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Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser for combination skin

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

Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser

Average

  • AverageCombination Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

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

  • Offers moderate cleansing for your combination skin, as salicylic acid provides mild exfoliation and pore-clearing benefits to address oily shine.
  • While glycerin and sorbitol offer some hydration, the formula lacks sufficient emollient ingredients to fully support drier areas of your combination skin.
  • The product is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.

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

★4.4Overall rating based on 14.0k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, users with acne-prone and sensitive skin frequently praise this cleanser for its ability to treat breakouts with salicylic acid without causing excessive irritation or redness. Many report smoother skin texture and a clearer complexion, though a significant minority experiences dryness or frustration with the pump mechanism failing before the bottle is empty.

Highlights

  • Effective acne control Mostly Mentioned
    • “Cleared up my breakouts within a week”
    • “Keeps hormonal acne at bay”
    • “Reduces blemishes without stripping”
  • Faulty pump Mostly Mentioned
    • “Pump gets stuck and stops working”
    • “Hard to press down”
    • “Dispenser broke halfway through bottle”
  • Gentle on sensitive skin Often Mentioned
    • “Did not irritate my sensitive skin”
    • “Soothing and hydrating for acne wash”
    • “No redness or burning after use”
  • Improves skin texture Often Mentioned
    • “Leaves skin feeling soft and smooth”
    • “Helps even out skin tone”
    • “Face feels refreshed and squeaky clean”
  • Pleasant lightweight foam Sometimes Noted
    • “Airy foam is easy to apply”
    • “Rinses clean with no residue”
    • “One pump is enough for whole face”
  • Causes dryness Sometimes Noted
    • “Left my skin feeling tight and dry”
    • “Caused peeling around my nose”
    • “Too drying for daily use”
  • Ineffective for severe acne Rarely Noted
    • “Did not see any improvement”
    • “Breakouts continued after weeks of use”
    • “Stopped working after a few months”
  • Scent dislikes Rarely Noted
    • “Smells like lawn clippings/grass”
    • “Scent is too strong/perfumey”
    • “Prefer fragrance-free options”

Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, target.com, walmart.com, cvs.com, influenster.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser work for combination skin?

Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser works moderately well for combination skin, as salicylic acid helps clear pores and reduce oily shine. However, it lacks enough softening and smoothing ingredients to fully support the drier areas of your skin. A cleanser for this skin type needs soothing, barrier-supporting ingredients and hydrating agents that balance oil while keeping dry areas comfortable.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023

Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for combination skin?

Salicylic acid helps clear pores and reduce oily shine on combination skin, while glycerin and sorbitol provide some hydration. However, a product of this type needs more softening ingredients to properly support drier areas.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023

What does Salicylic Acid do for combination skin?

Salicylic acid helps clear clogged pores and balance oily areas while remaining gentle enough for dry spots on combination skin. It reduces breakouts and oiliness effectively with a low likelihood of irritation.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023

What does Soy Extract do for combination skin?

Soy Extract helps balance combination skin by targeting uneven dark spots and calming areas prone to irritation. It gently manages pigment transfer while supporting the skin barrier so both oily and dry zones stay smooth and calm.

International Journal of Dermatology, 2011Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2013

Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for combination skin?

This cleanser works as a first step in both your morning and evening skincare routines to clear pores and address oily shine. Because it lacks sufficient rich softening ingredients to fully support drier areas, combination skin of this type needs extra soothing creams or nourishing lotions to keep dry zones comfortable.

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

You can use this cleanser with retinol by applying it first to clear pores, followed by your retinol product once your face is completely dry. Because this cleanser lacks rich softening ingredients, combination skin needs an extra hydrating moisturizer afterward to keep drier areas comfortable and protected against potential irritation.

How often should I use this cleanser?

You can use this cleanser daily to help clear pores and reduce oily shine on your combination skin. Because it lacks enough rich moisture to fully support drier areas, a product of this type works best when followed by a nourishing moisturizer.

Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?

This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on combination skin, as salicylic acid helps clear pores and reduce oily shine. However, because the formula lacks enough softening ingredients to support drier areas, combination skin needs added hydrating lotions and rich moisturizers to prevent dryness.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023

Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?

This cleanser may be used on your body, but it is not specifically designed for the thin skin around your eyes. A cleanser for this skin needs gentle cleansing ingredients that clean without stripping moisture.

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002

Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

What the research says

  • Twice 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, 2024

  • The use of a salicylic acid-based dermocosmetic significantly reduces the needed quantity of benzoyl peroxide without impacting efficacy in mild to moderate acne, and as maintenance post-benzoyl peroxide allows a significant reduction of acne relapse compared to vehicle.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023

  • A 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, 2020

  • Cryotherapy 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, 2010

  • Treatment 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, 2024

  • Topical 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, 2010

  • ANT1 soybean extract cream ameliorated complications and enhanced skin recovery after Nd:YAG laser therapy in 45 Asian women, with higher concentrations significantly reducing wrinkles, spots, and pores compared to placebo.

    Annals of Plastic Surgery, 2018

  • Genistein and daidzein inhibited UVB-induced hydrogen peroxide production in keratinocytes acting as free radical scavengers with negligible skin disruption, whereas glycitein showed no protective activity.

    International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2008

  • A phytoestrogen-enriched cosmetic formulation containing biotransformed soybean extract increased collagen-I expression in fibroblast cells and skin explants in an estrogen receptor beta-dependent manner without harming skin microbiota.

    Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research = Revista Brasileira de Pesquisas Medicas E Biologicas, 2023

  • A 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, 2017

  • The 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, 2020

  • Ten 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

  • The cytotoxic effect of sodium lauryl sulphate on normal human keratinocytes was significantly decreased when combined with cocamidopropyl betaine, Tween 20, and Tween 80 at concentrations well below the critical micelle concentration.

    Skin Pharmacology and Applied Skin Physiology, 2003

Ingredients

Salicylic Acid, Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Glycerin, Sorbitol, Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate, Polysorbate 20, Peg-6 Caprylic Capric Glycerides, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Disodium Edta, Peg-16 Soy Sterol, Butylene Glycol, Glycine Soja Protein Soybean Protein

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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Prices checked 6 Nov 2026

The Lovi Fit is the same in every country; only the stores and prices differ, and the ones here are for Saudi Arabia.

How does it fit your skin?

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

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