Perricone MD Intensive Pore Minimizing Toner for dry sensitive skin
Dmae
Salicylic Acid
Zinc Gluconate
Copper Complex
Tetrapeptide-21
Caution
- CautionDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A poor match for dry sensitive skin; the products alongside fit it better.
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
- American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2005
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry sensitive skin: flakiness, tightness, redness, fine lines, and wrinkles. 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
- Low suitability for your dry and sensitive skin as alcohol denat and salicylic acid can be drying and stripping, counteracting the humectant action of glycerin and sodium hyaluronate.
- While it offers moderate pore minimizing due to salicylic acid, the potential for dryness may worsen your dry or flaky skin concerns.
How to apply
- Use this toner as part of your AM and PM routine. Start applying it 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin feels good.
- Apply this toner right after cleansing and before putting on your moisturizer or SPF.
- Gently press 2 to 3 drops of the toner into your face. Let it soak in for a minute before adding your next product.
- Put the toner on slightly damp skin to help it soak in better and soothe dry areas. Since your skin is sensitive, applying it on dry skin is also fine for extra comfort.
- Do a patch test before your first use and gently avoid the eye area .
People Say
★4.3Overall rating based on 1.3k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with oily and combination skin frequently report that this toner effectively mattifies the complexion and visibly tightens enlarged pores, leaving skin feeling "squeaky clean" and smoother. While many praise its ability to control excess oil and refine texture, a notable subset of users finds the scent overpowering and the formula potentially drying or irritating for sensitive skin types.
Highlights
Controls oil Mostly Mentioned
- “absorbs and controls visible excess oil”
- “leaves skin looking matte, refreshed and radiant”
- “skin is less oily”
- “keeps skin matte and fresh all day”
Shrinks pores Often Mentioned
- “pores are barely visible even in my magnifying mirror”
- “definitely makes my pores look smaller”
- “large pores on the bulb are barely visible”
- “helped to kind of shrink the pore size a little bit”
Strong scent Often Mentioned
- “smell reminds me of a summer camp bathroom”
- “strong, powdery, and just off”
- “didn't give it 5 stars because it has a strong smell”
- “slight odor that's not that great”
Deep cleanses Sometimes Noted
- “pulls make up and/or dirt... out of my skin”
- “gets your face squeaky clean”
- “rids skin of residue, excess oil and build-up”
- “gets all the gunk out of my pores”
Smoothes texture Sometimes Noted
- “left my skin with a slightly smoother texture”
- “made the texture of my skin a lot smoother”
- “skin feels radiant and revitalised”
- “smoother, more refined visage”
Drying or irritating Sometimes Noted
- “too drying for my skin”
- “began to get red dry patches”
- “skin broke out and reacted poorly”
- “dries out my skin”
High price Rarely Noted
- “pricey for a toner don't think it's worth it”
- “not worth the price”
- “expensive so I kept at it”
No results Rarely Noted
- “pores remained the same”
- “haven't seen a difference in my pores”
- “didn't feel clean-no benefits”
Sources: lovi.care, perriconemd.com, macys.com, lookfantastic.com, lovelyskin.com, skincareessentials.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise caution with Perricone MD Intensive Pore Minimizing Toner for dry sensitive skin?
Lovi advises caution because alcohol denat and salicylic acid can be drying and stripping on dry sensitive skin, counteracting the hydrating ingredients. A toner for this skin needs ingredients that provide excellent hydration and barrier support without any risk of irritation.
Which ingredients make this toner a poor fit for dry sensitive skin?
Alcohol denat and salicylic acid make this toner a poor fit because they can dry and strip dry sensitive skin, counteracting hydrating ingredients like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate. A toner for this skin needs effective hydrating and nourishing ingredients that provide excellent moisture retention and skin barrier support without any risk of irritation.
What does DMAE do for dry sensitive skin?
DMAE helps make skin feel firmer and smoother, but it is unlikely to be a good fit for dry sensitive skin on its own. Because dry sensitive skin easily gets irritated, a product for this skin type needs gentle, soothing ingredients and deep moisturizers like hyaluronic acid or ceramides to keep skin soft and comfortable.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2005Skin Research and Technology, 2002
What does Salicylic Acid do for dry sensitive skin?
Salicylic acid is generally a poor fit for dry, sensitive skin because it is designed to clear out pores by removing excess oil, which can easily leave dry skin irritated. A product of this type needs gentle exfoliating helpers paired with rich, soothing moisturizers and barrier-repairing ingredients to keep dry skin calm and comfortable.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This toner is a poor fit for your dry sensitive skin because alcohol and salicylic acid can dry and strip your skin, so this type of skin needs gentle, hydrating ingredients like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate along with soothing moisturizers to stay calm and soft.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
Using this toner with retinol is unlikely to work well, as the alcohol denat and salicylic acid may dry out and strip your dry sensitive skin. A product of this type needs soothing and hydrating ingredients like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate to keep skin soft and comfortable.
How often should I use it?
This toner is a poor match for your dry sensitive skin because ingredients like alcohol denat and salicylic acid may dry you out and worsen flakiness. A skin type like yours needs a gentle, alcohol-free toner with calming and hydrating ingredients like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate instead.
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This toner is unlikely to clog pores since it contains salicylic acid, but it may dry out or irritate dry sensitive skin because of alcohol denat and salicylic acid. To help pores without stripping dry skin, a product of this type needs gentle exfoliating ingredients and soothing hydrators like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It contains fragrance (parfum, limonene, and linalool) and drying alcohol (alcohol denat).
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, 2017Daily application of 3% DMAE facial gel for 16 weeks safely and efficaciously mitigates forehead lines and periorbital fine wrinkles, improves lip shape and fullness and overall aging skin appearance, and increases skin firmness compared to placebo.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2005A gel containing 3% 2-dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE) increased skin firmness, demonstrated by increased shear wave velocity in 30 volunteers compared to a formulation without DMAE.
Skin Research and Technology, 2002A DMAE-based formulation increased dermal and collagen fiber thickness in hairless mice and enhanced stratum corneum water content in human forearm skin compared to control formulations, without significantly modifying mechanical properties.
Die Pharmazie, 2009Cryotherapy 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, 2024A dermocosmetic cream containing Punica granatum Pericarp extract, Salicylic acid, Niacinamide, Zinc gluconate, and Aqua Posae Filiformis significantly decreased inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesion counts in subjects with mild to moderate acne compared to untreated hemi-faces after 15 days.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026Daily use of a deep cleansing gel containing salicylic acid 2%, zinc gluconate 0.2% and lipohydroxy acid 0.05% significantly reduced total lesion count by 56.3% after 84 days in 35 subjects with mild to moderate truncal acne.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2023Different strains of Propionibacterium acnes modulate cutaneous innate immunity with varying pro-inflammatory potentials, with P. acnes type III showing the highest and P. avidum the weakest, and zinc gluconate down-regulates the expression of most induced immune markers.
Experimental Dermatology, 2013The combination of Thermus thermophilus and Bacillus subtilis mixed-culture ferment extract and copper tripeptide-1 GHK-Cu reduced inflammatory cytokines, protected skin explants from UV-induced damage, and improved wrinkles and skin barrier conditions compared to individual components or controls.
Skin Research and Technology, 2026Zinc gluconate induced alpha2, alpha3, alphaV, and alpha6 integrins, copper gluconate induced alpha2, alpha6, and beta1, and manganese gluconate induced most studied integrins in cultured keratinocytes.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 1999Copper-quercetin complex polycaprolactone nanoparticles exhibited sustained release, antioxidant activity, and a threefold increase in antibacterial efficacy without causing skin irritation in rats.
Molecular Pharmaceutics, 2023
Ingredients
Water, Alcohol Denat, Dimethyl Mea, Tetrapeptide-21, Zinc Gluconate, Magnesium Aspartate, Acetyl Tyrosine, Salicylic Acid, Copper Gluconate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium Edta, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ppg-26-Buteth-26, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbic Acid, Parfum, Limonene, Linalool
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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