Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser for combination skin
Charcoal
Salicylic Acid
Glycerin
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
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 charcoal powder and salicylic acid help to clear pores and manage oily shine. Glycerin provides some hydration, but the formula may not offer enough humectant support for drier areas of your combination skin.
- The presence of sodium laureth sulfate and salicylic acid aids in pore cleansing, supporting your goal of managing oily shine.
- The product is safe for your combination 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
★3.9Overall rating based on 9.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this cleanser is highly effective for users with oily and acne-prone skin, providing a deep clean and excellent oil control. Many users appreciate the refreshing sensation and notice improvements in complexion. However, a significant number of users with dry or sensitive skin report that the product can be overly drying and may cause irritation or redness.
Highlights
Deep clean feeling Mostly Mentioned
- “Face feels squeaky clean”
- “removes all dirt and grease”
- “pores feel breathable again”
Oil control Often Mentioned
- “Keeps shine away”
- “great for my oily T-zone”
- “cuts through grease immediately”
Refreshing sensation Often Mentioned
- “Love the tingle”
- “feels cool and refreshing”
- “wakes up my skin”
Drying and stripping Often Mentioned
- “Made my skin peel”
- “face felt super tight”
- “too harsh for daily use”
Clears complexion Sometimes Noted
- “Helped clear my blackheads”
- “fewer pimples since using”
- “skin looks brighter”
Irritation and redness Sometimes Noted
- “Burned my face”
- “turned my skin red”
- “stung my eyes bad”
Messy application Sometimes Noted
- “Stains the sink”
- “leaves black drips everywhere”
- “messy to rinse off”
Strong fragrance Rarely Noted
- “Smells like chemicals”
- “scent is too strong”
- “overwhelming perfume smell”
Sources: lovi.care, influenster.com, target.com, walmart.com, ulta.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser work for combination skin?
This cleanser offers moderate cleansing for combination skin, as charcoal powder and salicylic acid help to clear pores and manage oily shine, though it may not offer enough hydration for drier areas. A cleanser for this skin needs ingredients that effectively balance oil production, maintain moisture for dry areas, and provide soothing benefits without causing irritation.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for combination skin?
Charcoal powder and salicylic acid make this cleanser a good fit by helping to clear pores and manage oily shine, while glycerin provides some hydration. A cleanser for combination skin needs well-rounded ingredients that balance oil production while keeping drier areas hydrated and protected against over-drying.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
What does Activated Charcoal do for combination skin?
Activated Charcoal helps draw out excess oil and impurities while keeping dry areas balanced, making it a good match for combination skin. This type of product needs gentle cleansing ingredients that clear pores without stripping away natural moisture.
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
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This cleanser goes as the first step in your morning routine, and as the second step after makeup removal in your evening routine. While it helps clear pores and manage oily shine on combination skin, it may not offer enough moisture for drier areas, meaning this skin type needs extra hydrating ingredients like glycerin and gentle humectants to keep dry zones soft.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser in your routine, but apply your retinol afterwards once your skin is clean and dry. A product of this type works best for combination skin when it also includes extra hydrating ingredients to keep drier areas soft and balanced.
How often should I use this cleanser?
This cleanser works for your combination skin to clear pores and manage oily shine, but it may not offer enough moisture for your drier areas. To keep your skin balanced, a cleanser of this type needs extra hydrating ingredients like glycerin and soothing plant extracts to protect dry spots while managing shine.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores, as charcoal and salicylic acid help to clear pores and manage oily shine on combination skin. However, because it can leave drier areas feeling stripped and dry, this skin type needs extra hydration and gentle, moisture-boosting ingredients like glycerin and ceramides.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on your body, but it is best to avoid the thin skin around your eyes to prevent dryness and irritation. To properly care for the delicate eye area, a product of this type needs extra moisture and gentleness.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
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, 2017A 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, 2024The 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, 2023Soap-and-water wash and superactive charcoal paste applied topically at various times after T-2 toxin exposure effectively reduced skin lesion severity in swine compared to untreated controls.
Fundamental and Applied Toxicology, 1989Cryotherapy 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, 2010The 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, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012The 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, 2003Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) treatment decreases lipid membrane chain conformational order and stiffness leading to increased water sorption and diffusivity, whereas sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES) treatment increases lipid membrane conformational order and stiffness with increased water sorption capacity driven by its hygroscopic nature.
Langmuir, 2014
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sorbitol, Laureth-4 Carboxylic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Menthol, Methylparaben, Polyquaternium-39, Propylparaben, Charcoal Powder, Disodium Edta, Mannitol, Cellulose, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Methylisothiazolinone, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Iron Oxides
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
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.