Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Toner for sensitive skin

Pha Polyhydroxy Acid
Bha Beta Hydroxy Acid
Watermelon Extract
Sodium Hyaluronate
Licorice Root Extract
High
- SuperiorNormal Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for sensitive skin; a few toners fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. 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 suitability for your normal skin, as glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide humectant action while willow bark extract offers mild exfoliation.
- The formula effectively addresses your concerns of redness and irritation with watermelon fruit extract and licorice root extract, which soothe and calm the skin.
- This product is safe for your sensitive skin, containing no harsh ingredients and including soothing components like watermelon fruit extract and glycerin.
How to apply
- Use your exfoliating toner as part of a PM routine once a week to start. Carefully increase frequency only if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply this exfoliating toner after cleansing and before your moisturizer. It fits right into your usual step for toners.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliating toner into your skin. Avoid rubbing to keep redness down.
- Apply the exfoliating toner on completely dry skin to help improve your skin's tolerance. This helps protect your sensitive face.
- Do a patch test before your first use and avoid the delicate eye area . Skip strong acids or retinoids on the same night.
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 4.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this toner is highly regarded for its hydrating and gently exfoliating properties, resulting in smoother skin and a radiant glow. It is particularly effective at minimizing pores for oily and combination skin types.
Highlights
Hydrates skin Mostly Mentioned
- “extremely hydrating”
- “skin felt bouncy”
- “floods skin with moisture”
Glow and radiance Often Mentioned
- “glass skin look”
- “instant glow”
- “luminous finish”
Pleasant scent Often Mentioned
- “smells delicious”
- “refreshing watermelon scent”
- “like a jolly rancher”
Good texture Sometimes Noted
- “satisfyingly thick”
- “absorbs quickly”
- “not sticky”
Refines pores Sometimes Noted
- “pores look tighter”
- “helped with congestion”
- “smoother texture”
Expensive price Sometimes Noted
- “pricey for the size”
- “not budget friendly”
- “expensive”
Causes breakouts Rarely Noted
- “caused painful pimples”
- “bad breakout”
- “skin purging”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “hard to get product out”
- “heavy glass bottle”
- “travel size is difficult”
Sticky finish Rarely Noted
- “leaves a sticky film”
- “feels tacky”
- “didn't absorb well”
Strong fragrance Rarely Noted
- “smell is too strong”
- “synthetic scent”
- “sickly sweet”
Sources: lovi.care, cultbeauty.co.uk, sephora.my, skinsort.com, ipsy.com, glowrecipe.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Toner a great fit for sensitive skin?
This toner is a great fit because it has excellent suitability for sensitive skin, using gentle ingredients like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate to keep skin hydrated without harsh effects. It also helps calm redness and irritation using soothing watermelon fruit extract and licorice root extract.
Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for sensitive skin?
Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate make this toner a great fit by keeping sensitive skin hydrated, while willow bark extract provides mild exfoliation. Additionally, watermelon fruit extract and licorice root extract help soothe and calm redness and irritation without harsh effects.
What does Polyhydroxy Acid do for sensitive skin?
Polyhydroxy Acid helps smooth and soften sensitive skin while keeping irritation very low because it is extremely gentle and well tolerated. It provides anti-aging benefits similar to stronger acids while helping maintain your skin barrier without stinging.
What does BHA do for sensitive skin?
BHA helps clear breakouts and manage oil in sensitive skin without causing harsh irritation when used in gentle formulas. It is unlikely to trigger severe redness if chosen with a high level of skin comfort and safety in mind.
Clinics in Dermatology, 2009Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Where does this toner go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This toner goes after cleansing in both your morning and evening routines. Start using it once a week, and carefully use it more often only if your skin handles it well.
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
Yes, you can use this toner with retinol by applying the toner first after cleansing, letting it absorb, and then following with your retinol. Because this toner uses very gentle acids along with soothing ingredients like glycerin and licorice root extract, it is unlikely to cause irritation when layered carefully.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
How often should I use this toner?
Start using this toner just once a week to see how your skin reacts. If your skin feels comfortable and you see good results, you may carefully use it more often.
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This toner is a great fit for sensitive skin and is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts. Its gentle ingredients soothe redness, while mild exfoliating components help keep skin smooth without irritation.
Is this toner fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum).
What the research says
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, 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, 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, 2024Coniferyl alcohol derived from seed watermelon promoted linoleic acid-stimulated lipogenesis by approximately 2.2-fold at 300 µM and increased total lipid content in SZ95 sebocytes compared to controls.
Molecules, 2025Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019Combining 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, 2015Licochalcone 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, 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, 2025
Ingredients
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract Cactus Extract, Watermelon Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Water, Gluconolactone, Sodium Polyglutamate, Betaine Salicylate, Willow Bark Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Tree Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Lactobacillus Watermelon Extract Fruit Ferment, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract, Sorbitan Oleate, Levulinic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Parfum
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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