BE THE SKIN BHA+ Pore Zero Toner for dry skin
Willow Bha- Willow Bark Water Bark
Salicylic Acid
Glycerin
Butylene Glycol
Low
- LowDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A weak match for dry skin; the toners alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. 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 dry or flaky skin due to the presence of salicylic acid and citric acid, which provide chemical exfoliation, but the alcohol content may be drying.
- While the salicylic acid and citric acid help decongest pores, the formula lacks sufficient emollient or humectant benefits to adequately address your dry skin concerns.
How to apply
- Use your exfoliating toner as part of your PM routine once a week to start. If your skin is happy, you can slowly use it more often.
- Apply this exfoliating toner right after your cleanser and before your moisturizer. This keeps your skin care steps in the right order.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliating toner into your skin with your hands. Let it soak in for a minute before the next step.
- Put the exfoliating toner on clean and dry skin to help it work best. Avoid rubbing so your face stays calm and happy.
- Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid the sensitive eye area.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 400+ reviewsUsers with oily, combination, and acne-prone skin report that this toner effectively manages sebum and smooths skin texture without causing irritation. While many praise its ability to calm redness and gently exfoliate, some users with dehydrated or dry skin found it slightly stripping due to the alcohol content.
Highlights
Fast absorption Mostly Mentioned
- “absorbs in seconds”
- “watery and lightweight”
- “no sticky feeling”
Gentle exfoliation Often Mentioned
- “mild enough for daily use”
- “didn't sting my sensitive skin”
- “gentle exfoliation for dead skin”
Oil control Sometimes Noted
- “controls oil well”
- “less oily by midday”
- “leaves a fresh matte finish”
Soothing & calming Sometimes Noted
- “calms irritated skin”
- “reduced redness around nose”
- “soothing on acne”
Alcohol scent/content Sometimes Noted
- “strong alcohol smell”
- “contains alcohol high up in ingredients”
- “smells a bit chemical”
Drying for some Rarely Noted
- “left my skin feeling tight”
- “not for dehydrated skin”
- “felt a bit drying”
Purging phase Rarely Noted
- “caused some purging at first”
- “broke out in whiteheads initially”
- “skin got worse before better”
Slow results Rarely Noted
- “didn't see immediate change”
- “slow results for blackheads”
- “takes weeks to work”
Sources: lovi.care, stylekorean.com, yesstyle.com, betheskin.com, judge.me, skinsort.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is BE THE SKIN BHA+ Pore Zero Toner a weak match for dry skin?
This toner is a weak match because its alcohol content may be drying and it lacks enough moisturizing or softening benefits to care for dry skin properly. An exfoliating toner for dry skin needs beneficial ingredients like aloe, sodium hyaluronate, or ceramides that provide hydration and smoothness.
Which ingredients make this toner a poor fit for dry skin?
The alcohol content in this toner may be drying, and while it contains exfoliating acids, it lacks enough soothing moisture to properly care for dry skin. To work well for dry skin, a toner of this type needs hydrating ingredients like aloe, sodium hyaluronate, or ceramides.
What does Willow Bark Extract do for dry skin?
Willow bark extract gently removes flaky dead skin so your moisturizer can sink in better. It is unlikely to cause heavy irritation, but dry skin may need extra soothing ingredients like hyaluronic acid to stay comfortable.
What does Willow Bark Water do for dry skin?
Willow bark water helps calm dry skin by soothing irritation and reducing inflammation. Because it lacks strong moisture-locking ingredients, a product of this type needs added hydrating elements like glycerin or ceramides to properly soften and comfort dry skin.
Planta Medica, 2019Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2019
Where does this toner go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This exfoliating toner is a weak match for dry skin because its acids and alcohol content may be drying without providing enough rich, moisturizing benefits. Dry skin needs a toner or products packed with nourishing hydrators and soothing ingredients to keep skin soft and comfortable.
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
You should use caution when combining this exfoliating toner with retinol, as the alcohol content and acids may leave dry skin feeling overly dry and irritated. If you do use them together, apply the toner first, wait for it to dry completely, and then follow with your retinol and a rich moisturizer to keep your skin soft and comfortable.
How often should I use this toner?
This exfoliating toner is a weak match for dry skin because its alcohol content may be drying and it lacks sufficient soothing moisture ingredients. Start using it just once a week to see how your skin reacts, as exfoliating toners need to be used cautiously. Dry skin needs formulas loaded with rich moisturizers and water-attracting ingredients to keep it soft and smooth.
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This toner is unlikely to clog pores because salicylic acid helps decongest them, but the alcohol content may be drying on dry skin. To work well for dry skin, a product of this type needs extra moisturizing ingredients like glycerin to keep the skin soft and smooth.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2013Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Is this toner fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (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, 2024Daily treatment with a facial serum containing multiple acids reduced post-inflammatory hyperchromia lesion grade and number by 29.4% at 56 days, and decreased skin oiliness by 30.7% at 7 days in Brazilian patients with acne vulgaris.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021A novel composition containing salicylic acid, capryloyl salicylic acid, HEPES, glycolic acid, citric acid, and dioic acid showed similar tolerance and efficacy compared with clindamycin 1% and benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in subjects with acne vulgaris.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2013A 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, 2019Bioactive 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, 2010Cryotherapy 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, 2010A 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, 2020Treatment 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, 2024A 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, 2017The 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, 2001
Why other toners fit dry skin better
Topical application of a 6% green tea extract formulation increased skin moisture, enhanced skin elasticity, and improved skin microrelief by reducing roughness in 24 volunteers compared to vehicle and control over 30 days.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2013Gluconolactone treatment significantly increased facial skin hydration in 16 healthy women, with no significant differences between 10% and 30% solutions.
Skin Research and Technology, 2021
Ingredients
Willow Bark Water Bark, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Alcohol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Citrate, Salicylic Acid, Citric Acid, Willow Bark Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Tromethamine, Glycolipids
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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