🇮🇪Ireland

COSRX Cica Toner for acne-prone skin

Low

  • LowCombination Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

A weak match for acne-prone skin; the toners alongside fit it 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

  • Offers moderate suitability for your combination skin, as the high concentration of Centella Asiatica Extract and its derivatives provide excellent soothing and calming benefits for irritated skin. However, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride may be too emollient for your oily areas, offering only partial benefits for your primary concern of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
  • While the formula contains Allantoin for general hydration, it lacks targeted ingredients to directly address acne, blemishes, and breakouts, which is your main goal.
  • The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your acne-prone skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.

How to apply

  • Use your soothing toner AM and PM daily to help keep breakouts under control.
  • Apply this soothing toner right after cleansing and before your moisturizer or SPF.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the soothing toner into your skin and let it absorb.
  • Pat the soothing toner onto clean, slightly damp skin for the best absorption.
  • Always do a patch test before first use and avoid getting the soothing toner in your eyes.

People Say

★4.5Overall rating based on 800+ reviews

Users with sensitive and acne-prone skin highly praise this toner for its ability to calm redness and soothe irritation without clogging pores. Those with oily or combination skin appreciate its lightweight, non-sticky finish, while users with dry skin often report it provides insufficient moisture on its own and requires layering.

Highlights

  • Lightweight texture Mostly Mentioned
    • “Absorbs instantly”
    • “feels like water”
    • “non-sticky finish”
    • “leaves no residue”
  • Soothes redness/irritation Mostly Mentioned
    • “Calms red inflamed spots”
    • “reduced redness significantly”
    • “soothes angry skin immediately”
    • “stopped the itching”
  • Gentle and non-irritating Often Mentioned
    • “No stinging on open acne”
    • “fragrance-free”
    • “great for sensitive skin”
    • “didn't cause breakouts”
  • Good for layering Sometimes Noted
    • “Perfect for 7-skin method”
    • “layers well under makeup”
    • “refreshing when reapplied”
    • “doesn't pill”
  • Insufficient hydration Sometimes Noted
    • “Not moisturizing enough”
    • “skin felt tight after”
    • “too light for dry skin”
    • “needs a serum on top”
  • Ineffective for some Rarely Noted
    • “Did nothing special”
    • “just feels like plain water”
    • “no visible difference”
    • “underwhelming results”
  • Small quantity/price Rarely Noted
    • “Bottle is too small”
    • “finished it very quickly”
    • “pricey for the size”
    • “wish it came in 200ml”
  • Too runny Rarely Noted
    • “Hard to apply with hands”
    • “runs through fingers”
    • “spills easily”
    • “better with cotton pad”

Sources: lovi.care, iherb.com, stylekorean.com, yesstyle.com, cosrx.com, and more

Questions and answers

Why is the COSRX Cica Toner a weak match for acne-prone skin?

This toner is a weak match because, while it calms irritation well, some ingredients may be too rich for oily areas and it lacks targeted ingredients for breakouts. A soothing toner for acne-prone skin needs ingredients that directly help with blemishes and breakouts while keeping skin calm.

Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Life, 2023

Which ingredients make this toner a poor fit for acne-prone skin?

Caprylic Capric Triglyceride makes this toner a weak match because it may feel too heavy for oily areas and does not help clear breakouts. A soothing toner for acne-prone skin needs targeted ingredients that fight blemishes while keeping the skin calm and hydrated.

Life, 2023

What does Centella Asiatica Extract do for acne-prone skin?

Centella asiatica extract helps calm angry skin, reduces redness, and supports healing for breakouts. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may improve overall skin clarity when used consistently.

Molecules, 2023Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2020

What does Glycerin do for acne-prone skin?

Glycerin helps keep acne-prone skin hydrated and calm without clogging pores or feeling heavy. It supports the skin barrier so it stays soft and smooth while handling everyday treatments.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008International Journal of Toxicology, 2019

Where does this toner go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?

This soothing toner goes in your morning routine after cleansing and before your moisturizer. Because this toner is a weak match for acne-prone skin, an effective routine for this skin needs targeted blemish-fighting ingredients and lightweight hydrators that do not clog pores.

Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this toner with retinol by applying the toner first to calm your skin and help it handle the retinol better. While this product is a weak match for your acne-prone skin because it lacks targeted breakout fighters, acne-prone skin needs products with ingredients like salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, or retinoids to clear blemishes.

Cutis, 2006

How often should I use this toner?

You can use this toner daily as a soothing step in your routine, though it is a weak match for acne-prone skin because it lacks targeted blemish-fighting ingredients. This skin type needs targeted blemish-fighting ingredients and lightweight hydrators instead of heavy oils.

Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?

This toner is unlikely to cause irritation or breakouts on acne-prone skin due to its safe, gentle formula, but it lacks the targeted ingredients needed to directly address blemishes. To properly care for acne-prone skin, a product of this type needs specialized blemish-clearing ingredients to effectively keep pores clear and calm breakouts.

Skin Research and Technology, 2003

Is this toner fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

What the research says

  • Cosmetic formulations containing 5% Centella asiatica extract showed the best efficacy in improving skin moisture and decreasing transepidermal water loss, while also exhibiting antiinflammatory properties in 25 volunteers compared to baseline measurements.

    Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016
  • Co-delivery of paeonol and madecassoside via nanoemulsions improved transdermal delivery, promoted barrier repair proteins, inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in cellular and 3D models, and reduced transepidermal water loss and acne in human facial skin compared to free components.

    Molecules, 2023
  • Topical application of an emollient emulsion containing 15.0% caprylic/capric triglyceride doubled the amount of urocanic acid isomers and increased skin hydration with reduced transepidermal water loss in healthy subjects, though it did not prevent ultraviolet-induced urocanic acid isomerization.

    Life, 2023
  • Soaps containing betaine caused the least skin irritation compared to other tested soaps in twenty-eight healthy subjects, though irritation did not decrease with increasing concentrations of betaine.

    Skin Research and Technology, 2003
  • Topical application of 0.05% w/w ECa 233 gel reduced erythema index by 0.03 U and improved early crusting and general wound appearance compared to placebo in thirty individuals undergoing facial laser resurfacing.

    Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2020
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Topical dry mouth products containing olive oil, betaine, and xylitol significantly increased unstimulated whole salivary flow rates, reduced xerostomia complaints, and improved quality of life in adults with polypharmacy-induced xerostomia compared to their normal routine care, with no clinically significant adverse events.

    Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, 2007
  • A combination of Aloe barbadensis leaf extract and trimethylglycine in a 1:1 mass ratio synergistically increased aquaporin 3 expression by up to 380% in keratinocytes and safely improved skin hydration in healthy volunteers.

    Molecules, 2024
  • Mixed surfactant systems of sodium dodecyl sulfate and dimethyl dodecyl amido betaine significantly reduce acute skin irritation potential in human volunteers compared with the individual surfactants, demonstrating that irritation potential cannot be predicted by simple summation.

    Food and Chemical Toxicology, 1998

Ingredients

1,2-Hexanediol, Allantoin, Asiatic Acid, Asiaticoside, Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Centella Asiatica Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Root Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Madecassic Acid, Madecassoside, Panthenol, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Water

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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Prices checked 5 Nov 2026

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