Acwell 5.5 Licorice pH Balancing Cleansing Toner for acne-prone skin
Licorice Extract
Rheum Palmatum Root Extract
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Psidium Guajava Leaf ExtractHigh
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- SuperiorEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for acne-prone skin; a few cleansing toners fit it even better.
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
- This product is highly suitable for your combination skin and acne concerns, as licorice root extract and green tea extract provide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits to calm breakouts. Peg-6 Caprylic Capric Glycerides and Poloxamer 184 effectively cleanse impurities without causing irritation, supporting your goal of managing acne and blemishes.
- The formula is safe for your acne-prone skin, containing soothing ingredients like licorice root water and green tea extract, and avoiding harsh or prohibited substances.
- Overall, this product offers a high level of compatibility and effectiveness for your specific skin needs.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using the cleansing toner 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply the cleansing toner after cleansing and before your moisturizer or SPF.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the cleansing toner into your skin and let it absorb for a minute before layering other products.
- Apply the cleansing toner on dry skin since your skin is not sensitive and you want to target blemishes.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before first use to ensure your skin feels comfortable.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 3.3k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this toner is widely praised as a "holy grail" cleansing step that effectively removes lingering impurities while balancing the skin's pH without stripping moisture. Users with dull or sensitive skin frequently report a noticeable brightening effect and improved texture, though a small minority experience breakouts or dislike the herbal scent.
Highlights
Deep cleansing ability Mostly Mentioned
- “removes dirt left after washing”
- “cotton pad comes off brown”
- “great for removing makeup residue”
- “cleans pores effectively”
Brightens and evens tone Often Mentioned
- “fades dark spots and acne scars”
- “gives a nice subtle glow”
- “skin looks more even and radiant”
- “helps with hyperpigmentation”
Hydrating and non-stripping Often Mentioned
- “skin feels plump and moisturized”
- “doesn't leave face tight”
- “absorbs quickly without drying”
- “leaves skin feeling soft”
Gentle for sensitive skin Sometimes Noted
- “soothing for sensitive skin”
- “mild and calming”
- “no stinging or redness”
Scent preference Sometimes Noted
- “strong herbal licorice smell”
- “scent is too potent”
- “smells like medicine”
- “dislike the citrus/bergamot fragrance”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “gave me small bumps”
- “caused cystic acne flare-ups”
- “broke me out immediately”
- “skin reacted poorly”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “cap broke easily”
- “bottle leaks when traveling”
- “hard to control amount poured”
- “plastic feels cheap”
Sticky residue Rarely Noted
- “leaves a tacky film”
- “feels slightly sticky after application”
- “residue sits on skin”
- “felt a bit heavy”
Sources: lovi.care, iherb.com, sokoglam.com, oliveyoung.com, stylekorean.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Acwell Licorice Toner a great fit for acne-prone skin?
This toner is a great fit because licorice root and green tea extract calm breakouts with soothing and antioxidant benefits. Its gentle cleansers wash away impurities without causing irritation, which helps manage acne and blemishes safely.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Experimental Dermatology, 2015
Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Licorice extract and green tea extract make this toner a great fit by calming breakouts and keeping your skin balanced. These ingredients help soothe redness and manage blemishes without causing irritation.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Experimental Dermatology, 2015
What does Licorice Extract do for acne-prone skin?
Licorice extract helps calm red and irritated acne-prone skin while easing swelling from breakouts. This ingredient is unlikely to clog pores and may also fade dark marks left behind by acne over time.
What does Licorice Root Water do for acne-prone skin?
Licorice Root Water helps calm redness and breakouts on acne-prone skin because it has natural soothing and antibacterial properties. It may also help lower irritation and oxidative stress in the skin.
Experimental Dermatology, 2015Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Where does this toner go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This cleansing toner goes in your evening routine after your makeup remover and cleanser, right before your treatment and moisturizer. It helps clean away impurities without irritation while calming breakouts with licorice root and green tea extracts.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Experimental Dermatology, 2015
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleansing toner with retinol by applying the toner first to clean skin and following with your retinol treatment. This gentle approach helps calm breakouts while keeping your skin comfortable during retinoid use.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2016Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
How often should I use this toner?
This toner is a great fit for your acne-prone skin and is used in the evening routine. Licorice root and green tea extracts help calm breakouts, while gentle cleansers lift away impurities without causing irritation.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Experimental Dermatology, 2015
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This toner is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores for your acne-prone skin, as it contains soothing licorice root and green tea extracts to help calm blemishes. Reviewers also rarely report breakouts from this formula.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Experimental Dermatology, 2015
Is this toner fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
An anti-acne hydrogel containing Aloe barbadensis, Garcinia mangostana, and Camellia sinensis extracts showed superior antiacne and antiblotch activities compared to 1% clindamycin gel in sixty subjects with mild-moderate acne.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Licochalcone A activated Nrf2 signaling, elevated cytoprotective enzymes, increased the reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio, and decreased reactive oxygen species in human fibroblasts and neutrophils, while a LicA-rich licorice extract lowered UVA-induced oxidative processes in vivo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2015Topical low-dose green tea extract reduces UVB-induced p53 expression and apoptosis in human skin keratinocytes compared to placebo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2009Combining 755 nm alexandrite laser with topical licorice gel significantly reduces terminal hair counts compared to alexandrite laser with placebo in women with idiopathic hirsutism.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015Bioactive glycyrrhizic acid and oxymatrine ionic liquid self-assembled nanomicelles significantly promoted the transdermal permeation, subcutaneous retention, and anti-photoaging efficacy of palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 in cellular and animal models compared to unformulated peptide.
Advanced Science, 2025Topical application of Glycyrrhiza glabra and Sophora japonica flavonoid-rich fractions individually and in combination significantly increased the wound healing rate and reduced oxidative stress compared to wound and Nolaver-treated groups.
Molecules, 2023Topical application of the rhubarb charcoal-crosslinked chitosan/silk fibroin sponge scaffold effectively mitigated hepatic lipid accumulation, decreased inflammation, and attenuated oxidative stress in db/db mice via the AMPK signalling pathway.
Lipids in Health and Disease, 2024Topical green tea extract significantly improved clinical symptoms, tear breakup times, and meibomian gland health compared to standard treatment in patients with dry eye and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction.
Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 2017Topical application of green tea extract encapsulated chitosan microparticles improved skin elasticity, melanin index, and facial wrinkles compared to a placebo in female volunteers without causing skin irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022A moisturizing cream containing 2% l-carnitine and 5% EGCG significantly reduced sebum levels and improved skin hydration in ninety subjects with seborrhea over 4 weeks, showing greater anti-sebum efficacy in the combination group compared to the l-carnitine group alone.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023A toner with 6% guava extract significantly reduced skin oiliness on the forehead and nose compared to the base toner in 21 volunteers over 28 days.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Pre-incubation with guava crude extract significantly decreased apoptotic and dead cells and markers of oxidative damage while improving antioxidant enzyme activity in human dermal fibroblasts subjected to AAPH-mediated oxidative stress, compared to cells subjected to stress without prior pre-incubation.
Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 2018
Ingredients
Water, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Licorice Root Water Root, Peg-6 Caprylic Capric Glycerides, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Poloxamer 184, Phenoxyethanol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Rheum Palmatum Root Extract, Psidium Guajava Leaf Extract, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract, Poncirus Trifoliata Fruit Extract, Bergamot Oil Fruit, Sodium Citrate, Disodium Edta, Citric Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Cimicifuga Dahurica Root Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Propylene Glycol, 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.
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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
How does it fit your skin?
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