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Rodial Vit C Papaya Enzyme Scrub for oily acne-prone skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

Rodial Vit C Papaya Enzyme Scrub

Average

  • HighOily Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

Works for oily acne-prone skin; other products 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 exfoliation for your oily skin due to papain and citric acid, which help smooth texture, while 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid provides antioxidant benefits. Lactobacillus Papaya Extract Fruit Ferment also contributes to keratolytic action, making it suitable for your skin type.
  • While it offers general hydration and cleansing, the formula lacks targeted ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to effectively address your primary concerns of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
  • The product is safe for your oily skin, with no risks of irritation from harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing Leuconostoc Radish Root Ferment Filtrate.

How to apply

  • Use this exfoliant as part of your PM routine once a week to start, increasing frequency only if your skin tolerates it well.
  • Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toning, but before your final moisturizer step.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
  • Apply the product directly onto clean, dry skin for the best results against breakouts.
  • Avoid the sensitive eye area and always use a daily SPF since exfoliating makes skin more sensitive to the sun.

People Say

★4.4Overall rating based on 1000+ reviews

This gel-to-oil scrub is highly regarded for its gentle exfoliation, leaving skin brighter and with a healthy glow. Many users with sensitive skin appreciate its non-drying and hydrating properties. However, some users find the exfoliation too mild for rougher skin or significant congestion, and a few have noted the texture and price point could be improved.

Highlights

  • Gentle exfoliation Mostly Mentioned
    • “gentle on my skin”
    • “doesn't dry out the skin”
    • “no micro-injuries”
    • “good gentle exfoliator”
  • Brightening glow Often Mentioned
    • “delivers a healthy glow”
    • “brighter-looking complexion”
    • “skin looks radiant”
    • “leaves skin luminous”
  • Hydrating texture Sometimes Noted
    • “keeps skin hydrated”
    • “leaves skin smooth and polished”
    • “nourishing gel-to-oil”
    • “doesn't feel tight”
  • Pleasant scent Sometimes Noted
    • “smells good”
    • “citrus zing”
    • “refreshing blend”
    • “bright crisp scent”
  • Too gentle Sometimes Noted
    • “don't notice much exfoliating”
    • “didn't move the needle”
    • “too gentle to do anything”
    • “prefer a sugar scrub”
  • Price value Rarely Noted
    • “ingredients are okay... prefer sugar scrub”
    • “luxury price”
    • “0/100 effectiveness (scientific review)”
  • Texture after-feel Rarely Noted
    • “skin doesn't feel extremely soft”
    • “didn't impact my skin”
    • “slightly gritty texture”

Sources: lovi.care, ipsy.com, lookfantastic.com, thevelvetlife.com, wimj.com, rodial.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does Rodial Vit C Papaya Enzyme Scrub work for oily acne-prone skin?

This scrub works moderately well for oily skin by smoothing texture and offering antioxidant benefits, though other products fit your acne concerns better. An exfoliant treatment for this skin needs targeted ingredients like salicylic acid, niacinamide, or benzoyl peroxide to effectively address breakouts and blemishes.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2015

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

Papaya enzymes, citric acid, and papaya extract fruit ferment make this scrub a moderate fit for your oily skin because they help smooth texture by clearing away dead cells. An exfoliant for this skin needs targeted ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to help treat breakouts, along with soothing ingredients.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2015

What do Papaya Enzymes do for oily acne-prone skin?

Papaya enzymes help clear pores and smooth oily, acne-prone skin by gently removing dead skin cells that can cause breakouts. Using products with these ingredients may help reduce blemishes and improve overall skin texture when used regularly as part of your routine.

Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2015

What does Vitamin C do for oily acne-prone skin?

Vitamin C helps brighten skin, smooth out texture, and improve uneven spots for oily acne-prone skin. It may also help fade marks left behind by blemishes.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023

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

This exfoliant goes in your weekly routine once a week, and people who tolerate it well and see good results may carefully use it more often. To properly care for oily and acne-prone skin, an exfoliant of this type needs targeted ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to effectively address blemishes and breakouts.

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

It is best to use this exfoliant on a different night than your retinol to help prevent irritation on your oily skin. Using multiple strong smoothing ingredients at the same time may make your skin too dry or sensitive.

How often should I use this exfoliant?

Start by using this exfoliant once a week, and if your oily skin tolerates it well and sees good results, you can carefully use it more often. This type of product works for your skin, but to effectively address acne and breakouts, it needs targeted ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide.

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

This exfoliant is unlikely to clog pores or cause major breakouts on oily skin, though it may not actively clear up your blemishes since it lacks targeted ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide. To truly manage breakouts and smooth this skin type, a product needs dedicated blemish-fighting ingredients and oil-balancing acids.

Is this exfoliant fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

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

What the research says

  • Daily 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, 2021

  • A fixed combination of hydroxypinacolone retinoate, retinol glycospheres, and papain glycospheres in aqueous gel applied once daily for 12 weeks achieved a 41% mean reduction in GAGS score and a 40.8% mean reduction in total lesions, with 15.3% of patients experiencing mild to moderate local side effects, in 94 evaluable patients with comedonal-papular, mild to moderate acne of the face.

    Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2015

  • Concurrent treatment with 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid and cannabigerol in UVB-irradiated human keratinocytes prevents membrane structure alterations, promotes cell survival, enhances antioxidant enzyme activity and GSH- and Trx-dependent systems, reduces lipid and protein oxidative modifications, and exerts anti-inflammatory effects.

    Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 2025

  • Topical papain treatment may slightly decrease pain within 30 minutes in humans stung by Chrysaora chinensis compared to placebo.

    Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 2016

  • Reflux extraction of Carica papaya leaves yielded higher antioxidant capacity and superior in vitro wound-healing activities including fibroblast proliferation, cell migration, and collagen synthesis in human skin fibroblasts compared to ultrasonic-assisted extraction and agitation.

    Molecules, 2020

  • Carica papaya leaf extracts obtained via supercritical fluid and conventional methods demonstrated antioxidant and cytoprotective effects on skin fibroblasts against oxidative stress, driven by their respective lipophilic and hydrophilic constituents.

    Molecules, 2021

  • Topical application of 5% vitamin C cream significantly improved global clinical scores, increased skin microrelief density, and induced elastic tissue repair in photoaged skin compared to excipient control in healthy female volunteers.

    Experimental Dermatology, 2003

  • Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.

    Journal of Periodontology, 2009

  • Topical application of VC-IP cream twice daily for 8 weeks reduces periorbital wrinkles in female subjects compared to a placebo cream.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022

  • Topical 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, 2011

  • Topical 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, 2022

  • Treatment 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

  • Clay 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, 2012

  • Topical 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, 2024

  • Topical 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, 2025

Why other products fit oily acne-prone skin better

  • Adapalene 0.1%-benzoyl peroxide 2.5% fixed-dose combination gel provided significantly greater, synergistic efficacy and a faster onset of action compared with the vehicle, adapalene monotherapy, and benzoyl peroxide monotherapy in patients with acne vulgaris.

    The British Journal of Dermatology, 2009

  • Topical benzoyl peroxide 5% gel treatment improved acne severity, sebum, stratum corneum hydration, and transepidermal water loss, while significantly reducing microbial diversity and the prevalence of Cutibacterium in 33 patients with acne vulgaris.

    Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

  • 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, 2018

Ingredients

Water, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Poloxamer 188, Polysorbate 20, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Vp Copolymer, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Perlite, Lactobacillus Papaya Extract Fruit Ferment, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Parfum, Limonene, Disodium Edta, Ethylhexylglycerin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Linalool, Leuconostoc Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Bht, Geraniol, Citral, Citronellol, Amyl Cinnamal, Iron Oxides Ci 77492

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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

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How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play