SkinCeuticals LHA Toner for oily skin
Lipo Hydroxy Acid
Glycolic Acid
Salicylic Acid
Alcohol DenatSuperior
- SuperiorOily Skin Fit
- SuperiorEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
One of the best toners for oily skin.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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
- Excellent for your oily skin, this toner effectively targets oily shine and decongests pores with high concentrations of glycolic acid and capryloyl salicylic acid, which provide keratolytic action and seboregulation.
- The inclusion of salicylic acid further enhances exfoliation and pore-refining benefits, ensuring a smoother skin texture.
- This formula is safe for your skin, as it contains soothing ingredients and lacks harsh components, minimizing irritation risks.
How to apply
- Use this exfoliating toner once a week at first, then increase frequency only if your skin feels fine.
- Apply the exfoliating toner after cleansing and before your moisturizer or SPF.
- Gently press a few drops of the exfoliating toner into your skin and let it dry.
- Apply the exfoliating toner on clean and dry skin for the best results.
- Avoid the eye area and always use sunscreen during the day.
People Say
★4.3Overall rating based on 1000+ reviewsUsers with oily, acne-prone, and aging skin report that this toner effectively decongests pores and refines skin texture without excessive irritation. While many praise its ability to clear breakouts and remove residual makeup, those with dry or sensitive skin often find it too drying or stripping.
Highlights
Clears acne Often Mentioned
- “cleared my acne completely”
- “keeps my pores clear”
- “helps with blackheads”
- “minimizes acne breakouts”
Deep cleanse Often Mentioned
- “removes residual makeup”
- “gets all extra stuff off”
- “removes excess oil”
- “cotton pad shows dirt”
Gentle exfoliation Sometimes Noted
- “gentle on oily skin”
- “lightly exfoliates without harshness”
- “no strong scent”
- “tingles but fades quickly”
Refines texture Sometimes Noted
- “skin feels softer”
- “leaves skin glass-like”
- “smoother and looking clearer”
- “improves skin tone”
Drying and stripping Sometimes Noted
- “dries out the skin”
- “left face feeling tight”
- “too harsh for dry skin”
- “created dry patches”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “overpriced for a toner”
- “pricey but effective”
- “not worth the money”
- “expensive for what it is”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “caused cystic acne”
- “broke me out bad”
- “made skin worse”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “bottle leaks”
- “pump came off”
- “spilled inside packaging”
- “leaked during shipping”
Sources: lovi.care, dermstore.com, lovelyskin.com, bluemercury.com, skinceuticals.com, influenster.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes SkinCeuticals LHA Toner one of the best fits for oily skin?
This toner is an excellent fit because it targets oily shine and clears clogged pores with glycolic acid and capryloyl salicylic acid, while salicylic acid refines your skin texture. It also helps minimize irritation risks by including soothing ingredients.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2013
Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for oily skin?
This toner is a great fit for oily skin because glycolic acid and capryloyl salicylic acid tackle oily shine and clear out clogged pores. Additionally, salicylic acid boosts exfoliation to leave your skin feeling smoother and more balanced.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2013
What does Lipo Hydroxy Acid do for oily skin?
Lipo Hydroxy Acid helps keep oily skin clear by diving deep into pores to sweep away dead cells and excess oil. This gentle action helps calm redness and reduces breakouts while keeping your face feeling smooth and balanced.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2015Experimental Dermatology, 2019
What does Glycolic Acid do for oily skin?
Glycolic acid helps clear away dead skin and excess oil for a smooth, clean feel. It gently removes buildup from the surface, which keeps pores clear and skin looking fresh.
Molecules, 2023Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2011
Where does this toner go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This toner goes in your evening routine as a cleansing step right after you wash your face. You should start using it just once a week and then carefully use it more often if your skin tolerates it well.
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this toner with retinol by applying the toner first in your routine and following with your retinol on separate nights or with caution, as combining strong acids and retinol may increase the likelihood of dryness and irritation. This formula helps clear pores and oily shine for oily skin with glycolic acid and salicylic acid.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
How often should I use this toner?
Start using this exfoliating toner once a week, and if your oily skin tolerates it well and shows good results, you can carefully use it more often. This gentle approach helps minimize irritation risks while keeping oily shine and clogged pores under control.
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This toner is unlikely to cause breakouts for oily skin because it helps clear out clogged pores and keep skin smooth. Reviewers rarely report breakouts from it, though some note it can feel a bit drying.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
What the research says
Daily 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, 2013Twice 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, 2020Capryloyl salicylic acid peel reduced fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation comparably to glycolic acid peel in 44 female volunteers, with no statistically significant differences between the two treatments.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008Combining a salicylic acid and lipohydroxy acid facial serum and mask improved closed comedones and acne severity significantly more than serum alone in adults with acne over 8 weeks, with no adverse reactions reported.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023Parity was demonstrated between an OTC BPO 5.5% formulation with lipohydroxy acid and tretinoin cream 0.025% versus prescription clindamycin 1%-BPO 5% gel and tretinoin cream 0.025% in participants with mild to moderate acne vulgaris at 12 weeks.
Cutis, 2012Repeated short-contact 70% glycolic acid peels provided superior results in atrophic acne scars compared to daily low-strength glycolic acid cream or placebo in 58 women over 24 weeks.
International Journal of Dermatology, 2000Serial glycolic acid peels combined with a modified Kligman formula significantly reduced facial PIH severity in Indian patients compared to the modified Kligman formula alone.
Dermatologic Surgery, 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, 2010
Ingredients
Water, Alcohol Denat, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Salicylic Acid
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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