Face toner is an often misunderstood skin care ingredient. Is it a cleanser? Is it a moisturizer? It’s only for people with acne, right?

Wrong. Long-gone are the days when the best face toner was a harshly astringent blend of alcohol and artificial fragrances. Those original face toners stripped pores, dried out skin, and made you gasp at the sting when you applied it with a soaked cotton ball.

Today’s toners can fight acne, but without harsh, pore-stripping alcohol. Most of the best face toners of today are alcohol-free and instead of over-stripping with harsh chemicals, they gently cleanse pores of dirt, skin-cell debris, excess oils, and make-up, and then prep your skin to be more receptive to absorbing the benefits of your moisturizer. Toners are no longer only for acne-prone skin. Face toner has anti-aging benefits for maturing skin, and is gentle enough for sensitive skin.

The best skin toner choices today contain, not only pore-cleansing ingredients like witch hazel, but also skin brightening, clarifying, and hydrating botanical ingredients and plant-based antioxidants to fight skin aging.

Face toner is formulated to be used after cleansing and before moisturizing, and just might be the important step in your skincare regimen that you’ve been missing. Take a look at our recommendations for the best toners for the face, and see how it makes the perfect clean slate for your makeup routine.

Olivia Care Organic Rose Water Toner Spray is the best face toner choice for those who prefer simplicity and minimal ingredients in their skincare routine. This toner has only two ingredients, but both have unbeatable skin-nourishing and moisturizing properties. Olivia Care Rose Water Toner is a beautiful spray-mist toner comprised of only 100 percent organic and natural rose water from fragrant, distilled Damask rose petals, and natural, cold-pressed olive oil.

Rose water smells light and refreshing, but it packs a powerful punch of antioxidants to fight age-inducing free radical cells caused by sun exposure and other environmental factors. Rose water is naturally astringent, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory to gently correct skin discoloration, combat aging, and correct dark circles. It is also antibacterial, so Olivia Care Rose Water Toner is one of the best face toners for those with oily and acne-prone skin, yet gentle enough for dry and sensitive skin as well.

Olivia Care Rose Water Toner also contains skin-barrier protecting, natural cold-pressed olive oil to help seal in moisture and beneficial botanical properties from the natural rose petals. The astringent quality of rose water makes this one of the best face toner choices for leaving your skin prepared to better absorb the hydration and key ingredients from your moisturizer and eye cream.

Olivia Care Rose Water Toner also leaves you with the light, pleasant scent of roses. The fragrance is completely natural and derived from distilling Damask rose petals grown on rose plantations in the Himalaya Mountains. Rose water leaves a dewy glow, and naturally brightens skin, making it a skincare choice used for centuries. This rose water can be used on the face alone, or misted over the entire body.

Key Features
  • Rose water and cold-pressed olive oil only
  • Hypo-allergenic
  • Naturally antiseptic and anti-bacterial
  • Minimal-ingredient formula
Specifications
  • Product Dimensions: 5.4 X 1.8 X 1.8 in
  • Product Weight: 4 fl oz
  • Primary Ingredients: Rose-water and olive oil
  • Brand: Olivia Care
Pros
  • Skin-Nourishing Rose-water
  • Cold-pressed olive oil formula
  • Soothes and cools sensitive skin
  • Naturally astringent
  • Uses no colorant
  • Cruelty-free and paraben-free
  • Natural anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial
  • Light and naturally scented by rose petals
  • Alcohol-free
  • Two-ingredient formula
Cons
  • If you are looking for multiple benefits, this may not be for you

If you are looking for an effective face toner with the perfect balance of science-based components and plant-based ingredients to deliver effective skin care for your face, No BS Salicylic acid Face Toner with lavender, tea tree oil and witch hazel may be the best face toner for you. No BS gives you the best of what both science and nature has to offer without any of the harmful or harsh chemicals that you might worry about in a science-based toner, or any of the “feel good,” but ineffective botanical ingredients found in some all-natural face toners.

No BS Toner has salicylic acid, one of the best-known ingredients for fighting and preventing acne breakouts. It also has deep pore-cleansing and -minimizing witch hazel to give your skin a cleansing boost by removing built-up oils, skin cell debris, dirt and makeup from deep within your pores.

No BS Face Toner not only fights acne and improves redness from acne scars, it is dermatologist-approved and recommended by skincare experts for acne-prone skin. It contains tea-tree oil for fighting impurities on the skin’s surface, including killing acne-causing bacteria. The boost of green tea nourishes the skin by using natural antioxidants to fight skin-aging free radical cells.

No BS Face Toner also soothes irritated skin with hydrating and soothing cucumber—a natural skin toner which both tightens and hydrates. It contains lavender oil, a potent anti-inflammatory botanical that evens out skin tone and reduces redness, and licorice root extract which is both anti-inflammatory and contains a powerful punch of antioxidants.

If you are looking for a toner that offers multiple benefits in one bottle, No BS Toner may be the best face toner choice for you.

Key Features
  • Deep-cleansing salicylic acid to fight breakouts
  • Contains cucumber, witch hazel, lavender, and green tea formula
  • Pore minimizing
  • Blend of natural ingredients and scientific formulas
Specifications
  • Product Dimensions: Unavailable
  • Product Weight: 4 fl oz
  • Primary Ingredients: Salicylic acid, witch hazel, lavender, green tea, licorice root, and cucumber
Pros
  • Contains acne-fighting salicylic acid
  • Witch hazel for deep pore cleansing
  • No parabens, sulfates, phthalates or artificial fragrance
  • Skin-soothing lavender
  • Contains free-radical fighting green tea
Cons
  • Slightly unpleasant scent
  • Spray nozzle is difficult to target face without over-spray getting into eyes

Thayers Alcohol-free Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner with Aloe Vera is one of the best face toner choices for those who appreciate simplicity and minimal-ingredient formulas. Thayers uses the centuries old, and long-favored skincare product—rose water—in this skin-nourishing toner. Rose petals contain powerhouse antioxidants to fight skin-aging free radicals, and contain natural sugars and beneficial oils to rehydrate skin and leave a glowing, dewy complexion—something distilled rose petals have been used for since ancient times.

Thayers Alcohol-free Rose Petal Toner also combines the naturally astringent qualities of rose petals with witch hazel, a plant which contains beneficial tannins for clearing skin, removing excess oils, and leaving a glowing, even complexion. Tannins help to reduce inflammation and irritation, and inflammation within skin cells contributes to skin’s aging. The beneficial tannins in Thayers Toner makes it one of the best face toner options for restoring the pH balance of your skin.

Thayers Toner is alcohol-free, and though the pore-clearing properties of witch hazel makes this one of your best face toner choices for oily or acne-prone skin, it is gentle enough for all skin types. The anti-oxidant and high vitamin C content of rose petal water, and moisture-barrier protecting qualities of aloe vera, make this one of the best face toners for mature skin to fight discoloration such as dark, under-eye shadows and sun damage.

Thayers Alcohol-free Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner helps to prepare your skin to better absorb the moisture and skin-nourishing ingredients of your moisturizer or serum.

Key Features
  • Contains antioxidant-rich rose-petal water
  • Witch hazel formula
  • Alcohol-free
  • Contains un-distilled witch hazel
  • Organic aloe vera formula
Specifications
  • Product Dimensions: 2.4 X 2.5 X 6.2 in
  • Product Weight: 12 oz
  • Primary Ingredients: Witch hazel, rose-petal water, aloe vera
Pros
  • Contains anti-oxidant rich rose petal water
  • Soothing aloe vera
  • Contains pore-cleansing witch hazel extract
  • Simple, minimal ingredient formula
  • Natural rose scent
  • Contains natural plant tannins for anti-inflammatory properties
  • Thayers is a long-trusted name in skin care
Cons
  • Bottle top needs improvement as it seems to easily crack and chip.

One of the best face toner products for hydration and a skin-refreshing boost of green tea matcha (blended, powdered tea leaves) and peppermint, Green Tea Matcha Balancing Toner is 90 percent organic, and made with pure green tea for beneficial antioxidants to fight skin-aging free radical cells that form as a result of sun exposure and environmental elements. It also contains skin-bracing and pore cleansing peppermint extract to prep your skin in order to ready it for ultimate absorption so you can get the most benefit from your moisturizers and serum or eye cream.

When lightly misted on the face, this toner instantly refreshes with the cooling and soothing blend of peppermint and cucumber. It also provides a natural, light, fresh fragrance.

While the peppermint helps to minimize the appearance of pores, and the green tea provides a powerful punch of antioxidants, Once Upon a Tea Green Tea Toner is also one of the best face toner choices for a boost of hydration. This refreshing toner contains a moisturizing blend of cucumber and aloe vera. It is gentle and safe enough for use even around the eyes, and formulated to clear impurities from pores without over-stripping. It is alcohol-free and oil-free, and perfectly pH balanced to correct uneven skin tone, hydrate, and refresh.

Once Upon a Tea Green Tea Matcha Balancing Toner is safe and effective for all skin types, including sensitive skin.

For the best face toner to tone, soothe, refresh, moisturize and balance, as well as providing the power of green tea antioxidants, Once Upon a Tea Green Tea Matcha Balancing Toner is an ideal choice.

Key Features
  • Emollient-rich ingredients
  • Green tea extract formula
  • Contains hydrating aloe vera and cucumber
  • Contains antiseptic and skin refreshing peppermint
  • Contains cucumber and aloe vera
Specifications
  • Product Dimensions: Unavailable
  • Product Weight: 3.4 oz
  • Primary Ingredients: Green tea matcha, peppermint, aloe, cucumber
Pros
  • Not over-stripping for pores
  • Contains hydrating cucumber and aloe vera
  • Promotes pH balance
  • Pore-cleansing peppermint formula
  • Contains green tea matcha antioxidants
  • Formulated to be gentle and not over-stripping
  • Contains moisturizing aloe vera and cucumber
  • 100 percent satisfaction guarantee by Once Upon a Tea Co.
Cons
  • Sold in small bottles

InstaNatural Vitamin C Facial Toner is a refreshing toner spray formulated with tingling witch hazel for minimizing the appearance of pores, and MSM (MethylSulfonylMethane) a natural form of organic sulphur which improves skin discoloration and uneven skin tone, making it one of the best face toner choices to improve dark under-eye circles and hyperpigmentation, or sun spots.

InstaNatural Face Toner clears, cleans, and freshens the face, helping to prep your skin for best absorption of your other products, such as beneficial serums and moisturizers. This soothing formula contains pore-clearing witch hazel, making it one of the best face toners for oily skin, though it’s gentle enough for all skin types, including sensitive skin.

Anti-aging ingredients such as antioxidant rich vitamin C and E are included, to help restore pH balance and fight skin-aging free radicals, making InstaNatural Face Toner also one of the best face toner choices for age-fighting benefits. Vitamin C also helps to restore essential collagen for skin elasticity.

InstaNatural Face Toner is infused with skin-nourishing botanicals such as lavender and geranium oils to defend the critical skin barrier.

The InstaNatural company is located in Orlando, Florida and works with a “clean beauty” ideal in which no animals are harmed. They also promise a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee for all of their products including InstaNatural Face Toner. This is one of the best face toner choices for those who wish to support made in the USA products, and a company that researches the safety and effectiveness of ingredients they source from all over the world.

Key Features
  • Clears, preps and cleans skin
  • Contains MSM, Vitamin C and E
  • Contains lavender and geranium oils
  • Relieves oily skin
  • Restores pH balance
  • Witch Hazel and vitamin C formula
Specifications
  • Product Dimensions: 3 X 1 X 6 in
  • Product Weight: 4 fl oz
  • Primary Ingredients: Witch Hazel, MSM, Lavender oil, geranium oil, vitamin C, vitamin E, glycolic acid, aloe vera
Pros
  • Anti-aging antioxidants such as vitamin C and E
  • Supports skin barrier
  • Primes skin to receive serums and moisturizers
  • Includes plant-based oils: geranium and lavender
  • Contains skin soothing witch hazel
  • Free of parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, formaldehyde and synthetic dyes
  • Animal-cruelty free
Cons
  • Fragrance may be too strong for those sensitive to scents
  • Improvement needed in the spray nozzle, which squirts more than mists

Tone Orange Blossom Water Face Toner by Foxbrim is 100 percent natural and organic. It is a simple, single-ingredient face toner made from the distilled flowers of Moroccan orange blossoms from the bitter orange tree. It has natural astringent qualities, leaving this toner to be alcohol-free, yet pore cleansing and minimizing. It removes excess oil, dirt, and makeup without over-stripping. It’s gentle and safe enough for all skin types, making it the best face toner choice for those who appreciate single-ingredient formulas for sensitive skin.

Tone Orange Blossom Water Face Toner stimulates skin cell regeneration with the power of citrus fruit antioxidants. Antioxidants fight skin-aging free radical cells to help reverse signs of skin damage from UV rays and other environmental factors. The healthy and skin-nourishing boost of powerful antioxidants makes Tone Orange Blossom Water Toner the best face toner for mature skin with fine lines and UV ray damage.

The natural antimicrobial properties of orange blossom water soothes the skin as it clears the complexion. It restores essential pH balance while promoting smoothness and skin vitality.

Tone Orange Blossom Water fits into your skincare regimen perfectly. Spray on a thin mist after cleansing and before finishing up with a moisturizer. Tone Orange Blossom Face Toner preps the skin and helps your pores to better absorb the benefits of your favorite moisturizer.

The Foxbrim company uses only natural products that are sustainably sourced, organic, vegan-friendly and cruelty-free.

Key Features
  • Made with only Moroccan orange blossom floral water-single ingredient formula
  • pH balancing formula
  • Naturally astringent
  • Alcohol-free
  • Contains powerful antioxidants
Specifications
  • Product Dimensions: 2 X 5 X 2 in
  • Product Weight: 4 fl oz
  • Primary Ingredients: Distilled orange blossom water
Pros
  • 100 percent natural floral water distilled from bitter orange tree flowers
  • Natural astringent properties
  • Naturally anti-microbial
  • Stimulates cell regeneration
  • Restores pH balance
  • Alcohol-free
Cons
  • Some might find the scent unpleasant

Touch 7 percent Glycolic Acid Toner with Rose Water, Witch Hazel, and Aloe Vera Gel is one of the best face toner choices on today’s market for those who want intense multiple effects. Touch Glycolic Acid Toner reduces wrinkles, corrects dullness, minimizes pores, and effectively reduces acne breakouts.

Touch Toner is alcohol free. The skin-refreshing, pore-cleansing boost comes from witch hazel, which helps to make your skin more receptive to absorbing your moisturizing products. Aloe vera gel is included to keep skin soft, smooth and hydrated. Aloe helps the skin to promote a healthy skin barrier to keep moisture in, and impurities out.

Touch Toner also contains skin-nourishing rose water, a centuries old skincare favorite with natural astringent properties and a powerful punch of antioxidants, making Touch Toner one of the best face toner choices for fighting skin-aging free radical cells and correcting sun damage and fine lines.

Touch Toner helps to control oily and acne-prone skin without over-stripping or drying. Instead, it cleans and refreshes pores, adds a boost of skin-correcting antioxidants to reduce the signs of aging and soothe inflammation and redness, and then an aloe vera gel moisturizer to help lock in hydration.

Touch Toner is great for oily skin, but works well on all skin types by correcting pH balance and promoting exfoliation of dead skin cells.

The Touch company takes pride in presenting a product that doesn’t contain only “feel good” ingredients but includes ingredients that are highly effective and deliver results, making this the best face toner for those who demand clear and visible results.

Key Features
  • Formulated with glycolic acid, witch hazel, rose water and aloe vera
  • Sebum-control
  • Non-drying
  • Promotes skin absorption
  • Inflammation reducing
  • Antioxidant properties
  • Contains alpha-hydroxy acid
Specifications
  • Product Dimensions: Unavailable
  • Product Weight: 6 fl oz
  • Primary Ingredients: Glycolic acid, rose water, witch hazel, aloe vera
Pros
  • Pore refining
  • Alcohol-free
  • Hydrates and moisturizes
  • Reduces redness and inflammation
  • No parabens, artificial fragrance or dyes
  • Wrinkle-correcting alpha hydroxy acid formula
Cons
  • Slightly sticky formula
  • May be a little strong for sensitive skin/ Use no more than once per day

Misumi Purifying Toner for Face and Skin is one of the best face toner choices for those looking for one toner that is formulated to work well for both men and women. This toner contains pore-clearing and minimizing witch hazel, as well as lavender, lemon peel, sage and hops, all of which have natural benefits for oily and acne-prone skin as well as anti-aging benefits.

Misumi Purifying Toner is a light-misting spray that is formulated for fast absorption so this crucial step only adds a moment to your skincare regimen, and results in noticeable improvements in skin’s texture and firmness.

This is the best face toner for purifying the skin and cleaning pores of oil build-up, including blackheads, and for clearing pores of dirt, dead skin cells, and debris that causes acne.

The lemon peel brightens and tightens your skin, shrinking pores and adding firmness. Lemon peel is packed with age-damage fighting antioxidants to fight free radicals from skin’s exposure to UV rays and environmental impurities. It’s also purifying and clarifying, to leave your skin with a dewy glow.

Misumi Purifying Face Toner is also the best face toner for reducing redness. Lavender oil has powerful anti-inflammatory properties that heal redness and irritation to promote a more even skin tone.

Sage essential oil helps with skin cell regeneration and turnover, and hops gives your skin a boost in collagen production, the critical component of skin’s elasticity.

If you are looking for a plentitude of skin-nourishing ingredients in one quick-mist product, Misumi Face Toner may be the best face toner for you.

Key Features
  • Purifying toner
  • Witch hazel, lavender, thyme and lemon peel formula
  • For oily and acne-prone skin
  • Safe for all skin types, including sensitive skin
  • Anti-aging and firming
  • Quick absorption
  • For men and women
  • Superior pore minimizing
Specifications
  • Product Dimensions: Unavailable
  • Product Weight: 4 fl oz
  • Primary Ingredients: Witch hazel, lavender, sage, lemon peel, hops
Pros
  • Face-firming and anti-aging
  • Anti-inflammatory ingredients
  • Formulated to work for both men and women
  • Unclogs pores and minimizes pore appearance
  • Oil and breakout reducing
Cons
  • Scent may be too strong for those who are scent-sensitive

Brickell’s Men’s Balancing Toner is natural and organic. This alcohol and oil-free witch hazel formula unclogs pores and reduces surface skin oils, to give a less shiny appearance and minimize pores. The natural astringent properties of witch hazel make Brickell Men’s Toner the best face toner for men with oily to normal skin, or skin prone to acne breakouts. Witch hazel also reduces redness and inflammation from shaving.

Brickell Men’s Toner brightens and refreshes men’s skin while the infusion of peppermint soothes, cools, and provides a skin-clearing antiseptic property. Aloe vera lightly moisturizes and hydrates the skin, promoting a healthy skin barrier to keep moisture in and environmental impurities out.

Brickell Men’s toner also contains a cooling cucumber distillation to heal skin irritation while the aloe hydrates. Toner primes the skin and makes it more receptive to moisturizers, so for best results, use after cleaning and before applying a moisturizer.

Brickell is a trusted name in men’s skincare products and uses only organic ingredients without sulfates, parabens, phthalates or petrochemicals. Brickell’s Men’s toner is one of the best face toner products for men for its soothing and healing properties and a light, refreshing fragrance that comes only from the cucumber and peppermint and never from artificial fragrances.

Brickell Men’s Toner is vegan, gluten free and cruelty-free. It's made for men, but gentle enough to be used as a toner for women with oily skin as well. In fact, ladies, men’s products seem to include twice the fluid ounces of similar products for women, and often at less cost!

Key Features
  • Antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and superior healing formula
  • Natural and organic
  • Alcohol and oil free
  • Toner for men
  • Unclogs pores, removes excess oil
  • Clears impurities
Specifications
  • Product Dimensions: 7.5 X 2 X 1.5 in
  • Product Weight: 8 fl oz
  • Primary Ingredients: Witch hazel, peppermint, aloe vera glycerin chinaberry extract and cucumber
Pros
  • Reduces shine
  • Powerful natural and organic ingredients
  • Reduces acne breakouts
  • Minimizes the appearance of pores
  • Witch hazel, cucumber and peppermint formula
  • Formulated for men and safe for women
  • No parabens, petrochemicals, synthetic fragrance or artificial colorants
  • Light natural cucumber fragrance
Cons
  • Improvement needed on spray nozzle

If you are looking for the best face toner with a plentitude of both botanical and scientific skin benefits, Tree to Tub Ginseng and Green Tea Toner with Hyaluronic Acid may be the one for you. Tree to Tub Toner is formulated to be safe and gentle enough for sensitive skin, but it packs a powerful punch of ingredients to hydrate and nourish your skin.

Tree to Tub Toner is made with hyaluronic acid, which has long been known as a super-humectant to aid skin in attracting water from the air itself and locking it into skin cells for deep hydration. It also mists your skin with balancing and healing vitamins B5, C, and E.

Tree to Tub Toner has a pH of 5.5, making it ideal for balancing skin while moisturizing with aloe vera and glycerin. These help to promote the essential skin barrier to lock in both hydration and the cell-nourishing antioxidants provided by Tree to Tub’s botanicals.

This is the best face toner for those who appreciate Eastern medicinal benefits. Tree to Tub Toner contains ginseng and green tea to nourish and soothe sensitive skin. It also gives your skin a boost of plant-based antioxidants to fight skin-aging free radicals cells. Tree to Tub Toner contains super antioxidant-rich grapefruit seed extract and organic rose water, along with soothing chamomile and moisturizing cucumber.

Tree to Tub Toner is the best face toner to give your skin all of the best toner benefits while also calming and soothing sensitive skin.

Along with the multitude of skin benefits, Tree to tub leaves your skin with a light natural scent that comes from the botanicals themselves, with no artificial fragrance.

Key Features
  • Hydrating Face Toner with Hyluronic Acid
  • Contains skin-nourishing vitamins B5, C, and E
  • Ginseng infused to boost circulation and brighten
  • Plant-based antioxidant formula
Specifications
  • Product Dimensions: 2 X 2 X 5 in.
  • Product Weight: 4 fl. oz
  • Primary Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, ginseng, green tea, witch hazel, grapefruit seed extract, aloe vera chamomile, and rose water
Pros
  • Balances skin naturally
  • Anti-aging eastern botanical blend
  • Hypoallergenic and gentle
  • Dermatologist recommended
  • Free from parabens, sulfates, and silicone
  • Perfect pH of 5.5
Cons
  • Painful with eye contact

A glance at the ingredient lists of today’s best face toner choices may surprise you. Gone are the harsh, drying chemical toners of yesterday. Today’s toners are the results of decades of improvements in skincare science combined with a new awareness and appreciation of the amazing skin-beneficial properties offered to us by nature.

Ingredients in Today’s Best Face Toners

Face toners now offer a wide array of botanical properties such as skin-nourishing green tea, chamomile for soothing, lavender for anti-inflammatory benefits, and centuries-old, skin-loving favorite—rose water, made from distilled rose petals with amazing benefits such as natural astringent qualities and a powerful punch of antioxidants.

Today’s toners offer deep pore cleansing as effective as the best face mask, with natural witch hazel, and super moisturizing benefits from the most hydrating plants that nature has to offer, such as aloe vera and cucumber.

You can choose from highly science-based toners with hyaluronic acid, salicylic acid and retinol, for powerful benefits, or reach for one of a wide variety of botanicals, either blended for an ideal skin-nourishing cocktail, or simple, minimal-ingredient plant-based toners. One of the best face toner options is a rose water and cold-pressed olive oil blend that tones and hydrates with two of nature’s most time-honored and skin-nourishing ingredients.

Your skin will thank you.

Resources— Today.com, Byrdie.com

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