COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser for combination skin
Salicylic Acid
Glycerin
Oil Tree Leaf
Willow Water Bark
Butylene Glycol
High
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for combination skin; a few cleansers fit it even 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 high suitability for your combination skin, as salicylic acid gently exfoliates and refines pores, while tea tree leaf oil provides antimicrobial benefits to combat oily shine.
- Glycerin and willow bark water further support gentle cleansing and hydration, ensuring a balanced feel for your skin.
- The formula is safe for your skin, containing no harsh or prohibited ingredients that could cause irritation.
How to apply
- Use this cleanser AM and PM as part of your daily routine. Start 3×/week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply this cleanser as the very first step in your morning routine and right after your pre-cleanser in the evening.
- Gently massage a small amount of cleanser onto your skin using circular motions. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.
- For the best results , apply the cleanser directly onto slightly damp skin to help lift away excess oil.
- Avoid the immediate eye area and do a patch test before your first use to check for any sensitivity.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 13.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this creamy foaming cleanser is highly recommended for oily and acne-prone skin, effectively deep cleaning pores and reducing breakouts. Users with dry or sensitive skin, however, frequently find it to be drying or stripping, suggesting it is best suited as a targeted treatment rather than a daily hydrating cleanser.
Highlights
Clears acne Mostly Mentioned
- “helped to improve my acne after only 2 weeks”
- “prevents spots and black heads”
- “shorten the life of some of my breakouts”
- “dried down my acne”
Controls oil Often Mentioned
- “whisking away that excess shine”
- “ideal for oily skin”
- “removes excess oil without making face entirely dry”
- “keeps oil production balanced”
Deep cleansing Often Mentioned
- “removes every trace of oil”
- “squeaky clean feeling”
- “gets rid of all the dirt and sebum”
- “skin feels thoroughly clean”
Drying or stripping Often Mentioned
- “leaves skin feeling tight”
- “stripped of moisture”
- “felt quite a bit of dryness”
- “skin did feel more drier/tighter than usual”
Creamy lather Sometimes Noted
- “creamy and makes a nice, thick lather”
- “foams up quickly”
- “rich and creamy”
- “creates a really nice lather”
Gentle exfoliation Sometimes Noted
- “gently exfoliate and remove impurities”
- “skin feels so soft and smooth”
- “buff away dead skin cells”
- “refines pores”
Eye irritation Sometimes Noted
- “stings really bad if it accidentally gets in the eyes”
- “will sting if gets into eyes”
- “can't use it to clean the skin around the eyes”
High pH Rarely Noted
- “pH is 9”
- “high pH”
- “squeaky feeling implies high pH”
- “stripping away your skin's natural moisture barrier”
Medicinal scent Rarely Noted
- “smells of herbs and earth”
- “medicinal smell”
- “smells like tea tree”
- “subtle citrus fragrance”
Skin irritation Rarely Noted
- “minor irritation”
- “redness appearing after use”
- “broke me out”
- “burning after using it”
Sources: lovi.care, yesstyle.com, nykaa.com, iherb.com, gopicky.com, skinsort.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser a great fit for combination skin?
This cleanser is a great fit because salicylic acid gently exfoliates and refines pores, while tea tree leaf oil helps combat oily shine. At the same time, glycerin and willow bark water support gentle cleansing and hydration for a balanced feel, and the safe formula is unlikely to cause irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for combination skin?
Salicylic acid and tea tree leaf oil make this cleanser a great fit for your combination skin by gently clearing pores and helping to control oily shine. Glycerin and willow bark water support this by keeping your skin feeling balanced and comfortable.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
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 Glycerin do for combination skin?
Glycerin helps keep combination skin soft and smooth by pulling moisture in and keeping it there. It improves hydration and supports your skin barrier, which is unlikely to cause irritation.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This cleanser goes in your morning and evening routine as the main cleansing step, coming before your toner and moisturizer. Using a gentle cleanser helps remove excess oil and impurities while keeping your skin balanced and comfortable.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol by using the cleanser first, followed by your retinol treatment, but you may want to start slowly to make sure your skin stays comfortable. Since this cleanser exfoliates and retinol is also active, spacing them out or alternating days helps avoid dryness and irritation.
How often should I use this cleanser?
This cleanser is a great fit for your combination skin and is gentle enough to use daily in both your morning and evening routines. Salicylic acid gently exfoliates and refines your pores while tea tree leaf oil helps calm oily shine.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This cleanser helps clear pores and is unlikely to clog them, because salicylic acid gently exfoliates to refine pores while tea tree leaf oil controls oily shine. However, because it actively clears out pores, it may cause temporary purging when you first start using it.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on your body, but it is best to avoid the thin skin directly around your eyes. Because facial cleansers often contain active ingredients like salicylic acid, applying them near the eyes may cause dryness or irritation.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
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, 2020A 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, 2019A 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, 2017Cryotherapy 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, 2010The 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, 2020Ten 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, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012Topical herbal treatments including lemon balm, olive leaf extract, propolis, and sage-rhubarb cream reduce pain, swelling, lesion size, and healing time in patients with herpes labialis compared with placebo or acyclovir.
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine, 2025Topical oleuropein formulations reduced erythema, transepidermal water loss, and blood flow by approximately 22%, 35%, and 30% in healthy volunteers with UVB-induced erythema.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2008An oil-in-serum formulation containing olive extract standardized in hydroxytyrosol improved skin barrier function and significantly reduced hyperpigmentation in participants with post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation after 45 days of application.
AAPS PharmSciTech, 2026Bioactive lipid nanocarriers co-loaded with willow bark or ivy leaf extracts and UV-filters provided pronounced UVA photoprotection up to an SPF-equivalent value of 13 and a maximum in vivo skin hydration effect of 97% when prepared with pomegranate oil.
Nanomaterials, 2022A topical serum containing 0.5% salicin applied twice daily reduced visible signs of skin aging, including wrinkles and tactile roughness, in 30 female subjects over 12 weeks compared to baseline.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2010A novel emulsion containing niacinamide, lens esculenta seed extract, and white willow bark extract effectively improved acne, blackheads, and conspicuous facial pores in 30 subjects with oily skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Stearic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Butylene Glycol, Glycol Distearate, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Salicylic Acid, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Chloride, Melaleuca Alternifolia Tree Oil Leaf, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Willow Bark Water Bark, Saccharomyces Ferment, Cryptomeria Japonica Leaf Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethyl Hexanediol, 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.
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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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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
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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