BE THE SKIN BHA+ Pore Zero Toner for sensitive skin
Willow Bha- Willow Bark Water Bark
Salicylic Acid
Glycerin
Butylene Glycol
Average
- AverageNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for sensitive skin; other toners fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. 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 normal skin, as salicylic acid and citric acid work to decongest pores and modulate pH, while Willow Bark Water and glycerin provide supportive hydration and soothing benefits for your redness and irritation.
- The formulation is safe for your sensitive skin, lacking harsh ingredients that could cause irritation.
- This product is generally safe for sensitive skin, as it does not contain any prohibited or harsh ingredients that could lead to irritation.
How to apply
- Use your exfoliating toner as part of a PM routine once a week to start. Carefully increase frequency only if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply this exfoliating toner after cleansing and before your moisturizer. It fits right into your usual step for toners.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliating toner into your skin. Avoid rubbing to keep redness down.
- Apply the exfoliating toner on completely dry skin to help improve your skin's tolerance. This helps protect your sensitive face.
- Do a patch test before your first use and avoid the delicate eye area . Skip strong acids or retinoids on the same night.
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 sensitive skin?
This toner works reasonably well for sensitive skin, offering moderate pore clearing and soothing hydration without harsh ingredients. However, because it contains exfoliating acids, this skin type needs a product that provides gentle smoothing and barrier support with very mild exfoliating agents and soothing plant extracts.
Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for sensitive skin?
Willow Bark Water and glycerin help make this toner a good fit by providing supportive hydration and soothing benefits for redness and irritation. To fit sensitive skin even better, this type of product needs gentle exfoliating ingredients paired with soothing and hydrating components that clear pores without causing irritation.
What does Willow Bark Extract do for sensitive skin?
Willow bark extract helps calm sensitive skin by reducing redness and irritation without causing dryness. It works gently to soothe discomfort and keeps skin feeling smooth.
What does Willow Bark Water do for sensitive skin?
Willow bark water helps calm sensitive skin and keeps it feeling smooth and comfortable. It is unlikely to cause irritation when used in gentle skincare routines.
Where does this toner go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This toner goes in the evening routine after cleansing, though sensitive skin needs an exfoliating toner just once a week to prevent irritation. To work better for sensitive skin, this type of product needs soothing ingredients and gentle hydrators like glycerin and willow bark water.
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this toner with retinol by applying the toner first, waiting for it to dry, and then applying your retinol, though it may cause redness on sensitive skin. To work best for sensitive skin, this product needs gentle exfoliating acids paired with soothing plant waters and glycerin to calm irritation.
How often should I use this toner?
Start using this toner just once a week to see how your sensitive skin reacts. While it is safe and free of harsh irritants, this type of skin needs a gentle exfoliating toner packed with soothing ingredients and extra hydration to keep pores clear without causing redness.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This toner is unlikely to clog pores, but it may cause a brief purging phase and feel drying for some sensitive skin. To prevent dryness and keep skin calm, a product of this type needs soothing ingredients like glycerin and willow bark extract.
Is this toner fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol).
What the research says
A 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, 2017A 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, 2010A novel emulsion containing niacinamide, lens esculenta seed extract, and white willow bark extract effectively improved acne, blackheads, and conspicuous facial pores in 30 subjects with oily skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Cryotherapy 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, 2024The 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
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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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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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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