Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2 for dry sensitive skin
Salicylic Acid
Glycolic Acid
Witch Hazel
Aloe Barbadensis
Lactic AcidCaution
- LowDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A poor match for dry sensitive skin; the toners alongside fit it better.
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
- Offers moderate exfoliation for your dry and sensitive skin due to salicylic acid, but the inclusion of alcohol denat may counteract hydration benefits and potentially irritate your skin.
- While witch hazel extract offers some astringent properties, the overall formulation may not provide sufficient hydration for your dry skin type.
How to apply
- Use this exfoliating toner only in your PM routine, starting 1×/week since your skin is sensitive. Carefully build up frequency only if your skin feels comfortable.
- Apply the exfoliating toner after using your cleanser and before your final moisturizer. This ensures it works effectively on clean skin.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliating toner into your skin using your hands. Avoid rubbing to prevent any irritation.
- Apply the exfoliating toner on completely dry skin to ensure better tolerance for your sensitive type. Let it absorb fully before moving to the next step.
- Do a patch test before your first use and avoid the delicate eye area. Keep this product separate from other strong acids or retinoids to protect your skin barrier.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 5.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with dry combination skin generally praise this lotion for its ability to remove dull flakes and residual grime, leaving skin feeling "squeaky clean" and prepped for moisturizer. A significant portion of reviewers find the high alcohol content polarizing, with some experiencing stinging, redness, and excessive dryness, particularly those with sensitive skin conditions.
Highlights
Effective exfoliation Mostly Mentioned
- “You will see the dirt with one wipe”
- “sweeps away dulling flakes”
- “cotton pad is always dirty after use”
Strong alcohol smell Mostly Mentioned
- “Smells like nail polish remover”
- “pungent scent of alcohol”
- “fumes make my eyes water”
Clean and fresh Often Mentioned
- “Skin feels squeaky clean”
- “refreshing tingle”
- “feels forcefully cleansed”
Drying and stripping Often Mentioned
- “Made my skin super dry”
- “stripped all the oil”
- “left my face feeling tight”
Improves skin texture Sometimes Noted
- “Skin looks smoother and even-toned”
- “leaves face soft”
- “restores radiance to dull skin”
Preps for moisturizer Sometimes Noted
- “Prepares skin perfectly for hydration”
- “moisturizer sinks in better”
- “clearing the way for lotion”
Irritation and stinging Sometimes Noted
- “Face stung and became red”
- “skin felt angry for hours”
- “burning sensation immediately”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “My skin breaks out”
- “caused irritation and bumps”
- “made me oilier and break out”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.sg, sephora.co.nz, ulta.com, clinique.com, beautyontrial.co.uk, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise caution with Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2 for dry sensitive skin?
This toner offers moderate exfoliation with salicylic acid, but alcohol denat may counteract hydration and potentially irritate dry sensitive skin. A product for this skin needs effective hydrating and exfoliating ingredients that enhance moisture levels without posing any risk of irritation.
Which ingredients make this toner a poor fit for dry sensitive skin?
Alcohol denat may counteract hydration benefits and potentially irritate dry sensitive skin, while the overall formulation may not provide sufficient hydration. A product of this type needs gentle exfoliants and rich hydrating agents that enhance moisture levels and support the skin barrier without causing irritation.
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.
What does Glycolic Acid do for dry sensitive skin?
Glycolic acid can be too harsh for dry sensitive skin and may cause irritation, so this skin type needs gentle calming ingredients and deeply nourishing moisturizers to keep the skin barrier safe and smooth.
Acta Dermato-venereologica, 1995The British Journal of Dermatology, 1997
Where does it go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This exfoliating toner is a poor match for your dry and sensitive skin, as alcohol denat may counteract hydration and potentially irritate your skin. When using a product of this type, your routine needs soothing ingredients and extra hydration to keep skin calm and soft.
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
It is best to avoid using this exfoliating toner alongside retinol on dry sensitive skin, as the combination may easily cause excessive irritation and dryness. If you do choose to use them, apply the toner first after cleansing, let it dry completely, and follow with your retinol on separate nights or spaced far apart.
How often should I use it?
This exfoliating toner is a poor match for dry sensitive skin, so you should use it at most once a week only if your skin tolerates it well. A product of this type for your dry skin needs gentle exfoliating acids paired with soothing, rich hydrating ingredients to keep your skin soft and calm.
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This toner is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts because it contains salicylic acid to keep pores clear, though it may dry out or irritate dry sensitive skin. A product of this type needs gentle hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and soothing agents to protect dry skin without stripping away moisture.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol denat).
What the research says
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, 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, 2024Repeated 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 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, 2018Hamamelis 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, 2001Witch 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, 2025A 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, 2010Application of a cream containing lactic acid 12% and pramoxine HCl 1% significantly improved skin dryness, hydration, and itch compared with a nontreated control in 24 women with a history of dry itchy skin.
Cutis, 2004Topical 12% ammonium lactate produced a significant sparing of epidermal and dermal atrophy induced by clobetasol propionate in human volunteers, without influencing the corticosteroid's bioavailability or antiinflammatory properties.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 1992A lactic acid/ceramide lotion significantly improved skin moisturization and desquamation compared to no treatment in women with dry, rough skin on the anterior shins.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020
Ingredients
Water, Alcohol Denat, Glycerin, Witch Hazel Extract, Salicylic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trehalose, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, Red 33 Ci 17200, Ext, Violet 2
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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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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