COSRX AC Collection Calming Foam Cleanser for acne-prone skin
Salicylic Acid
Centella Asiatica
Glycerin- Madecassic Acid
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
High
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for acne-prone skin; a few cleansers 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 cleansing for your acne-prone skin, as salicylic acid and madecassoside help decongest pores and calm irritation. Glycerin provides humectant action, balancing the keratolytic effects of salicylic acid for your combination skin.
- The presence of Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, and Madecassic Acid further supports pore decongestion and irritation calming, enhancing the overall efficacy for your skin concerns.
- The formula is safe for your skin, containing no harsh ingredients and including soothing components that minimize irritation risk.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it.
- This cleanser is the first step in your morning routine and the second step after your pre-cleanser in the evening. Always follow up with a toner and moisturizer .
- Gently massage a small amount of the cleanser onto your face in circular motions. Avoid harsh rubbing to keep your skin calm.
- Apply the cleanser on slightly damp skin to help it work effectively against breakouts. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water .
- Avoid the immediate eye area and do a patch test before your first use to check for any sensitivity.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 600+ reviewsUsers with oily and acne-prone skin frequently praise this cleanser for its deep pore cleansing and breakout reduction. However, individuals with dry or sensitive skin often find it to be stripping and drying.
Highlights
Deep cleansing Mostly Mentioned
- “squeaky clean feel”
- “removes excess oil”
- “unclogs pores”
- “skin feels fresh”
Effective for acne Often Mentioned
- “clears active breakouts”
- “reduces redness”
- “helps back acne”
- “stopped random breakouts”
Drying finish Often Mentioned
- “skin feels tight”
- “stripping for dry skin”
- “drying after wash”
- “needs moisturizer immediately”
Rich lather Sometimes Noted
- “creamy foam texture”
- “lathers really well”
- “little goes a long way”
- “soft dense foam”
Soothing sensation Sometimes Noted
- “calms irritated skin”
- “cooling effect”
- “gentle on inflammation”
- “soothing ingredients”
Medicinal scent Sometimes Noted
- “strong herbal smell”
- “chemical scent”
- “smells like tea tree”
- “medicinal fragrance”
Potential irritation Rarely Noted
- “stung slightly”
- “caused redness”
- “mild purging”
- “tingling sensation”
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Questions and answers
What makes COSRX AC Collection Calming Foam Cleanser a great fit for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is a great fit because salicylic acid and soothing plant extracts help clear out pores and calm angry breakouts without stripping your skin. Glycerin also helps keep your face from feeling too dry by balancing out the cleansing ingredients.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Salicylic acid and madecassoside make this cleanser a great fit because they help clear out pores and calm angry, red skin. Glycerin also helps by keeping the skin balanced while the salicylic acid works.
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 Centella Asiatica do for acne-prone skin?
Centella asiatica helps calm acne-prone skin by reducing redness and soothing inflammation while supporting healing. It may also help manage breakouts by addressing factors like acne blemishes and irritation.
Molecules, 2023Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2020
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser fits in both your morning and evening routine as an early step to help clear pores and calm irritation. It washes away impurities while glycerin helps keep your skin balanced and comfortable.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Molecules, 2023
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol by using the cleanser first and following it with your retinol treatment. This cleanser helps decongest pores and calm irritation, and using a gentle formula like this is unlikely to add extra dryness when you use retinol.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser daily in the morning and evening as part of your routine. It provides moderate cleansing while salicylic acid and soothing plant extracts help clear pores and calm irritation.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts because salicylic acid and centella extracts help decongest pores and calm irritation. However, some reviewers mention a drying finish, and the formula may occasionally cause mild irritation or purging as it clears out the skin.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on your body, but it is best to avoid the very thin skin directly around your eyes to prevent irritation. While the formula is safe and gentle, the ingredients that clear pores and calm acne are designed primarily for facial and body skin rather than the delicate eye area.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (linalool and limonene).
What the research says
Co-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, 2023A 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, 2024Asiatic acid-loaded solid lipid microparticles stabilized with poloxamer-188 reduced porphyrin intensity, enhanced skin barriers, and improved skin hydration and brightness in fifteen participants with mild-to-moderate acne.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 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, 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, 2019The 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, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Peg-32, Potassium Hydroxide, Palmitic Acid, Lauric Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Lauramide Dea, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Pinus Sylvestris Oil Leaf, Potassium Cocoate, Salicylic Acid, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Disodium Edta, Sodium Chloride, Arachidic Acid, Linalool, Oleic Acid, 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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