Dr. Althea-focused skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin
A routine for oily acne-prone skin built around Dr. Althea products, complemented by other brands where they fit better, for complete care.
Cleansers and toners with salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and lactic acid help clear out pores and reduce breakouts, while moisturizing and serum steps with niacinamide help control oily shine and blemishes.
The morning routine prepares the skin for the day: it cleans off the night, hydrates, and protects, with sunscreen as its last step. The evening routine removes sunscreen, makeup, and the day's oil, then treats the skin while it rests away from the sun. This weekly routine takes the place of the evening routine once a week and adds deeper steps to help manage oily acne-prone skin.
Experimental Dermatology, 2019Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006Skin Research and Technology, 2013Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025
Products are rated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. For a routine based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Morning
Step 1Cleanser
Cleansers with salicylic acid help target blemishes and maintain a clear complexion for oily skin, while formulas with niacinamide help manage oiliness and improve skin texture. These cleansers are used every morning and every evening and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
Dr. Althea
Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser
£12.90
-
Dr. Althea
Amino Gel Cleanser
£12.90
-
Paula's Choice
CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser
£26.00
-
CeraVe
Foaming Facial Cleanser
£8.29
-
iS Clinical
Cleansing Complex
£44.00
-
Eminence Organic Skin Care
Clear Skin Probiotic Cleanser
£47.18
-
Vichy
Normaderm PhytoAction Daily Deep Cleansing Gel
£27.55
-
ROUND LAB
1025 Dokdo Cleansing Gel
£11.50
Step 2Hydrating Toner
Hydrating toners are used every morning and once a week in place of the evening routine. Toners and hydrating steps with niacinamide, glycerin, and ceramides help control oil and minimize pores, while formulas with hyaluronic acid, centella asiatica, and beta-glucan help calm breakouts and manage shine.
-
Paula's Choice
Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner
£30.37
-
Dear, Klairs
Supple Preparation Unscented Toner
£11.49
-
Some By Mi
Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Toner
£13.98
-
Pyunkang Yul
Calming Deep Moisture Toner
£11.65
-
COSRX
Hydrium Watery Toner
£16.89
-
numbuzin
No.5 Vitamin Boosting Essential Toner
£13.60
-
SNP Prep
Peptaronic Toner
£15.99
-
Pixi
Retinol Tonic
£14.05
Step 3Moisturizer
Moisturizers with birch sap, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid help provide lightweight hydration for oily skin without clogging pores. Moisturizers with niacinamide help manage oiliness and target blemishes, and this step is used every morning and every evening and once a week, in place of the evening routine.
-
Dr. Althea
345 Relief Cream
£16.81
-
Dr. Althea
Barrier Cream
£8.80
-
COSRX
Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap)
£14.80
-
COSRX
Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
£12.21
-
Some By Mi
Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream
£11.90
-
innisfree
Green Tea Seed Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum
£25.00
-
Torriden
DIVE-IN Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum
£18.40
-
SKIN1004
Madagascar Centella Asiatica Ampoule
£14.00
Step 4SPF
Sunscreens with zinc oxide and niacinamide help control shine and manage oil, while formulas with centella asiatica extract and hyaluronic acid soothe blemishes and provide balanced hydration. This step is used every morning in the routine for your skin.
-
make p:rem
UV Defense Me Blue Ray Sun Cream
£27.50
-
Dear, Klairs
All-day Airy Sunscreen
£18.74
-
CeraVe
AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30
£11.29
-
Torriden
DIVE-IN Mild Sunscreen
£22.00
-
d'Alba
Piedmont Waterfull Mild Sunscreen
£14.00
-
d'Alba
UVessence Mild Waterfull Sun Cream SPF 50
£14.00
-
make p:rem
UV Defense Me Daily Sun Fluid SPF 50+ PA++++
£24.80
Evening
Step 1Pre-Cleanser
Makeup removers with jojoba seed oil, helianthus annuus seed oil, tocopherol, and centella asiatica extract help remove oil-based debris and soothe acne-prone skin. They are used every evening and once a week, in place of the evening routine.
-
Dr. Althea
Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm
£9.69
-
Pyunkang Yul
Deep Cleansing Oil
£23.92
-
MISSHA
Ultra Hyalon Cleansing Cream
£13.58
-
Cetaphil
Gentle Makeup Removing Wipes
£13.14
-
Shu Uemura
Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil
£17.00
-
B.LAB
Cica Barrier Cleansing Oil Balm
£8.99
-
Pyunkang Yul
Deep Clear Cleansing Balm
£15.05
-
Estée Lauder
Take It Away Makeup Remover Lotion
£20.50
Step 2Cleanser
Cleansers with salicylic acid help target blemishes and maintain a clear complexion for oily skin, while formulas with niacinamide help manage oiliness and improve skin texture. These cleansers are used every morning and every evening and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
Dr. Althea
Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser
£12.90
-
Dr. Althea
Amino Gel Cleanser
£12.90
-
Paula's Choice
CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser
£26.00
-
CeraVe
Foaming Facial Cleanser
£8.29
-
iS Clinical
Cleansing Complex
£44.00
-
Eminence Organic Skin Care
Clear Skin Probiotic Cleanser
£47.18
-
Vichy
Normaderm PhytoAction Daily Deep Cleansing Gel
£27.55
-
ROUND LAB
1025 Dokdo Cleansing Gel
£11.50
Step 3Cleansing Toner
This cleansing toner step is used every evening. Cleansing toners with salicylic and glycolic acid help clear out pores and combat breakouts, while lactic acid and willow bark extract help manage oiliness and keep oily skin feeling balanced.
-
Rodial
Vitamin C Brightening Tonic
£29.99
-
REN Clean Skincare
Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic
£30.99
-
Caudalie
Vinopure Purifying Toner
£29.00
-
Isntree
Chestnut BHA 0.9% Clear Toner
£16.99
-
COSRX
AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner
£12.99
-
Medicube
Zero Pore Pad
£15.30
-
Glow Recipe
Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Toner
£17.95
-
Proactiv
Revitalizing Toner
£20.57
Step 4Serum or Treatment
Serums with niacinamide and propolis help control oil and target acne, while formulas with hyaluronic acid and centella asiatica extract provide lightweight hydration and support skin recovery. These treatment steps are used every evening and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
Dr. Althea
Vitamin C Boosting Serum
£14.79
-
Peach & Lily
Glass Skin Refining Serum
£59.74
-
SKIN1004
Madagascar Centella Spot Cream
£16.02
-
Beauty of Joseon
Propolis + Niacinamide Glow Serum
£36.96
-
Some By Mi
Yuja Niacin Brightening Toner
£14.60
-
innisfree
Green Tea Enzyme Vitamin C Brightening Serum
£25.00
-
NEOGEN Dermalogy
Real Vitamin C Serum
£25.95
-
SKIN1004
Madagascar Centella Tone Brightening Capsule Ampoule
£13.65
Step 5Moisturizer
Moisturizers with birch sap, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid help provide lightweight hydration for oily skin without clogging pores. Moisturizers with niacinamide help manage oiliness and target blemishes, and this step is used every morning and every evening and once a week, in place of the evening routine.
-
Dr. Althea
345 Relief Cream
£16.81
-
Dr. Althea
Barrier Cream
£8.80
-
COSRX
Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap)
£14.80
-
COSRX
Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
£12.21
-
Some By Mi
Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream
£11.90
-
innisfree
Green Tea Seed Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum
£25.00
-
Torriden
DIVE-IN Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum
£18.40
-
SKIN1004
Madagascar Centella Asiatica Ampoule
£14.00
Once a week
Step 1Pre-Cleanser
Makeup removers with jojoba seed oil, helianthus annuus seed oil, tocopherol, and centella asiatica extract help remove oil-based debris and soothe acne-prone skin. They are used every evening and once a week, in place of the evening routine.
-
Dr. Althea
Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm
£9.69
-
Pyunkang Yul
Deep Cleansing Oil
£23.92
-
MISSHA
Ultra Hyalon Cleansing Cream
£13.58
-
Cetaphil
Gentle Makeup Removing Wipes
£13.14
-
Shu Uemura
Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil
£17.00
-
B.LAB
Cica Barrier Cleansing Oil Balm
£8.99
-
Pyunkang Yul
Deep Clear Cleansing Balm
£15.05
-
Estée Lauder
Take It Away Makeup Remover Lotion
£20.50
Step 2Cleanser
Cleansers with salicylic acid help target blemishes and maintain a clear complexion for oily skin, while formulas with niacinamide help manage oiliness and improve skin texture. These cleansers are used every morning and every evening and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
Dr. Althea
Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser
£12.90
-
Dr. Althea
Amino Gel Cleanser
£12.90
-
Paula's Choice
CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser
£26.00
-
CeraVe
Foaming Facial Cleanser
£8.29
-
iS Clinical
Cleansing Complex
£44.00
-
Eminence Organic Skin Care
Clear Skin Probiotic Cleanser
£47.18
-
Vichy
Normaderm PhytoAction Daily Deep Cleansing Gel
£27.55
-
ROUND LAB
1025 Dokdo Cleansing Gel
£11.50
Step 3Enzyme Powder
Exfoliating steps with salicylic acid and papain help manage oiliness and breakouts. This enzyme powder step is used once a week, in place of the evening routine.
-
Dermalogica
Daily Microfoliant
£19.00
-
FANCL
Facial Washing Powder
£22.24
-
Papa Recipe
Tea Tree Control Enzyme Powder Cleanser
£21.52
-
Good Molecules
Pineapple Exfoliating Powder
£16.00
-
Dermalogica
Daily Superfoliant
£19.00
-
VT
Cica Mild Powder Wash
£9.55
-
Eminence Organic Skin Care
Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant
£49.60
-
NEEDLY
Mild Enzyme Cleansing Powder
£23.40
Step 4Cleansing Mask
This cleansing mask step is used once a week in place of the evening routine. Cleansing masks with kaolin clay and charcoal powder help clear out oil and impurities, while versions with salicylic acid and azelaic acid help reduce breakouts and blemishes.
-
VT Cosmetics
Cica Purifying Mask
£19.00
-
Dr. Sebagh
Deep Exfoliating Mask
£61.99
-
Sand & Sky
Australian Pink Clay Porefining Face Mask
£34.00
-
Medicube
Zero Pore Blackhead Mud Mask
£14.00
-
Philosophy
Purity Made Simple Pore Extractor Exfoliating Clay Mask
£29.00
-
REN Clean Skincare
Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask
£29.99
-
innisfree
Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask
£13.00
-
MZ Skin
Radiance & Renewal Instant Clarity Refining Mask
£95.64
Step 5Hydrating Toner
Hydrating toners are used every morning and once a week in place of the evening routine. Toners and hydrating steps with niacinamide, glycerin, and ceramides help control oil and minimize pores, while formulas with hyaluronic acid, centella asiatica, and beta-glucan help calm breakouts and manage shine.
-
Paula's Choice
Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner
£30.37
-
Dear, Klairs
Supple Preparation Unscented Toner
£11.49
-
Some By Mi
Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Toner
£13.98
-
Pyunkang Yul
Calming Deep Moisture Toner
£11.65
-
COSRX
Hydrium Watery Toner
£16.89
-
numbuzin
No.5 Vitamin Boosting Essential Toner
£13.60
-
SNP Prep
Peptaronic Toner
£15.99
-
Pixi
Retinol Tonic
£14.05
Step 6Serum or Treatment
Serums with niacinamide and propolis help control oil and target acne, while formulas with hyaluronic acid and centella asiatica extract provide lightweight hydration and support skin recovery. These treatment steps are used every evening and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
Dr. Althea
Vitamin C Boosting Serum
£14.79
-
Peach & Lily
Glass Skin Refining Serum
£59.74
-
SKIN1004
Madagascar Centella Spot Cream
£16.02
-
Beauty of Joseon
Propolis + Niacinamide Glow Serum
£36.96
-
Some By Mi
Yuja Niacin Brightening Toner
£14.60
-
innisfree
Green Tea Enzyme Vitamin C Brightening Serum
£25.00
-
NEOGEN Dermalogy
Real Vitamin C Serum
£25.95
-
SKIN1004
Madagascar Centella Tone Brightening Capsule Ampoule
£13.65
Step 7Moisturizer
Moisturizers with birch sap, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid help provide lightweight hydration for oily skin without clogging pores. Moisturizers with niacinamide help manage oiliness and target blemishes, and this step is used every morning and every evening and once a week, in place of the evening routine.
-
Dr. Althea
345 Relief Cream
£16.81
-
Dr. Althea
Barrier Cream
£8.80
-
COSRX
Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap)
£14.80
-
COSRX
Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
£12.21
-
Some By Mi
Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream
£11.90
-
innisfree
Green Tea Seed Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum
£25.00
-
Torriden
DIVE-IN Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum
£18.40
-
SKIN1004
Madagascar Centella Asiatica Ampoule
£14.00
Research behind this routine
Glycerol and the skin: holistic approach to its origin and functions
Niacinamide - mechanisms of action and its topical use in dermatology
Salicylic acid treats acne vulgaris by suppressing AMPK/SREBP1 pathway in sebocytes
Behind this routine
Lovi builds every routine from each product's 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.
-

Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-

Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-

Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-

Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-

Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-

Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-

Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-

Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
Get a routine for your skin
Scan your face, and Lovi builds a morning, evening, and weekly routine around your skin and goals.






































































