COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid 4%: a Guru Score of 69%

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

~Yay

"I actually really like this product. The first ingredient is Salix Alba bark water, which is a great anti-inflammatory. It has great moisturizers in it too, so it's got butylene glycol, panthenol, and arginine. Butylene glycol is quite good because it's a solvent but it also helps the other ingredients penetrate deeper into the skin. [...] It has 4% salicylate betaine."

All 2 takes from Dr. Vanita Rattan

Best & Worst ACIDS for Acne-Prone Skin | Skin of Colour

"I actually really like this product. The first ingredient is Salix Alba bark water, which is a great anti-inflammatory. It has great moisturizers in it too, so it's got butylene glycol, panthenol, and arginine. Butylene glycol is quite good because it's a solvent but it also helps the other ingredients penetrate deeper into the skin. [...] It has 4% salicylate betaine."

I Tested EVERY K-Beauty Toner - Non Sponsored Review| Dr Vanita Rattan

"I myself would purchase this product. [...] I have very high standards when it comes to skin of color and the skincare that we should and shouldn't be wearing, and I don't take it lightly when I recommend you purchase a product. With this, I think it has fantastic actives in it and has nothing irritating in it, plus there's no fragrance, no essential oils. So this one is a keeper."

April Basi

72k subs

~Yay

"Price per use, it actually stretches further because you use less product per application and the bottle lasts longer, so if budget matters and your skin leans sensitive, this isn't a compromise option, it's genuinely the smarter buy for your skin type. It's also a safer choice if you're allergic to aspirin."

No BS Beauty

89k subs

~Yay

"And then the other pick for that is the uh cranny cell buffa ampule complex repair ampu ampule which is 17 bucks. So this one's got buffa and it's got galactomyces ferment gins singen which I love for anti-aging."

Hyram

4.33M subs

~Nay

"This is one of those products that I expected a lot more from. I wanted it to work really well, but I used that for like a long time and I just didn't really notice results. I feel like with COSRX they either have products that slap, like they're amazing super good formulas, or products that just really bomb, and this was one of those products that just kind of bombed for me."

AliceintheRabbitHole

59k subs

~Yay

"If you have more reactive or acne prone reactive skin like me this might actually be a really good option. It has a little more body to it than a lot of COSRX's watery toners, which makes it easier to work with, you don't need a cotton pad. It also has willow bark in it, which has anti inflammatory properties rather than being an exfoliant like salicylic acid. It's gentle and straightforward, and gentle can be the perfect fit."

Lab Muffin Beauty Science

863k subs

~Mixed

"I personally didn't see much of a difference when I used this, probably because I use so much Paula's Choice two percent BHA. In general, I would recommend getting chemical exfoliants from Western brands because it is one of the categories that is really lacking in Asian skincare. I think this could be an option if you find Western products a bit too harsh, so I'm probably going to put this in meh."

James Welsh

1.58M subs

~Yay

"For me, the COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid 4% is a great alternative for those wanting to take a gentler yet still super, super effective approach."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Niacinamide

Niacinamide has evidence behind it for redness, uneven tone and supporting the skin barrier, and it is usually well tolerated even by skin that reacts to most things.

Source: DermNet

Salicylic acid

Salicylic acid dissolves in oil, so it can get into a pore rather than just working on the surface. That is why it has long-standing evidence for blackheads and milder acne.

Source: DermNet

Humectants and emollients

Ingredients like these draw water into the surface layers and slow how fast it leaves. The evidence is for comfort, softness and hydration rather than for changing the structure of the skin.

Source: DermNet

Frequently asked.

What is COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid 4%?

A gentle chemical exfoliant toner with 4% betaine salicylate (a milder alternative to salicylic acid) designed to help clear blackheads and unclog pores.

Is COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid 4% worth it?

The gurus mostly approve it, but with enough reservations to keep it in the middle at a Guru Score of 69%.

What is COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid 4%'s Guru Score?

COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid 4% holds a Guru Score of 69%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 7 expert reviewers we have collected.