celimax Heartleaf BHA Peeling Pad for acne-prone skin
Heartleaf Extract
Bha Beta Hydroxy Acid
Madecassoside
Oil Tree Leaf
GlycerinHigh
- SuperiorCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for acne-prone skin; a few products 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 suitability for your combination skin, as salicylic acid and betaine salicylate provide effective keratolytic action and seboregulation to address acne, blemishes, and breakouts. Bifida lysate ferment and centella asiatica extract further support barrier repair and offer anti-inflammatory benefits, complementing the primary exfoliating agents.
- The high concentrations of salicylic acid and betaine salicylate ensure potent pore decongestion and texture smoothing, aligning well with your goal of managing acne and breakouts.
- The formulation is safe for your combination skin, with no identified risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this exfoliant PM once a week to start, and gradually increase if your combination skin tolerates it well. Always apply SPF the next morning to protect your clear skin.
- Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toning, but right before your moisturizer step. This ensures the treatment targets blemishes effectively.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin without rubbing. Let it absorb for a minute before moving to the next step.
- Apply the exfoliant on clean, dry skin to help control breakouts safely. Since your skin is not sensitive, this dry application method ensures good product absorption.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a patch test before your first use. Do not mix this exfoliant with other strong acids in the same routine.
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 1.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with sensitive, acne-prone, and textured skin frequently praise these pads for delivering gentle yet effective exfoliation that smoothes roughness without causing irritation. The dual-sided design allows for targeted treatment of clogged pores and dead skin cells, leaving the complexion feeling hydrated, calmer, and noticeably softer.
Highlights
Smoother skin texture Mostly Mentioned
- “skin feels noticeably smoother”
- “refined and evened out”
- “removes dead skin cells”
- “erased closed comedones”
- “softens rough patches”
Gentle for sensitive Often Mentioned
- “no irritation”
- “gentle daily exfoliation”
- “suitable for sensitive skin”
- “mild BHA formula”
- “didn't breakout”
Effective dual-sided Sometimes Noted
- “gauze side cleans pores”
- “embossed side wipes gently”
- “great for nose/chin”
- “convenient 2-in-1”
- “physical and chemical exfoliation”
Hydrating and non-sticky Sometimes Noted
- “light boost of hydration”
- “refreshing finish”
- “non-sticky residue”
- “absorbs well”
- “leaves skin moist”
Soothing and calming Sometimes Noted
- “calms redness”
- “soothing heartleaf extract”
- “relieves skin troubles”
- “invigorating feel”
- “reduced inflammation”
Can be drying Rarely Noted
- “drying if used daily”
- “skin felt tight”
- “not for dry skin”
- “need moisturizer after”
- “stripped natural oils”
Gauze side rough Rarely Noted
- “gauze side too scratchy”
- “irritating if rubbed hard”
- “texture feels abrasive”
- “too harsh for cheeks”
- “tingling sensation”
Pad moisture low Rarely Noted
- “pads could be wetter”
- “essence feels skimpy”
- “dried out quickly”
- “need two pads”
- “top pads less soaked”
Scent not preferred Rarely Noted
- “medicinal smell”
- “strong tea tree scent”
- “smells like Sprite”
- “herbal odor”
- “scent isn't my favorite”
Slightly sticky Rarely Noted
- “slightly tacky finish”
- “felt sticky initially”
- “residue left behind”
- “clashed with makeup”
- “heavy feeling”
Sources: lovi.care, iherb.com, oliveyoung.com, stylekorean.com, yesstyle.com, celimax.us, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Celimax Heartleaf BHA Peeling Pad a great fit for acne-prone skin?
This exfoliant treatment is a great fit because salicylic acid and betaine salicylate help clear pores and smooth texture to manage breakouts. Heartleaf extract and centella asiatica extract further calm redness and support the skin barrier with a very low risk of irritation.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Which ingredients make this exfoliant a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Salicylic acid and betaine salicylate make this exfoliant a great fit by clearing out pores and smoothing skin texture to manage breakouts. Heartleaf extract, madecassoside, and oil tree leaf further help calm redness and support the skin barrier.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
What does Heartleaf Extract do for acne-prone skin?
Heartleaf Extract helps calm acne-prone skin by reducing redness, swelling, and breakouts. Studies show it helps lower inflammation and target acne-causing bacteria without irritating the skin.
Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry, 2016The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2021
What does Bha do for acne-prone skin?
BHA helps clear acne-prone skin by clearing out pores to reduce both inflammatory and non-inflammatory breakouts. It also helps calm redness and lower oil production, and is unlikely to cause harsh side effects when used regularly.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Where does this exfoliant go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This exfoliant treatment goes in your evening routine once a week to start, after cleansing and before moisturizing. You may carefully use it more often if your skin tolerates it well and sees good results.
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this treatment with retinol by applying the exfoliant first and following with your retinol on alternating nights or in separate routines to help prevent irritation. This product helps clear pores and smooth texture, but combining strong active ingredients too often may increase skin dryness.
How often should I use this exfoliant?
Start using this exfoliant once a week in your evening routine, and if your skin handles it well and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often. This frequency helps keep pores clear and smooths texture while keeping your skin calm.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This exfoliant treatment is a great fit for acne-prone skin because salicylic acid and betaine salicylate clear out pores and smooth texture while heartleaf extract and centella asiatica calm the skin. It is very unlikely to clog pores or cause irritation, though any product that clears out pores deeply may occasionally cause a brief adjustment period.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Is this exfoliant fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It contains fragrance (limonene) and drying alcohol (denatured alcohol).
What the research says
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, 2020Twice 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, 2024The 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, 2023Soaps 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, 2003A 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, 2024Quercetin phospholipids 1% cream significantly reduced UV-, histamine-, and chemical-induced skin erythema (-10.05%) and mean wheal diameter in 30 healthy human volunteers, showing comparable efficacy to 1% dexchlorpheniramine cream.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2016Quercetin-loaded niosomes formulated with Span60-RH40 at a 9:11 mass ratio improved quercetin solubility, photostability, sustained release, and transdermal penetration, yielding a skin retention 2.95 times higher than quercetin solution.
Molecules, 2019Optimized rutin-loaded glycerosomes formulated into a nanosunscreen gel demonstrated sustained drug release, greater skin permeation, good antioxidant activity, and better epidermal retention compared to the dermis, indicating high safety, stability, and sun protection factor values for topical administration.
Gels, 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, 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, 2019Topical herbal treatments including lemon balm, olive leaf extract, propolis, and sage-rhubarb cream reduce pain, swelling, lesion size, and healing time in patients with herpes labialis compared with placebo or acyclovir.
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine, 2025Topical oleuropein formulations reduced erythema, transepidermal water loss, and blood flow by approximately 22%, 35%, and 30% in healthy volunteers with UVB-induced erythema.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2008An oil-in-serum formulation containing olive extract standardized in hydroxytyrosol improved skin barrier function and significantly reduced hyperpigmentation in participants with post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation after 45 days of application.
AAPS PharmSciTech, 2026The 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, 2020Ten 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, 2001Niacinamide/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
Ingredients
Water, Butylene Glycol, Denatured Alcohol, Camellia Flower Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Arginine, Salicylic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, C12-14 Pareth-12, Lactobionic Acid, Ethylhexyl Glycerin, Glycerin, Bifida Lysate Ferment, Centella Asiatica Extract, Disodium Edta, Lactose, Oil Tree Leaf, Wheat Extract, Purslane Extract, Perilla Frutescens Extract, Panthenol, Honeysuckle Extract, Centipede Geranium Extract, Cats Claw Extract, Eupathoria Gypsy Herb Extract, Chosun Cordyceps Root Extract, Pine Pine Leaf Extract, Catnip Extract, Madecassoside, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Chlorphenesin, Betaine, Betaine Salicylate, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Chamaecparis Obtusa Water, Sea Water, Melaleuca Alternifolia Tree Oil Leaf, Limonene
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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