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COSRX One Step Original Clear Pad for sensitive skin

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

COSRX One Step Original Clear Pad

Average

  • HighNormal Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

Works for sensitive skin; other products fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. 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 normal skin, as betaine salicylate and willow bark water gently smooth texture and reduce blemishes. Panthenol and allantoin provide supportive hydration and soothing benefits to address your redness and irritation.
  • Glycerin and panthenol further support skin hydration without overwhelming your normal skin type.
  • The product is safe for your sensitive skin, with no harsh ingredients that could cause irritation.

How to apply

  • Use your exfoliant PM once a week to help with redness and irritation. Start slowly and only increase frequency if your skin feels happy and comfortable.
  • Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toner , but always before your moisturizer . This ensures the product absorbs properly into the skin.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin without rubbing . Let it absorb for a minute before moving on.
  • Since your skin is sensitive , apply the exfoliant on completely dry skin for the best tolerance. This helps prevent any extra stinging or discomfort.
  • Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid the delicate eye area .

People Say

★4.6Overall rating based on 2.5k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, users with oily and acne-prone skin frequently praise these pads for effectively reducing active breakouts and regulating sebum without being overly harsh. While many find them to be a "holy grail" for smoothing skin texture and clearing pores, a minority of users with sensitive or dry skin experienced irritation and dryness.

Highlights

  • Convenient application Mostly Mentioned
    • “easy to use”
    • “travel-friendly”
    • “pre-soaked pads”
  • Gentle exfoliation Mostly Mentioned
    • “smooths skin texture”
    • “removes dead skin”
    • “non-abrasive pads”
  • Effective acne control Often Mentioned
    • “clears active pimples”
    • “reduces redness”
    • “prevents future breakouts”
  • Pore & sebum care Sometimes Noted
    • “reduces pore size”
    • “controls oil”
    • “clears blackheads”
  • Drying or stripping Sometimes Noted
    • “leaves skin tight”
    • “causes flaking”
    • “requires moisturizer”
  • Medicinal scent Sometimes Noted
    • “strong tea tree smell”
    • “chemical odor”
    • “citrus fragrance”
  • Packaging issues Rarely Noted
    • “pads dry out”
    • “lid cracks”
    • “unsanitary jar”
  • Sticky residue Rarely Noted
    • “leaves tacky film”
    • “feels heavy”
    • “slow absorption”

Sources: lovi.care, iherb.com, oliveyoung.com, sokoglam.com, yesstyle.com, skinsort.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does COSRX Original Clear Pad work for sensitive skin?

This product works adequately for sensitive skin, offering gentle texture smoothing and blemish reduction while soothing redness and irritation, though other products fit this skin type better. An exfoliant treatment for sensitive skin needs a safe, non-irritating formula packed with calming ingredients and effective hydration to balance exfoliation without causing discomfort.

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

Which ingredients make this exfoliant a good fit for sensitive skin?

Betaine salicylate and willow bark water make this exfoliant a good fit by gently smoothing texture and reducing blemishes, while panthenol, glycerin, and allantoin help calm redness and keep skin hydrated. Sensitive skin needs exfoliant treatments that combine gentle acids with soothing and hydrating ingredients to avoid irritation while improving texture.

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

What does Willow Bark Water do for sensitive skin?

Willow bark water helps calm sensitive skin and keeps it feeling smooth and comfortable. It is unlikely to cause irritation when used in gentle skincare routines.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019

What does Betaine Salicylate do for sensitive skin?

Betaine salicylate helps gently clear pores and smooth rough texture with a lower risk of irritation than stronger acids, making it a soothing choice for sensitive skin. It is generally well tolerated, but sensitive skin still needs formulas that also include calming ingredients and deep moisture to keep skin soft and comfortable.

Where does this exfoliant go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?

This exfoliant goes in the evening routine once a week to start, as sensitive skin needs a careful approach. Sensitive skin works best with products that combine gentle smoothing ingredients like willow bark with soothing components like panthenol and glycerin.

Can I use this exfoliant with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this exfoliant with retinol by alternating nights rather than applying them together to help prevent dryness and redness. When starting out, an exfoliant of this type needs gentle ingredients like panthenol and soothing plant extracts to keep sensitive skin calm.

How often should I use this exfoliant?

Start by using this exfoliant treatment once a week in your evening routine, and carefully use it more often only if your sensitive skin tolerates it well and shows good results. Sensitive skin needs gentle exfoliants combined with soothing and hydrating ingredients to smooth texture and reduce blemishes without causing irritation.

Can this exfoliant clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?

This exfoliant is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for sensitive skin, though it may cause some drying. An exfoliant for sensitive skin needs gentle smoothing ingredients like willow bark water and betaine salicylate paired with soothing hydration from panthenol and glycerin to keep the skin calm.

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

Is this exfoliant 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • Bioactive 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, 2022

  • A 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, 2010

  • 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

  • Niacinamide/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, 2012

  • 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

  • A 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, 2018

  • Tea tree oil nanoemulsion containing adapalene gel demonstrated significantly greater reductions in total, inflammatory, and non-inflammatory acne lesions as well as acne severity index compared to adapalene marketed gel in 100 patients with acne vulgaris over 12 weeks.

    Archives of Dermatological Research, 2022

  • Topical 5% tea tree oil gel significantly improved total acne lesions and acne severity index compared to placebo in 60 patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris, showing 3.55 times and 5.75 times greater efficacy respectively.

    Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, 2007

Ingredients

Willow Bark Water Bark, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Betaine Salicylate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Allantoin, Arginine, Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia Tree Oil Leaf, Ethyl Hexanediol, Sodium Hydroxide

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 16 Oct – 3 Nov 2026

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How does it fit your skin?

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