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Equate Beauty Blackhead Clearing Scrub for oily acne-prone skin

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

Equate Beauty Blackhead Clearing Scrub

Average

  • HighOily Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

Works for oily acne-prone skin; other exfoliants 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, as salicylic acid helps decongest pores and reduce inflammation associated with acne and blemishes, while menthyl lactate provides a cooling sensation.
  • Jojoba esters offer nourishment and support skin hydration, complementing the exfoliating action for overall skin health.
  • The formula is safe for your oily skin, with no harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing menthyl lactate.

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

★4.5Overall rating based on 200+ reviews

Users frequently praise this scrub for its ability to clear blackheads, reduce breakouts, and deep-clean pores, making it a popular choice for those with oily or acne-prone skin. While highly effective for many, some users find the formula slightly harsh or note a strong scent, suggesting it may be better suited for those who are not overly sensitive.

Highlights

  • Affordable price Mostly Mentioned
    • “Price is definitely a plus”
    • “Great product, great price”
    • “Under three dollars”
  • Effective blackhead removal Often Mentioned
    • “Improved my problems with blackheads”
    • “Clears blackheads”
    • “Brings blackheads to surface”
  • Breakout control Sometimes Noted
    • “Acne is gone”
    • “Helps me fight breakouts”
    • “Keeps oil in check”
  • Deep pore cleansing Sometimes Noted
    • “Removes dirt and impurities”
    • “Removes it all”
    • “Great cleaning scrub”
  • Harsh on skin Sometimes Noted
    • “It is a little harsh”
    • “Can only use every other day”
    • “Not for me”
  • Strong scent Sometimes Noted
    • “Has a weird chemical smell”
    • “Odor”
    • “Smell that may not appeal”
  • Potential irritation Rarely Noted
    • “Clogs my pores”
    • “Gave me more acne”
    • “Dry out my skin”
  • Waxy residue Rarely Noted
    • “Feeling like a film of wax”
    • “Left an oily film”
    • “Greasy”

Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, reddit.com, youtube.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does Equate Beauty Blackhead Clearing Scrub work for oily acne-prone skin?

Equate Beauty Blackhead Clearing Scrub works for your oily acne-prone skin by offering moderate exfoliation with salicylic acid to help clear pores and calm breakouts. To work best for this skin type, an exfoliant needs soothing ingredients like niacinamide, ceramides, or BHA that clarify pores and reduce oil without causing irritation or dryness.

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

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

Salicylic acid helps clear pores and calm breakouts, while jojoba esters support skin hydration. For this skin type, an exfoliant needs soothing and effective ingredients like niacinamide, ceramides, BHA, and blue tansy to manage oil and breakouts without the risk of irritation.

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

What does Salicylic Acid do for oily acne-prone skin?

Salicylic acid helps clear breakouts and keeps oily skin balanced by reducing oil levels and calming inflammation. It is well suited for oily, acne-prone skin because it targets pimples while helping keep the skin hydrated and protected.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Experimental Dermatology, 2019

What does Oil-Free Formula do for oily acne-prone skin?

Oil-Free Formula helps clear deep-pore impurities and leaves oily skin feeling fresh without triggering extra oil production. This type of product works best when it is gentle enough to preserve your skin barrier while managing breakouts.

Cutis, 2006

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

This exfoliant goes into your weekly routine once a week to help clear pores on oily acne-prone skin, as starting slowly helps avoid irritation. Oily acne-prone skin typically needs products with salicylic acid and soothing ingredients to manage breakouts without harshness.

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

You can use this exfoliant in your routine, but because it helps clear your pores with salicylic acid, combining it with retinol may easily dry out your oily skin. It is best to use retinol on different nights or keep them well-spaced to avoid irritation. Oily acne-prone skin needs products with gentle exfoliating and soothing ingredients to stay calm and smooth.

How often should I use this exfoliant?

Start using this exfoliant once a week to see how your skin reacts, and only use it more often if you tolerate it well and see good results. Oily acne-prone skin needs gentle chemical exfoliants like salicylic acid to help clear pores and reduce redness without causing irritation.

Dermatologic Surgery, 2003Dermatologic Surgery, 2006

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

This exfoliant is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on oily skin, as salicylic acid helps clear out pores and jojoba esters support hydration without heavy oils. However, because it contains synthetic and microcrystalline waxes, it may leave a residue that feels heavy for some people. Oily acne-prone skin often does better with a gentle, oil-free liquid exfoliant that clears pores without heavy waxes.

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

Is this exfoliant fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.

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

  • Topical formulations containing 3.75% glycerol and 1.25% hydrolyzed jojoba esters produced significantly lower evaporative TEWL values compared to glycerol alone at 8 and 24 hours posttreatment in human subjects.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008

  • 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

  • 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

  • Hybrid nanogels incorporating carrageenan, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and jojoba oil enhance and provide controlled cutaneous permeation of niacinamide, protecting human keratinocytes from UV radiation compared to standard delivery.

    Pharmaceutics, 2021

Ingredients

Water, Salicylic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Ppg-15 Stearyl Ether, Synthetic Wax, Microcrystalline Wax, Steareth-21, Polysorbate 60, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Menthyl Lactate, Jojoba Esters, Ci 77510

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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QR code: get the Lovi app
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