The Best Face Toners Will Leave Your Skin Hydrated And Happy

Set the right ~tone~ for your beauty routine.

When it comes to the world of skincare, you’ve got your must-haves and your nice-to-haves. Face wash? Essential. Moisturizer? Of course. Serum? You betcha. Toner, though? Optional, some say, or “extra credit” at best.

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But skip out on toner and you’re missing out on one of the best defenses against dull skin, pesky pores, and breakouts. To help give your skin the hydrating, clarifying care it deserves, we soaked up some cotton pads, swabbed our faces, and found the best facial toners money can buy.

Editor's Note: We're currently updating these picks! Check back soon for more.

Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner

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We put several toners to the test — all easy on the face and the wallet — and Mario Badescu’s Glycolic Acid Toner quickly broke away from the pack. Yes, this bottle is at the higher end of our $ price range, but we say it’s worth the price. Even with a field that included budget favorites like Thayers’ Witch Hazel Toner, Mario Badescu eked out the win by giving our testers better results and a more refreshed feeling.

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But before we go any further, allow us to clear the air. If you hold some not-so-fond memories of toners that lit your face on fire, like we do, rest easy knowing those days are over. Back, oh, as early as 10 years ago, toners contained an absurd amount of alcohol that left skin dry, irritated, and hot AF (and not in a good way). Most toners today are made with gentler ingredients and without alcohol, and focus on prepping the skin for moisture rather than stripping it of natural oils.

So the best way to think of toner is not as the painful stuff of teenage acne but as a primer for the grownup’s skincare routine. And we mean that literally. Not only does toner cleanse skin and refine pores, it also preps the skin to absorb other products, like serum and moisturizer. And, as you’ll see more notably with our $$ and $$ picks, toners are often packed with all sorts of extra skincare benefits, like natural hydrating and soothing ingredients.

Compared to one runner-up in this price category, Mario Badescu left our skin feeling consistently smoother, resulting in more testers reaching for it. In terms of application, a simple spout flips up at the top, making for a seamless transfer from plastic bottle to cotton pad. Nothing particularly fancy, but effective. After a simple swipe of the scentless blue fluid across the face and neck, our testers felt a significant difference throughout day, and, when applied at night, an even better feeling the morning after.

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That’s all thanks to a primo ingredient list. With 2% glycolic acid — a highly effective and gentle exfoliator that absorbs quickly — the toner helps to reduce buildup and slough off dead cells, leaving skin clear and radiant. It also includes grapefruit extract to fight free radicals and aloe to soothe and protect.

We’ll admit that “glycolic acid” may sound like something you’d never want near your face, but trust. It definitely won’t sting (tingle, maybe), and it’s a well-known anti-ager that accelerates the skin-cell renewing process. Even our designated acne-prone tester gave the toner two thumbs up, saying their face looked “tighter, smoother, and brighter, with significantly fewer breakouts.” And they’re not alone! Many online reviews called this product a miracle salve for acne woes. Other testers echoed the sentiment, remarking on their improved skin tone and moisture.

One last caveat: there are toners on the market to address any skin concerns you could have. And while the Glycolic Acid Toner worked wonders for all of our testers, other formulas might work better for you. Luckily, Mario Badescu offers a full lineup of toners, from its good-for-all-skin-types Witch Hazel and Rosewater Toner to sensitive-skin favorite Aloe Vera Toner. Whatever you choose, Mario Badescu definitely has you (and your face) covered.

Get it from Amazon for $18.

Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Facial Toner

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Show of hands: Who here wouldn’t mind getting a delivery of fresh flowers every day? Because that’s what it feels like waking up to Fresh’s Rose Deep Hydration Facial Toner. The formula consists of not one but FOUR rose derivatives. And what can we say? We’re suckers for the whole rose petals wistfully floating in the bottle. You’ve gotta admit, it’s a showstopper.

If you, however, are a certifiable monster who doesn’t enjoy the most classic of flowers, this toner may not not be for you.

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Now, don’t confuse the rose theme with a gimmick. Rose botanicals have the goods to back it up. In fact, one of the first documented uses of roses as “self-care” was centuries ago, when Romans dropped petals in their water and wine to channel the OG Queen, the goddess Venus. Today, rose is touted for its antiinflammatory, antioxidant, and antiseptic properties, which is why you’ll see it in everything from lotion to facial spray to — you guessed it — toner.

So what are we working with?

First off, the Rose Deep Hydration Facial Toner is alcohol-free. There’s rose fruit extract (to tone!), rosewater (to soothe!), rose flower oil (to nourish!), and, of course, those whole rose petals (to make you smell amazing!). Angelica leaf extract and hyaluronic acid also help to hydrate the skin. Basically what you have is a face toner that’s working gently from all angles to soothe, hydrate, and prep.

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One of our testers’ favorite things about this toner is it makes us feel instantly refreshed, and it doesn’t take much. Perhaps it’s the rose-petal effect, but a few dabs into a cotton pad (or your fingers) and a gentle swipe over the face made our skin feel dewy and plump. And did we mention we love the scent? It’s a subtle floral scent — nothing overbearing — and blends naturally with just about any fragrance.

After just a few days of use, we felt a noticeable difference — so much so that one of our testers didn’t waste any time treating herself to a bottle! Fresh made converts out of us — and because of the mild, natural ingredients, it works well for all skin types.

So if you’ve got a little more to spend and you’re looking for a toner you’ll actually look forward to using, you can’t go wrong with the Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Facial Toner.

Get it from Sephora for $45.

Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence

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We searched high and low to find the best splurge-worthy toners and then tested a group of all-stars to find the holy grail. Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence is it, people. This magic potion was everything we needed it to be: cleansing, hydrating, brightening, and beautiful to boot.

First things first: You’ll notice that Shiseido calls this thing an essence, not a toner. The instructions indicate that it’s meant to be used on a clean face to add hydration and soften the skin. Isn’t that precisely what a toner is supposed to do? Indeed it is, but the toner-versus essence-debate is really a distinction between Western and Asian skincare.

See, Asian skincare — particularly Korean beauty (K-beauty) and Japanese beauty (J-beauty) — plugged purifying, nonalcoholic toners long before the West got hip to them. They just so happen to call them essence. If you’re familiar with the 10-step Korean skincare regimen, then you know essence is a crucial step in balancing the skin’s pH levels. Western beauty brands took note, and what we now know as toners boast nearly the same benefits as essence.

Now that that’s settled…

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Within the highest price bracket, this essence was an obvious winner among our testers. Everyone noted a slight change in pore size as well as overall skin tone. The product worked effectively to prime skin to receive moisture and then locked in that moisture for an extended period. It’s not surprising that Shiseido has perfected the art of essence, considering it’s been at it for more than a century. The Eudermine Revitalizing Toner is one of the oldest products in the Shiseido Rolodex, introduced in 1897.

It should be noted that, at this price range, the standard size (4.2 oz.) is half the size of our $ and $$ picks. So you’re actually paying more for less — which, yes, sounds silly. But this stuff is pretty powerful in its abilities to help retain moisture (we see you, hyaluronic acid!) and remove dead skin cells. It also manages to feel super-lightweight and didn’t leave any of our testers’ skin feeling caked on.

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An added benefit of using a toner is its makeup-removing capabilities. We noticed in our testing that Shiseido was especially effective at getting off every last smudge of our face paint and then some. Yes, we’re aware that toners are best applied to a clean face, but hey, sometimes a cleanse isn’t enough.

And who can forget the gorgeous packaging? There’s something about this bottle that says “you’ve got your sh*t together.” The sleek design is the perfect addition to any bathroom and even better for your bedside table.

For a toner that’ll make you feel gorgeous just opening the bottle each morning and night (and isn’t that what we’re all looking for in our skincare, anyway?), Shisheido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence is a no-brainer.

Get it from Sephora for $60.