How Much Toner Should You Use?

November 02, 2020

By: Alanna Martine Kilkeary | skincare.com by L'Oréal

Toner is a multi-tasking skin-care weapon known for its benefits for the appearance of your skin, including a brighter, glowier complexion — but too much of it can lead to over-exfoliation, dryness or stripping of the skin. Especially if you have a sensitive skin type, you’ll want to avoid certain toner ingredients and watch how often you use the product if you find it to be irritating. Incorporating toner correctly into your skin-care regimen is a balance of using the right amount, proper frequency and formula. Ahead, we chatted with board-certified dermatologist and Skincare.com consultant Dr. Elizabeth Houshmand about how much toner you should be using and whether there is such a thing as too much.

First, What Are Toners?

Toners are multi-tasking skin-care products that provide various benefits, including removing dirt and impurities from the skin, exfoliating, hydrating or balancing pH levels. Regardless of the type of toner you choose, it should also help subsequent products be better absorbed into the skin.

How Much Toner Should You Use?

Most toners can be applied directly to the face with either fingers or a saturated cotton round. One to two pumps is usually enough to cover the entire area. Some toners also come in spray bottles and can be misted over the face.

You want to use your toner right after you cleanse but before any serums or moisturizers. “Use a toner morning and night,” Dr. Houshmand notes. “If you notice that your skin gets dry or irritated easily, you might want to try using less of it, less often.” For example, you can try using only one pump once a day, and if your skin still appears to be getting irritated, try using it every other day or once a week.

Generally speaking, people with oily or acne-prone complexions can tolerate most toners, while those with sensitive or very dry skin, eczema or rosacea may have to experiment a little more to find the right type of toner and frequency of use. “Multiple toners are available with different active ingredients that can work to hydrate the skin [rather than exfoliate it],” says Dr. Houshmand. This means that you’ll want to look for toners that are alcohol-free and contain soothing additives like glycerin, cucumber extracts or aloe vera. We like the SkinCeuticals Equalizing Toner and the Kiehl’s Cucumber Toner, both of which are great options for sensitive skin.