DRMTLGY Essential Cleanser for acne-prone skin
Sodium Hyaluronate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Panthenol
Average
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for acne-prone skin; other cleansers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. 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 and soothing benefits for your combination skin, with decyl glucoside and cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine effectively decongesting pores while aloe barbadensis leaf extract provides hydration.
- Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate support moisture balance, and prunus amygdalus dulcis oil offers emollient action, though targeted acne treatment ingredients are not the primary focus.
- The formula is safe for your combination skin, containing soothing agents like aloe barbadensis leaf extract and saccharide isomerate with no harsh or prohibited ingredients.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it.
- This cleanser is the first step in your morning routine and the second step after your pre-cleanser in the evening. Always follow up with a toner and moisturizer .
- Gently massage a small amount of the cleanser onto your face in circular motions. Avoid harsh rubbing to keep your skin calm.
- Apply the cleanser on slightly damp skin to help it work effectively against breakouts. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water .
- Avoid the immediate eye area and do a patch test before your first use to check for any sensitivity.
People Say
★4.9Overall rating based on 2.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this cleanser is highly regarded for its ability to cleanse effectively without stripping the skin, making it a favorite for those seeking a balanced, hydrated complexion. While it works well for most skin types, including those concerned with aging, a small number of users have reported unexpected dryness or irritation.
Highlights
Effective makeup removal Often Mentioned
- “Takes the day off”
- “Removes excess oil”
- “Cleanses thoroughly”
Non-drying formula Often Mentioned
- “Doesn't dry out”
- “Skin feels hydrated”
- “Not tight or dehydrated”
Gentle on skin Sometimes Noted
- “Mild foaming”
- “Soothes the skin”
- “Great for daily use”
Pleasant experience Sometimes Noted
- “Smells amazing”
- “Feels amazing”
- “Slippery smooth”
Causes dryness Rarely Noted
- “Stripped my skin”
- “Under eyes are dry”
- “Dried it out”
Potential irritation Rarely Noted
- “Noticed irritation”
- “Caused sensitivity”
- “Did not work for me”
Price point Rarely Noted
- “A bit expensive”
- “Higher cost”
- “Premium pricing”
Sources: lovi.care, drmtlgy.com, ulta.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does DRMTLGY Essential Cleanser work for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser works reasonably well for acne-prone skin, providing gentle pore decongestion and hydration, though it lacks targeted acne-fighting ingredients. To properly care for this skin type, a product needs a very safe, non-irritating formulation that effectively treats breakouts and clears blemishes while keeping the skin balanced.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is a fair fit for acne-prone skin because decyl glucoside and cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine help clear pores, while aloe and glycerin keep the skin calm and hydrated. Cleansers that work best for this skin type need targeted acne-fighting ingredients alongside gentle cleansers and soothing agents to keep breakouts under control.
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for acne-prone skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps acne-prone skin by soothing irritation, calming redness, and keeping the skin balanced without clogging pores. When combined with targeted ingredients like zinc oxide, it may also help reduce breakouts.
What does Aloe Vera Leaf Extract do for acne-prone skin?
Aloe Vera Leaf Extract helps calm acne-prone skin by reducing redness, swelling, and breakouts while keeping the skin smooth and balanced. Clinical studies show that it lowers lesion counts and improves overall skin clarity, making it particularly useful when combined with other acne treatments.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2014
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser fits into your morning routine and your evening routine. Acne-prone skin needs a cleanser that helps clear pores and soothe breakouts, while also including targeted blemish-fighting ingredients.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol, applying the cleanser first to clean your skin before putting on your retinol treatment. A cleanser for acne-prone skin needs soothing ingredients like aloe and gentle cleansers that clear out pores without drying you out, along with targeted acne-fighting ingredients.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser daily in the morning and evening as part of your routine. Mild cleansers used regularly help keep skin clean and support the skin barrier without causing harsh irritation.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts because it uses gentle cleansers that decongest pores, though acne-prone skin needs a cleanser with targeted acne-fighting ingredients to work best.
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, as it features a gentle formula with soothing ingredients like aloe and panthenol that are unlikely to irritate thin skin. It cleans and hydrates without harsh additives, making it well-suited for general use.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A 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, 2018A 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 novel moisturizer containing saccharide isomerate accelerates skin barrier recovery, improves hydration, reduces erythema, and alleviates discomfort compared to a control moisturizer following intense pulsed light treatment in subjects with skin aging.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2025Topical 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, 2019Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010Formulations containing 0.10%, 0.25%, and 0.50% freeze-dried Aloe vera extract increased stratum corneum water content compared with the vehicle in 20 female subjects, while transepidermal water loss was not modified.
Skin Research and Technology, 2006Transgenic cucumber expressing poly-γ-glutamic acid synthesis genes increased water content by 6-14%, reduced water loss by 11-12%, decreased facial wrinkles and roughness by 19.58% and 24.97%, decreased skin melanin by 5.27%, and improved facial elasticity in human skin and zebrafish compared to controls.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2024Copper Oxide nanoparticles synthesized using cucumber extract exhibited antibacterial, antifungal, UV protection, and reactive-oxygen species inhibition properties with low cellular toxicity and skin-rejuvenating effects when incorporated into skin cream.
Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders Drug Targets, 2021Topical treatment with Holothuria parva extract gel showed significant wound contraction compared to the negative control in full-thickness wounded rats.
The International Journal of Lower Extremity Wounds, 2024A 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, 2021Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Topical dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.
Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000
Why other cleansers fit acne-prone skin better
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, 2007A 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, 2018A 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, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamide Mipa, Peg-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Glycol Distearate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Kaempferia Galanga Root Extract, Salvia Sclarea Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Grapefruit Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Zingiber Officinale Oil Root, Bergamot Oil Fruit, Peppermint Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Saccharide Isomerate, Panthenol, Glycerin, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Peg-6 Caprylic Capric Glycerides, Disodium Edta, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone
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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