Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Astringent for combination skin
Salicylic Acid
Witch Hazel Extract
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Butylene GlycolAverage
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for combination skin; other toners fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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 oily shine and combination skin due to salicylic acid and witch hazel extract, which help cleanse pores and provide soothing benefits.
- While beneficial for oily areas, the formula may not provide sufficient emollient ingredients for drier areas of your combination skin.
- The product is safe for your combination skin, as it contains soothing aloe barbadensis leaf extract and lacks harsh or prohibited ingredients.
How to apply
- Use your exfoliating toner during your PM routine. Start once a week and slowly build up if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply your exfoliating toner right after cleansing and before your favorite moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliating toner into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the exfoliating toner on clean and completely dry skin to get the best results for your combination skin.
- Always avoid the sensitive eye area and wear daily SPF to protect your skin.
People Say
★4.3Overall rating based on 400+ reviewsUsers with oily and acne-prone skin frequently praise this astringent for its deep pore cleansing and significant oil reduction, often finding it effective for preventing breakouts. A moderate number of users report that the high alcohol content can lead to dryness and stinging, making it less ideal for sensitive skin types.
Highlights
Clears acne Often Mentioned
- “clears acne”
- “pimples almost gone”
- “prevent future breakouts”
- “works on blemishes”
Controls oil Often Mentioned
- “removes surface oil”
- “controls shine”
- “less oily skin”
- “keeps face matte”
Deep cleansing Sometimes Noted
- “deep cleansing action”
- “removes dirt/makeup”
- “clean pores”
- “removes residue”
Refreshing feel Sometimes Noted
- “clean and refreshed”
- “cooling sensation”
- “crisp clean feeling”
- “skin feels tight”
Drying effect Sometimes Noted
- “dries out skin”
- “excessive drying”
- “peeling”
- “skin feels tight”
Strong scent Sometimes Noted
- “smelled HORRIBLE”
- “scent is potent”
- “strong alcohol smell”
- “chemical odor”
Burning sensation Rarely Noted
- “burned my skin”
- “sting a bit”
- “burns a little”
- “irritates face”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “leaked badly”
- “no tamper seal”
- “bottle leaked”
- “spilled in shipping”
Sources: lovi.care, neutrogena.com, walmart.com, target.com, ulta.com, cvs.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Astringent work for combination skin?
This exfoliating toner works reasonably well for the oily areas of your combination skin, but it may not provide enough softening ingredients for the drier areas. A product of this type needs a balanced mix of exfoliating acids to clear pores and hydrating ingredients to keep dry spots moisturized without causing irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024BioMed Research International, 2020
Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for combination skin?
Salicylic acid and witch hazel extract make this toner a good fit by helping cleanse pores and control oily shine on your combination skin. However, a product of this type needs a blend of exfoliating acids and hydrating ingredients, plus soothing elements like niacinamide, to effectively balance both oily and dry areas without causing dryness.
What does Salicylic Acid do for combination skin?
Salicylic acid helps clear clogged pores and balance oily areas while remaining gentle enough for dry spots on combination skin. It reduces breakouts and oiliness effectively with a low likelihood of irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023
What does Witch Hazel Extract do for combination skin?
Witch hazel extract helps calm combination skin by reducing redness and soothing irritated areas. It may also help balance oil and keep pores clear, making skin feel more comfortable. For combination skin, this ingredient works best when paired with gentle hydrating ingredients that do not clog pores.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This exfoliating toner goes in the evening routine after cleansing, and should be started just once a week. Because it may not provide enough moisturizing ingredients for the drier areas of combination skin, this skin type needs products featuring nourishing hydrators and rich moisturizing ingredients to stay balanced.
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this toner in your routine, but apply it at a different time of day or on alternate nights from your retinol to avoid dryness and irritation. This type of skin needs gentle moisturizing ingredients and barrier-supporting hydrators when pairing exfoliating acids with strong treatments.
How often should I use it?
Start by using it once a week, and if your combination skin tolerates it well and you see good results, you may carefully use it more often. A product of this type needs enough moisturizing ingredients to keep drier areas comfortable while taking care of oily shine.
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This toner is unlikely to clog pores because salicylic acid and witch hazel help clean out oil and dirt, but it may dry out the drier areas of your combination skin. A product for this skin needs to balance oil control with hydrating ingredients to keep dry spots soft and smooth.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol denat).
What the research says
Hamamelis bark proanthocyanidins strongly increased the proliferation of cultured human keratinocytes and reduced transepidermal water loss and erythema formation in SLS-irritated skin, whereas the polysaccharide fraction had no effect.
Phytochemistry, 2001Twice 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, 2024A 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, 2010A Hamamelis virginiana leaf extract increased LOXL1 expression twofold, decreased elafin synthesis, restored functional elastic fibers, reduced nonfunctional elastin aggregates, decreased wrinkles, and improved skin firmness.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2018Witch hazel bark extract and hamamelitannin showed pronounced anti-inflammatory activity, supported keratinocyte migration in a wound healing assay, and inhibited Staphylococcus aureus growth, whereas their skin microbiota metabolite ellagic acid stimulated inflammatory mediator release.
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2025Hamamelis virginiana bark extract inhibited Cutibacterium acnes-induced IL-6 release and TNF-α-induced IL-8 release in human keratinocytes without showing antibacterial or antibiofilm activities.
Antioxidants, 2022A 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, 2010Apigenin protects against UVA-induced cytotoxicity and senescence in normal human dermal fibroblasts, decreases MMP-1 expression, and when applied topically as a cream in human subjects, increases dermal density and elasticity while reducing fine wrinkle length, skin evenness, moisture content, and transepidermal water loss compared to control cream.
International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 2016Topical chamomile oil combined with a night splint significantly improved the symptomatic and functional status of patients with severe carpal tunnel syndrome compared to placebo, while electrodiagnostic parameters showed no significant changes.
Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 2015German chamomile solution applied twice a day healed peristomal skin lesions significantly faster than once-a-day 1% hydrocortisone ointment in colostomy patients, with a mean healing time of 8.89 days versus 14.53 days.
Ostomy/wound Management, 2011
Ingredients
Salicylic Acid, Alcohol Denat, Water, Witch Hazel Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-7, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Matricaria Flower Extract Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Methyl Gluceth-20, Benzophenone-4, Blue 1, Propylene Glycol
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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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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