SKINFOOD Black Sugar Perfect Enzyme Powder Wash for mature skin
Black Sugar Extract
Zea Mays Starch
Papain
Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Beta Vulgaris Root ExtractAverage
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for mature skin; other products fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with mature skin: fine lines, wrinkles, and loss of firmness. 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 suitable for your normal skin, as papain and lactobionic acid gently promote desquamation and skin renewal. While these ingredients provide excellent cleansing, they offer only mild benefits for your wrinkles and fine lines.
- The formulation is safe for your normal skin, containing no harsh or irritating ingredients.
- Overall, the product provides good cleansing and hydration, supporting skin health without specifically targeting your concerns about wrinkles and fine lines.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your PM routine once a week, increasing to 2-3 times if your skin tolerates it well.
- Place this enzyme powder cleanser in your weekly routine after your regular cleanser and before your hydrating toner.
- Mix a small amount of the enzyme powder cleanser with water in your hands to create a soft foam before applying.
- Gently massage the foam onto your damp face using circular motions, then rinse thoroughly with warm water.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and always apply SPF the morning after using exfoliating products.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 100+ reviewsBased on limited data, this powder-to-foam cleanser is highly regarded for its gentle exfoliation and ability to leave skin feeling soft and hydrated without stripping. Users appreciate the convenient travel-friendly packaging. However, many find the product to be expensive for the quantity provided and express concerns about the environmental impact of the single-use sachets.
Highlights
Travel-friendly packaging Mostly Mentioned
- “Perfect for travel with convenient single-use packets”
- “Easy to take with you on trips”
- “Individual packaging is great for travel.”
Gentle exfoliation Often Mentioned
- “Much gentler than a typical scrub”
- “Leaves my skin incredibly soft and smooth”
- “Minimal irritation on the face.”
Low cost-effectiveness Often Mentioned
- “A bit pricey for the amount”
- “Isn't cost-effective”
- “Quantity is enough for a month's use.”
Effective deep cleanse Sometimes Noted
- “Feeling that my pores have been cleaned”
- “Helps remove excess sebum”
- “Leaves my skin feeling refreshingly clean.”
Non-stripping finish Sometimes Noted
- “Not dry or sticky”
- “Leaves skin soft and hydrated”
- “Doesn't feel stripping after use.”
Wasteful packaging Sometimes Noted
- “Creates a lot of waste”
- “Not the most environmentally friendly option”
- “Wish it wasn't single-use packets.”
Scent preferences Rarely Noted
- “Has a sour scent”
- “Slightly bitter notes”
- “Unique refreshing scent.”
Too gentle for some Rarely Noted
- “Hard to tell if it's actually removing dead skin”
- “Unsure whether it's effective or not”
- “Granules dissolve quickly.”
Sources: lovi.care, oliveyoung.com, yesstyle.com, hwahae.co.kr, whatsinmyjar.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does SKINFOOD Black Sugar Perfect Enzyme Powder Wash work for mature skin?
This cleanser works for mature skin by providing gentle exfoliation and good cleansing, though it offers only mild benefits for wrinkles and fine lines. To better support mature skin, a product of this type needs effective ingredients that target fine lines and wrinkles while maintaining gentle cleansing and hydration without causing irritation.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for mature skin?
Papain and lactobionic acid make this cleanser a fit by gently renewing the skin and helping keep it hydrated. Because it only offers mild benefits for fine lines, a product of this type needs effective ingredients that specifically target wrinkles along with soothing and hydrating agents for mature skin.
What does Black Sugar Extract do for mature skin?
Black sugar extract helps mature skin by providing gentle exfoliation and moisture, keeping the face feeling soft and smooth. It may also help improve the look of fine lines and dullness as we age.
What does Corn Starch do for mature skin?
Corn starch helps protect mature skin by reducing oxidative stress and lowering the levels of reactive oxygen species that can damage cells. It also minimizes friction on the skin, keeping it smooth and comfortable.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for mature skin?
This cleanser goes in your morning and evening routine, and as an enzyme powder it fits into your weekly routine once a week. Mature skin needs a cleanser that also brings firming ingredients and rich hydrators to help smooth fine lines and wrinkles.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this enzyme powder cleanser in your routine, but because it gently exfoliates your skin, use it on days when you are not applying your retinol treatment to avoid irritation. Keeping exfoliating cleansers and retinol on separate days helps protect your skin barrier while still keeping your face clean and smooth.
How often should I use this cleanser?
Start by using this cleanser once a week, and if your skin tolerates it well and shows good results, you can carefully use it more often.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for mature skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores, cause breakouts, or lead to purging, as it features a safe formulation with gentle exfoliating ingredients like papain and lactobionic acid. It helps clean and refresh the skin without harshness, though mature skin often benefits more from ingredients that specifically target fine lines and firmness.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Combining a 20% lactobionic acid peel with aluminum oxide crystal microdermabrasion increases skin hydration, improves elasticity, and decreases transepidermal water loss in 20 Caucasian females compared to lactobionic acid peel alone.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019An emulsion containing 10% lactobionic acid significantly reduces human skin surface pH without causing skin irritation or barrier impairment.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019A topical cream containing 4% Ficus carica fruit extract applied to the cheeks of human volunteers for 8 weeks significantly decreased skin melanin, trans-epidermal water loss, and sebum, and significantly increased skin hydration compared to a base control.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2014A Ficus carica cell suspension culture extract reduced epinephrine, interleukin 6, lipid peroxide, and protein carbonylation, induced ceramide synthesis, and decreased transepidermal water loss and sebum production in skin cells and in vivo.
Antioxidants, 2021The combination of sucrose dilaurate and sucrose laurate suppressed HMGB1 release, melanin production, melanocyte dendricity, and melanosome transfer in vitro, and reduced the appearance of facial spots compared to vehicle in an 8-week human use test.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2022Sucrose ester in an ibuprofen hydrogel increased skin hydration and ibuprofen penetration more intensely than a gel without sucrose ester without causing greater alterations in the stratum corneum structure in hairless mice.
Pharmaceutical Development and Technology, 2012Topical application of the nonsugar fraction of brown sugar prevented chronic UVB-induced skin thickness increases, elasticity loss, wrinkles, pigmentation, and vascular changes in melanin-possessing hairless mice, which may be mediated by inhibiting MMP-2 and VEGF expression.
Journal of Natural Medicines, 2009Hydrolyzed corn starch containing maltotetraose activated the NRF2 pathway, upregulated antioxidant-responsive genes, increased NRF2 protein expression and nuclear translocation, and reduced reactive oxygen species levels in human keratinocytes exposed to oxidative stress.
PloS One, 2026Topical papain treatment may slightly decrease pain within 30 minutes in humans stung by Chrysaora chinensis compared to placebo.
Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 2016A 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, 2015Reflux 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, 2020Topical application of a 2% cream containing combined fruit extracts for 56 days significantly reduced wrinkle depth by 11.5%, length by 10.07%, and area by 29.55% in 21 female subjects compared to a placebo.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2015Treatment with 5% black fig leaf cream exhibited significantly higher anti-inflammatory activity, increased collagen production, angiogenesis, and re-epithelialization, and reduced inflammatory cell density compared to control groups in rat excisional skin wounds.
Inflammopharmacology, 2025Co-culturing mesenchymal stem cells and human keratinocytes on nylon66 electrospun scaffolds loaded with Beta vulgaris extract enhanced cell proliferation and promoted epithelial differentiation compared to mono-cell culturing.
Materials Science & Engineering. C, Materials for Biological Applications, 2017An aqueous extract of Beta vulgaris reduced lipid accumulation and reactive oxygen species in human HaCaT keratinocyte cells treated with palmitic/oleic acids or hydrogen peroxide.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2026
Why other products fit mature skin better
A topical serum containing vitamin C, vitamin E, and raspberry leaf cell culture extract improved skin color, elasticity, radiance, smoothness, scaliness, and wrinkles compared to the untreated contralateral side in fifty female volunteers.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Treatment with 14% ferulic acid and 12% l-ascorbic acid significantly reduced pigmentation and erythema while improving hydration and elasticity in 20 women with photoaged skin, with neither acid proving definitively more effective overall though ascorbic acid showed slightly greater skin lightening.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Encapsulation of ferulic acid in phosphorylated rice starch enhanced its stability against heat and light and improved skin lightening, elasticity, smoothness, roughness, scaliness, and wrinkles compared to free ferulic acid in 16 volunteers over 1 month.
Molecules, 2022
Ingredients
Zea Mays Starch, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Diglycerin, Betaine, Allantoin, Maltodextrin, Papain, Water, Iron Oxides Ci 77492, Lactobionic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Sucrose, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Iron Oxides Ci 77491, Iron Oxides Ci 77499, Glycine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Aspartic Acid, Leucine, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Valine, Proline, Threonine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Cysteine, Methionine
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
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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
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
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