Dermalogica ultracalming™ cleanser for oily acne-prone skin
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Glycerin
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Citric Acid
Average
- AverageOily 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 cleansing for your oily skin with Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate and Cocamidopropyl Betaine, effectively removing impurities without causing irritation. Glycerin provides some humectant action to maintain hydration, though it does not offer significant oil control.
- While the formula is safe for your oily skin, it lacks specialized ingredients like salicylic acid to directly address your concerns with acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The product is safe for your skin due to the absence of harsh or prohibited 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
★4.6Overall rating based on 600+ reviewsUsers consistently report that it effectively reduces redness and fortifies the skin barrier, leaving it hydrated. Many note that it is too mild to remove heavy makeup or sunscreen on its own, often requiring a double-cleanse routine.
Highlights
Extremely gentle Mostly Mentioned
- “doesn't sting my raw skin”
- “soothing on contact”
- “best for reactive skin”
Non-stripping Often Mentioned
- “no squeaky clean feeling”
- “leaves skin dewy”
- “doesn't dry me out”
- “feels like a moisturizer”
Poor makeup removal Often Mentioned
- “doesn't take off mascara”
- “need to use oil first”
- “leaves makeup residue”
- “too gentle for full glam”
Pleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “smells like lavender and cucumber”
- “relaxing spa scent”
- “light herbal smell”
Safe for eyes Sometimes Noted
- “doesn't burn my eyes”
- “gentle enough for eye area”
- “use it over eyelids safely”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “very pricey for a cleanser”
- “wish it was cheaper”
- “expensive but worth it”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “pump arrived broken”
- “pump stopped working halfway”
- “hard to get product out”
Texture preference Rarely Noted
- “feels like lotion”
- “doesn't feel like it cleans”
- “leaves a film”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, dermstore.com, lovelyskin.com, ulta.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Dermalogica UltraCalming Cleanser work for oily acne-prone skin?
Dermalogica UltraCalming Cleanser cleans your oily skin safely, but it lacks ingredients to directly target breakouts. A cleanser for this skin needs soothing and effective ingredients like niacinamide and ceramides, or probiotics and salicylic acid.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, and Glycerin help this cleanser remove impurities gently while maintaining hydration. Because it lacks specialized ingredients like salicylic acid to target breakouts, an oily acne-prone skin type needs a cleanser with ingredients like Niacinamide, ceramides, or probiotics to balance oil and clear blemishes.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2007Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What does Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate do for oily acne-prone skin?
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate is a gentle cleansing ingredient that helps wash away excess oil and dirt from oily acne-prone skin without stripping away essential moisture. Cleansers with mild ingredients like this are unlikely to damage the skin barrier, keeping your skin feeling clean and soft.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2004International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2015
What does Cocamidopropyl Betaine do for oily acne-prone skin?
Cocamidopropyl betaine is a cleansing ingredient that helps wash away dirt and excess oil from oily, acne-prone skin, though it may occasionally cause skin irritation or allergic reactions in some people. This type of skin needs gentle cleansers and oil-reducing ingredients that clear pores while keeping the skin barrier healthy and calm.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser goes in your morning and evening routine as the main cleansing step, and in your weekly routine right before the makeup remover and enzyme powder. It safely removes impurities without causing irritation, though oily acne-prone skin also needs specialized ingredients like salicylic acid to directly address breakouts.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol as part of your routine, applying the cleanser first to remove impurities before following with your retinol treatment. This cleanser is safe for your skin, but because it lacks ingredients like salicylic acid for breakouts, your routine for oily acne-prone skin needs a dedicated acne treatment to help clear blemishes.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser twice a day in the morning and evening as part of your daily routine. It washes away dirt and oil gently without causing irritation, though oily acne-prone skin needs specialized ingredients like salicylic acid to directly target 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 is safe for your skin and removes impurities without irritation, though it lacks specialized ingredients like salicylic acid to directly address acne. An acne-prone cleanser of this type needs targeted ingredients like salicylic acid to clear blemishes and help control oil.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can safely use this cleanser on your body and around your eyes because it is gentle and well tolerated by the skin in those areas. However, because the skin on the body and the thin skin around the eyes have very different thicknesses, you may need a specialized product to target specific concerns in those spots.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum, limonene, linalool, and citral).
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, 2017Sodium cocoyl isethionate micelles are too large to penetrate stratum corneum aqueous pores, resulting in significant steric hindrance that prevents skin barrier perturbation and explains its skin mildness.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2007The cytotoxic effect of sodium lauryl sulphate on normal human keratinocytes was significantly decreased when combined with cocamidopropyl betaine, Tween 20, and Tween 80 at concentrations well below the critical micelle concentration.
Skin Pharmacology and Applied Skin Physiology, 2003The 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, 2012A novel composition containing salicylic acid, capryloyl salicylic acid, HEPES, glycolic acid, citric acid, and dioic acid showed similar tolerance and efficacy compared with clindamycin 1% and benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in subjects with acne vulgaris.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2013Daily treatment with a facial serum containing multiple acids reduced post-inflammatory hyperchromia lesion grade and number by 29.4% at 56 days, and decreased skin oiliness by 30.7% at 7 days in Brazilian patients with acne vulgaris.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical 20% citric acid lotion increases viable epidermal thickness and dermal glycosaminoglycan content in sun-damaged skin compared to vehicle alone.
Dermatologic Surgery, 1997
Why other cleansers fit oily acne-prone skin better
Topical application of Lactobacillus plantarum-GMNL6 enhanced collagen synthesis and SPTSSA gene expression while reducing melanin synthesis, Staphylococcus aureus biofilm, and Cutibacterium acnes proliferation, leading to clinical improvements in skin moisture, color, spots, wrinkles, UV spots, and porphyrins in human volunteers.
International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2021A panthenol-enriched mask improved skin hydration, regulated sebum, and reduced redness and TEWL across dry sensitive, oily sensitive, and oily acne skin subgroups with excellent tolerance and no adverse reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024A novel emulsion containing niacinamide, lens esculenta seed extract, and white willow bark extract effectively improved acne, blackheads, and conspicuous facial pores in 30 subjects with oily skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Ingredients
Water, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Disodium Edta, Parfum, Limonene, Linalool, Citral
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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