COSRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid for dry sensitive skin
Glycolic Acid
Niacinamide
Pyrus Malus Fruit Water
Sodium Hyaluronate
Panthenol
Low
- LowDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A weak match for dry sensitive skin; the products 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 flaky skin due to glycolic acid promoting cell turnover, but lacks sufficient hydrating ingredients to counteract potential dryness and sensitivity.
- While sodium hyaluronate provides some humectant action, the overall formula may still cause dryness and irritation for your dry skin.
How to apply
- Use your exfoliant PM once a week to help with dryness. Start ⏳3 times a week only if your sensitive skin tolerates it well.
- Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toning, but always before your favorite moisturizer .
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin and avoid any rubbing. Let it absorb ⏱ for a minute before layering.
- Since your skin is reactive and sensitive, apply the exfoliant on completely dry skin for better tolerance.
- Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid the delicate eye area .
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 6.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with dry, acne-prone, and textured skin frequently praise this exfoliant for effectively clearing closed comedones and "tiny bumps" while leaving the face noticeably smoother and brighter. Some users note that results require patience due to an initial purging phase, and the product has a strong, distinct scent.
Highlights
Clears comedones Mostly Mentioned
- “colony of tiny closed comedones vanishing”
- “erased bumps on forehead”
- “finally cleared my whiteheads”
- “got rid of flesh-colored bumps”
Smooths texture Mostly Mentioned
- “skin feels like glass”
- “dramatically refined texture”
- “bye bye rough patches”
- “face is super soft”
Brightens skin Often Mentioned
- “gave me a glow”
- “faded acne scars”
- “skin looks more radiant”
- “evened out my skin tone”
Unpleasant smell Often Mentioned
- “smells like rotting apples”
- “has a fishy scent”
- “smells like burnt tires”
- “odor is truly heinous”
Gentle, hydrating Sometimes Noted
- “didn't dry me out”
- “gentle enough for sensitive skin”
- “feels moisturizing for an acid”
- “no tight feeling afterwards”
Initial purging Sometimes Noted
- “broke out for two weeks”
- “caused red bumps at first”
- “had a bad purge phase”
- “worse before it got better”
Sticky residue Sometimes Noted
- “feels tacky after applying”
- “left a sticky film”
- “takes forever to absorb”
- “hair sticks to my face”
Stinging/irritation Rarely Noted
- “burned upon application”
- “tingled too much”
- “caused redness on cheeks”
- “too strong for daily use”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, ulta.com, dermstore.com, yesstyle.com, stylekorean.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is COSRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid a weak match for dry sensitive skin?
This exfoliant treatment is a weak match because it contains glycolic acid which may cause dryness and irritation on dry sensitive skin, while lacking enough hydrating ingredients to counteract those effects. An exfoliant for this skin type needs plenty of moisturizing and nourishing components that provide deep hydration and support the skin barrier without any risk of irritation.
Which ingredients make this exfoliant a poor fit for dry sensitive skin?
Glycolic acid makes this exfoliant a weak match for your dry sensitive skin because it promotes cell turnover and removes dead skin cells, but the formula lacks enough hydrating ingredients to prevent dryness and irritation. A product of this type needs rich moisturizing components and skin barrier support to deeply hydrate and protect dry sensitive skin without any irritation.
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
What does Niacinamide do for dry sensitive skin?
Niacinamide helps dry sensitive skin by calming irritation and keeping moisture locked in so your face feels soft and smooth. It works to build up your skin barrier and calm redness while being very gentle and unlikely to cause irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2004International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2013
Where does it go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This product is used as an evening treatment step in your routine, starting just once a week since it is a weak match for dry skin. Because this formula lacks enough hydrating ingredients to counteract potential dryness and sensitivity, an exfoliant for this skin needs plenty of soothing agents and rich moisturizers to keep skin soft and calm.
Can I use this exfoliant with retinol, and in what order?
Using this exfoliant with retinol is not recommended because combining these strong ingredients may easily lead to severe dryness, redness, and irritation on dry sensitive skin. If you do choose to use both, apply them on separate nights or use the exfoliant first and wait until your skin feels completely calm before applying retinol. Dry and sensitive skin of this type needs gentle exfoliating acids paired with plenty of rich, soothing hydrators and barrier-repairing ingredients to prevent moisture loss and stinging.
How often should I use it?
Start using this treatment just once a week in the evening, as this helps dry sensitive skin adjust to the exfoliating acid without causing excessive irritation. A product of this type needs soothing and deeply hydrating ingredients like panthenol, ceramides, or rich plant oils to keep dry sensitive skin comfortable and protected.
Can this exfoliant clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
Yes, this exfoliant may cause initial purging as glycolic acid speeds up cell turnover to clear out what is trapped underneath. It is also likely to cause dryness and irritation on dry sensitive skin because the formula lacks enough hydrating ingredients to keep your skin calm and comfortable. A product for this skin needs soothing ingredients like centella asiatica and richer moisturizers to protect your moisture barrier.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Repeated 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, 2017Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005Topical formulations containing 1.25% Malus sp. extract or 0.75% rutin protected against UVB-induced sunburn cells, caspase-3 activation, cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers, lipid peroxidation, and metalloproteinase formation in ex vivo skin explants and 3D tissue-engineered skin.
Rejuvenation Research, 2020Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002Moisturizer 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 dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.
Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000
Why other products fit dry sensitive skin better
A formulation containing glycerol (5%) and xylitol (5%) applied twice daily for 14 days increased skin hydration, filaggrin protein quantity, interdigitation index, and biomechanical properties, and decreased transepidermal water loss compared to untreated and vehicle-treated skin in twelve volunteers with dry skin.
Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2017Glycerol accelerates barrier repair and improves stratum corneum hydration compared to untreated and base-treated sites.
Acta Dermato-venereologica, 1999Topical application of TAT-SOD significantly suppresses UVB-induced erythema formation, blood flow rise, and apoptotic sunburn cell formation in human volunteers compared to a vehicle control.
European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 2016
Ingredients
Pyrus Malus Fruit Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycolic Acid, Niacinamide, Sodium Hydroxide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Ethyl Hexanediol
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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