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SKINFOOD Black Sugar Perfect Enzyme Powder Wash for oily acne-prone skin

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

SKINFOOD Black Sugar Perfect Enzyme Powder Wash

Average

  • HighOily Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

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, as papain and lactobionic acid work to smooth texture and regulate desquamation, though it lacks specialized ingredients like salicylic acid to directly target acne and blemishes.
  • Allantoin and betaine provide soothing benefits, contributing to a gentle cleansing experience suitable for your skin.
  • The product is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of calming components.

How to apply

  • Use your enzyme powder cleanser PM once a week to start, then increase frequency if your skin tolerates it well. Always apply SPF during the day since exfoliating products can make skin sensitive to the sun.
  • Apply this enzyme powder cleanser in your weekly routine after the standard cleanser and before your hydrating toner and moisturizer. This step helps clear away dead skin cells.
  • Mix the powder with a little water in your hands to create a gentle foam , then massage it softly onto your face while avoiding harsh rubbing.
  • Apply the enzyme powder cleanser on slightly damp skin to help activate the formula effectively. Make sure your face is clean from makeup before starting.
  • Avoid the delicate eye area and do a patch test before your first use. Do not mix this with strong acids or retinoids in the same routine to prevent irritation.

People Say

★4.7Overall rating based on 100+ reviews

Based 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 oily acne-prone skin?

This powder wash works moderately well for oily acne-prone skin, smoothing texture while keeping irritation unlikely through calming ingredients like allantoin and betaine. However, because it lacks specialized blemish-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid, a better product for this skin needs targeted acne-clearing components alongside soothing agents to manage breakouts and maintain a balanced complexion.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2010Skin Research and Technology, 2003

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

Papain and lactobionic acid help smooth your oily skin texture, while allantoin and betaine provide a gentle cleansing experience with little risk of irritation. However, an enzyme powder cleanser for this skin needs specialized ingredients like salicylic acid to directly target acne and blemishes.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2010Skin Research and Technology, 2003

What does Black Sugar Extract do for oily acne-prone skin?

Black Sugar Extract helps gently clear away dead skin cells to keep pores clean and smooth. For oily, acne-prone skin, a product of this type needs to balance oil and provide soothing ingredients that keep the skin calm and clear.

What does Corn Starch do for oily acne-prone skin?

Corn starch helps manage oily, acne-prone skin by absorbing excess oil and minimizing friction without clogging pores or fueling irritation. This type of product needs to stay lightweight and non-greasy, using oil-absorbing minerals or starches to keep skin soft and matte.

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

Use this enzyme powder cleanser once a week in your weekly routine, or more often if your skin tolerates it well. To work best for oily acne-prone skin, a cleanser of this type needs specialized ingredients like salicylic acid to directly target acne and blemishes.

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

You can use this cleanser with retinol as part of your routine, but use them at different times or days since both smooth skin texture and may be too strong together. Wash with this cleanser in your morning or weekly routine, and save your retinol treatment for the evening.

How often should I use it?

You can start using this enzyme powder once a week as part of your routine. If your skin handles it well and you see good results, you may carefully use it more often.

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

It is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily acne-prone skin, as it contains soothing allantoin and betaine that help keep the cleansing experience gentle and safe. However, because it lacks targeted ingredients like salicylic acid to directly clear acne, oily skin types often do better with cleansers that include acne-fighting acids or specialized blemish-clearing components.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2010Skin Research and Technology, 2003

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, 2019

  • Soaps containing betaine caused the least skin irritation compared to other tested soaps in twenty-eight healthy subjects, though irritation did not decrease with increasing concentrations of betaine.

    Skin Research and Technology, 2003

  • Lactobionic acid produced better skin performance with a lack of skin irritation and barrier impairment compared to glycolic acid in 77 healthy volunteers.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2010

  • A combination of Aloe barbadensis leaf extract and trimethylglycine in a 1:1 mass ratio synergistically increased aquaporin 3 expression by up to 380% in keratinocytes and safely improved skin hydration in healthy volunteers.

    Molecules, 2024

  • The 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, 2022

  • Sucrose 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, 2012

  • Topical 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, 2009

  • Hydrolyzed 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, 2026

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

    Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 2016

  • 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

  • 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

  • Topical 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, 2015

  • A 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, 2014

  • A 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, 2021

  • Co-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, 2017

  • An 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 oily acne-prone skin better

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.

  • 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?

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QR code: get the Lovi app
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