COSRX Low pH Niacinamide Micellar Cleansing Water for acne-prone skin
Niacinamide
Zinc Pca
Allantoin
Sodium Hyaluronate
MadecassosideLow
- LowCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A weak match for acne-prone skin; the products alongside fit it better.
- The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017
- The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020
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 general cleansing benefits for your acne-prone skin, as Panthenol and Allantoin provide soothing effects, but Zinc PCA's seboregulation may not fully balance the drier areas of your combination skin due to a lack of stronger humectants.
- The cleansing action is excellent for removing impurities without stripping the skin, thanks to Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate.
- The safety profile is good, with no risks of irritation for your combination skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use your micellar water in both your AM and PM routines daily. Always pair it with SPF in the morning to protect clear skin.
- Apply the micellar water as your pre-cleanser step before your regular cleanser and toner.
- Pour onto a cotton pad and gently swipe across your face to remove impurities without harsh rubbing.
- Apply the micellar water on completely dry skin to effectively target blemishes and breakouts.
- Do a patch test before first use and avoid getting the product directly into your eyes.
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 600+ reviewsUsers with sensitive and acne-prone skin highly praise this micellar water for its ability to gently remove makeup and excess oil without stripping the skin's moisture barrier. Many reviewers highlight the added benefits of niacinamide, noting that it helps control sebum and leaves their complexion feeling balanced, calm, and hydrated rather than tight or dry.
Highlights
Gentle and non-irritating Mostly Mentioned
- “no burning sensation”
- “gentle on sensitive skin”
- “barely any stinging”
- “calms redness”
Effective cleansing Often Mentioned
- “removes everyday makeup”
- “cleanses deeply”
- “removes mascara well”
- “takes off sunscreen”
Hydrating and non-stripping Often Mentioned
- “skin feels moisturized”
- “not tight or drying”
- “leaves skin soft”
- “hydrating finish”
Beneficial ingredients Sometimes Noted
- “niacinamide helps brighten”
- “good for oil control”
- “zinc PCA for sebum”
- “improves skin texture”
Fragrance-free Sometimes Noted
- “scent is barely noticeable”
- “no fragrance”
- “mild scent”
- “great for sensitive noses”
Eye irritation Rarely Noted
- “stung my eyes slightly”
- “blurred vision if too much”
- “mild stinging”
- “careful around eyes”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “cap can break”
- “dispenses too fast”
- “leaked in transit”
- “hard to control amount”
Price point Rarely Noted
- “wish it was cheaper”
- “slightly expensive”
- “pricey for micellar water”
- “wait for sale”
Sticky residue Rarely Noted
- “slight sticky residue”
- “leaves a film”
- “needs rinsing after”
- “tacky finish”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, iherb.com, ulta.com, yesstyle.com, hometesterclub.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is COSRX Micellar Cleansing Water a weak match for acne-prone skin?
This micellar water is a weak match because, while it provides general cleansing and calming effects, its oil-balancing ingredients may not fully hydrate the drier areas of your skin due to a lack of stronger moisture-attracting ingredients. A product of this type needs effective hydrating and soothing ingredients that address breakouts and balance dryness without overwhelming oiliness, along with an optimal texture and pH.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020
Which ingredients make this cleanser a poor fit for acne-prone skin?
Zinc PCA makes this cleanser a weak match because it may not fully balance the drier areas of your combination skin due to a lack of stronger hydrating ingredients. Acne-prone skin of this type needs formulations with effective hydrating and soothing ingredients that address breakouts and maintain skin balance without causing irritation.
What does Niacinamide do for acne-prone skin?
Niacinamide helps acne-prone skin by reducing both inflamed and uninflamed breakouts and calming redness. It is also very helpful for keeping oily skin balanced by cutting down on excess oil production, and it is well tolerated by most people.
What does Zinc PCA do for acne-prone skin?
Zinc PCA helps calm acne-prone skin by fighting bacteria and keeping oily shine under control. This ingredient is generally well tolerated and may reduce breakouts when used as part of your regular routine.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2013
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This micellar water is used in the evening as a makeup remover before your regular cleanser. Because this product is a weak match for your acne-prone skin, a cleanser of this type needs stronger hydrating ingredients to properly balance drier areas while keeping your skin calm.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol by applying the cleanser first on damp skin, rinsing it off completely, and following with your retinol product once your face is dry. This product is a weak match for your acne-prone skin because it lacks stronger water-attracting ingredients to balance dry areas, so this skin type needs extra hydration and soothing ingredients alongside retinol to keep the face soft and calm.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser daily to gently remove impurities without stripping your skin. Acne-prone skin of this type needs stronger hydrating ingredients and oil-balancing care to properly support drier and oilier areas.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for acne-prone skin, as it has a safe formula that removes impurities without irritation. However, because it is a weak match for your skin type, a product of this type needs stronger humectants to fully balance drier areas while helping to keep skin calm and clear.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
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, 2017Topical nicotinamide plus an antibacterial adhesive agent and zinc-pyrrolidone carboxylic acid combined with adapalene significantly reduced noninflammatory acne lesions by the second week of therapy compared to placebo with adapalene in patients with moderate acne vulgaris.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020Topical 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, 2002A 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, 2025Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005Zinc PCA inhibits UVA-induced matrix metalloproteinase-1 production through suppressed AP-1 activation and enhances type I collagen synthesis by increasing SVCT2 mRNA expression in cultured normal human dermal fibroblasts.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2012Topical 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, 2016A 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, 2020An 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, 2018Topical 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, 2019Topical application of 0.05% w/w ECa 233 gel reduced erythema index by 0.03 U and improved early crusting and general wound appearance compared to placebo in thirty individuals undergoing facial laser resurfacing.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2020A 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, 2017Moisturizer 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
Ingredients
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Zinc Pca, Madecassoside, Propanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Disodium Edta
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.
-
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
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.