Find Your Best Toners:

Best for Sensitive Skin: PAULA’S CHOICE Redness Relief Toner

Best For Dry/Combination Skin: FIRST AID BEAUTY Ultra Repair Wild Oat Hydrating Toner

Best Gentle Exfoliating Toner: YOUTH TO THE PEOPLE Mandelic Acid + Superfood Unity Exfoliant 

Best Hydrating Toner: FRESH Rose & Hyaluronic Acid Deep Hydration Toner

Best for Uneven Skin Tone: THE ORDINARY Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution

Best for Acne Scars & Dark Spots: ACWELL Licorice pH Balancing Cleansing Toner

Best for Oily Skin: BUTTAH SKIN Rosewater Toner

Best Anti-Inflammatory Toner: GOOD MOLECULES Niacinamide Brightening Toner

Best pH Balancing Toner: SKINCEUTICALS Equalizing Toner

Best Toner Pads: TULA Balancing Act Purifying & pH Balancing Biodegradable Toner Pads

Best Drugstore Toner: E.L.F. COSMETICS Supertone Toner 

Best Exfoliating Toner: PIXI BEAUTY Glow Tonic

Best for Mature Skin: WAY OF WILL Mature/Dry Skin Face Toner

Best Toner Mist: SERAPHINE BOTANICALS Rose + Coconut Water - Hydrating Facial Mist

Best for Clogged Pores: NO B.S. Purifying BHA Facial Toner

Best for Acne-Prone Skin: HEY HONEY Tone It Up Propolis & Echinacea Herbal Toner

Best for Dry Skin: SKIN&CO ROMA Truffle Therapy Face Toner

Best Triple Threat: GLOW RECIPE Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Toner

Best Anti-Aging Toner: INDIE LEE COQ-10 Toner

Best Mattifying Toner: SUNDAY RILEY Martian Mattifying Melting Water-Gel Toner

The 20 Best Toners for Every Skin Need

1. Best for Sensitive Skin:

PAULA’S CHOICE Redness Relief Toner

If you have sensitive skin, there are a few ingredients to steer clear of. “People who have rosacea should avoid using strong toners with high amounts of glycolic acid,” advises Akram, who says to instead “stick to a calming or hydrating toner with antioxidants and lipids.” This toner helps reinforce a healthy skin barrier and has a milky, ultra-gentle formula for sensitive skin. It also has hyaluronate and glycerin to keep the skin hydrated without stripping it with heavy acids. 

2. Best For Dry/Combination Skin: 

FIRST AID BEAUTY Ultra Repair Wild Oat Hydrating Toner

“What I love about [this product] is it is alcohol-free and has an oatmeal-powered toner which helps to hydrate, relieve, and soothe the skin,” says Tobia. (Tip: Alcohol is a drying ingredient, so anyone with dry or combination skin should avoid it.) Since this toner also includes hyaluronic acid, it’ll help lock moisture into the skin, while the inclusion of honey will help get rid of any lingering redness. 

3. Best Gentle Exfoliating Toner:

YOUTH TO THE PEOPLE Mandelic Acid + Superfood Unity Exfoliant 

Even when you have sensitive skin, you might still struggle with clogged pores. Sound like you? Then pick up this superfood exfoliator that will be gentle on your skin. It works by utilizing its key ingredient, 3% mandelic acid, which is a gentle AHA exfoliator. Pat a few drops of this on your skin and make sure to follow up with moisturizer.

4. Best Hydrating Toner:

FRESH Rose & Hyaluronic Acid Deep Hydration Toner

This alcohol-free toner uses rose oil to add a boost of hydration alongside powerhouse ingredient hyaluronic acid. If you struggle with your skin feeling totally stripped and dry after toning, this is a great option to reach for. It even comes in three different sizes, so you can customize it to your needs.

5. Best for Uneven Skin Tone:

THE ORDINARY Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution

This toner offers mild exfoliation for those who don’t struggle with sensitive skin, but instead want to focus on existing conditions like congested pores or uneven skin tone. Star ingredient glycolic acid will gently lift gunk that lodges in your pores, while tasmanian pepperberry works as an anti-inflammatory and natural antioxidant to help even out the skin. 

6. Best for Acne Scars and Dark Spots:

ACWELL Licorice pH Balancing Cleansing Toner

In case you didn’t know, licorice as a skincare ingredient is a natural brightener—and when it’s included in this toner, it can help brighten and fade existing scars and spots. Bonus: This product can be used to both cleanse and tone at the same time, so it’ll remove gunk and makeup while also delivering effective skincare action. 

7. Best for Oily Skin:

BUTTAH SKIN Rosewater Toner

You can tap this toner on with your fingers or sweep it across your face with a cotton pad. It’s formulated with AHAs and BHAs, along with salicylic acid, to absorb any excess oil and clear out clogged pores in the process. Plus, thanks to vitamin E and rosewater, you’ll enjoy skin that feels soft and looks glowy.

8. Best Anti-Inflammatory Toner:

GOOD MOLECULES Niacinamide Brightening Toner

If you need a quick skincare ingredient refresh, niacinamide is the powerful, multitasking ingredient that is anti-inflammatory, brightening, anti-aging, and works as a natural antioxidant. Basically, it does it all. If you have excess redness or irritation, this toner will calm it down in a flash. 

9. Best pH Balancing Toner:

SKINCEUTICALS Equalizing Toner

The inclusion of fruit extracts like citric acid, malic acid, and more allows this toner to exfoliate while remaining gentle on the skin. At the same time, aloe and chamomile help refresh and soothe the complexion, making this a safe pick for sensitive, normal, dry, and combination skin types alike. 

10. Best Toner Pads:

TULA Balancing Act Purifying & pH Balancing Biodegradable Toner Pads

It’s 2022—which means single-use doesn’t have to be synonymous with “ending up in a landfill forever.” Enter: these biodegradable pH-balancing pads. They contain witch hazel to tighten pores and lactic acid to help to lift any lingering impurities on the skin’s surface, leaving you with your most radiant complexion ever. 

11. Best Drugstore Toner:

E.L.F. COSMETICS Supertone Toner

True story: One of the best toners you can pick up for your skin is also under $10. This E.L.F. toner is made with glycolic acid, which means it may be a bit too strong for sensitive skin types, but will work for all others. It also includes witch hazel to unclog and tighten pores and aloe to help soothe the skin after use. 

12. Best Exfoliating Toner:

PIXI BEAUTY Glow Tonic

This alcohol-free toner is considered a holy grail skincare product for a reason. It’s a highly concentrated deep-cleaning toner that invigorates and exfoliates with glycolic acid. It also removes excess oil and can minimize other skin concerns like breakouts and blackheads. Ingredients like ginseng improve circulation, while moisturizing ingredients like aloe vera soothe and hydrate your skin for a nourished, youthful glow. “I love this stuff after washing my face,” raved one Ipster of the product, “I’ve been told, ‘I’m glowing.’”

13. Best for Mature Skin:

WAY OF WILL Mature/Dry Skin Face Toner

This luxurious paraben- and alcohol-free toner is a must for mature skin. Made with natural ingredients like neroli floral water, which helps tighten pores, and sea buckthorn, which contains natural vitamins and linolenic acids, this baby will increase your skin’s hydration while protecting it from environmental factors. 

14. Best Toner Mist:

SERAPHINE BOTANICALS Rose + Coconut Water - Hydrating Facial Mist

Sensitive skin will love this hydrating, non-comedogenic toner formulated with soothing coconut and rose water, along with moisturizing aloe vera and cleansing witch hazel. Simply spritz a few pumps onto dry skin for instant rejuvenation. While it works wonders as your everyday toner, it's also light enough for a refreshing pick-me-up whenever you need it throughout the day—and it's made without harsh ingredients, like parabens or phthalates, so you don't have to worry about it irritating your skin.

15. Best for Clogged Pores: 

NO B.S. Purifying BHA Facial Toner

For acne-prone skin, Akram recommends formulas with beta hydroxy acids (BHAs), such as salicylic acid, “to help control oil and decongest pores.” This toner does just that; the formula’s salicylic acid deeply exfoliates, while tea tree oil helps clear blemishes. Then witch hazel keeps oil production under control, while cucumber and green tea offer up a dose of healing antioxidants.

16. Best for Acne-Prone Skin: 

HEY HONEY Tone It Up Propolis & Echinacea Herbal Toner

Bee propolis has quickly become one of our favorite ingredients for treating acne, thanks to its antibacterial properties. It’s the star ingredient in this gentle yet effective toner, which also features calming echinacea and honeysuckle. Ipsters love the all-natural formula too, saying it’s “great for refreshing and clearing up unhappy skin.”

17. Best for Dry Skin:

SKIN&CO ROMA Truffle Therapy Face Toner

To anyone who says dry skin types can’t use toner, we say you just haven’t found the right one yet. Made with truffle (yes, that truffle!), calendula, rose, and rosemary extracts, it shrinks the appearance of pores while simultaneously adding a wash of moisture to skin. “My face felt so hydrated,” said one fan, who added, “I think I found a new favorite toner.”

18. Best Triple Threat:

GLOW RECIPE Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Toner

GLOW RECIPE’s products have a cult following thanks to their effective formulas and too-cute packaging, and this baby-pink toner is no exception. The key ingredient is watermelon, which hydrates and soothes while also minimizing the appearance of fine lines and dark spots. It also contains both BHAs and polyhydroxy acids (PHAs), which gently dissolve buildup in pores and exfoliate dead skin cells, leaving behind an otherworldly glow. It’s a favorite among Ipsters, who say “just a little bit makes a big difference,” and it “should be named the best toner of the year!” (Clearly, we agree!)

19. Best Anti-Aging Toner:

INDIE LEE COQ-10 Toner

If you’re interested in a toner with anti-aging properties, Akram says to look for a formula with alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) “to improve the skin’s texture and diminish the appearance of fine lines.” This INDIE LEE toner has hyaluronic acid, which is a gentle AHA, and also includes super ingredient CoQ-10. This under-the-radar antioxidant not only helps fight free radicals that contribute to signs of aging but also helps balance skin’s natural pH. Just to make things extra dewy and glowy, the formula also features aloe vera. No wonder one reviewer said it “seemed to ‘tighten’ my face each time I used it.”

20. Best Mattifying Toner:

SUNDAY RILEY Martian Mattifying Melting Water-Gel Toner

Two words: gel toner. Even better, it melts into a refreshing, water-like consistency the moment it touches your skin. The formula counts on bentonite clay—a go-to ingredient for oily complexions—green tea, witch hazel, and marshmallow extract to both soak up excess oil and counteract redness, leaving skin calmer with every use. Our Ipster community loves this one too: “It definitely helps mattify my oily skin,” said one user, while another said, “It literally feels like nothing is on my face but I can instantly tell the difference.”

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