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Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Astringent for acne-prone skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Astringent

High

  • HighCombination Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

A great choice for acne-prone skin; a few toners fit it even 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 exfoliation and pore-clearing benefits for your acne-prone skin due to the presence of salicylic acid, which helps to unclog pores and reduce blemishes.
  • Highly suitable for combination skin, witch hazel extract provides anti-inflammatory action to complement the keratolytic effects of salicylic acid.
  • The product is safe for your skin, as it contains soothing ingredients like Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract and Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, and lacks harsh or prohibited ingredients.

How to apply

  • You can use this exfoliating toner in your PM routine. Start by using it 1 time per week and increase slowly if your skin is happy.
  • Apply your exfoliating toner right after cleansing and before your moisturizing steps. This helps your skin stay clean and clear.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliating toner into your skin with your hands. Avoid rubbing to keep your face calm.
  • Apply the exfoliating toner on clean and dry skin for the best comfort. Let it dry for a minute ⏱ before moving on.
  • Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid putting the product too close to your eyes.

People Say

★4.3Overall rating based on 400+ reviews

Users with oily and acne-prone skin frequently praise this astringent for its deep pore cleansing and significant oil reduction, often finding it effective for preventing breakouts. A moderate number of users report that the high alcohol content can lead to dryness and stinging, making it less ideal for sensitive skin types.

Highlights

  • Clears acne Often Mentioned
    • “clears acne”
    • “pimples almost gone”
    • “prevent future breakouts”
    • “works on blemishes”
  • Controls oil Often Mentioned
    • “removes surface oil”
    • “controls shine”
    • “less oily skin”
    • “keeps face matte”
  • Deep cleansing Sometimes Noted
    • “deep cleansing action”
    • “removes dirt/makeup”
    • “clean pores”
    • “removes residue”
  • Refreshing feel Sometimes Noted
    • “clean and refreshed”
    • “cooling sensation”
    • “crisp clean feeling”
    • “skin feels tight”
  • Drying effect Sometimes Noted
    • “dries out skin”
    • “excessive drying”
    • “peeling”
    • “skin feels tight”
  • Strong scent Sometimes Noted
    • “smelled HORRIBLE”
    • “scent is potent”
    • “strong alcohol smell”
    • “chemical odor”
  • Burning sensation Rarely Noted
    • “burned my skin”
    • “sting a bit”
    • “burns a little”
    • “irritates face”
  • Packaging issues Rarely Noted
    • “leaked badly”
    • “no tamper seal”
    • “bottle leaked”
    • “spilled in shipping”

Sources: lovi.care, neutrogena.com, walmart.com, target.com, ulta.com, cvs.com, and more

Questions and answers

What makes Neutrogena Clear Pore Astringent a great fit for acne-prone skin?

Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Astringent is a great fit for your acne-prone skin because it uses salicylic acid to unclog pores and reduce blemishes. Witch hazel extract and soothing aloe vera and chamomile extracts calm the skin while complementing the exfoliating effects. It is safe for daily use and unlikely to cause irritation.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023

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

This toner is a great fit for your acne-prone skin because it contains salicylic acid to unclog pores and reduce blemishes, alongside witch hazel extract to calm irritation. It also features soothing aloe vera and chamomile extract to keep your skin comfortable and safe.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023

What does Salicylic Acid do for acne-prone skin?

Salicylic acid helps clear acne-prone skin by reducing pimples and calming redness without causing many side effects. It works by dipping deep into pores to clear out blockages and control oil, making it a reliable choice for keeping skin smooth and clear.

BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

What does Witch Hazel Extract do for acne-prone skin?

Witch hazel extract helps calm acne-prone skin by reducing redness and swelling. It is unlikely to irritate because it has a gentle profile that supports irritated skin.

Phytochemistry, 2001Antioxidants, 2022

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

This exfoliating toner fits into an acne-prone skin routine in the evening after cleansing. Start using it once a week, and if your skin tolerates it well and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often.

Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this toner with retinol by applying the toner first and waiting for it to dry completely before putting on your retinol. Because both ingredients help unclog pores and clear blemishes, using them together may dry out your skin, so you should start slowly and watch how your skin reacts.

How often should I use this toner?

Start by using this exfoliating toner once a week, and if your skin tolerates it well and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often. Salicylic acid helps unclog pores and reduce blemishes, while soothing ingredients like aloe and chamomile keep your skin calm.

Dermatologic Surgery, 2003Dermatologic Surgery, 2006

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

This toner is a great fit for your acne-prone skin because salicylic acid unclogs pores and reduces blemishes. It also helps calm your skin with soothing aloe and chamomile, making it unlikely to cause breakouts.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023

Is this toner fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol denat).

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, 2024

  • The 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, 2023

  • A 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, 2020

  • Hamamelis bark proanthocyanidins strongly increased the proliferation of cultured human keratinocytes and reduced transepidermal water loss and erythema formation in SLS-irritated skin, whereas the polysaccharide fraction had no effect.

    Phytochemistry, 2001

  • Cryotherapy 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, 2010

  • Treatment 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, 2024

  • Topical 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

  • A Hamamelis virginiana leaf extract increased LOXL1 expression twofold, decreased elafin synthesis, restored functional elastic fibers, reduced nonfunctional elastin aggregates, decreased wrinkles, and improved skin firmness.

    Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2018

  • Witch hazel bark extract and hamamelitannin showed pronounced anti-inflammatory activity, supported keratinocyte migration in a wound healing assay, and inhibited Staphylococcus aureus growth, whereas their skin microbiota metabolite ellagic acid stimulated inflammatory mediator release.

    Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2025

  • Hamamelis virginiana bark extract inhibited Cutibacterium acnes-induced IL-6 release and TNF-α-induced IL-8 release in human keratinocytes without showing antibacterial or antibiofilm activities.

    Antioxidants, 2022

  • A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.

    Clinical Pharmacology, 2018

  • Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.

    Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018

  • Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.

    Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010

  • Apigenin protects against UVA-induced cytotoxicity and senescence in normal human dermal fibroblasts, decreases MMP-1 expression, and when applied topically as a cream in human subjects, increases dermal density and elasticity while reducing fine wrinkle length, skin evenness, moisture content, and transepidermal water loss compared to control cream.

    International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 2016

  • Topical chamomile oil combined with a night splint significantly improved the symptomatic and functional status of patients with severe carpal tunnel syndrome compared to placebo, while electrodiagnostic parameters showed no significant changes.

    Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 2015

  • German chamomile solution applied twice a day healed peristomal skin lesions significantly faster than once-a-day 1% hydrocortisone ointment in colostomy patients, with a mean healing time of 8.89 days versus 14.53 days.

    Ostomy/wound Management, 2011

Ingredients

Salicylic Acid, Alcohol Denat, Water, Witch Hazel Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-7, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Matricaria Flower Extract Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Methyl Gluceth-20, Benzophenone-4, Blue 1, Propylene Glycol

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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

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QR code: get the Lovi app
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