The 16 best toners to soothe, exfoliate and revitalise every skin type

Looking for the best toner to add to your skincare routine? Look no further...

I’ll be honest—despite taking my skincare routine very seriously with a bathroom cabinet brimming with the best cleansers, serums and moisturisers, I’ve never been particularly stringent about using a toner. I experimented rather too rigorously with them in my younger years, when the alcohol-filled formulations that promised to ease my teenage acne simply left my skin stripped and my eyes watering. Thankfully, though, in 2023 the best toner looks a whole lot different to the days of our youth—and a great one really can change your life. In fact, I now have a mini wardrobe of toners at my disposal depending on whether my skin needs soothing, exfoliating or hydrating. Trust me, once you’ve found the right formula for your skin type you’ll wonder how you ever went without it.

We're not the only ones who think so, either. Dr Ewoma Ukeleghe, founder and CEO of SKNDOCTOR, can't get enough of them either. "Toner is a step you definitely shouldn’t be skipping," she says. "They now come in lots of different forms, each with different purposes and results; calming mist toners, exfoliating glycolic acid toners, moisturising toners and ones that deliver AHAs, BHAs, peptides and antioxidants to your skin."

What is facial toner, exactly?

"The primary function of a toner is to balance your skin’s pH after using the best cleanser and provides some mild exfoliation," explains Dr Ukeleghe. It's the step in between your cleanser and moisturiser within your regime. It also removes any final traces of dirt, pollution and make-up that your cleanser might have missed.

It helps to smooth and prep the skin for serum, not to mention give it an enviable glow. Swipe over just-washed skin with a cotton pad and you’ll see your complexion transform.

It's also worth noting that skipping this step could even hamper your skincare effects. You can slather on the best moisturiser for dry skin all you like, but unless you're starting your regime off right, all of this is null and void.

What are the benefits of using toner in your skincare routine?

"Toners are products that don’t get much of a look in during our skincare regimes. But they can be used to clean your skin, remove excess oil and reduce pore size," says consultant dermatologist Dr Anjali Mahto. "They are also good for balancing the skin." The latter is particularly important if you have acne-prone skin.

Due to the alkaline nature of soap and even the very best face washes, the pH balance of our skin can get disturbed. This makes your skin work overtime to find its sweet spot again, which can result in excess oil and breakouts.

Which skin toner should I use?

Toners will not only help to restore your skin’s pH after cleansing – they do so much more. They provide similar benefits to your serum because they are often infused with similar ingredients. Think vitamins, prebiotics, glycolic acid and hyaluronic acid, which can brighten, soothe, exfoliate and hydrate respectively.

PH balancing toners maintain the acid mantle of the skin barrier – the pH level of healthy skin is approximately 5.5. Mattifying toners can help to balance oily skin, tighten pores and minimise shine, and are loaded with anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial ingredients.

Because they’re packed with extra skincare benefits, you need to pick a toner based on your biggest skin concern.

Ingredients to look out for in a toner

• For exfoliation - look for alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs), things like salicylic acid, lactic acid, and glycolic acid. "These acids work to gently exfoliate your skin, accelerate skin cell turnover and reveal a glowing complexion," says Dr Ukeleghe. 'They are particularly helpful at targeting problems like dry patches, dullness and hyperpigmentation.'
• For hydration - keep an eye out for hyaluronic acid. "The ultimate hydrating molecule, it boosts moisture and minimises fine lines," Dr Ukeleghe explains. "Glycerin, snail mucin and allantoin are common substitutes."
• For anti-ageing - Vitamin C is your friend here because it protects skin from ageing free radicals.

Now that you're all clued up on the virtues of incorporating one of the best toners into your skincare regimen, are you ready to shop the best? Scroll through our favourite toners in the handpicked edit below. Your skin will thank you for it...

The best toners for every skin type

1. REN Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic

Face looking dull or congested? Look for an exfoliating toner like this one, which contains alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs). These will lift away dead cells and smooth the surface texture for skin that looks lit from within. Yes, it's potent but it can be used every day if necessary, and really helps create a healthy glow.

2. Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Toner

Dry skin needs hero ingredients like avocado oil, squalene and vitamin E to replenish moisture. All three super hydrators can be found in Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Toner – whose entire line is loved by dry-skinned humans all over the world. It is truly one of the most moisturising formulas we've ever come across

3. Byoma Hydrating Milky Toner

Formulated to support the skin barrier function—a big yes in achieving a healthy complexion—BYOMA's toner is so calming and soothing on the skin that it deserves a place in our list of the very best toners. Enriched with nourishing lipids, redness-reducing cica and polyglutamic acid, it really helps to lock in moisture, ease irritation, and reduce trans epidermal water loss.

4. Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

This product has, quite rightly, achieved cult status in the beauty world. It contains 2% salicylic acid to unclog pores, reduce inflammation and cut down excessive oil production. It can feel a little greasy when it first goes on, but it's worth it for the results as it really does make light work of blackheads and blemishes and improves skin's texture.

5. Ole Henriksen Glow2OH Dark Spot Toner 

When it first launched, this toner sold out in Boots in four days and since then it's been a battle to keep it in stock. Why? Because it promises to reduce the appearance of dark spots after seven days thanks to a serious concentration of acids and liquorice, a natural skin brightener. Plus, it works to really smooth the surface of the skin meaning that fine lines, uneven texture and pigmentation all appear minimised. 

6. Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner 

Soothing and hydrating, this toner provides an instant hit of moisture right at the start of your skincare regime. Plus it comes in a very convenient spray bottle. Put it in the fridge in the summer months for an extra cooling hit of hydration. It's recommended by Dr Ukeleghe too, for the way it "purifies, balances, and refreshes your skin, and contains no alcohol".

10. Biossance Squalane and BHA Pore Minimising Toner 

Combination and spot-prone skin will really benefit from this balancing toner which is a clever mix of pore-cleansing willow bark extract (a natural BHA) and hydrating squalane. You get the best of both anti-ageing and pore-purging worlds with skin left deeply decongested and soothed. 

8. Caudalie Vinopure Purifying Toner 

This toner harnesses the power of a natural form of salicylic acid to clear up any pesky breakouts. Used twice daily, it also contains soothing rosewater, rosemary and grape polyphenols to help mattify and reduce visible pore size. Plus, we have it on good authority that this toner cleared up our fashion editor's blemishes during an adult acne flare-up—high praise indeed.

9. Pixi Glow Tonic

Never has a beauty product been quite so aptly named. Packed with AHAs that dissolve and buff away dead cells on the skin's surface, one swipe reveals fresh, juicy and glowing skin underneath. It is without a doubt one of the most popular toners in existence and the 5% concentration of glycolic acid makes this exfoliating toner the ultimate glow booster.

10. Fenty Skin Pore Refining Toner Serum

The Fenty Skin toner is Rihanna's favourite step in her skincare routine, therefore it might be yours, too. The product combines the benefits of a toner and a serum, meaning you skin won't be left feeling dry or tight. The best bit is that you don't even need a cotton pad to use it, simply pour it in your hands to apply to the skin. 

14. Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Toner

Brimming with real rose petals, this soothing toner is a real treat for older skin that might have lost some of its natural hydration and elasticity. The delightful combination of rosewater, rose oil and rose powder doesn’t mean that this product smells amazing, but it really helps to soothe and nourish dry skin—leaving it silky-soft and cared for. 

12. La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Solution

Glycolic and salicylic acid work together here, which means this medicated formula gets right down into the pores to break apart dirt, bacteria and dead skin. The entire Effaclar range is praised by people with acne-prone skin for its ability to calm and clear a congested complexion and prevent spots from reappearing. Plus, while it makes light work of blemishes, it also really helps to reduce the pigmentation caused by old spots too.

13. Shiseido Treatment Softener Lotion

In Japan, toners are referred to as ‘softeners’. The idea being that they soften skin in preparation for your serums, which it then drinks up more readily. This one is packed with hyaluronic acid for all-day hydration and mineral-rich spring water. We really rate its non-sticky texture and its ability to leave your skin feeling baby soft.

14. Sarah Chapman Skinesis Liquid Facial Resurfacer

Inspired by her in-clinic peels, face-friendly acids (phytic, lactic and multi-fruit) dissolve surface residue. But what makes this resurfacing toner so satisfying is that it replenishes skin with hydrating hyaluronic acid and vitamin E as well as exfoliating so you can dial up radiance without irritation. For facial-like results you can't beat it.

15. Bubble Skincare Break Even Balancing Toner

From period spots to menopause, there are lots of reasons that our skin might break out and this balancing toner from Bubble Skincare will help to combat that. Enriched with niacinamide, willow bark extract green tea extract and sea water it reduces redness, deeply cleanses pores and helps to balance oil levels so skin will be left more soft, smooth and even. 

16. Laneige Cream Skin Cerapeptide Toner & Moisturizer

Delivering much of the heavy-hitting hydration that you'd normally reserve for your moisturiser, this two-in-one product is brimming with ceramides and peptides to really restore and protect your skin barrier. It has a rich, milky texture that dehydrated skin will drink up and be left feeling firmer, more plump and healthier.