SkinCeuticals LHA Cleanser Gel for oily acne-prone skin
Lipo Hydroxy Acid
Glycolic Acid
Salicylic Acid
GlycerinHigh
- SuperiorOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for oily acne-prone skin; a few cleansers fit it even 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 excellent cleansing and exfoliation for your oily and acne-prone skin, as salicylic acid and capryloyl salicylic acid effectively decongest pores and reduce breakouts. Glycolic acid further aids in seboregulation, making it highly suitable for your skin type.
- Glycerin and menthol provide a soothing and refreshing sensation, enhancing the overall comfort during use for your oily skin.
- The product is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of beneficial components like glycerin.
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 800+ reviewsThis cleanser is widely celebrated by users with oily, acne-prone, and aging skin for its ability to deeply exfoliate and decongest pores using a blend of LHA, glycolic, and salicylic acids. While most users report clearer, smoother, and brighter skin, a minority find it too drying or experience an initial "purge" of breakouts.
Highlights
Deeply exfoliates Mostly Mentioned
- “decongests clogged pores”
- “refines skin surface”
- “removes dead skin”
- “deep clean feeling”
Clears acne Often Mentioned
- “gets rid of blackheads”
- “controls adult acne”
- “breakouts appear reduced”
- “keeps skin clear”
Controls oil Often Mentioned
- “reduces oil”
- “less oily throughout day”
- “removes excess sebum”
- “matte finish”
Refines texture Often Mentioned
- “smoothes skin texture”
- “skin feels soft”
- “improves skin clarity”
- “brightens complexion”
Refreshing feel Sometimes Noted
- “cooling sensation”
- “tingling feel”
- “fresh citrus scent”
- “feels invigorating”
Can be drying Sometimes Noted
- “good but drying”
- “felt tight after”
- “stripped natural oils”
- “too harsh for daily use”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “expensive”
- “pricey for a wash”
- “costly investment”
- “wish it was cheaper”
Causes breakouts Rarely Noted
- “broke me out”
- “worsened acne initially”
- “caused purging”
- “irritated my skin”
Poor packaging Rarely Noted
- “pours out too fast”
- “hard to control amount”
- “wastes product”
- “leaks easily”
Sources: lovi.care, lovelyskin.com, bluemercury.com, skinceuticals.com, reddit.com, dermstore.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes SkinCeuticals LHA Cleanser Gel a great fit for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is a great fit because salicylic acid and capryloyl salicylic acid decongest pores and reduce breakouts, while glycolic acid helps control excess oil. Glycerin and menthol also provide a soothing and refreshing sensation without causing irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021BioMed Research International, 2020
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Salicylic acid, capryloyl salicylic acid, and glycolic acid make this cleanser a great fit because they deeply clear out pores, reduce breakouts, and help control oil. Glycerin and menthol also help by keeping your skin feeling calm and refreshed without harsh irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021BioMed Research International, 2020
What does Lipo Hydroxy Acid do for oily acne-prone skin?
Lipo Hydroxy Acid helps clear clogged pores and calm angry breakouts on oily skin. It works gently to lift away dead skin cells and control oil, making it a great match for keeping acne-prone skin smooth and clear.
What does Glycolic Acid do for oily acne-prone skin?
Glycolic acid helps clear acne-prone skin by reducing pimples and soothing breakouts. It exfoliates the surface to keep pores clear and leaves the skin feeling smooth.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Dermatologic Surgery, 2014
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser goes as the first step in your morning routine and follows your makeup remover in the evening. It helps deeply clean and clear pores while keeping your skin feeling comfortable and refreshed.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Neuroscience Letters, 1995
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser in your routine alongside retinol by applying it before your retinol treatment. Using this cleanser helps clear pores and control oil, while a gentle approach is always best to keep your skin calm and comfortable.
How often should I use this cleanser?
This cleanser is a great fit for your oily and acne-prone skin, offering deep cleaning and exfoliation to help clear pores and reduce breakouts. Salicylic acid, capryloyl salicylic acid, and glycolic acid work together to manage oil, while glycerin and menthol keep your skin comfortable and refreshed during use.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Neuroscience Letters, 1995
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is a great fit for your oily acne-prone skin because salicylic acid, capryloyl salicylic acid, and glycolic acid effectively clear pores and help reduce breakouts. While a few reviewers mention occasional breakouts, the product is generally safe and unlikely to cause irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021BioMed Research International, 2020
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
This cleanser is intended for facial use and may be too strong for the very thin skin around the eyes, though it can be used on body skin like the back where the skin is much thicker. The powerful exfoliating acids help clear pores, but the delicate eye area requires gentler products to avoid irritation.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
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, 2021A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020Twice 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, 2024Cooling skin temperature or applying topical menthol reduced histamine-induced itch intensity and flare diameters in healthy male volunteers.
Neuroscience Letters, 1995Capryloyl salicylic acid peel reduced fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation comparably to glycolic acid peel in 44 female volunteers, with no statistically significant differences between the two treatments.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008Combining a salicylic acid and lipohydroxy acid facial serum and mask improved closed comedones and acne severity significantly more than serum alone in adults with acne over 8 weeks, with no adverse reactions reported.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023Parity was demonstrated between an OTC BPO 5.5% formulation with lipohydroxy acid and tretinoin cream 0.025% versus prescription clindamycin 1%-BPO 5% gel and tretinoin cream 0.025% in participants with mild to moderate acne vulgaris at 12 weeks.
Cutis, 2012Repeated short-contact 70% glycolic acid peels provided superior results in atrophic acne scars compared to daily low-strength glycolic acid cream or placebo in 58 women over 24 weeks.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2000Serial glycolic acid peels combined with a modified Kligman formula significantly reduced facial PIH severity in Indian patients compared to the modified Kligman formula alone.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2017Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.
CMAJ, 2010Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid achieved the greatest lesion reduction at early 2 to 4 week time points compared to benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin, and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin, while 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin showed similar efficacy at 10 to 12 weeks in acne patients.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2010A 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, 2017The 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, 2001
Ingredients
Water, Coco-Betaine, Propylene Glycol, Peg-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Sorbitol, Glycerin, Glycolic Acid, Triethanolamine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Disteareth-100 Ipdi, Salicylic Acid, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Menthol, Disodium Edta, Steareth-100
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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