Pixi Clarity Tonic for acne-prone skin
Salicylic Acid
Probiotics
Glycolic Acid
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Centella Asiatica ExtractHigh
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
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 excellent exfoliation and pore-refining benefits for your acne, blemishes, and breakouts, as glycolic acid and salicylic acid work synergistically to smooth texture and reduce blemishes on your combination skin.
- The inclusion of aloe barbadensis leaf juice and centella asiatica extract provides soothing effects, enhancing the product's suitability for your skin.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of beneficial soothing components.
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
★4.6Overall rating based on 700+ reviewsUsers with oily and acne-prone skin report that this tonic effectively reduces breakouts and minimizes pores without the harsh stinging often associated with acid toners. Many appreciate its alcohol-free, hydrating formula that gently exfoliates and smoothes texture, though some find it too mild for severe congestion.
Highlights
Clears acne and pores Often Mentioned
- “cleared up acne”
- “reduction in breakouts”
- “keeps pores clean”
- “calmed down active acne”
Gentle and non-irritating Often Mentioned
- “gentle to skin”
- “no stinging sensation”
- “good for sensitive skin”
- “didn't irritate my face”
Hydrating and non-drying Often Mentioned
- “not drying at all”
- “moisturizes the skin”
- “leaves skin soft”
- “hydrating formula”
Fragrance and alcohol-free Sometimes Noted
- “no fragrance”
- “alcohol free”
- “smell is negligible”
- “clean ingredient list”
Initial breakouts Rarely Noted
- “started to break out”
- “caused purging”
- “breakouts didn't disappear”
Price vs. size Rarely Noted
- “small size for price”
- “expensive”
- “bottle runs out fast”
Sticky residue Rarely Noted
- “felt sticky afterwards”
- “left a film”
- “tacky finish”
Too gentle Rarely Noted
- “didn't do anything”
- “too slow for liking”
- “too gentle for me”
- “didn't see much change”
Sources: lovi.care, pixibeauty.co.uk, sephora.com.au, iherb.com, boots.com, skinsort.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Pixi Clarity Tonic a great fit for acne-prone skin?
Pixi Clarity Tonic is a great fit because glycolic acid and salicylic acid work together to smooth skin texture and reduce blemishes, while aloe and centella asiatica calm the skin. It is unlikely to cause irritation and is very safe for this skin type.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Salicylic acid and glycolic acid make this toner a great fit by smoothing texture and reducing blemishes, while aloe barbadensis leaf juice and centella asiatica extract help calm the skin. Its safety profile is excellent, with no harsh ingredients that might cause irritation.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
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 do Probiotics do for acne-prone skin?
For acne-prone skin, probiotics help reduce breakouts, soothe redness, and calm inflammation while balancing the skin microbiome. They also help improve skin barrier function and decrease inflammatory markers with fewer side effects than conventional treatments.
Journal of Experimental Pharmacology, 2025Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Where does it go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This exfoliating toner fits into an evening routine after cleansing, starting at once a week and slowly increasing frequency if your skin tolerates it well. It helps smooth texture and calm blemishes on acne-prone skin using glycolic and salicylic acids alongside soothing aloe and centella extracts.
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this exfoliating toner with retinol by applying the toner first after cleansing, waiting for it to dry, and then applying your retinol. Using these acids and retinol together is unlikely to cause irritation because soothing ingredients like aloe and centella extract help keep your skin calm.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
How often should I use it?
Start using this exfoliating toner once a week, and if your skin feels comfortable and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often. The combination of glycolic acid and salicylic acid helps smooth texture and reduce breakouts, while soothing ingredients help keep irritation unlikely.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2003Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This toner is a great fit because salicylic acid and glycolic acid help smooth texture and clear breakouts, while aloe barbadensis leaf juice and centella asiatica extract calm your skin. It has a very safe profile with a low likelihood of irritation, though initial breakouts are a low risk when starting any exfoliating routine.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Glycolic acid, salicylic acid, gluconolactone, and licochalcone A combined with 0.1% adapalene showed no hindrance compared to adapalene monotherapy and provided benefits in reducing complications in 25 subjects with mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019A 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, 2020Cosmetic 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, 2016Co-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, 2023The 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, 2023Cryotherapy 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, 2010Repeated 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, 2017A 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, 2018Topical 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, 2018Topical 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, 2010Topical 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, 2020A 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, 2017Moisturizer 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
Ingredients
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Propanediol, Glycerin, Sodium Pca, Betaine, Lactobacillus Lysate Ferment Filtrate, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Salicylic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Willow Bark Extract, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract Extrait De Canne À Sucre Extract, Leuconostoc Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Lactic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol
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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