SkinCeuticals Equalizing Toner for oily acne-prone skin
Aloe Barbadensis Extract
Vaccinium Myrtillus Extract
Witch Hazel Extract
Acer Saccharinum Extract
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Extract
Average
- SuperiorOily 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
- Suitable for oily skin, this toner offers moderate toning and mild chemical exfoliation with ingredients like Witch Hazel Extract and Vaccinium Myrtillus Extract, which help manage oiliness and refine texture.
- While Aloe Barbadensis Extract and Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract provide general soothing benefits, they do not directly address your primary concerns of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The product has a good safety profile, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components.
How to apply
- You can use this toner in your PM routine. Start by using it once a week, and gradually increase to daily use if your skin feels good.
- Apply the toner right after cleansing your face and before putting on your moisturizer.
- Gently pat 2-3 drops of the toner onto your skin and let it dry for a minute before the next step.
- For the best results, apply the toner to clean, dry skin to help target your breakouts effectively.
- Remember to avoid the eye area and do a patch test before using the product for the first time.
People Say
★4.2Overall rating based on 400+ reviewsUsers with combination, oily, and sensitive skin frequently praise this toner for its ability to gently exfoliate and remove residual impurities without stripping natural moisture. While many report a smoother texture and reduced redness, a subset of users finds the formula leaves a sticky residue or causes irritation on highly reactive skin.
Highlights
Gentle, non-drying Often Mentioned
- “Very gentle exfoliate dead cells... without drying too much.”
- “Does not strip my skin.”
- “Leaves skin soft and moisturized and not dry at all.”
Effective cleansing Sometimes Noted
- “Quickly wipe away any residue of dirt or makeup.”
- “Gets any last traces of make up left behind by cleansers.”
- “Helps get all the extra dirt off post wash.”
Refreshes and balances Sometimes Noted
- “Makes my skin feel clean... refreshing and cool.”
- “Helps to balance out your skins PH levels.”
- “Immediately delivers a cooling and refreshing feel.”
Sticky residue Sometimes Noted
- “Leaves a sticky feeling on my skin.”
- “Strange feeling on my skin, almost like a tackiness.”
- “Texture... leaves a sticky feeling.”
Improves texture Rarely Noted
- “Instantly saw the change... smooth, polished, healthier.”
- “My pores feel and are left unclogged.”
- “Complexion looks much more even and less inflamed.”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “Packaging is not good at all... have to remove the lid.”
- “Just don't travel with it! ... bottles don't test my patience.”
- “Leaking bottles.”
Skin irritation Rarely Noted
- “Skin too sensitive... think it was all the fruit extracts.”
- “Caused breakouts.”
- “Burning sensation.”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “Smelly, not cleansing.”
- “Bad smell.”
- “Strong smell to it.”
Sources: lovi.care, lovelyskin.com, dermstore.com, bluemercury.com, cocooncenter.co.uk, skinmiles.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does SkinCeuticals Equalizing Toner work for oily acne-prone skin?
SkinCeuticals Equalizing Toner works moderately well for oily acne-prone skin, offering gentle toning and smoothing with witch hazel and blueberry extracts, but it lacks targeted ingredients for breakouts. This skin type needs formulations rich in ingredients like niacinamide, ascorbic acid, Centella Asiatica, and ceramides to effectively control oil, clear blemishes, and maintain a balanced complexion.
Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Witch Hazel Extract and Vaccinium Myrtillus Extract make this toner a fit by helping manage oiliness and refine texture. While it is safe and provides mild toning, a product of this type needs ingredients like niacinamide, Centella Asiatica, or Ceramide Np to properly target blemishes and breakouts on oily acne-prone skin.
What does Aloe Vera Extract do for oily acne-prone skin?
Aloe vera extract helps calm oily, acne-prone skin by reducing redness, managing breakouts, and fighting blemish-causing microbes. It is unlikely to irritate, making it a soothing addition to your routine to keep skin clear and comfortable.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Journal de Mycologie Medicale, 2026
What does Bilberry Fruit Extract do for oily acne-prone skin?
Bilberry fruit extract helps calm oily acne-prone skin by reducing oxidative stress and protecting skin cells from daily environmental damage. It works well to keep the skin balanced and is unlikely to clog pores.
Where does this toner go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This toner goes after cleansing in your morning or evening routine. While it offers moderate toning and mild exfoliation with Witch Hazel Extract and Vaccinium Myrtillus Extract, oily acne-prone skin needs targeted blemish-fighting ingredients and acne treatments to get the best results.
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this toner with retinol, applying the toner first to damp skin and letting it dry completely before your retinol step. This product is unlikely to cause extra irritation, but oily acne-prone skin also needs targeted ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to directly manage breakouts.
How often should I use this toner?
This toner works well for your oily skin, though other products fit acne-prone skin better by targeting blemishes directly. You can use it as part of your daily routine, but a toner for this skin needs stronger blemish-fighting ingredients and targeted acne treatments to truly clear breakouts.
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This toner is unlikely to cause irritation or breakouts on your oily skin, as it contains soothing ingredients and lacks harsh components. However, because it does not directly target acne and breakouts, oily acne-prone skin needs a product with strong blemish-clearing and pore-clearing ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide for the best results.
Is this toner fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Hamamelis bark proanthocyanidins strongly increased the proliferation of cultured human keratinocytes and reduced transepidermal water loss and erythema formation in SLS-irritated skin, whereas the polysaccharide fraction had no effect.
Phytochemistry, 2001A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010Fermented bilberry extract improved wrinkle depth, skin smoothness, roughness, firmness, elasticity, antioxidant capacity, and complexion evenness compared to a placebo in 66 subjects over 84 days.
Nutrients, 2024Topical application of oil-in-water creams containing wild bilberry leaves extract and seeds oil produced significant beneficial effects on the skin of healthy human volunteers.
Antioxidants, 2021Bilberry fruit extract incorporated into chitosan-based hydrogels demonstrated antioxidant, anti-hyaluronidase, and anti-tyrosinase activities, supporting their potential use in topical anti-aging preparations.
Antioxidants, 2024A Hamamelis virginiana leaf extract increased LOXL1 expression twofold, decreased elafin synthesis, restored functional elastic fibers, reduced nonfunctional elastin aggregates, decreased wrinkles, and improved skin firmness.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2018Witch hazel bark extract and hamamelitannin showed pronounced anti-inflammatory activity, supported keratinocyte migration in a wound healing assay, and inhibited Staphylococcus aureus growth, whereas their skin microbiota metabolite ellagic acid stimulated inflammatory mediator release.
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2025Hamamelis virginiana bark extract inhibited Cutibacterium acnes-induced IL-6 release and TNF-α-induced IL-8 release in human keratinocytes without showing antibacterial or antibiofilm activities.
Antioxidants, 2022A phenolic-enriched maple syrup extract at 50 μg/mL protected human keratinocytes against hydrogen peroxide and methylglyoxal-induced cytotoxicity by increasing cell viability, reducing reactive oxygen species production, and decreasing DNA damage compared to stressed untreated cells.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2020
Why other products fit oily acne-prone skin better
Co-delivery of paeonol and madecassoside via nanoemulsions improved transdermal delivery, promoted barrier repair proteins, inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in cellular and 3D models, and reduced transepidermal water loss and acne in human facial skin compared to free components.
Molecules, 2023
Ingredients
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Extract, Witch Hazel Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Isoceteth-20, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Propylene Glycol, Methylparaben, Pvp, Chlorphenesin, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Extract, Fruit Extract, Lemon Peel Extract, Glycerin, Benzoic Acid, Acer Saccharinum Extract, Sugar Maple Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract Matricaria Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract, Rosemary Leaf Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
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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