Girls, if you aren’t using a face toner as part of your skincare routine, you’re seriously missing out.
You might be wondering:
What is a toner, anyway? The best facial toners can hydrate, soothe, and refresh your skin. And, they can shrink pores, clear acne, and balance your skin’s pH level.
Now, listen:
The most important reason that you should be using a toner, is to prep your skin for the absorption of serums and moisturizers. We all know that face washes and moisturizers also can drain our wallets. But, what’s the point in paying for expensive washes and moisturizers if they aren’t getting absorbed all the way?
A face toner can be formulated with many different ingredients. According to the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, products with natural ingredients, such as aloe vera, are the best for your skin. Which is why it’s important to choose a face toner with quality ingredients.
Want to know the best part?
Lucky for you, we’ve done the research, and giving you the honest truth. We picked the very best facial toners so you don’t have to.
#1 Best Face Toner Overall
Thayers Witch Hazel Alcohol-Free Rose with Aloe Vera
- Rose fragrance is heavenly
- Leaves skin softer than ever
- Doesn’t dry out your skin
Pros
A gentle and hydrating, alcohol-free face toner with no harsh chemicals- making it suitable for even the most sensitive skin.
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Effectiveness
#2 Best Face Toner for Sensitive Skin
InstaNatural Moroccan Rose Water
- You will love the light rose scent
- Instantly refreshes skin and leaves it feeling soft and dewy
- Can be used as a makeup setting spray
Pros
InstaNatural’s Moroccan Rose Water is 100% pure and natural. There is no artificial fragrance or any added chemicals or preservatives. The rose water acts as a toner to naturally balance the skin’s pH, making it soft, smooth, and radiant.
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#3 Best Face Toner for Combination Skin
Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater
- Can be used as a setting spray to set makeup
- Calms your skin and leaves it glowing
- Rose extract smells amazing
Pros
A refreshing, hydrating mist that can be used as a face toner and makeup setting spray.
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#4 Best Face Toner for Oily Skin
Caudalie Beauty Elixir
- The minty scent is soothing and relaxing
- Gives the skin a refreshed glowy look
- Perfect as a pick-me-up after a long day
Pros
A natural toning mist that sets makeup, provides an instant burst of radiance and tightens the appearance of pores.
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#5 Best Face Toner for Acne-Prone Skin
Murad Clarifying Toner
- Works wonders at clearing up your face and your acne will vanish
- Leaves skin looking better than ever
- Refreshes and cleanses without overdrying
Pros
An oil-fighting toner that refreshes and cleanses acne-prone skin. It will clear and prevent unwanted skin breakouts.
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#6 Best Face Toner for Dry Skin
Neutrogena Alcohol-Free Toner
- Doesn’t dry out your skin like most toners
- Light fragrance smells amazing
- Super gentle and soothing – won’t irritate your skin
Pros
A gentle, non-stinging formula that won’t strip your skin of its natural oils and moisturizers.
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#7 Best Face Toner for Men
Baxter of California Herbal Mint Toner
- The cool and soothing sensation feels good after a shave
- Works at removing excess oil from oily areas
- Light and masculine minty smell
Pros
An award-winning, gentle toner for men with cucumber extract and antioxidants. This toner cleanses, tones, and removes impurities from facial skin with mild herbal extracts.
Product Ratings
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Face Toner Tips & Advice
For anyone who knows anything about skincare, toners are the latest trend. Toners are popular and used for your daily skincare routine.
In the past, toners were used to treat and rebalance oily skins, but today they are used for multiple benefits. Alongside cleansers and moisturizers, facial toners come right in the middle of your routine and should be used daily — morning and evening.
Even though the market is saturated with a plethora of brands, choosing a facial toner will depend on your skin type. Second, you must also look for the right ingredients. If you have oily skin, avoid choosing a toner that contains alcohol or fragrance to ensure you don’t get irritated. Finally, you need to understand how your toner interacts with other products. So let’s explore: what is a toner, how can you use one, and which toner is best for you?
The role of a facial toner
Toners were originally made to rebalance the skin pH when the skin was cleansed the old way, with a soap. Our skin has a protective layer on the surface called the acid mantle. Made of free fatty acids — sebum — mixed with lactic and amino acids, the acid mantle creates the skin pH. The skin pH should be normally acidic — around 5.5. But today, attitudes toward toners have shifted as they no longer serve the primary purpose of rebalancing the skin pH.
In a daily beauty routine, you will need to cleanse your face with a product of your choice — an oil, exfoliating cream, or a cleanser, before applying a facial toner. A cleanser will remove the dirt and dead cells on the surface of your face. It will also help your skin stay hydrated.
A facial toner comes next. Toners are used to remove the remainder of dirt and dust that may stay on the skin. Plus, toners get rid of excess oils as well as limestone residues that may stay on the skin when you rinse your face with water.
On top of it, toners act as a sponge and prepare the skin for hydration. By opening up the pores, the ingredients of the remaining products you use are absorbed better. If you don’t use a toner, then it’s similar to applying your moisturizing lotion onto dry skin which will not absorb the cream properly, reducing the effects.
As toners make pores tighter, they help the skin look brighter and fresher. As well as soothing and balancing the skin, facial toners have great antibacterial properties. Toners are not used for removing makeup.
Once you have applied your toner, either on a cotton pad or by splashing out the liquid from your hands to your face, you can gently apply a daily moisturizer of your choice.
Choose your toner according to your skin type
Normal skin is a sought-after skin type and features a well-balanced skin complexion. The skin appears fresh and light with tight pores. There’s no blemishes or oiliness. Normal skin is not too dry or sensitive. It has great elasticity and requires a simple routine that includes a gentle toner, antioxidants or hydrating toner, and a normal moisturizer containing soothing ingredients.
Combination skin is more difficult to identify as the T-zone of your face is oily and the rest of your face is dry. The T-zone describes the area of the face from the nose to the chin.
Combination skin may be oilier in summer and drier in winter, therefore it deserves a specific treatment that removes the excess of oil without damaging the skin. Most people believe their skin to be oily while in fact, it’s just combination skin.
Oily skin is an overproduction of sebum from the sebaceous glands which are located just underneath the skin surface. Although sebum is supposed to protect the skin against aggression, an overproduction of sebum may lead to oily skin. Oily skin has larger pores and looks shiny. Some genetic factors may also foster oily skin. Therefore it’s hard to predict the development of oily skin, however, eating healthy food may prevent it. Oily skin may favor the appearance of spots or acne, from time to time.
Dry skin may result from weather change or can be dry by nature. Dry skin lacks elasticity and may feel tight and brittle. The texture feels rough and is prone to cracking. The complexion appears unbalanced, with redness or spots or lack of radiance. Lastly, dry skin may also result from genetic or environmental factors that cause the skin to not retain water properly. Treating dry skin requires using oils to deepen the moisturization.
Sensitive skin is skin that has blemishes, allergies, or reactions such as redness or eczema. It’s not recommended to use products that contain alcohol on this type of skin. Sensitive skin needs dermatologist advice on how to be treated daily. Fragrances also should be avoided to prevent reactions or intolerance.
Dehydrated skin is a skin condition (and not a skin type unlike dry skin) that causes the skin to lack water. To boost hydration, you can use emollients-based cosmetics to retain the water, hydrate the skin with aloe-vera rich creams, and drink lots of water. Turmeric and coconut oil are another great addition to treat dehydrated skin.
Mature skin refers to skin that is over 30 years. After 30 years, the skin produces less collagen and free radicals may enter the skin as it fights less against aggression. Mature skins start to look pale and the complexion may not be as radiant. To maintain beautiful mature skin, you need to add vitamins and oils which will also help the skin to stay elastic.
Types of toners
Balancing toners help combination skin remove the excess of oil and clarify the skin without causing dehydration. Balancing toners may contain salicylic and lactic acids, which have soothing and exfoliating properties. While salicylic acid enters the pores for deeper cleansing, lactic acid works on the surface of the skin. Balancing toners are great for combination to oily skin.
Hydrating toners are the most common type of toner and provide the best results after cleansing while keeping the skin hydrated. Alcohol-free, hydrating toners shrinks the appearance of pores while softening the skin. Ensure your hydrating toner contains no parabens or sulfates. Parabens act as antibacterial chemicals and are used as preservatives while sulfates are foaming agents used to provide gentle cleansing. However, both products may be harmful. Hydrating toners may be used for normal to dry skin.
Decongestant toners can be used for delicate, sensitive skin or skin with a reaction. Formulated with soothing ingredients such as aloe vera, chamomile, or Santal wood, decongestant toners purify the skin and calms the skin against redness. Decongestant toners are perfect for normal to sensitive skin.
Oil control toners can contain alcohol as well as salicylic acid which can prevent pimples. They may also contain witch hazel, a natural astringent that tightens the skin. These toners are best suited for oily skin with large and clogged pores and help brighten the skin and remove the excess of sebum. Oil control toners refine pores without altering the skin pH. Oil control toners suit more combination to oily skin.
A great “natural” toner is also rose petal water which has astringent properties while tightening the skin. On top of it, rose water contains vitamin C, which is important to boost collagen production. Finally, rose water is a good antibacterial and helps clarify the skin complexion and fades blemishes or spots. Rose petal is great for all skin types, even sensitive.
Best toners for acne or skin problems
If you suffer from acne, it can be hard to treat the skin properly. Acne results from sebum that carries dead cells through the follicles. Pimples may appear on the skin, making it oily and less attractive. Acne is a common condition in teens, where hormonal changes alter the skin.
It’s recommended to use green tea and antioxidants to treat acne, so choose a toner that contains antioxidants and is gentle. In fact, using an astringent for skin that suffers from acne may cause more damage.
How to use and store your toner
Go to your favorite beauty counter and ask for the help of a beauty consultant. Cleanse your hands, dry them, and pour some toner into your hands.
Splash out the liquid onto your hands and wrists and see how the skin reacts. Make sure to choose the right toner according to your skin type as explained above.
Let the toner dry out naturally and study the effects on your skin. If you feel that your skin looks soft and hydrated and has a clear look, then the toner may be for you.
If you notice any reaction (redness or itchy), the toner may not be for you. Remember to not use astringents onto a normal skin as this may cause imbalance and reaction.
Once you’ve chosen your favorite toner, store it in a place away from the sun. Use the toner within a 6-month timeline.
You can use cotton pads to apply your toner onto your skin, however, cotton pads may spread bacteria. Therefore, it’s best to use a toner by splashing it onto your face.
After the application of your toner, you may use your preferred moisturizer. Give enough time to the skin to absorb the toner and dry.
Best ingredients in a toner
Look for these ingredients which are great for most skin types when choosing your toner.
Soothing ingredients
Chamomile: the active botanicals toner helps soothe the skin while preserving its pH.
Sandalwood: anti-inflammatory and hydrating, sandalwood is also good for treating acne.
Green Tea: has anti-aging properties and powerful antioxidants with polyphenols.
Rose Petal: contains minerals, vitamins, and astringent properties and is good for dry skin.
Natural astringents
Witch hazel: made from a plant named Hamamelis virginiana that contains tannins which has great astringent effects.
Orange: a natural astringent that has great lighting effects.
Moisturizing ingredients
Lavender: antiseptic and anti-inflammatory, lavender has also great soothing properties.
Aloe Vera: used in alternative medicine, aloe vera is a miracle product that has excellent moisturizing, healing, skin-soothing, and rejuvenating properties.
Parsley seeds: powerful antioxidants, parsley seeds also boost skin hydration.
Final tips
Some toners may take time to adapt to your skin. Allow up to a week to see how your skin adapts itself to your new toner. If after one week, you notice redness or reactions, if your skin dries out or if spots appear, consider changing your toner.
