COSRX Low pH Niacinamide Micellar Cleansing Water for oily acne-prone skin
Niacinamide
Zinc Pca
Allantoin
Sodium Hyaluronate
MadecassosideAverage
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other products 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 suitability for your oily skin due to the presence of zinc PCA for seboregulation, but lacks specialized ingredients like salicylic acid to directly address your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate provides excellent cleansing to remove impurities without stripping your skin, supporting your general skincare needs.
- The formula is safe for your oily 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 AM or PM routine. Start using it daily to help manage your oily skin.
- Apply this micellar water as your first step before your cleanser and the rest of your routine.
- Pour some micellar water onto a cotton pad and gently wipe it across your face. Avoid harsh rubbing.
- Apply the micellar water on dry skin to effectively remove excess oil and impurities.
- Do a patch test before your first use. Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes.
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 600+ reviewsUsers with sensitive and acne-prone skin highly praise this micellar water for its ability to gently remove makeup and excess oil without stripping the skin's moisture barrier. Many reviewers highlight the added benefits of niacinamide, noting that it helps control sebum and leaves their complexion feeling balanced, calm, and hydrated rather than tight or dry.
Highlights
Gentle and non-irritating Mostly Mentioned
- “no burning sensation”
- “gentle on sensitive skin”
- “barely any stinging”
- “calms redness”
Effective cleansing Often Mentioned
- “removes everyday makeup”
- “cleanses deeply”
- “removes mascara well”
- “takes off sunscreen”
Hydrating and non-stripping Often Mentioned
- “skin feels moisturized”
- “not tight or drying”
- “leaves skin soft”
- “hydrating finish”
Beneficial ingredients Sometimes Noted
- “niacinamide helps brighten”
- “good for oil control”
- “zinc PCA for sebum”
- “improves skin texture”
Fragrance-free Sometimes Noted
- “scent is barely noticeable”
- “no fragrance”
- “mild scent”
- “great for sensitive noses”
Eye irritation Rarely Noted
- “stung my eyes slightly”
- “blurred vision if too much”
- “mild stinging”
- “careful around eyes”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “cap can break”
- “dispenses too fast”
- “leaked in transit”
- “hard to control amount”
Price point Rarely Noted
- “wish it was cheaper”
- “slightly expensive”
- “pricey for micellar water”
- “wait for sale”
Sticky residue Rarely Noted
- “slight sticky residue”
- “leaves a film”
- “needs rinsing after”
- “tacky finish”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, iherb.com, ulta.com, yesstyle.com, hometesterclub.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does COSRX Low pH Niacinamide Micellar Cleansing Water work for oily acne-prone skin?
This micellar water works as an average fit for your oily acne-prone skin because it helps control excess oil with zinc PCA and cleanses without stripping, though it lacks specialized ingredients like salicylic acid to directly address breakouts. A product of this type needs salicylic acid for breakouts along with ingredients that provide oil-free hydration and soothing benefits to properly care for oily acne-prone skin.
Which ingredients make this micellar water a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Zinc PCA makes this micellar water a fit for your oily skin by helping to control oil. However, because it lacks ingredients like salicylic acid to directly clear breakouts, a product of this type needs targeted acne-fighting ingredients along with soothing and hydrating components to truly fit oily acne-prone skin.
What does Niacinamide do for oily acne-prone skin?
Niacinamide helps balance oil production, calms redness, and is unlikely to irritate oily, acne-prone skin while improving blemishes. Clinical tests show it reduces excess oil and helps clear up both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne breakouts.
Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
What does Zinc PCA do for oily acne-prone skin?
Zinc PCA helps calm oily, acne-prone skin by reducing excess oil and targeting the bacteria that cause breakouts. This ingredient has a great safety profile and is unlikely to irritate your skin while helping to keep pores clear.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2020Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2013
Where does this micellar water go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This micellar water goes in the evening routine as a makeup remover before your cleanser, or as a gentle cleanser on its own. It is safe for oily skin and helps clear impurities, but oily acne-prone skin needs specialized ingredients like salicylic acid to directly address breakouts.
Can I use this micellar water with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this micellar water in your evening routine before applying retinol. It gently cleans your skin without harshness, and an oily acne-prone skin type needs targeted ingredients like salicylic acid to properly clear breakouts.
How often should I use this micellar water?
You can use this micellar water daily as part of your morning or evening routine to gently wash away dirt and impurities. It helps clean your skin safely without causing irritation, though oily acne-prone skin also needs targeted ingredients like salicylic acid to properly manage breakouts.
Can this micellar water clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This micellar water is unlikely to clog pores or cause purging, but it may not actively prevent new breakouts since it lacks targeted ingredients like salicylic acid. A product for this skin type needs targeted blemish-fighting ingredients along with gentle oil control to truly clear acne.
Is this micellar water fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Topical 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, 2005Zinc PCA inhibits UVA-induced matrix metalloproteinase-1 production through suppressed AP-1 activation and enhances type I collagen synthesis by increasing SVCT2 mRNA expression in cultured normal human dermal fibroblasts.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2012Topical gel containing chitosan, 0.2% chlorhexidine, allantoin and dexpanthenol did not improve postoperative comfort regarding swelling and pain, but improved the wound's aesthetic appearance following impacted lower third molar extraction compared to no gel.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2016A topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.
Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020An overnight patch containing Allium cepa extract and allantoin safely promotes scar healing after dermatologic surgery, resulting in significantly greater reductions in observer- and patient-assessed POSAS scores compared to no treatment.
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2018Topical 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 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, 2019
Ingredients
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Zinc Pca, Madecassoside, Propanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Disodium Edta
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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