SkinCeuticals LHA Toner for dry skin
Lipo Hydroxy Acid
Glycolic Acid
Salicylic Acid
Alcohol DenatCaution
- CautionDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A poor match for dry skin; the toners alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, 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 skin due to the presence of glycolic acid and capryloyl salicylic acid, which can lead to dryness. Alcohol denat is also present and can be stripping, rather than providing humectant action.
- The formula's exfoliating acids promote skin renewal and pore decongestion, but may not be ideal for your dry skin type.
How to apply
- Use your exfoliating toner as part of your PM routine once a week to start. If your skin is happy, you can slowly use it more often.
- Apply this exfoliating toner right after your cleanser and before your moisturizer. This keeps your skin care steps in the right order.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliating toner into your skin with your hands. Let it soak in for a minute before the next step.
- Put the exfoliating toner on clean and dry skin to help it work best. Avoid rubbing so your face stays calm and happy.
- Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid the sensitive eye area.
People Say
★4.3Overall rating based on 1000+ reviewsUsers with oily, acne-prone, and aging skin report that this toner effectively decongests pores and refines skin texture without excessive irritation. While many praise its ability to clear breakouts and remove residual makeup, those with dry or sensitive skin often find it too drying or stripping.
Highlights
Clears acne Often Mentioned
- “cleared my acne completely”
- “keeps my pores clear”
- “helps with blackheads”
- “minimizes acne breakouts”
Deep cleanse Often Mentioned
- “removes residual makeup”
- “gets all extra stuff off”
- “removes excess oil”
- “cotton pad shows dirt”
Gentle exfoliation Sometimes Noted
- “gentle on oily skin”
- “lightly exfoliates without harshness”
- “no strong scent”
- “tingles but fades quickly”
Refines texture Sometimes Noted
- “skin feels softer”
- “leaves skin glass-like”
- “smoother and looking clearer”
- “improves skin tone”
Drying and stripping Sometimes Noted
- “dries out the skin”
- “left face feeling tight”
- “too harsh for dry skin”
- “created dry patches”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “overpriced for a toner”
- “pricey but effective”
- “not worth the money”
- “expensive for what it is”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “caused cystic acne”
- “broke me out bad”
- “made skin worse”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “bottle leaks”
- “pump came off”
- “spilled inside packaging”
- “leaked during shipping”
Sources: lovi.care, dermstore.com, lovelyskin.com, bluemercury.com, skinceuticals.com, influenster.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise caution with SkinCeuticals LHA Toner for dry skin?
Lovi advises caution because this toner contains exfoliating acids and alcohol that can easily strip your dry skin and cause further dryness. Products of this type need soothing and hydrating ingredients like aloe, sodium hyaluronate, and ceramides to keep dry skin comfortable and smooth.
Which ingredients make this toner a poor fit for dry skin?
This toner is a poor fit for dry skin because it contains exfoliating acids like glycolic acid and capryloyl salicylic acid along with drying alcohol, which can lead to further dryness and stripping. A product for this skin type needs hydrating ingredients like sodium hyaluronate and ceramides to provide moisture while supporting the skin barrier.
What does Lipo Hydroxy Acid do for dry skin?
Lipo hydroxy acid is generally too strong for dry skin because it exfoliates deeply and may cause extra dryness or irritation. Dry skin needs gentle, hydrating ingredients like ceramides and rich moisturizers that soothe and protect the skin barrier.
What does Glycolic Acid do for dry skin?
Glycolic acid helps smooth and soften dry skin by speeding up the shedding of older surface cells. Because it can also cause the skin to lose more moisture, dry skin needs extra hydrating ingredients like glycerin or hyaluronic acid alongside it to keep the skin comfortable.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This exfoliating toner is a poor match for your dry skin because its acids and alcohol denat can easily strip away moisture and lead to further dryness. Dry skin needs gentle, hydrating toners and nourishing ingredients that boost moisture rather than harsh exfoliating acids.
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
It is best to avoid using this exfoliating toner and retinol together on dry skin, because the acids and alcohol denat can easily make your skin very dry and irritated. If you still choose to use both, apply this toner first, wait for it to fully absorb, and follow with a hydrating moisturizer before applying retinol on a different night. Dry skin needs gentle products with ingredients that lock in moisture and soothe irritation rather than stripping alcohol and strong acids.
How often should I use it?
This toner is a poor match for dry skin because its exfoliating acids and alcohol denat can easily lead to dryness and stripping. If you still choose to use it, a product of this type needs gentle exfoliating ingredients paired with soothing, hydrating ingredients to keep dry skin comfortable.
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This toner is unlikely to clog pores because it contains exfoliating acids that help keep pores clear, though reviewers occasionally report breakouts. For dry skin, this type of product needs gentle hydrating ingredients and soothing agents to prevent the stripping and dryness caused by strong acids and alcohol.
What the research says
Ethanol as a preservative in topical creams reduced the dermal penetration of hydrophilic surrogates by about 40% and lipophilic surrogates by about 20% on intact skin while having minimal impact on irritated skin, and it altered biophysical skin properties depending on the skin condition.
Pharmaceutics, 2025Daily 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, 2021A 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, 2020Capryloyl salicylic acid peel reduced fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation comparably to glycolic acid peel in 44 female volunteers, with no statistically significant differences between the two treatments.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008Combining a salicylic acid and lipohydroxy acid facial serum and mask improved closed comedones and acne severity significantly more than serum alone in adults with acne over 8 weeks, with no adverse reactions reported.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2023Parity was demonstrated between an OTC BPO 5.5% formulation with lipohydroxy acid and tretinoin cream 0.025% versus prescription clindamycin 1%-BPO 5% gel and tretinoin cream 0.025% in participants with mild to moderate acne vulgaris at 12 weeks.
Cutis, 2012Repeated 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, 2017Cryotherapy 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, 2010Treatment 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, 2024Topical 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid achieved the greatest lesion reduction at early 2 to 4 week time points compared to benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin, and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin, while 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin showed similar efficacy at 10 to 12 weeks in acne patients.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2010
Ingredients
Water, Alcohol Denat, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Salicylic Acid
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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