As someone who had terrible acne and scarring as a teen and as an adult, I would use the most unbelievable things on my face in order to get it to clear up. Now I know better…using an astringent with a high percentage of alcohol to get that “deep clean” feeling is actually hurt my skin. Unfortunately, these harsh astringents remove much more than dirt and oil from your face. They will also strip the skin of essential moisture, compromising the barrier. In response, your skin actually produces MORE oil to compensate for the dryness and the vicious cycle never ends. We recommend using a treatment toner containing beneficial ingredients like salicylic acid to gently clean pores while protecting your delicate moisture barrier.