Proactiv Renewing Cleanser for combination skin
Benzoyl Peroxide
Sodium Hyaluronate
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Glyceryl Stearate
Average
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- Low RiskSafety
Works for combination skin; other cleansers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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
- This cleanser offers moderate cleansing benefits for your combination skin, with Benzoyl Peroxide targeting acne lesions and Sodium Hyaluronate providing hydration.
- Magnesium Aluminum Silicate helps manage oiliness, though the overall formulation is not specifically targeted for your primary concern of oily shine.
- The product is generally safe for your skin, with a low risk of irritation from Benzoyl Peroxide.
How to apply
- Use this cleanser AM and PM as part of your daily routine. Start 3×/week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply this cleanser as the very first step in your morning routine and right after your pre-cleanser in the evening.
- Gently massage a small amount of cleanser onto your skin using circular motions. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.
- For the best results , apply the cleanser directly onto slightly damp skin to help lift away excess oil.
- Avoid the immediate eye area and do a patch test before your first use to check for any sensitivity.
People Say
★4.3Overall rating based on 900+ reviewsUsers frequently praise this cleanser for its rapid ability to clear active breakouts and smooth skin texture. A significant number of reviews caution that the formula can be overly harsh and drying, especially for sensitive skin, and it is notorious for permanently bleaching fabrics.
Highlights
Bleaches fabrics Mostly Mentioned
- “Ruined all my towels”
- “Bleached my pillowcases orange”
- “Stained my clothes permanently”
- “Be careful with colored fabrics”
Effective acne clearance Often Mentioned
- “Cleared my skin within a week”
- “Works wonders on blackheads”
- “Only thing that stops my breakouts”
- “Keeps my mature skin clear”
Harsh and drying Often Mentioned
- “Dried out my face completely”
- “Left my skin red and burning”
- “Too harsh for sensitive skin”
- “Caused peeling and irritation”
Fast-acting results Sometimes Noted
- “Saw a difference in two days”
- “Works really good, really fast”
- “Immediate reduction in pimple size”
Smooths skin texture Sometimes Noted
- “Polishes away dead skin”
- “Face feels incredibly smooth”
- “Leaves skin feeling soft”
- “Great exfoliation from the beads”
Abrasive texture Sometimes Noted
- “Beads felt like sandpaper”
- “Scrub is too rough”
- “Microbeads caused micro-tears”
Deep clean feeling Rarely Noted
- “Leaves no oily residue”
- “Skin feels squeaky clean”
- “Penetrates deep into pores”
Chemical scent Rarely Noted
- “Smells like strong chemicals”
- “Has a nasty medicinal scent”
- “Fragrance is overpowering”
Sources: lovi.care, proactiv.com, influenster.com, acne.org, target.com, ebay.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Proactiv Renewing Cleanser work for combination skin?
Proactiv Renewing Cleanser works moderately well for combination skin, offering acne-fighting and hydrating benefits while generally being safe. It manages oiliness reasonably, though cleansers that rate higher for this skin type need to exceptionally balance oil production, maintain hydration without irritation, and feature high-quality soothing ingredients that address both oily and dry areas.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2022
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for combination skin?
Benzoyl Peroxide targets acne lesions while Sodium Hyaluronate provides hydration, and Magnesium Aluminum Silicate helps manage oiliness on combination skin. A product of this type needs to balance oil production, maintain hydration in dry areas, soothe the skin, and pose no risk of irritation.
What does Benzoyl Peroxide do for combination skin?
Benzoyl peroxide helps clear acne and reduce blemishes for combination skin by targeting breakout-causing bacteria. Because it can sometimes cause dryness or tightness in sensitive areas, it is important to follow with a good moisturizer to keep the skin balanced.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2013
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for combination skin?
Hyaluronic acid is a great fit for combination skin because it quenches dry areas with a boost of hydration while keeping oily zones balanced. Regular use helps smooth out fine lines and makes your skin feel soft and plump without causing irritation.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2021Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This cleanser fits into your morning and evening routine as a daily cleansing step. A cleanser of this type for combination skin needs ingredients that help manage oily shine while providing moderate cleansing benefits.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol, but apply them at different times of day to keep your skin calm and comfortable. Using this benzoyl peroxide cleanser in the morning and your retinol at night helps prevent excessive dryness and irritation.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine. It is generally safe for your skin, though a cleanser for combination skin also needs ingredients that better target oily shine.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for combination skin, as Benzoyl Peroxide helps target acne and Sodium Hyaluronate provides hydration. However, it may feel harsh and drying, so a product of this type for combination skin needs gentle balancing ingredients that control oily shine without stripping dry areas.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2022
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on your body, but it is best to avoid the thin skin around your eyes since eyelid skin is much thinner than the skin on other body areas. This cleanser needs ingredients that manage oiliness and keep skin hydrated without causing irritation to work well for combination skin.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Topical benzoyl peroxide may improve acne more effectively than placebo or no treatment, while showing little to no difference compared with adapalene or clindamycin, but with an increased risk of treatment discontinuation due to adverse effects compared to placebo.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020Once-daily fixed-dose clindamycin phosphate 1.2%/benzoyl peroxide 3.1%/adapalene 0.15% gel achieved superior treatment success (52.5%) and greater reductions in inflammatory and noninflammatory lesions compared to vehicle (8.1%) and dyad component gels in participants with moderate-to-severe acne over 12 weeks.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2022Preoperative treatment with benzoyl peroxide significantly decreases the bacterial skin load of Cutibacterium acnes in patients undergoing elective shoulder surgery from skin incision until wound closure compared to preparation with soap.
Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, 2021Twice 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, 2024Topical clindamycin phosphate 1.2%/adapalene 0.15%/benzoyl peroxide 3.1% gel achieved significantly greater treatment success and lesion reductions compared to vehicle in participants with moderate-to-severe acne.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2023Daily application of adapalene 0.3%/benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel reduced and prevented atrophic acne scar formation, achieving a total scar count change of -15.5% versus +14.4% for vehicle over 24 weeks in 67 subjects with moderate or severe facial acne.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2018Topical 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, 2019Apigenin protects against UVA-induced cytotoxicity and senescence in normal human dermal fibroblasts, decreases MMP-1 expression, and when applied topically as a cream in human subjects, increases dermal density and elasticity while reducing fine wrinkle length, skin evenness, moisture content, and transepidermal water loss compared to control cream.
International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 2016Topical chamomile oil combined with a night splint significantly improved the symptomatic and functional status of patients with severe carpal tunnel syndrome compared to placebo, while electrodiagnostic parameters showed no significant changes.
Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 2015German chamomile solution applied twice a day healed peristomal skin lesions significantly faster than once-a-day 1% hydrocortisone ointment in colostomy patients, with a mean healing time of 8.89 days versus 14.53 days.
Ostomy/wound Management, 2011
Why other cleansers fit combination skin better
- Benzoyl peroxide in this cleanser
Topical benzoyl peroxide may improve acne more effectively than placebo or no treatment, while showing little to no difference compared with adapalene or clindamycin, but with an increased risk of treatment discontinuation due to adverse effects compared to placebo.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020 A botanical face cleanser with hops and willow bark extract continuously reduced skin sebum levels without reactive seborrhea after treatment in 21 healthy volunteers compared to a sodium laureth sulfate cleanser, with neither cleanser causing skin irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019
Ingredients
Benzoyl Peroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Water, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Sorbitol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Disodium Peg-12 Dimethicone Sulfosuccinate, Tridecyl Stearate, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate Dicaprate, Paraffin, Cetyl Esters, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Trisodium Sulfosuccinate, Peg-12 Dimethicone, Sodium Sulfate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Pca, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben
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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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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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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