Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating Cleansing Toner for combination skin
Salicylic Acid
Glycerin
Citric Acid
Menthyl Lactate
Alcohol Denat
Average
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- Low RiskSafety
Works for combination skin; other cleansing toners fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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 combination skin, as salicylic acid helps to decongest pores and manage oily shine. Glycerin is present to provide some hydration, though it may not be sufficient for drier areas of your combination skin.
- The absence of harsh ingredients ensures a low risk of irritation for your combination skin.
How to apply
- Use this cleansing toner in your AM and PM routine. Start 3 times a week and build up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply the cleansing toner right after cleansing and before your moisturizer or SPF. This fits smoothly into your daily steps.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the cleansing toner into your skin with your hands. Let it absorb ⏱ for a minute before layering other products.
- Apply the cleansing toner to clean and dry skin for the best results against oily shine . This helps your skin stay fresh all day.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a quick patch test before your first use to ensure your skin is happy.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 800+ reviewsUsers with oily and acne-prone skin frequently praise this toner for its ability to deep clean pores and visibly reduce blackheads over time. A moderate number of users also note its effectiveness in controlling oil and providing a refreshing sensation. However, a high number of users with sensitive or dry skin report that the high alcohol content causes stinging, redness, and excessive dryness.
Highlights
Deep cleaning Often Mentioned
- “removes all traces of impurities”
- “cotton pad with some leftover dirt”
- “leaves your skin squeaky clean”
- “brings out all the dirt”
Effective on blackheads Often Mentioned
- “managed to remove some large black heads around her nose”
- “pores are less visible”
- “my blackheads seemed less prominent”
- “works well to unclog pores”
Stings or burns Often Mentioned
- “sort of burns for a little bit”
- “it stings... very irritating”
- “slight stinging, which is pretty normal”
- “really harsh on the skin”
Controls oil/shine Sometimes Noted
- “skin looks clearer... and less oily”
- “effectively controls oil secretion on my T-zone”
- “makes one's skin oil free”
- “good for oily skin”
Refreshing sensation Sometimes Noted
- “cooling/tingling sensation”
- “leaves the skin feeling clean, refreshed”
- “sweeps across the skin with a cooling effect”
- “refreshing and doesn't leave any sticky residue”
Drying and stripping Sometimes Noted
- “excessively drying... skin is begging for hydration”
- “dry skinned girls may find this product drying”
- “destroying my skin barrier”
- “left my skin tight”
Strong chemical smell Sometimes Noted
- “strong, chemical/alcohol smell”
- “smell makes me dizzy”
- “strong medicinal smell”
- “has a strong smell, so be warned”
Causes irritation/redness Rarely Noted
- “negative effects on redness”
- “severely irritating”
- “allergic reaction”
- “made me break out around my chin”
Sources: lovi.care, neutrogena.co.uk, lookfantastic.com, ocado.com, reddit.com, youtube.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating Cleansing Toner work for combination skin?
This toner works moderately well for combination skin because salicylic acid helps to clear pores and manage oily shine while glycerin provides some hydration. However, it may not be moisturizing enough for the drier areas of your skin. A product of this type needs a balanced blend of exfoliating acids like AHA, BHA, and PHA along with nourishing ingredients like niacinamide and hydrators to care for both oily and dry areas without causing irritation.
Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for combination skin?
Salicylic acid helps to clear out pores and manage oily shine, while glycerin provides some hydration for your skin. To work best for combination skin, a product of this type needs a blend of exfoliating acids like AHA, BHA, and PHA along with hydrating ingredients and niacinamide to keep both oily and dry areas balanced and moisturized.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What does Salicylic Acid do for combination skin?
Salicylic acid helps clear clogged pores and balance oily areas while remaining gentle enough for dry spots on combination skin. It reduces breakouts and oiliness effectively with a low likelihood of irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023
What does Glycerin do for combination skin?
Glycerin helps keep combination skin soft and smooth by pulling moisture in and keeping it there. It improves hydration and supports your skin barrier, which is unlikely to cause irritation.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Where does it go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
For combination skin, this cleansing toner is used during your evening routine, starting at once a week and cautiously increasing if your skin tolerates it well. It offers moderate exfoliation with salicylic acid to help clear pores and manage oily shine, but because glycerin may not provide enough hydration for drier areas, combination skin needs a supportive hydrating toner and a rich moisturizer.
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
This toner can be used in your evening routine, but since it is drying, use it on nights when you do not apply retinol to keep your skin calm and smooth.
How often should I use it?
Start by using this cleansing toner once a week in the evening, and if your combination skin handles it well, you may carefully use it more often. Combination skin needs gentle pore-clearing ingredients along with extra hydration to keep drier areas comfortable while managing oily shine.
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This toner is unlikely to clog pores because salicylic acid helps to clear out dirt and oil from congested areas, though the alcohol and menthol in it may cause dryness or stinging in your drier zones. Combination skin needs a gentle, balancing toner that clears oily zones while adding deeper hydration to dry patches without harsh drying alcohols.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It contains fragrance (parfum) and drying alcohol (alcohol denat).
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, 2017Twice 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, 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, 2012A 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, 2013Daily 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, 2021Topical 20% citric acid lotion increases viable epidermal thickness and dermal glycosaminoglycan content in sun-damaged skin compared to vehicle alone.
Dermatologic Surgery, 1997
Ingredients
Water, Alcohol Denat, Ppg-5-Ceteth-20, Glycerin, Citric Acid, Salicylic Acid, Menthyl Lactate, Sodium Citrate, Parfum
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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