Equate Beauty Blackhead Clearing Scrub for acne-prone skin
Salicylic Acid
Oil-Free Formula
Jojoba Esters
Menthyl Lactate
Average
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for acne-prone skin; other exfoliants fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. 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 acne-prone skin due to the presence of salicylic acid, which helps decongest pores and manage oiliness beneficial for combination skin.
- Menthyl lactate provides a cooling sensation, further enhancing its suitability for combination skin by addressing oiliness and pore congestion.
- The product is safe for your acne-prone skin, as it lacks prohibited or harsh ingredients that could cause irritation.
How to apply
- Use this exfoliant PM once a week to start, and gradually increase if your combination skin tolerates it well. Always apply SPF the next morning to protect your clear skin.
- Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toning, but right before your moisturizer step. This ensures the treatment targets blemishes effectively.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin without rubbing. Let it absorb for a minute before moving to the next step.
- Apply the exfoliant on clean, dry skin to help control breakouts safely. Since your skin is not sensitive, this dry application method ensures good product absorption.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a patch test before your first use. Do not mix this exfoliant with other strong acids in the same routine.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsUsers 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 Blackhead Clearing Scrub work for acne-prone skin?
This scrub works reasonably well for your acne-prone skin, as salicylic acid helps clear out pores and manage oiliness. It is safe to use without harsh ingredients, but an exfoliant for this skin needs to safely enhance texture and radiance while keeping moisture balanced.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023
Which ingredients make this exfoliant a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Salicylic acid and jojoba esters make this exfoliant a good fit for acne-prone skin because they help clear out clogged pores and manage oiliness without causing irritation. To work best for this skin type, an exfoliant needs soothing ingredients, gentle acids, and barrier-repairing components like niacinamide and ceramides to refine pores and keep skin balanced.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023
What does Salicylic Acid do for acne-prone skin?
Salicylic acid helps clear acne-prone skin by reducing pimples and calming redness without causing many side effects. It works by dipping deep into pores to clear out blockages and control oil, making it a reliable choice for keeping skin smooth and clear.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
What does Oil-Free Formula do for acne-prone skin?
An oil-free formula helps keep acne-prone skin clear by removing excess oil without clogging pores or triggering extra sebum production. This type of product works best when it is gentle, preserves the skin barrier, and uses ingredients that clean deep into the pores without causing dryness or irritation.
Where does this exfoliant go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This exfoliant goes into your weekly routine once a week, and you can slowly use it more often if your skin handles it well. Because acne-prone skin works best with products that clear pores and control oil without harsh irritation, an exfoliant of this type needs soothing salicylic acid and a gentle oil-free formula.
Can I use this exfoliant with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this exfoliant with retinol by applying them on different nights or spacing them well apart, since combining them directly may cause too much dryness or irritation on acne-prone skin.
How often should I use this exfoliant?
Start using this exfoliant once a week, and if your skin tolerates it well and you see good results, you may carefully use it more often. Because this is an average fit for your acne-prone skin, a product of this type needs soothing and oil-free ingredients that clear pores and gently manage oiliness without causing irritation.
Can this exfoliant clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This scrub helps clear pores and manage oiliness with salicylic acid, but it is an average fit for your acne-prone skin because other products may suit it better. A product of this type needs gentle exfoliating ingredients and soothing components to keep your skin smooth and calm without harsh scrubbing.
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, 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, 2023A 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, 2020Cryotherapy 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, 2010Topical 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, 2008Clay 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, 2012Topical 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
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.
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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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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
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