If you’re someone with oily and acne prone skin, or you’re already a faithful user, I don’t need to convince you that toner is an essential step in your daily beauty regimen. But if you’re someone with chronically dry skin, you might wonder why you’d want or need to add this extra product into your routine. Here’s why. Toners tighten pores, meaning once you put on your makeup, your skin will look younger and firmer.
Toners help to deeply cleanse your skin, especially at the end of the day. They decongest clogged pores and remove every last trace of dirt, oil, and any leftover makeup residue your cleanser may have missed. Many offer gentle exfoliation, sloughing off dead skin cells and leaving you with a brighter, firmer and more radiant look.
The hydrating toners we’ve reviewed here are alcohol-free and non-drying. The vast majority of them are organic and natural formulas that you’ll feel safe using on your precious face, and a few can even do double-duty as makeup setting sprays or hydrating spritzers to refresh skin throughout the day. Whichever you choose, you’ll be thrilled with the real results they deliver.
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1.
ELEMIS Rehydrating Ginseng Toner
Pros:
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Ginseng formula hydrates and revives dry skin
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Leaves skin feeling cool and refreshed
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Lets you use less moisturizer
Cons:
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A bite to the wallet
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Can cause irritation
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Small bottle for the price
ELEMIS is one of our favorite British skincare brands, and their delightful toner for dry skin just adds more fuel to our smitten fire. Made with antioxidant-rich and energy reviving ginseng, this toner is a great way to kickstart your morning makeup routine. Ginseng is also an effective moisturizing agent, which makes this formula great for dry skin types.
This toner also features natural cleansing agents like sweet Betty flower and quillaja wood. These enhance its ability to clear clogged pores, all the while adding skin-brightening vitamin C to the benefits. It will remove dirt, oil, and makeup, leaving your skin clean, while helping to naturally balance pH.
If you suffer from irritable skin, ELEMIS Soothing Apricot Toner uses apricot extract to soothe and harmonize your skin.
Find more ELEMIS Rehydrating Ginseng Toner information and reviews here.
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2.
Clarins Toning Lotion With Chamomile
Pros:
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Chamomile helps to soothe and refresh irritated skin
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Doesn't leave your skin feeling stripped of moisture
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Cleans off oil and makeup residue well
Cons:
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Small bottle at a big price
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Scent is too perfumey for some
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Not effective for every user
We love this alcohol-free toner from Clarins, and we think you will too. What sets this toner apart is a formula that includes the extracts of chamomile and linden. Chamomile is a terrific herb in skincare products because of its ability to soothe irritated skin. It’s also anti-fungal and antiseptic, so if you suffer from minor breakouts this ingredient is a plus.
Linden extract is known to calm itchy skin, often a problem for those with dry tendencies. This toner is great for normal and dry skin types, balancing pH and leaving your skin feeling smooth, clean and refreshed.
Find more Clarins Toning Lotion With Chamomile information and reviews here.
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3.
Paula’s Choice SKIN RECOVERY Calming Toner
Pros:
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Gets rid of dry, flakey skin
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Plumps skin with hyaluronic acid
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Antiosidant rich formula fights free radical damage
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Fragrance free
Cons:
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Small bottle for the price
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Doesn't reduce redness for every user
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May leave skin feeling tight
If you’ve been suffering from dry, redness-prone skin, we suspect that the last thing you have been thinking about is toner, but this SKIN RECOVERY toner from Paula’s Choice could make a huge difference for you. The calming formula helps to soothe sensitive and reddened skin while hydrating and fortifying dry skin.
If you’re used to clear toners on a cotton pad, the texture of this hydrating toner will surprise you. It’s a creamy, silky milky formula with plant oils that help to restore antioxidants and essential lipids. With regular use, it will help to eliminate dry, flakey skin and leave you looking more luminous. Hyaluronic acid instantly plumps your skin and diminishes the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Now that’s a bonus.
It’s enriched with vitamins C, E, and B3 to help strengthen your skin’s natural moisture barrier and ward off damage from environmental skin stressors. Used in combination with Paula’s Choice SKIN RECOVERY Cream Cleanser and begin to see your skin transform before your eyes.
Find more Paula's Choice SKIN RECOVERY Calming Toner information and reviews here.
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4.
Poppy Austin Pure Rose Water Facial Toner
Pros:
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Pure Moroccan rose water helps tighten pores
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Eliminates excess oil without drying your skin
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Helps to soothe and calm puffy skin
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Triple milled for purity
Cons:
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Spendy for a small bottle
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Scent is extremely mild
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Lid has a tendency to leak during shipping
As the top-rated toner on our list, this spa grade formula is made with triple milled Moroccan rose water. Does that make a difference? Certainly in terms of the price, but despite that, it also tops the charts in the opinions of consumers who don’t mind paying a little extra for their favorite products. Rich in natural antioxidants, this rose water leaves your skin smooth and glowing.
It helps to restore pH balance, while gently absorbing excess oils and dissolving dirt, all without drying your skin. While it’s especially effective for dry skin types, it also works well for those with normal and oily skin too. It helps to tighten pores and calms and soothes puffy under eye bags.
The only thing we wish is that the bottle was a little bigger than four ounces for the price, and that it came with a sprayer top. We do love the fact that it comes with a 30 day, money-back guarantee if you don’t fall in love with it. We also think you’ll like that it’s made using fair trade practices by a women’s cooperative in Morocco.
Find more Poppy Austin Pure Rose Water Facial Toner information and reviews here.
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5.
Obagi Nu-Derm Toner
Pros:
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Very hydrating with aloe and allantoin
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Botanical ingredients fight free radicals and wrinkles
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Soothes sensitive skin and targets redness
Cons:
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The most expensive of all reviewed
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Leaves skin feeling tight
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Fragrance is a bit off-putting
This alcohol-free toner is non-drying and restores your skin’s pH balance with a blend of gently hydrating ingredients. This toner helps to clarify and brighten dry, dull skin with witch hazel and skin soothing aloe vera. Sage leaf extract takes a stand against free radical damage, promoting cell regeneration and fighting fine lines and wrinkles. Its anti-inflammatory properties also help fight breakouts and acne.
This hydrating formula features one of out botanical favorites. Calendula flower extract is is naturally antibacterial, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory, making it an ally for those with redness and rosacea. Fortified with allantoin, this toner gently moisturizes your skin, leaving it soft, smooth and radiant.
Find more Obagi Nu-Derm Toner information and reviews here.
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6.
PCA Skin Hydrating Toner
Pros:
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Boosts hydration with evening primrose oil
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Fruit extracts fight free radical damage
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Skin correcting formula
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Deeply cleanses to remove impurities
Cons:
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Seriously spendy
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May cause rash or irritation
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Scent is odd
When your skin is dry, you might know you need moisture but you may have neglected the fact that you still need to deep clean to give your skin the best chance at absorbing serums and moisturizers. PCA Skin hydrating toner does a great job of catching any remnants of dirt, oils, and makeup while giving your face a much-needed moisture boost.
This formula helps to prevent free radical damage, with apple, watermelon, and lentil extracts. It helps to maintain moisture balance throughout the day and will make your skin will feel softer and smoother, thanks to evening primrose oil. And Jania Rubens extract also moisturizes and fights free radicals without any bad side effects, per the Environmental Working Group, an organization through which we often vet beauty product ingredients for safety.
This skin correcting formula is great for all skin types and helps to reduce pore size, while giving you thoroughly clean skin.
Find more PCA Skin Hydrating Toner information and reviews here.
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7.
Foxbrim Naturals Orange Blossom Water Face Toner
Pros:
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Made in small batches to ensure efficacy
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Feels refreshing and leaves skin soft and hydrated
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Soothes redness and irritation
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Gentle formula doesn't dry your skin
Cons:
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Big price, small container
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No sprayer included
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More drying than some
Alcohol-free, organic and vegan friendly, this toner promises to help balance pH and deliver the perfect amount of hydration to dry skin. Made in small batches to ensure efficacy, it uses pure and natural orange blossoms and Mediterranean water to stimulate more beautiful skin. Purified from flowers of the bitter orange tree, it can help to calm and soothe irritated skin, clearing breakouts and promoting healing and regeneration of skin cells.
This sustainably sourced toner helps to revitalize tired skin and restore suppleness. And can we just say it smells amazing? It does. Again, we wish this toner came in a spray bottle, because it could easily double as a makeup setting spray, or be used to refresh hydration throughout the day. The fact that it has a money back guarantee does make it work investing in a small spray bottle on your own.
Find more Orange Blossom Water Face Toner information and reviews here.
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8.
Murad Hydrating Toner
Pros:
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Pore tightening formula
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Very soothing for sensitive skin
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Effective for dry aging skin
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Helps skin maintain moisture
Cons:
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Expensive for a small bottle
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Not as hydrating as some
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Feels just a bit oily
Murad’s alcohol-free toner is seriously hydrating while giving skin a clear and clean slate to fully absorb your serums and moisturizers. It’s formulated with Sodium PCA helps replenish lost moisture, while chamomile and cucumber extracts soothe and soften skin as well as tighten pores. Lecethin and grapeseed extract help to improve skin’s suppleness.
This toner balances your skin’s natural pH, reducing irritation for softer and smoother skin. Osmolytes help to preserve skin’s moisture throughout the day, keeping it at optimal levels. This formula is especially helpful for aging skin that often feels and looks dry. But while it helps to preserve moisture, it feels light and refreshing on your skin.
Find more Murad Hydrating Toner information and reviews here.
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9.
MISSHA Time Revolution Clear Toner
Pros:
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Hydrates, brightens and gently exfoliates
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Doesn't leave your skin feeling sticky
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Fermented yeast extract creates glowing skin
Cons:
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Fermented products can cause breakouts in some people
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Expensive for a small bottle
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May be too drying for some
If you’re a lover of Korean beauty products, even if you don’t go through the entire beauty regimen, this hydrating toner from MISSHA is a definite must try. Not only does it moisturize your skin with the power of fermented yeast extract this toner uses alpha hydroxy acids to gently slough away dead skin cells giving you a renewed look. Beta hydroxy acids soften and smooth.
Tone, hydrate and prepare your skin for serum, essence, and moisturizer while reducing pore size, clearing impurities and leaving you with a smooth palette for makeup application. For added hydration, follow up your toner with MISSHA Time Revolution First Intensive Moist Treatment Essence or for deep skin repair and hydration, get the two-pack which includes both the essence and a night repair serum.
Find more MISSHA Time Revolution Clear Toner information and reviews here.
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10.
Vichy Pureté Thermale Perfecting Face Toner
Pros:
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Alcohol-free and non-drying formula
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Vitamin rich mineral water helps protect your skin's moisture barrier
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Removes any traces of dirt and old makeup
Cons:
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Quite expensive
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Feels a bit odd once dry
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Small bottle compared to others
Because this toner is alcohol-free, it’s a non-drying solution for even the most sensitive skin types. This toner for dry skin helps to moisturize and fortify your skin after cleansing, leaving it plump, radiant and feeling super hydrated. Because it’s such a gentle formula, you’ll love the way your skin feels ready to accept your moisturizers, serums, and makeup. It gives you a smooth palette to work with.
As with the entire Vichy line, this toner is infused with the Vichy Mineralizing Thermal Water. This volcanic water is mineral rich, helping to strengthen your skin’s moisture barrier to protect skin against aggressors. It helps to perfect your skin, as well as removing any traces of dirt, oil and yesterday’s cosmetics.
Find more Vichy Pureté Thermale Perfecting Face Toner information and reviews here.
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11.
InstaNatural Rose Water Facial Toner
Pros:
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100 percent pure and natural rosewater
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Skin soothing and hydrating
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Can be used as a makeup setting spray as well as a toner
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Comes in a spray bottle
Cons:
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Small bottle for the price
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Rose scent is too subtle
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Sprayer delivers too much product
InstaNatural’s rosewater toner is about as pure as it gets, and if you have sensitive skin, that matters. Made from 100 percent natural Rosa Damascena petals, it contains no skin-irritating artificial fragrances. Of course, it smells naturally delightful. Rose water is a naturally hydrating toner that leaves skin smooth and radiant while balancing pH. Plus, rosewater is known to help minimize pores.
It calms and soothes irritable skin, while naturally hydrating and cleansing it. Sounds almost too good, doesn’t it? But you can’t argue with this product’s legions of faithful fans. We love the fact that it’s pure and natural, with no ingredients you can’t pronounce and don’t really want on your face. While it’s a lot less expensive than some of the luxury toners, keep in mind, it’s a four ounce bottle.
You can also use this gentle toner as a makeup setting spray because it comes in a spray bottle.
Find more InstaNatural Rose Water Facial Toner information and reviews here.
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12.
Klairs Supple Preparation Facial Toner
Pros:
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Viscous formula absorbs quickly
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Boosts skin hydration throughout the day
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Reduces redness and irritation
Cons:
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May cause skin irritation in some
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Many reported differences between batches
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Smell is unusual
When you’re looking for hydration that lasts, Klairs Supple Preparation toner is part of a moisturizing skincare regimen that could give your skin that much-needed moisture boost throughout the day. This toner rapidly absorbs into the skin and helps to prolong hydration. It helps to maintain pH balance, while calming irritated skin.
Plant extracts and essential oils make this viscous toner unique in texture and absorption. Using more than one layer will add even more hydration. This toner also enhances the effectiveness of your moisturizers and serums, and, if used properly, can minimize the need for those other products, thereby saving you some cash.
Hollyhock and aloe (aka. Phyto Oligo) drench your thirsty skin, while beta-glucan improves redness and reduces irritation for those with sensitive skin.
Find more Klairs Supple Preparation Facial Toner information and reviews here.
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13.
Mario Badescu Aloe Vera Toner
Pros:
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Made with aloe vera to soothe skin and clear pores
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Gently cleanses and moisturizes
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Helps to reduce redness and irritation
Cons:
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Expensive for the size
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Doesn't seem as cleansing as some others
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Some leaks during shipping have been reported
If you have super sensitive dry skin, this aloe-infused toner from Mario Badescu is a wonderful option. Because aloe vera naturally soothes irritated skin and automatically helps to clear clogged pores, without harshness, your face will feel soft and hydrated as well as super clean and clear.
Alcohol-free and fragrance-free, it leaves skin lightly hydrated and fresh. We also think you’ll appreciate this company’s cruelty-free philosophy and their whole line of gentle skincare products for nearly every skin type. Use this toner after washing with their super gentle cream soap, and then give your skin a drink of the Mario Badescu aloe moisturizer for a fresh face, every time.
Many of the skincare products in the aloe vera line get the nod as Amazon’s Choice, and this product gets our nod as best hydrating tone as well.
Find more Mario Badescu Aloe Vera Toner information and reviews here.
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14.
Best Buy: Neutrogena Alcohol-Free Facial Toner
Pros:
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Alcohol free formula doesn't strip skin of moisture
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Uses mild purifiers to deeply cleanse
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Most affordable of any
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Squeeze top doesn't over-pour
Cons:
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Leaves a slight residue
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Scent can be off-putting
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Not as cleansing as some
The first time I picked up a bottle of this toner, I was admittedly skeptical. I’m not sure why, because I’ve almost exclusively used Neutrogena soap on my face for decades. On a trip to Arizona, it was devil hot. While I’d normally need an oil control toner, I was washing my face so frequently during the day, I was afraid I was going to dry it out. This toner did the trick for me. The alcohol-free formula left my face feeling super clean, yet slightly hydrated.
It contains mild purifiers to help unclog pores and remove any last traces of dirt and makeup, but it doesn’t leave your skin feeling tight, and it never stings when you apply it. I also like the wallet-friendly pricing on this toner and think you will too. While it’s not my daily choice, it’s so affordable, I keep a bottle in my travel bag, trailer and at my mom’s place in Arizona.
Find more Neutrogena Alcohol-Free Facial Toner information and reviews here.
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15.
THAYERS Alcohol-free Rose Petal Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera
Pros:
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Rose petal water and aloe vera hydrate and soothe skin
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Witch hazel is gentle and non-drying
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Smells heavenly
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Helps to fade dark spots and scars
Cons:
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Can cause irritation and breakouts
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May tingle or burn on application
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Some packaging issues reported
Witch hazel has been around for centuries, proving that you don’t need modern chemicals to tone and smooth your skin. This gentle, natural astringent is non-drying, but it’s especially effective at treating acne-prone complexions without using alcohol. This toner uses the natural power of rose petals to tighten pores, lock moisture in and keep free radicals out.
Packed with skin-brightening vitamin C, it also helps to promote collagen production as well as fading dark spots and scars. Naturally soothing aloe vera helps blemishes heal and keeps your skin hydrated and happy. We love that it comes in a big spray bottle, so you don’t waste a single drop, and the large size makes this one of the best buys on our list. Thayers Cucumber and Aloe Witch Hazel is another great option if you have skin that’s easily irritated.
Find more THAYERS Alcohol-free Rose Petal Witch Hazel information and reviews here.
Will Toners Dry Out My Skin?
Contrary to what you might think, not all toners are astringent. A great hydrating toner can deliver a whole host of skin worthy benefits. Not only do these toners help to create the perfect palette for your favorite serums, moisturizers, and makeup, they can actually stand guard over your skin's moisture barrier, helping to protect it from free radical damage.
While we love the refreshing way they feel, many of them also help to restore your skin's pH balance, making it more receptive to soaking in the hydration they offer.
What Are the Best Hydrating Toners for Older Skin?
We highly recommend toners for dry skin that feature fruit extracts because often those add antioxidant power to help fight free radicals and premature aging.
If you're looking for specific benefits, this article from The Dermatology Review gives you a long list of fruit extract options and makes it easy to see which benefits each offers.
How Do You Use Hydrating Toner?
We find the simplest way to apply toner is right after cleansing as it removes all those last vestiges of dirt, oil, and makeup. That also makes it easy to see if your product is doing what it's supposed to - especially if you see evidence of remaining dirt on your cotton pad.
Definitely keep it away from your eyes, as no matter how gentle the ingredients, no toners are made for that super sensitive area.
If you need more visual instruction, we recommend this video as a good guide for proper use.
See Also:
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