Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta® Pore Perfecting Cleansing Gel for skin with dark spots
Mandelic Acid
Glycolic Acid
Willow Bark Extract
Sodium Hyaluronate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceHigh
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for skin with dark spots; a few cleansers fit it even better.
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
- International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2010
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dark spots: hyperpigmentation, sun spots, and uneven skin tone. 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
- Excellent for your normal skin, this cleansing gel effectively addresses pigmentation and pores with mandelic and glycolic acids, which exfoliate and brighten without causing irritation. Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide essential hydration, complementing the mild exfoliation from willow bark extract to maintain skin balance. The formula is safe for your normal skin, featuring soothing aloe barbadensis leaf juice and bisabolol to prevent any potential irritation.
How to apply
- You can use this cleanser AM and PM every single day. Start slowly 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin likes it.
- Apply this cleanser as the first step in your morning routine or the second step in your evening routine. Follow it with toner and moisturizer.
- Massage a small amount of cleanser gently onto your face using circular motions. Rinse well with lukewarm water and pat dry.
- For the best results, apply your cleanser directly to wet skin to help wash away dirt. Make sure your face is clean before you begin.
- Avoid getting the cleanser in your eyes. Always do a quick patch test before using the product for the very first time.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 1.1k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this cleanser is highly praised for its deep cleansing abilities and pore refinement, leaving skin feeling soft and balanced, particularly for oily and combination skin types. Many users report smoother texture and reduced breakouts. However, a small number of users with sensitive or dry skin experienced irritation or purging, and some found the price point high for a cleanser.
Highlights
Deep clean Mostly Mentioned
- “leaves skin soft and supple”
- “cleans deep without drying”
- “face feels balanced”
Improves texture Often Mentioned
- “pores look smaller”
- “skin texture is smoother”
- “helped with blackheads”
- “glass skin effect”
Helps acne Sometimes Noted
- “cleared my cystic acne”
- “keeps breakouts at bay”
- “great for hormonal acne”
- “reduced blemishes”
Luxurious lather Sometimes Noted
- “lathers beautifully”
- “a little goes a long way”
- “feels silky on skin”
- “rich foam”
Expensive price Sometimes Noted
- “pricey for a cleanser”
- “too expensive to repurchase”
- “wish it was cheaper”
- “good but costly”
Can be drying Rarely Noted
- “dried out my skin”
- “left dry patches”
- “too strong for twice a day”
- “skin felt tight”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “gave me whiteheads”
- “caused a bad breakout”
- “skin reacted poorly”
- “too active for my sensitive skin”
Scent dislike Rarely Noted
- “smells like chemicals”
- “scent is off-putting”
- “weird smell”
- “fragrance is too strong”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, drdennisgross.com, cultbeauty.com, lovelyskin.com, influenster.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Pore Perfecting Cleansing Gel a great fit for skin with dark spots?
This cleansing gel is a great fit because it features mandelic and glycolic acids to exfoliate and brighten dark spots without irritation. Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate hydrate the skin, while soothing ingredients like aloe and bisabolol help keep the face calm and balanced.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for skin with dark spots?
Mandelic acid and glycolic acid make this cleanser a great fit for skin with dark spots because they gently exfoliate and brighten the skin. Alpha-bisabolol also helps by producing a significant skin-lightening effect in pigmented skin.
What does Mandelic Acid do for skin with dark spots?
Mandelic acid helps fade dark spots and uneven skin tone while being generally gentle on the skin. It works by gently exfoliating the outer layer to reveal fresher, more even skin underneath. To properly treat dark spots, a product of this type needs additional brightening ingredients and soothing agents to calm the skin and improve pigment reduction.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2016Dermatologic Surgery, 2016
What does Glycolic Acid do for skin with dark spots?
Glycolic acid helps fade dark spots and improves uneven skin tone by encouraging the shedding of pigmented surface cells. When used in treatments or peels alongside other brightening ingredients, it may further reduce the severity of stubborn discoloration.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for skin with dark spots?
This cleanser goes in the morning and evening routine for skin with dark spots, before your toner, moisturizer, and sunscreen or treatment. Using a mild cleanser like this helps prep the skin while supporting hydration and gentle exfoliation.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2012
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol by using the cleanser first, followed by your retinol treatment in your evening routine. This cleansing gel exfoliates and brightens with acids while keeping skin balanced with glycerin and sodium hyaluronate, helping to prepare your skin safely.
How often should I use this cleanser?
This cleansing gel is a great fit for skin with dark spots because it features mandelic and glycolic acids to gently brighten and smooth without irritation. You can use it daily in your morning and evening routines as part of a complete regimen.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for skin with dark spots?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for skin with dark spots, as it features a gentle formula that helps clear and balance the skin without heavy, pore-clogging oils. Reviewers rarely report breakouts from this product, and its exfoliating acids help keep pores clean and clear.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
Yes, you can use this cleanser on your body, but you should avoid using it directly around the eyes since the skin there is very thin and sensitive. The formula uses gentle acids and hydrating ingredients that work well on larger body areas without causing irritation.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It contains fragrance (farnesol) and drying alcohol (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, 2017Application of an alpha-bisabolol-containing cream produced a significant skin-lightening effect in pigmented skin compared to a vehicle control in the majority of female subjects after 8 weeks.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2010Treatment with 45% mandelic acid peel showed nearly equal overall efficacy as 30% salicylic acid peel in patients with mild-to-moderate facial acne vulgaris, but with fewer adverse effects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Chemical peels using 35% glycolic acid, 20% salicylic-10% mandelic acid, and phytic acid reduce acne scores by 70.55%, 74.14%, and 69.7% respectively, and significantly decline the postacne hyperpigmentation index in Asian patients with mild to moderate acne.
Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, 2019Commonly used chemical peels showed no significant differences in effectiveness for acne vulgaris in most comparisons, though combined salicylic and mandelic acid peeling was superior to glycolic acid and glycolic acid was superior to placebo, based on twelve randomized controlled trials.
BMJ Open, 2018Repeated short-contact 70% glycolic acid peels provided superior results in atrophic acne scars compared to daily low-strength glycolic acid cream or placebo in 58 women over 24 weeks.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2000Serial glycolic acid peels combined with a modified Kligman formula significantly reduced facial PIH severity in Indian patients compared to the modified Kligman formula alone.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2017A botanical face cleanser with hops and willow bark extract continuously reduced skin sebum levels without reactive seborrhea after treatment in 21 healthy volunteers compared to a sodium laureth sulfate cleanser, with neither cleanser causing skin irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Bioactive lipid nanocarriers co-loaded with willow bark or ivy leaf extracts and UV-filters provided pronounced UVA photoprotection up to an SPF-equivalent value of 13 and a maximum in vivo skin hydration effect of 97% when prepared with pomegranate oil.
Nanomaterials, 2022A topical serum containing 0.5% salicin applied twice daily reduced visible signs of skin aging, including wrinkles and tactile roughness, in 30 female subjects over 12 weeks compared to baseline.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2010Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Propanediol, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Disteareth-75 Ipdi, Glycereth-7 Caprylate Caprate, Sodium Chloride, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Mandelic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Willow Bark Extract, Phytic Acid, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Citric Acid, Farnesol, Barosma Betulina Leaf Extract, Sodium Pca, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tremella Fuciformis Extract Mushroom Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Bisabolol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Alcohol, Sodium Phytate, Jasmine Leaf Extract Flower, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract Grape Fruit Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Stem Extract Flower Leaf Lavender Stem Extract Flower Leaf, Clove Flower Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Laurate, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol
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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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
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Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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