Are you using one of the best toners available in your current skincare routine? If you aren’t, you may be missing out on a powerful product with major complexion benefits. As Dr. Zoe Diana Draelos states in Dermatology Times, “Toners are present in most commercial skincare regimens [these days],” and while they’re “not necessary for skin health,” adding a toner to your current routine can be incredibly beneficial depending on your specific skin type and what you want to get out of your skincare regimen.

While toners were originally created to help “remove soap scum from the face,” they are now capable of making positive changes throughout your skin. Some toners are designed to add extra hydration to your complexion, others are made for exfoliation and some simply offer an additional cleansing step to help prep your skin for the rest of your self-care routine. That said, there’s a hefty amount of information to consider before finding the product which will elevate your skin, so to get you started, read on for our overview of the best toners on the market now!

The 15 Best Toners for Every Skin Type

Finding the Best Toner: A Buyer’s Guide

Selecting the toner that’s best for your skin can be difficult, and this buyer’s guide was created to give you a full scope of the different options available and explain all of the different uses and benefits toners have. There are toners designed for simple cleansing, for hydration, exfoliation, oil control and so much more. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly which toner will be the best pick for your skin, but in order to do so, it’s important to figure out what you want to get out of your toner.

The first step is to understand your skin type and the concerns you want your toner to address. From there, you’ll be able to focus more when shopping for your toner and make a more educated choice in the end. This overview breaks down the different uses for toners and how they’re correlated to different skin types. Not everyone may feel they need to add a toner to their existing skincare routines, but if you feel like there’s something missing from your current regimen, hopefully you’ll be able to find that missing puzzle piece with this guide of the best toners for skin!

What to Consider When Choosing the Best Toners

When choosing the best toners for your needs, it may help to consider the following features:

Your Skin Type

It’s always important to take your skin type into consideration when buying any skincare product, but it’s especially true for toners. The four main skin types are oily, dry, combination and normal, and if you aren’t sure which category you fall into, you can look for certain features in your skin to help you figure it out. For example, if you notice that your skin has less elasticity and your complexion feels a bit rough, you most likely have dry skin. But if you have enlarged pores and your skin has a shinier appearance, you likely fall into the oily category. Each skin type will have its own specific set of concerns, so selecting the right toner to address them is a must.

Other Specific Skin Concerns

Toners are most often used as an additional cleansing step to help prep your skin for the rest of its routine, but there are plenty of secondary benefits that you can get from the specific one you choose. You may be looking for a toner which can also help with anti-aging or find a formula to protect your skin from environmental stressors. Toners can be incredibly simple or dynamic, so check out and see the full spectrum of benefits the toner is offering before you make a purchase!

Ingredients

Toners can have as few as three or four ingredients in their formula, or a much more expansive list that you’ll want to look closely at before making your ultimate decision. If you know you’re allergic to a specific ingredient, make sure it’s not included in the toner you’re pondering adding to your routine. But if you aren’t sure if you have specific sensitivities, the best route to take is selecting an alcohol-free formula which will be gentler on the skin. If acne is a concern, a study in the Journal of Clinical Medicine concluded that “Tannins, such as those found in Hamamelis virginiana (or witch hazel), which is in the study toner product, act as an astringent with anti-inflammatory properties and have been shown to inhibit C. acnes-induced inflammation.” Witch hazel is a trendy ingredient these days, and may be of service to your complexion.

Price

Toners can vary greatly when it comes to their price. There are cheap options and expensive ones, so your budget is clearly a major deciding factor when picking out a toner. When considering the price, you may also want to take a closer look at all of the benefits the product offers. Some toners which are more complex and aren’t just an additional cleansing step in your routine may be worth the higher price, but it’s ultimately a personal decision that you can make for yourself.

Size

The size of the toner you’re thinking about purchasing is also correlated to the price of the product, so considering both of these factors side by side will hopefully make your decision easier. Some toners will also come in smaller trial or travel sizes if you want to spend a little less money and test out the toner to see if it’s the best option for your skin prior to taking the plunge.

Reviews

Reading about the experiences others shoppers had with a specific toner is a solid way to figure out if it’s right for you. Reviewers can shed a lot more light on how well a toner works, plus its advantages and disadvantages, which you won’t get from simply reading the product description. Take each review you read with a grain of salt, because everyone’s skin is different and will react to products accordingly. But using the reviews to give you a better picture of how well a toner can work with your skin type can narrow down your search tremendously.

What are the Different Types of Toners?

The following are the most common types of toners.

Basic Toners

These are the toners which have super simple ingredients to enhance your skincare routine and help give your complexion and cleaner and more balanced feel. But just because a toner is more general in nature doesn’t mean it’s any less impactful when compared to others. If you don’t have a specific skin concern you want addressed with your toner, going for a more basic cleansing formula is the way to go.

Hydrating Toners

Many toners are designed to help hydrate your skin with the addition of hyaluronic acid, different plant extracts and other ingredients which provide the proper moisturizing properties. These toners are ideal for skin that’s on the dryer side, but all skin types can seriously benefit from the addition of a hydrating toner. Some of these toners may include some form of alcohol on the ingredient list, but it’s far more watered down — which ideal for those who struggle with skin sensitivity.

Astringent Toners

These are the types of toners which will have the highest alcohol potency and stronger formulas best suited for oily and acne-prone skin. They often offer the deepest cleanse for your skin and can also have exfoliating properties. Some may be a bit too strong for sensitive skin but can include other soothing elements to help the treatment feel less harsh. Pay close attention to the ingredients in astringent toners so you choose the right one that won’t irritate your skin.

What are the Different Uses for Toners?

The following are the reasons why people use toners.

An Extra Cleansing Step

A cleanser can only do so much when it comes to removing dirt, oil and makeup from your skin at the end of the day. Some like to implement a double-cleansing routine to get the rest of the job done, but you can also rely on a toner for the same purpose. In fact, as noted earlier, toners were actually “originally developed to remove soap scum from the face,” but now their formulas are far more advanced. You can use a toner to help further cleanse the skin, but the products on the market have impressive powers beyond a thorough wash.

Exfoliating and Balancing

There are specific toners which are designed to help exfoliate the skin or balance out your complexion through a pH formula. Exfoliating can help slough away any dead skin buildup which may be sitting on your face — and when you get rid of that through a toner, you may reveal a brighter and more youthful glow! When you help to balance out the skin, your complexion can look and feel healthier overall. Toners can accomplish this more than most skincare products, which is why they’re beneficial for practically any daily regimen.

Prep for the Rest of Your Routine

This may be obvious given the last two purposes for toners mentioned, but using one after cleansing and before the rest of your skincare routine can make the rest of the product you use work that much better. When your skin is extra cleansed and possibly gently exfoliated, you’re allowing serums and moisturizers to better penetrate into your skin. That way, you’re metaphorically clearing the room on your skin to make way for everything else in your routine to truly do its job.

Additional Questions and Tips to Choose the Best Toner

When narrowing down your list, ask yourself these questions and consider these buying tips help to ensure you pick the best toner for your needs. 

Is this toner adding something to my routine that’s missing?

A toner should add something new to your regular skincare routine and not pile on top of an outcome that’s already being accomplished. For example, if you already have a serum which targets acne, you may not need a toner geared toward the same goal. In fact, just because you have acne-prone skin doesn’t mean you need a toner which addresses that specific concern. Essentially, make sure to consider what you’re hoping to achieve.

What are the potential side effects?

Sometimes, a toner will have a warning label which spells out the potential side effects it may have on skin. Of course, this is definitely wise to consider before making your purchase. While toners are usually noncomedogenic, you can plug the ingredients into this handy tool and see if a product will clog your pores.  And if there isn’t a clear list of ingredients, you can always fall back on the reviews. As was already mentioned, everyone’s skin is different, so you should take what others have to say with a tiny grain of salt. That said, if you’re having trouble making a choice, these are things to keep an eye out for.

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