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REN Clean Skincare Rosa Centifolia No.1 Purity Cleansing Balm for oily acne-prone skin

Average

  • AverageOily Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

Works for oily acne-prone skin; other pre-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 suitability for your oily skin as Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil and Caprylic Capric Triglyceride effectively dissolve makeup and impurities, though the emollient action of Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil and Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter may not offer sufficient seboregulation.
  • While the product provides excellent makeup removal and general cleansing benefits, it lacks specialized ingredients to directly address your primary concerns of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
  • The safety profile is good, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components like Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract and Anthemis Nobilis Oil Flower Chamomile Oil Flower.

How to apply

  • Use this makeup remover PM as the first step of your evening routine to clear away impurities. Start by using it 3×/week before working up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
  • Apply this makeup remover before your regular cleanser and toner. Follow it with your usual cleansing steps to ensure all residue is thoroughly washed away.
  • Gently press a small amount of the makeup remover onto your face using soft cotton pads. Avoid harsh rubbing to prevent irritating your blemishes and active breakouts.
  • Apply the makeup remover on completely dry skin to effectively break down excess oil and makeup. Clean away thoroughly before moving on to the next skincare steps .
  • Do a patch test before your first use to ensure your skin reacts well. Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes .

People Say

★4.6Overall rating based on 100+ reviews

Based on limited data, this rose-infused cleansing balm is highly rated for its luxurious texture that effectively melts away makeup and impurities. It is particularly beneficial for dry or sensitive skin due to its hydrating and soothing properties. Some users find the strong floral scent polarizing and the tube packaging inconvenient.

Highlights

  • Effective cleansing Mostly Mentioned
    • “Removes all my makeup, even waterproof mascara.”
    • “Cleanses thoroughly without stripping.”
    • “Melts away impurities effectively.”
  • Luxurious texture Mostly Mentioned
    • “The texture is amazing, it melts beautifully.”
    • “Feels so luxurious on the skin.”
    • “Leaves my skin feeling soft and pampered.”
  • Difficult packaging Often Mentioned
    • “The balm is so thick it's hard to get out of the tube.”
    • “I wish it came in a jar, the tube is inconvenient.”
    • “Squeezing the product out is a struggle.”
  • Hydrating and soothing Sometimes Noted
    • “Perfect for my dry and sensitive skin.”
    • “Doesn't leave my skin feeling tight or dry.”
    • “Very hydrating and soothing.”
  • Pleasant scent Sometimes Noted
    • “Love the authentic rose scent, it's so relaxing.”
    • “Smells like a real rose garden.”
    • “The fragrance is spa-like.”
  • Polarizing scent Sometimes Noted
    • “The rose scent is very strong, almost old-fashioned.”
    • “I found the fragrance to be overpowering and a bit irritating.”
    • “Not a fan of the strong floral smell.”
  • Gentle ingredients Rarely Noted
    • “Contains nice natural oils.”
    • “Comes with a good quality muslin cloth.”
  • Eye irritation Rarely Noted
    • “It stung my eyes when I tried to remove mascara.”
    • “My eyes became cloudy after using it.”
    • “Not suitable for eye makeup removal.”
  • Heavy residue Rarely Noted
    • “Left a greasy film on my skin.”
    • “Felt a bit heavy if I didn't rinse well.”
    • “Had to use the cloth to remove all residue.”
  • High price Rarely Noted
    • “It's quite expensive for the amount you get.”
    • “A bit pricey for a cleanser.”
    • “Wish it was more affordable.”

Sources: lovi.care, cultbeauty.co.uk, lyko.com, spacenk.com, mywomenstuff.com, makeup4all.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does REN Rosa Centifolia No.1 Purity Cleansing Balm work for oily acne-prone skin?

This cleansing balm works reasonably well for your oily acne-prone skin, effectively dissolving makeup while remaining unlikely to cause irritation. However, it lacks specialized ingredients to control oil or address breakouts, and an ideal makeup remover for this skin type needs oil-balancing and clarifying ingredients without heavy oils or butters.

Molecules, 2020

Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil and Caprylic Capric Triglyceride help dissolve makeup and impurities, while Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract and Anthemis Nobilis Oil Flower Chamomile Oil Flower provide soothing benefits without causing irritation for oily skin. However, because it lacks oil-controlling ingredients and contains heavier butters like Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, a makeup remover for this skin needs oil-balancing components, lighter hydration, and targeted blemish-fighting ingredients.

Molecules, 2020

What does Sweet Almond Oil do for oily acne-prone skin?

Sweet almond oil is generally too heavy and rich in oleic acid for oily, acne-prone skin, as oils with high oleic acid content may disrupt the skin barrier and worsen breakouts. Oily and acne-prone skin types need lightweight ingredients with a higher linoleic acid to oleic acid ratio, such as sunflower seed oil, which helps preserve skin integrity without causing irritation.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2018

What does Butyrospermum Parkii Butter do for oily acne-prone skin?

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter helps protect the skin barrier, but because it is quite heavy, it may feel too rich for oily acne-prone skin. Skin of this type usually needs lighter, balancing ingredients like natural plant oils with a higher linoleic acid to oleic acid ratio that help keep pores clear and smooth.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2018

Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?

This cleanser works as an evening makeup remover for your oily acne-prone skin, helping to dissolve makeup and impurities before you wash your face. Because it lacks ingredients to manage breakouts, an oily skin type needs a cleanser with oil-controlling and acne-fighting components to properly clear pores.

Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this makeup remover in your evening routine before your cleanser and retinol treatment. It removes makeup well and is unlikely to irritate your oily skin, but this type of product also needs ingredients that help balance oil and target breakouts for your skin.

How often should I use this cleanser?

You can use this makeup remover in the evening as the first step of your routine to take off makeup and impurities. This type of product needs ingredients that balance oil and target blemishes to truly fit oily, acne-prone skin.

Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?

This cleansing balm works for oily skin, but it is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts because it has a good safety profile with no harsh ingredients, though a product of this type needs specialized ingredients to actively help with blemishes and control oil.

Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum, benzyl alcohol, citronellol, geraniol, eugenol, and linalool).

What the research says

  • Topical application of an emollient emulsion containing 15.0% caprylic/capric triglyceride doubled the amount of urocanic acid isomers and increased skin hydration with reduced transepidermal water loss in healthy subjects, though it did not prevent ultraviolet-induced urocanic acid isomerization.

    Life, 2023
  • Treatment with a rose extract activated newly identified skin olfactory receptors and prevented epinephrine-induced skin stress responses in epidermal keratinocytes and human skin explants, while clinically decreasing the appearance of under-eye dark circles in stressed women.

    Molecules, 2020
  • A combination cream of stimu-tex AS and saccharide isomerate reduced erythema, increased skin capacitance, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to placebo in 20 subjects after fractional CO2 laser procedure without causing serious adverse events.

    Lasers in Medical Science, 2025
  • A skin barrier restoring cream with shea butter, silkflo, and vitamin E increased type I procollagen synthesis, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, decreased reactive oxygen species generation, and promoted hyaluronic acid production in H2O2-stimulated human keratinocyte cells compared to untreated cells.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025
  • Rose petal extract improves stratum corneum moisture levels in humans by upregulating HAS2 expression via the GLK-MAP2K-MAPK signaling pathway.

    BioFactors, 2023
  • Rosa gallica petal extract (RPE) exerts skin whitening by attenuating tyrosinase activity and melanin accumulation and exhibits anti-wrinkle activity by suppressing MMP-1 levels in human cells.

    Journal of Medicinal Food, 2020
  • Damask rose stem-cell-derived exosome therapy improved scar appearance, skin elasticity, hydration, and tissue quality across four patients with diverse dermatological conditions compared to pretreatment status.

    Pharmaceutics, 2025
  • Topical application of geraniol significantly inhibited TPA-induced lipid peroxidation, inflammatory responses, and proinflammatory cytokine release while upregulating reduced glutathione content and antioxidant enzyme activities in mouse skin, alongside inhibiting altered activities of p38MAPK, NF-κB, and COX-2.

    Experimental and Molecular Pathology, 2013
  • Cymbopogon martini essential oil and its topical formulations exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity with MIC values ranging from 0.65 to 10 Εg/ml and showed no skin sensitization in guinea pigs.

    Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2018
  • Pre-treatment with p-menthadienols-rich essential oil of Cymbopogon martini (CMA-01) inhibited pro-inflammatory markers in activated HaCat cells and reduced ear edema, pro-inflammatory mediators, oxidative stress markers, and histological changes in TPA-induced skin inflammation in mouse ears.

    Inflammopharmacology, 2022
  • The combination of allantoin, bisabolol, D-panthenol and dipotassium glycyrrhizinate reduces UVB-induced PGE2, inflammatory cytokines, and mitochondrial superoxide in human epidermal keratinocytes.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024

Why other pre-cleansers fit oily acne-prone skin better

Ingredients

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Glyceryl Cocoate, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Tribehenin, Glyceryl Behenate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Parfum, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Viola Odorata Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Oil Flower Chamomile Oil Flower, Lecithin, Benzyl Alcohol, Oryzanol, Tocopherol, Citronellol, Geraniol, Eugenol, Linalool

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.

How does it fit your skin?

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How does it fit your skin?

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