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[ DemythSkin Verdict ]
COSRX Refresh AHA/BHA Vitamin C Daily Toner
TonerBrightening
Efficacy
Solid
3.7 / 5.0
Safety
Safe
4.6 / 5.0
System Verdict
Decent gentle-toner concept, but the acids and vitamin C are likely too weakly dosed to be more than a mild skin-refresher. The formula uses fruit waters (apple, willow bark) plus low-listed glycolic acid, betaine salicylate, and ascorbyl glucoside, which almost certainly sit at low percentages and at a non-aggressive pH, so you’ll get subtle smoothing and brightening over time but nowhere near the impact of a dedicated AHA/BHA or vitamin C serum; niacinamide, humectants, and soothing agents help skin tolerance and justify a moderate (not high) efficacy score.
Active Ingredients Detected
S Tier: Gold StandardsHigh Clinical Proof | Skin-Transformative
Glycolic Acid
A Tier: Good BasicsProven Results
NiacinamideSodium LactateWaterAllantoinPanthenolAdenosineBetaine SalicylateAscorbyl Glucoside
B Tier: Supporting IngredientsPromising Ingredients
Salix Alba (Willow) Bark WaterPyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit WaterButylene Glycol1,2-HexanediolEthyl Hexanediol
C Tier: Marketing IdolsHype | Limited or Weak Data
Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Fruit ExtractHylocereus Undatus Fruit Extract
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DemythSkin is an independent ingredient analyzer. Scores are computed by a deterministic rubric from published clinical evidence — no brand pays for a score.