polyquaternium-51, Trehalose, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Glyceryl Oleate, Coconut Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, T-Butyl Alcohol, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Pca, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Limonene
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
-

Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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