Medicube Red Toner for combination skin
Niacinamide
Salicylic Acid
Oil Tree Leaf
Grape Seed Extract
Sophora Flavescens Root ExtractHigh
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for combination skin; a few toners 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 moderate exfoliation and sebum control for your combination skin, as salicylic acid and niacinamide work to refine texture and manage oiliness. Willow bark extract further aids in this process, providing a keratolytic action that is beneficial for oily shine.
- Allantoin and beta-glucan provide excellent soothing and calming benefits, which are helpful for irritated skin, though the concentrations are moderate.
- The formula is safe for your combination skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine. Start using your soothing toner 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin tolerates it.
- Apply your soothing toner after cleansing, and before your moisturizer or SPF.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the soothing toner into your skin. Let it absorb for a minute before moving to the next step.
- Apply the soothing toner on clean and slightly damp skin to help with absorption. This helps keep your skin feeling fresh and balanced.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.3Overall rating based on 100+ reviewsBased on limited data, this toner is highly effective for oily and acne-prone skin, with many users reporting significant improvements in breakouts and sebum control. Its unique gel texture is also frequently praised for its soothing and hydrating properties, leaving a non-sticky finish. However, some users, particularly those with sensitive or dry skin, have noted potential irritation and dryness due to its potent formula.
Highlights
Effective acne control Often Mentioned
- “Forehead breakouts disappeared”
- “Cleared new acne in 2 weeks”
- “Reduces redness significantly”
- “Calms active pimples”
Unique gel-like texture Often Mentioned
- “Thicker than water”
- “Jelly-like consistency”
- “Glides on smoothly”
- “Absorbs quickly”
- “Not too watery”
Poor bottle design Often Mentioned
- “Hard to get product out”
- “Have to shake bottle vigorously”
- “Rigid plastic bottle”
- “Dispenser pours too much at once”
Non-sticky finish Sometimes Noted
- “Absorbs with no residue”
- “Refreshing finish”
- “Doesn't mess with makeup”
- “Leaves skin soft not tacky”
Soothing and hydrating Sometimes Noted
- “Feels cooling on application”
- “Leaves skin plump”
- “Hydrating without being heavy”
- “Instantly resolves dryness”
Strong medicinal scent Sometimes Noted
- “Smells like alcohol”
- “Strong tea tree scent”
- “Medicinal smell”
- “Scent lingers”
- “Smells like a hospital”
Drying for some Rarely Noted
- “U-zone felt tight”
- “Too drying for winter”
- “Not for dry skin types”
- “Stripped moisture”
Potential irritation Rarely Noted
- “Stinging sensation”
- “Caused redness on sensitive areas”
- “Tingling on application”
- “Broke me out”
Sources: lovi.care, medicube.us, oliveyoung.com, stylekorean.com, gopicky.com, yesstyle.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Medicube Red Toner a great fit for combination skin?
Medicube Red Toner is a great fit because salicylic acid and niacinamide help manage oiliness and refine texture, while willow bark extract provides gentle exfoliation for shiny areas. Allantoin and beta-glucan further calm the skin, and the formula has a safe profile with no harsh ingredients.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020
Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for combination skin?
Salicylic acid and niacinamide make this toner a great fit by managing oiliness and refining texture on combination skin. Willow bark extract further helps control oily shine, while allantoin and beta-glucan soothe irritated areas safely.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020
What does Niacinamide do for combination skin?
Niacinamide helps balance oily areas by reducing excess shine and pore size while keeping dry patches hydrated and smooth. It also works to calm redness and even out skin tone, making it very suitable for combination skin.
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
Where does this toner go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This soothing toner fits into your evening routine as a cleansing toner after cleansing and makeup removal. It helps manage oiliness and smooth your skin while calming irritation, and it is unlikely to cause any harsh reactions.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
Yes, you can use this toner with retinol, applying the toner first and following with your retinol treatment. The gentle formula helps calm your skin, and using them together is unlikely to cause irritation since the product avoids harsh ingredients.
How often should I use this toner?
Start by using this toner once a week, and if your skin tolerates it well and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often. This gives your combination skin safe exfoliation and oil control while helping to keep irritation unlikely.
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This toner is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for combination skin, as salicylic acid and niacinamide help manage oiliness and refine texture. It has a safe formula with no harsh ingredients, though a few reviewers have noted mild dryness.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021
Is this toner fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
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, 2019Twice 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 topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020Skin care regimens containing beta-glucan improved hemoglobin index, skin hydration, and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in 20 patients undergoing fractional laser therapy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005Cryotherapy 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, 2024Topical 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, 2026Topical CE Ferulic plus resveratrol BE serum following ablative fractional CO2 laser treatment reduced erythema index (308.9 vs. 325.3), shortened complete scabbing detachment time (6.0 vs. 6.5 days), decreased melanin index (-7.4% vs. +0.2%), and improved skin hydration compared to normal saline in 51 Chinese patients.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2024Resveratrol cream improved skin hydration and tightening compared to cream without resveratrol in a group of probands.
Acta Biochimica Polonica, 2019Topical application of a water-in-oil emulsion containing 2% Muscat hamburg grape seed extract significantly improved melanin, elasticity, and sebum content compared to a placebo in human volunteers over 8 weeks, with no reported skin hypersensitivity.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2015Combining azelaic acid and matrine in dissolving microneedles at a 1:1 molar ratio achieved higher skin permeability, synergistic antibacterial rates above 95%, and no skin irritation compared to commercially available azelaic acid gel.
European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2021Co-amorphous salt of ursodeoxycholic acid and matrine incorporated into dissolving microneedles enhanced aqueous solubility, skin permeation, growth-inhibitory effects against Cutibacterium acnes, and anti-inflammatory activity compared to single-component groups and topical gel in a murine acne model.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2026
Ingredients
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract Grape Seed Extract, Sophora Flavescens Root Extract, Niacinamide, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Disodium Edta, Lavandula Angustifolia Lavender Water, Methyl Gluceth-20, Beta-Glucan, Betaine, Borago Officinalis Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Adenosine, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Water, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Leaf Extract Flower Matricaria Leaf Extract Flower, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Salvia Sclarea Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Tree Oil Leaf, Salicylic Acid, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Willow Bark Extract, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Magnolia Obovata Bark Extract, Hyacinthus Orientalis Extract, Chlorphenesin, Allantoin, Triethanolamine, Ethanolamine, Usnea Barbata Extract, Ovalicin, Grapefruit Leaf Extract, Colloidal Sulfur, Hyacinthus Orientalis Flower Extract
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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