Between cleansing and moisturizing, a facial toner sets the tone for glowing skin. We’re all guilty of skipping toning and grabbing moisturizer right after washing our face. Little do we understand the magic that a good facial toner can create.
The composition of tonics for the face
Use rose water toner for extra hydration.
Rose water is known for its hydrating, brightening and invigorating properties. It is ideal for skin that needs extra hydration as well as oil control. Look for toners that list rose water as their main ingredient.
Choose a chamomile-based toner to soothe your skin.
If you’re struggling with dryness, redness, or sensitive skin, try a chamomile toner. EThis ingredient can soothe skin irritation, clear blemishes and blackheads, and improve complexion.
- The combination of chamomile and aloe vera can even help with eczema and rosacea.
Avoid overdrying and alcohol toners
Alcohol is often used as an astringent in harsher tonics. Many people try to use alcohol-based toners to fight acne, but this ingredient can easily irritate and dry out the skin if used too often. Instead, opt for a milder, alcohol-free formula.
Look for natural acne-fighting ingredients if you have oily skin.
You can control your acne and still keep your skin hydrated by choosing a toner with milder astringents. Look for ingredients like tea tree oil, citrus juice, orange essential oil, and witch hazel.
- When using an astringent, it is better to use it once a day rather than twice. Once your skin has acclimated, try increasing your usage to twice a day.
What is the best face tonic?
Moisturizing facial toner
If you have a dry skin type, choose toners that moisturize. Look for products that contain peptides, glycolipids, rose hip or jojoba oil, dimethicone, and glycolic acid. Avoid products containing alcohol (SD 40, denatured, ethanol, and isopropyl), sodium or ammonium lauryl sulfate, mineral oil, and pertrolate.
Refreshing facial toner
If you have an oily skin type, choose toners that are refreshing and gentle on the skin. Don’t punish your oily skin by buying alcohol-infused toners. These toners will dry out your skin, causing your skin to produce even more oil. Use products that contain oil-free ingredients, sodium hyaluronate, sodium PCA, and AHA. Avoid products containing alcohol (SD 40, denatured, ethanol, and isopropyl), sodium or ammonium lauryl sulfate, mineral oil, and pertrolate.
Choose 2 different tonics
Gentle tonic
Top 10 face toners
| Dickinson Moisturizing Toner | |
| Dermatologica – Multi-active facial toner | |
| SkinCeuticals LHA toner for problem skin | |
| JKossmune Facial Toner | |
| PCA Skin Hydrating Toner | |
| Avene Eau Thermale Gentle Toning Lotion | |
| Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Facial Toner | |
| Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Toner | |
| Clarins Toning Lotion With Chamomile | |
| Neutrogena Alcohol-free Toner |
The best tonics for problem skin
Garnier Facial Toner
Contrary to popular belief, you can’t actually change the size of your pores, and they don’t open or close. What’s happening is that they can start to appear bigger or smaller based solely on how much stuff they have. In other words, the more clogged your pores are, the bigger and more visible they will look.
That’s why this formula is a choice; it contains oil-dissolving salicylic acid to keep pores clean (and looking small). It also has skin-cleansing to help prevent breakouts and cooling mint to make it especially refreshing, especially to use after a sweaty workout or on a hot day.
Facial Toner Bark
Toners are generally a good product to add to your routine if you’re constantly battling blemishes, and this formula is especially so. The 2% salicylic acid concentration holds excess oil, unclogs pores, and gently exfoliates, working to both treat existing acne and keep new ones at bay.
Because it really soaks up all that excess oil, start using it once a day and gradually increase it to twice a day, just to make sure you don’t accidentally dry out your skin.
Facial Exfoliating Toner Eveline Cosmetics
Not only is this multi-tonic enough to soak up excess oil and mattify shiny skin, but it also touts a combination of three different acids to act as an effective yet gentle exfoliator. A blend of alpha hydroxy and beta hydroxy acids, lactic, glycolic and salicylic acids, leave your complexion healthy and matte, but with just the right amount of a healthy glow. It contains green tea, eucalyptus, seaweed, and Irish moss to help absorb excess oil and have natural antiseptic properties.
The best tonics for combination skin
The Body Shop Tea Tree Mattifying Toner
If you have very oily skin and need something to prevent shine, you need to try this mattifying toner. It not only prevents excessive oiliness, but also gives your skin a matte look. It removes any trace of impurities and makeup and keeps your skin pores clean.
Suitable for: oily skin
pros
- 100% natural
- Contains tea tree oil
- Not tested on animals
- Naturally Derived Ingredients
Korean tonic for combination skin type Dickinson
If you have very combination skin that needs extra hydration, this toner can help…
