BE THE SKIN BHA+ Pore Zero Toner for oily acne-prone skin
Willow Bha- Willow Bark Water Bark
Salicylic Acid
Glycerin
Butylene Glycol
Average
- SuperiorOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other toners fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. 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 oily skin, as salicylic acid and citric acid work to decongest pores and manage excess sebum. Willow bark extract and water further support mild exfoliation and pore cleansing, addressing your concerns with acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The formula provides general skincare benefits like hydration and cleansing, making it suitable for your oily skin type.
- The product is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your PM routine. Start using your exfoliating toner once a week and slowly increase frequency if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply your exfoliating toner after cleansing and before your moisturizer or other treatments.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliating toner into your skin with your hands. Avoid any harsh rubbing .
- Apply the exfoliating toner on clean and completely dry skin to ensure the best results .
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and always use daily SPF while using exfoliating active products.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 400+ reviewsUsers with oily, combination, and acne-prone skin report that this toner effectively manages sebum and smooths skin texture without causing irritation. While many praise its ability to calm redness and gently exfoliate, some users with dehydrated or dry skin found it slightly stripping due to the alcohol content.
Highlights
Fast absorption Mostly Mentioned
- “absorbs in seconds”
- “watery and lightweight”
- “no sticky feeling”
Gentle exfoliation Often Mentioned
- “mild enough for daily use”
- “didn't sting my sensitive skin”
- “gentle exfoliation for dead skin”
Oil control Sometimes Noted
- “controls oil well”
- “less oily by midday”
- “leaves a fresh matte finish”
Soothing & calming Sometimes Noted
- “calms irritated skin”
- “reduced redness around nose”
- “soothing on acne”
Alcohol scent/content Sometimes Noted
- “strong alcohol smell”
- “contains alcohol high up in ingredients”
- “smells a bit chemical”
Drying for some Rarely Noted
- “left my skin feeling tight”
- “not for dehydrated skin”
- “felt a bit drying”
Purging phase Rarely Noted
- “caused some purging at first”
- “broke out in whiteheads initially”
- “skin got worse before better”
Slow results Rarely Noted
- “didn't see immediate change”
- “slow results for blackheads”
- “takes weeks to work”
Sources: lovi.care, stylekorean.com, yesstyle.com, betheskin.com, judge.me, skinsort.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does BE THE SKIN BHA+ Pore Zero Toner work for oily acne-prone skin?
This toner works reasonably well for oily acne-prone skin, offering moderate exfoliation with salicylic acid and citric acid to clear pores and manage excess oil. It is safe and unlikely to cause irritation, but an exfoliating toner for this skin needs a targeted blend of gentle exfoliants and hydrating ingredients to effectively manage breakouts and brighten the complexion.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021BioMed Research International, 2020
Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Salicylic acid and citric acid help clear out pores and manage excess oil, while willow bark water and extract provide gentle extra cleansing for breakouts. To fit oily acne-prone skin best, a product of this type needs a formula specifically designed to target enlarged pores and uneven texture, combining effective exfoliating acids with calming extracts to maintain skin balance.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021BioMed Research International, 2020
What does Willow Bark Extract do for oily acne-prone skin?
Willow bark extract helps oily, acne-prone skin by clearing up breakouts, blackheads, and large pores. It is generally well-tolerated and may help calm angry skin with a very low chance of irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy, 2026
What does Willow Bark Water do for oily acne-prone skin?
Willow Bark Water helps calm oily, acne-prone skin by reducing oiliness and soothing irritation. It is unlikely to cause harsh side effects and may support a clearer, more balanced complexion.
Experimental Dermatology, 2019Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020
Where does this toner go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This exfoliating toner goes in the evening routine after cleansing, and to fit your oily acne-prone skin best, it needs salicylic acid, willow bark, and gentle pore-clearing ingredients.
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this toner with retinol by applying the toner first and waiting for it to dry before adding your retinol, though oily acne-prone skin needs a product with stronger targeted acids and blemish-clearing ingredients for the best fit.
How often should I use this toner?
Start using this exfoliating toner once a week, and if your oily acne-prone skin tolerates it well and sees good results, you may carefully use it more often. A product of this type needs salicylic acid and willow bark extract to clear pores and manage excess oil.
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This toner is unlikely to clog pores, though it may cause a low likelihood of a purging phase when you first start using it. Its acids help clear out pores and manage excess oil, but this skin type often needs extra soothing ingredients and stronger pore-clearing support to prevent breakouts completely.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021BioMed Research International, 2020
Is this toner fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol).
What the research says
Daily treatment with a facial serum containing multiple acids reduced post-inflammatory hyperchromia lesion grade and number by 29.4% at 56 days, and decreased skin oiliness by 30.7% at 7 days in Brazilian patients with acne vulgaris.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021A 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, 2023A novel composition containing salicylic acid, capryloyl salicylic acid, HEPES, glycolic acid, citric acid, and dioic acid showed similar tolerance and efficacy compared with clindamycin 1% and benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in subjects with acne vulgaris.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2013A botanical face cleanser with hops and willow bark extract continuously reduced skin sebum levels without reactive seborrhea after treatment in 21 healthy volunteers compared to a sodium laureth sulfate cleanser, with neither cleanser causing skin irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Bioactive lipid nanocarriers co-loaded with willow bark or ivy leaf extracts and UV-filters provided pronounced UVA photoprotection up to an SPF-equivalent value of 13 and a maximum in vivo skin hydration effect of 97% when prepared with pomegranate oil.
Nanomaterials, 2022A topical serum containing 0.5% salicin applied twice daily reduced visible signs of skin aging, including wrinkles and tactile roughness, in 30 female subjects over 12 weeks compared to baseline.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2010Cryotherapy 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, 2010A 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, 2017The 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, 2001
Ingredients
Willow Bark Water Bark, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Alcohol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Citrate, Salicylic Acid, Citric Acid, Willow Bark Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Tromethamine, Glycolipids
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
How does it fit your skin?
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