This Is How (And When) You Should Be Applying Toner
December 18, 2024
Facial toners for oily skin
Kiehl’s Calendula Herbal Extract Alcohol-Free Toner
This classic face toner—one of Kiehl’s best-selling products for over 60 years—boasts calendula extract and whole calendula petals alongside soothing allantoin and great burdock root. Use it morning and night to help combat excess oiliness, diminish the appearance of pores, and minimize visible redness and unevenness.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Toner for Oily Skin
Refine your skin and minimize unwanted shine with this exfoliating toner, which contains lipo-hydroxy acid (a derivative of salicylic acid). The mild formula helps smooth skin texture and minimizes the appearance of pores, and it’s non-comedogenic, so you don’t have to worry about it breaking you out.
Kiehl’s Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion
If you think an astringent may suit your needs better than a traditional toner, we suggest giving this one a try. The refreshing formula with camphor and menthol helps soothe the skin and balances oily areas, such as the nose, forehead, and chin. You can apply it to your entire face, use it to spot-treat shiny areas, or even pat it on as a gentle aftershave treatment.
Thayers 2% AHA Exfoliating, Smoothing, and Pore-Refining Toner
If you have oily skin, this drugstore toner deserves a spot in your routine. The multi-tasking formula helps remove impurities, refines pores, and gently exfoliates without drying out the skin. Plus, it’s alcohol-free, non-comedogenic, and gentle enough for twice-daily use.
Facial toners for dry skin
Thayers Milky Hydrating Face Toner with Snow Mushroom and Hyaluronic Acid
Most toners are watery in consistency—this pick for dry skin is a bit thicker. The soothing formula contains a blend of hyaluronic acid, snow mushroom, and elderflower water, and provides up to 48 hours of hydration for soft, smooth-feeling skin.
Lancôme Absolue Rose 80 Essence-in-Lotion Hydrating Toner
Start your skincare routine off on a luxurious note with this soothing facial toner. The indulgent formula contains both rose water and concentrated rose extracts and helps hydrate, refresh, and smooth dry, dehydrated skin without a greasy or sticky feel.
Cerave Alcohol-Free Hydrating Facial Toner
This pH-balanced toner is packed with moisturizing ingredients, including ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide. The gentle formula helps to soften and smooth dry skin while locking in moisture to help promote a healthy-looking complexion. It’s also a great pick for those with sensitive skin, as it doesn’t contain alcohol, fragrances, or oils.
Thayers Coconut Water Facial Toner
Score glass skin with this sweet-smelling toner, which features the brand’s signature witch hazel alongside refreshing aloe vera and coconut water. Pat it onto your skin after cleansing to help soothe your skin, improve the appearance of skin texture and tone, and lock in hydration for up to eight hours.
Freck Beauty Cactus Water Cleansing Lactic Acid Toner
If you have dry skin, strong exfoliants may leave your skin feeling tight rather than smooth. To gently exfoliate your skin and help prep it for the rest of your routine, reach for this cactus water-infused toner. According to the brand, it helps slough away dead skin while intensely hydrating to promote an even, balanced-looking complexion.
Facial toners for acne-prone skin
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Solution Acne Toner
Gently exfoliate and unclog pores with this AHA and BHA toner. The salicylic and glycolic acid-infused formula helps remove pore-clogging debris and targets active blemishes to leave the skin looking smooth, clean, and refreshed.
SkinCeuticals LHA Toner
If you’re seeking an effective exfoliating toner to jumpstart your acne skincare routine, try this option from SkinCeuticals. It’s made with a trio of exfoliating acids (glycolic, salicylic, and lipo-hydroxy) and helps unclog pores to reveal brighter, more even-looking skin over time.
Thayers Blemish Clearing 2% Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment Toner
Target existing breakouts and help prevent new blemishes from forming with this salicylic acid toner. Sweep the alcohol-free formula—which also contains witch hazel and lemongrass—onto your skin after cleansing to soothe, renew, and help hydrate your blemish-prone skin.
Good Molecules Niacinamide Brightening Toner
This niacinamide-infused toner from Korean beauty brand Good Molecules can be a great addition to your skincare routine for acne-prone skin. According to the brand, it helps diminish the appearance of large pores and minimizes the look of dark spots (such as post-acne marks) to help promote a brighter, more even-looking complexion.
Facial toners for sensitive skin
Thayers Rose Petal Facial Toner
Sensitivity often coincides with concerns like redness, unevenness, or dullness. This rose-infused toner is specially designed to help combat those concerns while leaving the skin feeling smooth and fresh. Use it daily to help maintain your skin’s natural moisture barrier and reveal smoother, more balanced skin over time.
L'Oréal Paris RevitaLift Derm Intensives 5 Percent Glycolic Acid Peeling Toner
If you’re looking for a toner that exfoliates gently on sensitive skin, this alcohol-free pick from L’Oréal Paris is a great option. It’s made with aloe vera and 5% glycolic acid and helps slough away dead skin cells to reduce the appearance of dark spots over time. We suggest using the fragrance-free formula once daily, ideally at night. Follow up with a hydrating serum and night cream to help lock in moisture.
Thayers Unscented Facial Toner
Often, when you have sensitive skin, keeping things basic is the best approach. This classic drugstore toner absolutely fits the bill—it’s made with only nine ingredients (including glycerin, aloe vera, and witch hazel extract) and gently hydrates to promote balanced, healthy-looking skin.
Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Toner
Sensitive skin can be dry, oily, or fall somewhere in between. Fortunately, this gentle, pH-balanced toner is suitable for all sensitive skin types. It’s made with an effective blend of hydrators and emollients (including squalane, vitamin E, and avocado oil) and gently tones the skin to support a comfortable, balanced complexion.
Facial toners for combination skin
Youth to the People Kombucha + 10% AHA Power Exfoliant
Combination skin is oily in some areas and dry in others. Finding products that help address these conflicting concerns can, admittedly, be tricky. This toner, however, is one option worth adding to your cart. The unique formula provides gentle exfoliation, hydrates, and helps diminish the appearance of dark spots. Use it one to three times per week to reveal brighter, smoother-looking skin over time.
Kiehl’s Milk-Peel Gentle Exfoliating Toner
Lipo-hydroxy acid comes together with a 23% emollient blend in this dual-action toner, which exfoliates and dissolves impurities while replenishing the skin’s moisture levels. It’s suitable for all skin types, but the multi-benefit formula is an especially great pick for those with both dry and oily areas.
Thayers Cucumber Facial Toner
Reach for this alcohol-free drugstore toner on days you want to give your skin a calming reset. It’s made with cucumber extract and witch hazel and helps balance oily areas while providing all-day hydration for smooth, healthy-looking skin.
Revision Skincare Soothing Facial Rinse
Though this is called a facial rinse, you don’t need to rinse it off after applying it. The brand recommends using a clean cotton round to swipe the alcohol-free formula onto your face after cleansing to help hydrate the skin and keep it at its optimal pH level.
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