Toners have long been an underrated step in skin-care routines. At the base level, they rebalance and prep skin, but many are packed with even more benefits catered to a variety of skin types. Interest in toner is on the rise. Spate recently found that consumers are turning to ChatGPT for personalized toner recommendations tailored to their individual skin concerns, so we curated a list of the most popular searches.
Featured Experts
- Gabriel Taylor is a Borghese National Aesthetician and Skin Expert
- Cecily Braden is an aesthetician and spa educator
What Is Toner?
“Used as the second step after cleansing, toners provide multiple benefits depending upon the formulation and prep your skin for the next steps in your skin-care routine, such as serum and moisturizer,” says Borghese National Aesthetician and Skin Expert Gabriel Taylor. “A well-formulated toner is a vital step in skin cleansing and overall skin health,” says Taylor. “Notice I say ‘well-formulated’ as there are many inferior toners out there that are little more than scented water.” Don’t waste your time and money using toners without any real benefits, check out our recommendations ahead.
The Benefits of Toner
A proper toner will restore your skin’s pH balance after cleansing, as cleansing can disrupt the acid mantle, “which is the skin’s natural accumulation of oil and perspiration that keeps our skin balanced and healthy,” says Taylor. “Toners restore skin to that optimal pH balance of 5.5. In addition, toners can refine the visible appearance of pores, reduce inflammation, brighten, even skin tone and protect against environmental aggressors.” Aesthetician and spa educator, Cecily Braden, loves toners for their versatility. Depending on their formulation, their benefits can vary, so it’s all about finding the right one for you.
Toners for Each Skin Type and Concern
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Beauty of Joseon has risen to viral fame, with its sunscreens leading the charge, but this rice milk toner is just as amazing. It features an innovative dual-layer formula that helps moisturize skin while balancing sebum levels for glowy, but not greasy skin.
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This toner features a powerhouse blend of C, E and B vitamins. “In addition, this essence toner uses a potent cocktail of oat, banana, shitake mushroom and citrus lemon flower water to brighten, refine and protect the skin from environmental aggressors,” says Taylor. “The result? A brighter, more even complexion with reduced visible pores and strong antioxidant protection. I consider it a multi-vitamin for your skin.”
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Toners can be a great tool for combating hyperpigmentation, but you want to be sure to avoid products that will be too harsh on your skin. This milky toner from EADEM is formulated with the brand’s FastFade Complex to exfoliate and safely remove dark spots on skin of color and beyond.
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This daily BHA toner combines salicylic acid and Danish purple willow ferment to visibly improve blemishes and clear skin in a week, plus it helps prevent future breakouts. It instantly reduces shine and surface oil, with 94 percent of users noting they feel more confident in their skin after using the toner.
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If you tend to have red, irritated skin, you’ll want to add a soothing toner to your routine. This K-beauty formula calms and deeply hydrates skin to reverse irritation and leave you with a more even, glass-like skin complexion.
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Treat dehydrated skin to a tall glass of this milky toner. You can feel it hydrating your skin and see it melt away redness instantly. Since dry skin is often sensitive, this formula also helps strengthen the skin barrier and microbiome for a more resilient complexion over time. It’s super gentle, making it a great option for anyone with rosacea or other sensitive skin conditions.
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Medicube has quickly become a powerhouse K-beauty brand in America, and its PDRN products are some of the most popular. This milky toner is packed with niacinamide. It helps impart a dewy glow even on acne-prone skin and hydration without that heavy feeling. “My skin is AMAZING. I haven’t worn face makeup since using this,” writes one reviewer.
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Mario Badescu’s toners are well-loved. The brand offers a variety of toners with star ingredients from glycolic acid to witch hazel, so there’s something for everyone. The Aloe Vera Toner is great for soothing and hydrating skin while imparting the plant extract’s signature anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties.
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Fragrance-free toner for sensitive skin: Anua Heartleaf 77+ ($23)
You’ve probably come across this Amazon top seller and TikTok viral toner, and we’re here to tell you it lives up to the hype. It’s made up of 77 percent heartleaf extract, beloved for its calming and moisturizing benefits. Since it’s fragrance-free and ultra-calming, it’s great for sensitive, reactive skin types.
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Alcohol-free toners are a common search, and luckily, fewer and fewer formulas are relying on alcohol as a key ingredient. This gentle, soothing herbal toner helps reduce redness and minimize excess oil, making it a great daily go-to for balancing normal-to-oily skin.
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This gentle daily exfoliant features sPHAs and green tea enzymes to help smooth rough texture and hydrate parched skin. Even after just one use, 95 percent of users noticed a visible difference in their skin.
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