Shop Black Friday deals from BI Reviews
Shop deals
Reviews Beauty
Written by Andrea Bossi; edited by Maiya Pascouche
Updated
When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
While toners are not a necessary step in your skincare routine, most dermatologists agree that they can be a huge boost to your skincare routine and skin health. Whether you're looking for a gentle exfoliating step like the ROSE INC Skin Resolution Clean Exfoliating Acid Toner or the cult-favorite, ultra-hydrating Laniege Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer, there's a toner for just about every concern.
"Toners are water-based products that get applied to the skin immediately after cleansing and have various effects on the skin depending on their ingredients. In general, their purpose is to remove any leftover debris and prep the skin for other products like serums and moisturizers," board-certified dermatologist Dr. Jennifer David told Insider.
"Depending on the active ingredients in the formula," she continued, "toners can be used to chemically exfoliate dead skin, control oil, or boost hydration levels."
That being said, knowing which ingredients to avoid and which to look for is important. Below, we've outlined our top picks for the best toner and how to navigate toner ingredients."When trying to find the perfect toner for yourself, it comes down to a lot of trial and error," Dr. David said. "Know your skin type; if you're unsure, consult your dermatologist."
Whether you struggle with dryness or are looking for toners within a specific price range, we've laid out the 24 best options here. Learn more about how Insider Reviews tests and researches beauty products.
Our picks for the best toners:
Advertisement
ROSE INC Skin Resolution Clean Exfoliating Acid Toner
This toner with a recyclable bottle was launched in August 2021 and immediately got good reviews. The non-comedogenic formula harnesses the power of several AHAs to gently exfoliate and squalane to add hydration. If you have acne or struggle with clogged pores, the ROSE INC toner is ideal for you.
Grown Alchemist Balancing Toner
The goal of the Grown Alchemist toner is to make your skin glow by evening your skin tone and minimize the appearance of pores. It does this with vitamin C and ginseng, which is a powerful ingredient with antioxidant properties that balance oil. Ingredients like aloe, rose, and chamomile help soothe and soften the skin even more.
Advertisement
Thayers Alcohol-Free Witch Hazel Facial Toner
This classic formula from Thayers is primarily made with witch hazel, aloe, and rosewater. Witch hazel is especially good at soothing irritated and red skin — plus, it helps with acne. Aloe and rosewater help add moisture and soothe a bit more. This toner is good for everyone and best for those with sensitive skin struggling with acne.
Witch hazel can be a bit harsh on the skin, so don't use this every day if you notice it drying your face out.
SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion Toner
This toner is absolutely a splurge compared to others on this list. But as one fan says, you get what you pay for. The formula uses an AHA to remove skin impurities and uses pitera, which is a fermented ingredient rich in vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that SK-II uniquely uses. It'll hydrate, clean, and boost your radiance.
Advertisement
Heritage Store Rosewater Facial Toner
If you ever need a boost of moisture during the day or a spritz of something refreshing, Heritage Store's Rosewater Toner might be the right product for you. A lot of toners on this list focus on gently exfoliating without stripping away too much moisture, but this toner is mostly focused on moisture. The rosewater and hyaluronic acid soothe and hydrate the skin, perfect as part of your daily skincare routine or refresh midday.
Youth To The People Mandelic Acid + Superfood Unity Exfoliant
This toner is amazing for any skin type, but if you have acne-prone or oily skin, this Youth To The People toner is especially for you. It's formulated with mandelic acid, salicylic acid, and Polyhydroxy Acid (PHAs) that help gently exfoliate your skin, reduce breakouts, and promote cell turnover. Fans love that its scent is faint but pleasant.
Advertisement
Biossance Squalane + BHA Pore-Minimizing Toner
This vegan toner has some unique ingredients, like caviar lime extract, which is the name of a special type of oblong-shaped lime that's also a source of softly exfoliating AHAs. It's also infused with squalane, a fantastic hydration ingredient. People who use this toner religiously especially like how it reduces the appearance of their pores and makes their skin glow.
Glossier Solution
Glossier is known for its minimalistic and quality makeup products. The toning solution is no different. It dispenses out of a clever bottle that you push down to pump out (instead of simply pouring it out), and the formula is made with AHAs, BHAs, and PHAs. All in all, these help balance oily skin, minimize the appearance of blemishes, and soothe redness. Some customers even found it helped their stubborn blackheads be gone.
Advertisement
Cocokind rosewater facial toner
Cocokind's rosewater-based toner is a two-in-one. It's made with 98% rosewater, which means it's very light on the skin and hydrating. It can also be used to prime or set makeup, especially if you struggle with dryness. Spray bottle packaging makes this one easy and quick to apply; no cotton rounds are needed.
Fresh's Rose & Hyaluronic Acid Deep Hydration Toner
This toner is all about hydration. Fresh's toner uses hyaluronic acid and numerous rose ingredients — including rosewater, rose oil, and real rose petals in the bottle — to hydrate and soothe skin. Plus, its rich rose smell is unmatched.
Advertisement
The Ordinary's Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner
The Ordinary's Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner is especially good for people facing dullness, uneven texture, and acne scarring. The formula simultaneously exfoliates with glycolic acid and soothes via ingredients like aloe and Tasmanian Pepperberry Derivative. Some users recommend starting slowly to ensure the glycolic acid doesn't cause irritation.
Dr. David also notes that this toner is not ideal for daily use if you use a strong retinoid. She uses it twice a week.
Neutrogena's Alcohol-Free Toner
Neutrogena's Alcohol-Free Facial Toner is best as a general toner that cleanses skin without drying it. The oil and alcohol-free formula is recommended for normal skin.
Advertisement
Mario Badescu's Witch Hazel & Rose Water Toner
Mario Badescu offers a wide range of toners, and its Witch Hazel & Rose Water Toner is a customer favorite. It's made to remove impurities while keeping the skin's moisture barrier protected. The brand's anti-inflammatory Witch Hazel & Lavender Toner is another favorite.
Innisfree's Balancing Toner with Green Tea
K-beauty brand Innisfree offers a selection of toners including their Balancing toner, which champions green tea extract to hydrate and balance oil levels. Its antioxidant-rich blueberry toner is another great option.
Advertisement
Laneige's Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer
Laneige's toner is actually a two-in-one product. The creamy formula works like a regular toner while also functioning as a moisturizer, restoring the skin's natural barrier. It's best for normal and dry skin.
Glow Recipe's Watermelon Glow PHA +BHA Pore-Tight Toner
Glow Recipe's toner is all about hydration and minimizing the appearance of pores. The toner is made with pore-clearing BHAs and hydrating hyaluronic acid. Fans say this toner is hydrating and lightweight but not at all sticky. With ingredients like watermelon extract and cactus water, it also has a pleasant, fruity smell.
Advertisement
Fenty Skin Fat Water Pore-Refining Toner Serum
The Fat Water Toner from Rihanna's Fenty Skincare line is a two-in-one product. It's also a serum. Made with niacinamide, Barbados Cherry, and witch hazel, this formula works against dark spots, brightens, and reduces the look of pores.
Sustainability bonus: This formula is thick enough to apply with your hands, so you don't have to use cotton rounds or tissue.
Farmacy's Deep Sweep Toner
Farmacy's Deep Sweep is made with a mix of salicylic acid, papaya enzymes, and moringa extract that effectively cleans pores while controlling oil. It's best for oily and combination skin.
Advertisement
Good Molecules Niacinamide Brightening Toner
Niacinamide has a variety of skincare benefits which the Good Molecules Niacinamide Brightening Toner wields to brighten dull skin and manage unevenness. The formula's pH of 6.2 is conveniently included on the label.
Read more about why pH matters in skincare products.
Advertisement
Paula's Choice's RESIST Advanced Replenishing Toner with Hyaluronic Acid
This fragrance-free toner is for those concerned with fine lines, wrinkles, dryness, and dullness. Paula's Choice RESIST Advanced Replenishing Toner uses hyaluronic acid, evening primrose oil for hydration, and linolenic acids to minimize dullness.
Other Paula's Choice toners are also well-known for doing what they say. Check out the Weightless Advanced Repairing Toner that protects against environmental damage (like the sun) and the Pore-Reducing Toner that makes pores look smaller by making oily areas less noticeable.
Advertisement
First Aid Beauty's Ultra Repair Wild Oat Hydrating Toner
First Aid Beauty's fragrance-free toner is all about soothing and restoring hydration. Best for all skin types, this toner is powered by oats, which can help restore your skin's moisture barrier with ceramides.
Advertisement
Kiehl's Milk-Peel Gentle Exfoliating Toner
This toner by Kiehl's targets dryness and uneven texture with almond milk and Lipo-Hydroxy Acid (LHA), which gently removes dead skin like a chemical peel.
Alternatively, Kiehl's Ultra Facial Toner ($24) is a more general toner that's much more affordable and targets dry, rough, and irritated skin. Customers with sensitive skin especially encourage trying this one out.
Advertisement
Ambi Even & Clear Intense Clarifying Toner
Unlike most toners, Ambi's toner comes in a spray bottle, which allows spraying or applying the solution with a cotton pad. Especially helpful for reducing acne and breakouts, the Even & Clear Intense Clarifying Toner is made with salicylic acid and soothing agents like green tea extract.
Lush's Tea Tree Water Toner
Known for their ridiculously good-smelling bath bombs and lotions, Lush also offers a few toners. Its Tea Tree Water Toner is made to rejuvenate oily, dull, and tired skin with a mix of tea tree water, grapefruit extract, and juniper berry water.
Advertisement
Ingredient guide
Ingredients to look for in a toner
There are some key ingredients to look for in your toner, especially acids, which often serve as gentle exfoliants. These can be superstar ingredients and serve many different but very helpful purposes.
- Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) are great for brightening and exfoliating skin. These include glycolic and lactic acids as well as citric, mandelic, and malic acids.
- Beta hydroxy acids (BHAs), like salicylic acid, are ideal for controlling oil on acne-prone skin. These trap and wash away excess sebum.
- Hyaluronic acid is a helpful ingredient if you're looking to boost hydration. Additionally, rosewater, glycerin, and vitamin E are also common hydrating ingredients.
Ingredients to avoid in a toner
"Historically, toners were formulated with alcohol and other astringents which dried and irritated the skin, so they fell out of favor for a while," Dr. David says. Today, most toners do not contain alcohol and are much gentler on the skin. However, like all skincare products, finding the right toner is a matter of testing different formulas to see which one is right for you.
If you see a toner with alcohol on the ingredient list, be cautious.
Andrea Bossi is a freelance writer at Insider Reviews who primarily covers beauty and style. She is also a published poet and Forbes contributor who covers music, especially, hip-hop and r&b. If she's not writing, you can probably find her exploring on her bike, trying new vegan recipes, or dancing with friends (virtually, for now). Although born and raised in Chicago, she went east to study Cognitive Neuroscience and a minor in African American Studies at Harvard. Between what she studies and what she writes about, it's clear Bossi remains fascinated by the ways in which so many things are unexpectedly connected. Follow her on Instagram at@BossiBBor Twitter at@Bossi147
You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here.
Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.
Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read preview
Thanks for signing up! Go to newsletter preferences
Thanks for signing up!
Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go.
Advertisement