Dr Althea 2% Salicylic Acid Clear Pad Review - Acne Repair

Dr Althea has been the head of a variety of refreshing, soothing skincare products that are adapted to a modern era for sensitive and easily irritated skin. Famous for their 345 barrier cream, they deliver deep herbal remedies and source international ingredients for their healing skincare range. Korean beauty brands themselves, however, don’t always have faith in their own products and don’t always feature it on their main site/store. 

The 2% Salicylic Acid Clear Pad is one of these! It’s one of their more obscure products, a test that they put out into the universe and let stand on its own. So, why talk about it? Well, struggling with acne, I was on the hunt for a hydrating and exfoliating toner pad that I could use to help boost my skin in the winter and reduce scarring. With an ingredient list focused purely on healing ingredients; calendula extract, witch hazel and soothing tea tree extract, it seemed like it couldn’t fail. I wanted to see if even Dr Althea’s non-viral products had something special to them and see how these toning pads held up specifically for acne care. 

Salicylic Acid: exfoliating BHA that helps clear pores to the base, helps shrink pore size and clear excess sebum and dead skin cells. 

Lactobionic Acid: richly hydrating molecule that provides powerful antioxidant protection, lowers pH of skin to rebalance and improves natural moisture for barrier health support. 

Lactic Acid: refreshing, antibacterial acid that improves skin balance and can lightly firm and smooth skin texture. 

Menthol: cooling extract that reduces pain, provides gentle relief to skin and improves skin circulation and natural blood flow to reduce redness, inflammation and improve natural healing. 

Sodium Hyaluronate/Hyaluronic acid: plumping extract that helps draw moisture deeper into the skin barrier, helping improve skin hydration for longer. 

Calendula extract: ancient herbal remedy, these bright yellow flowers provide healing molecules that improve skin regeneration, soothes dermal irritation and inflammation and helps improve skin health. 

Witch Hazel extract: deeply soothing herbal remedy that helps soothe redness, calm swelling and irritation as well as being naturally astringent to reduce pore size. 

Tea Tree extract: popular Korean acne treatment that helps reduce outbreaks, reduce acne-causing bacteria and improving skin healing.  

These toning pads are designed as a powerful and refreshing acne treatment, meaning you'll likely see the most benefits in treatment of active acne spots and irritation. Otherwise, these pads are compatible for dry, oily and combination skin - but you will see less benefits.

Struggling with acne can feel like a lifelong struggle (just know you're not alone). With so many skincare treatments to try (half of them worsening it, thanks guys) and clashing advice it can feel pretty overwhelming. The advice that's helped me the most is to remember that everybody's skin is unique and you need to find what works to bring your skin into balance.

For my skin type, herbal remedies work really well. They're soothing, help reduce the natural oiliness of my skin and are a great way to calm my naturally sensitive skin. Also finding out any allergens your skin has and stoically avoiding them is vital to prevent deep irritation.

I started using the toning pads in my AM and PM cleansing routine (oily skin needs a deep cleansing routine to help clear pores during an outbreak). They are richly soothing, the menthol inside instantly cools and hydrates your skin as you use it. You can also use them as a mini face mask over really irritated, skin but take care to not exceed more than 5 min of application time.

After just one week of using, you can see the reduction in inflammation and healing of active spots. They have a soft cotton bevelled side that gently scrubs away dead skin cells and the salicylic acid helps clear pores quickly for a smooth, clear texture. If you struggle with flaking or lots of dead skin cells, you'll notice an immediate reduction with using these pads, immediately upgrading your cleansing routine.

So, how do these hold up to other toning pads? They are not as vibrantly refreshing as the Medicube Zero Pore toning pads, but far exceed pretty much every other brand I've tried so far!

If you struggle with acne, excess oils and need something deeply soothing and refreshing (that also boosts hydration and natural skin plumpness). It's a great tool to bring balance to your skin, help keep your skin feeling deeply refreshed and a little bit juicy.

These soothing cotton pads are a fantastic addition to your everyday acne care routine. They are exfoliating, improve cleansing and also restore moisture to your skin to reduce your body's need to replace sebum overnight. For a herbal-rich, exfoliating and moisturizing pad, these are a great choice.

Check out the healing and soothing range of Dr Althea, available on Arktastic! 😼

Want to upgrade your skincare knowledge? Check out our guide to double cleansing and whether it can improve your skincare routine. Or check out our review of the pore, refreshing Numbuzin No.3 Zero Pore serum.

What do Dr Althea 2% Salicylic Acid Clear Pads do? 

They exfoliate with 2% salicylic acid (BHA) to clear pores and remove dead skin cells, while lactobionic acid, hyaluronic acid and calendula hydrate and soothe. The textured cotton side gently buffs away flaking skin.

 Are Dr Althea Clear Pads good for acne? 

Yes — in our testing, one week of AM/PM use showed reduced inflammation and faster healing of active spots. Tea tree and witch hazel extracts help reduce acne-causing bacteria and calm redness.

How do you use Dr Althea Salicylic Acid Clear Pads? 

Swipe over cleansed skin in your AM and PM routine. For very irritated areas, they can be used as a mini face mask — but don’t exceed 5 minutes of application time.

What skin types suit Dr Althea Clear Pads? 

Best for acne-prone and oily skin with active breakouts. Dry, oily and combination skin can also use them, though with fewer visible benefits.