🇬🇧United Kingdom

Paula's Choice Pore Normalizing Cleanser for oily acne-prone skin

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

Paula's Choice Pore Normalizing Cleanser

Average

  • HighOily Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

Works for oily acne-prone skin; other cleansers 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 cleansing for your oily skin, with sodium laureth sulfate and sodium lauroyl sarcosinate effectively removing impurities, though it lacks strong seboregulating ingredients to fully address oiliness.
  • While glycerin provides humectant action suitable for oily skin, the formula does not contain specialized ingredients to target acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
  • The product is safe for your oily skin, as it contains soothing agents like allantoin and panthenol and avoids harsh or prohibited ingredients.

How to apply

  • Use this cleanser as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using it daily to help clear your breakouts.
  • Apply this cleanser as the first step in the morning and right after your pre-cleanser in the evening. Follow it with your toner and moisturizer.
  • Gently massage a small amount of the cleanser onto your face using circular motions. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and pat dry.
  • Apply the cleanser on slightly damp skin to help clean deeply and remove excess oil. This works best for oily skin types.
  • Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Do a patch test before your first use.

People Say

★4.4Overall rating based on 500+ reviews

Users with oily and acne-prone skin frequently praise this gel cleanser for effectively clearing breakouts and controlling sebum without stripping the moisture barrier. While most find it gentle and refreshing, a minority of users with combination or sensitive skin experienced dryness, tightness, or purging after use.

Highlights

  • Effective acne control Mostly Mentioned
    • “Holy grail for acne”
    • “cleared my clogged comedones”
    • “tackle my blemishes”
    • “fights spots.”
  • Gentle & non-stripping Often Mentioned
    • “Squeaky clean but not stripped”
    • “doesn't dry me out”
    • “gentle but does the job”
    • “no redness.”
  • Oil balancing Often Mentioned
    • “Keeps oil in check”
    • “removes excess oil”
    • “helped with oily t-zone”
    • “skin feels balanced.”
  • Makeup removal Sometimes Noted
    • “Cleans off leftover makeup”
    • “removes heavy makeup”
    • “takes off makeup very well”
    • “dissolves pore-clogging debris.”
  • Pleasant texture Sometimes Noted
    • “Great gel consistency”
    • “lathers up well”
    • “silky feel”
    • “refreshing gel.”
  • Drying for some Sometimes Noted
    • “Made my skin pretty dry”
    • “skin around lips went dry”
    • “felt tight after using”
    • “drying? yes.”
  • Breakouts/Purging Rarely Noted
    • “Broke me out”
    • “caused itchy papules”
    • “brought zits to a head”
    • “bad reaction.”
  • Packaging issues Rarely Noted
    • “Bad packaging”
    • “leaked in transit”
    • “cap broke easily”
    • “hard to dispense.”
  • Skin irritation Rarely Noted
    • “Slightly irritating”
    • “caused redness”
    • “felt slightly itchy”
    • “burned my skin.”
  • Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
    • “Chemical smell”
    • “bad smell”
    • “smells like medicine”
    • “weird scent.”

Sources: lovi.care, sephora.ph, sephora.com.au, dermstore.com, paulaschoice.com, cultbeauty.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does Paula's Choice Pore Normalizing Cleanser work for oily acne-prone skin?

Paula's Choice Pore Normalizing Cleanser works reasonably well for your oily acne-prone skin, cleaning away impurities with standard ingredients while soothing your face with allantoin and panthenol. However, it lacks strong oil-controlling ingredients and specialized blemish fighters to fully address your breakouts. A cleanser for this skin needs ingredients like niacinamide, ceramides, probiotics, or salicylic acid to balance oil production and target acne while keeping skin calm.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017

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

Glycerin, allantoin, and panthenol make this cleanser a good fit by providing gentle moisture and keeping your skin calm, while sodium laureth sulfate washes away daily impurities. Because it lacks ingredients like salicylic acid, niacinamide, or probiotics to properly balance oil production and target breakouts, cleansers for this skin type need those blemish-fighting and oil-controlling ingredients.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

What does Sodium Laureth Sulfate do for oily acne-prone skin?

Sodium laureth sulfate helps clean away excess oil, but it may dry out the skin and disrupt its natural protective barrier. This type of ingredient tends to cause irritation, so oily and acne-prone skin needs a cleanser formulated with much milder detergents, soothing moisture-boosting ingredients, and a skin-friendly pH that protects the barrier while it cleans.

International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2026

What does Cocamidopropyl Betaine do for oily acne-prone skin?

Cocamidopropyl betaine is a cleansing ingredient that helps wash away dirt and excess oil from oily, acne-prone skin, though it may occasionally cause skin irritation or allergic reactions in some people. This type of skin needs gentle cleansers and oil-reducing ingredients that clear pores while keeping the skin barrier healthy and calm.

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

This cleanser goes in your morning and evening routine as the first cleansing step, or as the second step after makeup removal at night. It safely washes away impurities with soothing ingredients, but for oily acne-prone skin, this type of product also needs strong oil-controlling ingredients and blemish-targeting actives.

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

You can use this cleanser with BHA by washing your face first and then applying your BHA treatment afterwards. This helps remove impurities without harshness, though a cleanser for this skin needs specialized ingredients to target acne and breakouts.

How often should I use it?

You can use this cleanser morning and evening as part of your daily skincare routine, as it safely washes away impurities while keeping your skin calm.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

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

This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for your oily acne-prone skin, as it has a low risk of causing them. However, because it lacks specialized ingredients to target acne and breakouts, an oily acne-prone skin needs a cleanser that includes targeted acne-fighting ingredients and oil-balancing agents.

Can I use it around the eyes or on my body?

You can use this cleanser on your body, but the skin around your eyes is much thinner and may be more easily irritated by foaming cleansers. This product needs soothing and gentle hydrating ingredients like panthenol and glycerin to help keep sensitive areas calm and comfortable.

Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2002Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025

Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

What the research says

  • A panthenol-enriched mask significantly decreased erythema and hyperpigmentation, increased sebum and stratum corneum moisture, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to a saline dressing in 60 subjects undergoing facial laser treatment.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025

  • Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.

    American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

  • A new topical panthenol-containing emollient significantly improved transepidermal water loss reduction, stratum corneum hydration, and intercellular lipid lamellae length compared with control in healthy subjects without negatively impacting bacterial viability.

    The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017

  • Sodium 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

  • The 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, 2003

  • 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, 2017

  • The 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, 2020

  • Ten 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, 2001

  • Topical gel containing chitosan, 0.2% chlorhexidine, allantoin and dexpanthenol did not improve postoperative comfort regarding swelling and pain, but improved the wound's aesthetic appearance following impacted lower third molar extraction compared to no gel.

    Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2016

  • A topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.

    Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020

  • An overnight patch containing Allium cepa extract and allantoin safely promotes scar healing after dermatologic surgery, resulting in significantly greater reductions in observer- and patient-assessed POSAS scores compared to no treatment.

    Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2018

  • Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019

  • Topical dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.

    Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000

  • Hyaluronic acid, hyaluronic acid plus dexpanthenol, and isotonic saline nasal sprays all significantly improved dry nose symptoms over four weeks in 240 patients, with hyaluronic acid plus dexpanthenol providing superior nasal moisturisation compared to the other two.

    Auris, Nasus, Larynx, 2020

Why other cleansers fit oily acne-prone skin better

  • Topical application of Lactobacillus plantarum-GMNL6 enhanced collagen synthesis and SPTSSA gene expression while reducing melanin synthesis, Staphylococcus aureus biofilm, and Cutibacterium acnes proliferation, leading to clinical improvements in skin moisture, color, spots, wrinkles, UV spots, and porphyrins in human volunteers.

    International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2021

  • A 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, 2019

Ingredients

Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Peg-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Allantoin, Panthenol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

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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Prices checked 5 Nov 2026

The Lovi Fit is the same in every country; only the stores and prices differ, and the ones here are for the United Kingdom.

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

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