The 12 Best Toners for Smooth, Hydrated, and Clear Skin, Tested & Derm-Approved

Best Overall

The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner

$14 at Theordinary.com

Key Ingredients: Saccharomyces ferment, squalane | Benefits: Gentle, hydrating | Size: 3.38 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Our top toner checks so many boxes and rings up at an affordable price point at that. Its star ingredient is saccharomyces ferment, a yeast-based ferment that helps exfoliate the skin, boosting radiance in the process. If you’re thinking, “but exfoliating toners can be harsh,” rest assured, our sensitive-skinned tester was impressed with how gentle this one is. The milky formula took a minute to absorb, but it played well with other skincare and makeup products, and left her skin noticeably hydrated and dewy. While it wasn’t especially impactful at evening out skin tone, it did help rebalance her combination skin, effortlessly softening and hydrating the dry patches (shoutout to squalane, an ingredient that excels at long-lasting moisture and barrier support).

Amanda, tester with combination/sensitive skin: “It didn't cause any irritation, redness, or burning (like other toners I've tried in the past have). I also love that it gives my skin a glowy finish that makeup sits well on!”

Best Drugstore

CeraVe Hydrating Toner

$12

$11 at Amazon $12 at Ulta $11 at Target

Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, ceramides | Benefits: Balancing, cleansing, calming | Size: 6.8 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly way to add toner to your skincare routine, try this hydrating option from CeraVe. It’s packed with skin-nourishing ingredients, including niacinamide, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid, to help rebalance your skin’s pH, leaving it soft and hydrated instead of tight and stripped. The formula does a great job of removing any gunk or debris your cleanser left behind, facilitating an even deeper clean.

Shannon Stubbs, associate editor with dry skin (not shown): "This toner adds intense hydration, but it has a thin texture and feels super light on the skin. It absorbs immediately and leaves my skin noticeably softer for a complexion that looks glowy and juicy."

Best for Acne-Prone Skin

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Toner

$19 at Amazon $19 at Target $19 at Laroche-posay.us

Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid, glycolic acid, thermal spring water | Benefits: Exfoliating, smoothing, pore refining | Size: 6.76 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Those with acne-prone skin might find that toner is a game changer for their routine. It can help remove makeup residue and sebum buildup that may be missed during cleansing, and, in the case of this formula, which contains salicylic acid and glycolic acid, it can also help exfoliate dead skin cells and keep pores clear.  

Our tester says this toner is extremely gentle and virtually undetectable, causing no irritation, tightness, or sticky residue. She used it twice a day, taking care to apply SPF in the morning, as AHAs can make skin more sensitive to UV damage. With consistent use, her skin was noticeably brighter, and her hormonal acne remained in check. 

Kelsey, tester with combination skin: “I noticed brightening of my skin after repeated use. I have mild hormonal acne and noticed my breakouts were more controlled during use of this toner."

Best Korean

LANEIGE Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer

$16 at Amazon $30 at Sephora $16 at Kohls.com

Key Ingredients: White leaf tea water | Benefits: Strengthens moisture barrier, soothes | Size: 5 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

If your skin needs extra moisture, consider this milky formula from Laneige. As the name suggests, the K-beauty product has a creamy, lightweight moisturizer-like consistency that hydrates on contact with the skin. “Smooth,” “airy,” and “super gentle” are three words that came to mind when our tester tried this toner, and she felt the product's moisturizing effects right away. Her skin was much more hydrated after use and had a radiant, glowing finish. Plus, the white leaf tea water (aka one of the soothing ingredients in the formula) even helped tone down any redness and irritation. Just beware that because it’s on the thicker side and has a milky texture, some people (especially those with oily, acne-prone skin) might find it too heavy.

Cydnie, tester with sensitive skin: "This toner has a one-of-a-kind consistency, and it cleansed my skin very well. I felt like my skin was extra glowy, and any red, irritated spots almost disappeared after using this product."

Best for Sensitive Skin

Caudalie Vinoclean Moisturizing Toner

$30 at Sephora

Key Ingredients: Vinolevure, rose water | Benefits: Hydrates, soothes | Size: 6.7 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If your skin skews sensitive, you’ll want to avoid alcohol-based toners. This gentle formula is alcohol-free and uses 99% naturally derived ingredients, including vinolevure—a wine yeast extract known for its moisturizing properties—and anti-inflammatory, oil-controlling rose water. Our tester said the dispenser wasn’t the simplest to use, but once she applied this watery toner, she liked how clean and matte it made her complexion. Although it's billed as hydrating, the formula left her skin feeling a little tight at first. That said, it did a good job of removing any oiliness from her pores. It also dried quickly and layered seamlessly under the rest of her skincare and makeup products. 

Ashley, tester with combination skin: “I appreciate the straightforward nature of this toner and its ease of use. It addressed my concerns around oil, and it worked well with my other skincare products.”

Best Exfoliating

Farmacy Brighten Up Dark Spot Toner

$34

$33 at Amazon $34 at Sephora $34 at Ulta

Key Ingredients: Gluconolactone, tranexamic acid, azelaic acid, tangerine peel | Benefits: Brightening, acne-fighting | Size: 4 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Anyone who’s dealing with dark spots knows how stubborn they can be. Daily application of this exfoliating toner, which contains PHA and tranexamic acid (an amino acid derivative that prevents irregular melanin production), helped our tester noticeably fade her hyperpigmentation.

The formula has a thin, watery consistency that dries instantly, leaving our tester’s skin feeling slightly dry and tight. Although it didn’t have a dewy finish, her complexion felt smoother afterwards, and applying additional skincare products, including moisturizer to counteract the tightness, was seamless. By the end of the testing period, she was impressed with the results: brighter, smoother skin with diminished dark spots. She also loved that it was never irritating on her sensitive skin and even seemed to prevent breakouts. 

Mary, tester with dry/sensitive skin: “I actually noticed that my skin looked brighter while using the Farmacy toner, and I think it improved the appearance of my dark spots slightly. The exfoliating properties made my skin texture smoother, too.”

Best Smoothing

Glow Recipe Cloudberry Bright Essence Toner

$37 at Amazon $38 at Sephora $38 at Glowrecipe.com

Key Ingredients: Cloudberry concentrate, Coenzyme Q10, glycerin, rice water | Benefits: Hydrating, smoothing | Size: 4 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Is your complexion looking lackluster and feeling rough? Reach for Glow Recipe’s Cloudberry Bright Essence Toner™, which calls on cloudberry, a superfruit rich in vitamin C, and powerhouse antioxidant CoQ10 to help smooth and improve texture issues. The lightweight, watery toner felt refreshing when applied, but it wasn’t quite hydrating enough for our tester's skin. Adding a little moisturizer fixed the issue with no pilling.  She was able to use the formula morning and night without irritation, and reported that her skin became smoother and a bit brighter over time. The toner also gets bonus points for its light, citrusy scent. 

Ashley, tester with combination/sensitive skin: “With the combination of my summer tan and the Glow Recipe Cloudberry Bright Essence Toner, my skin was feeling slightly brighter and smoother. While applying the formula, my skin was glowy and bright.”

Best Milky

EADEM Cashmere Peel Gentle AHA + PHA Exfoliating Toner

$42 at Eadem.co

Key Ingredients: Gluconolactone, lactic acid, azelaic acid, citric acid, tranexamic acid | Benefits: Exfoliates, smooths, brightens | Size: 5.7 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you want to introduce a gentle exfoliant into your routine without risking irritation, flaking, or redness, this milky toner is a great place to start. It’s formulated with a cocktail of AHA and PHA exfoliants—gentle acids that help unclog pores (goodbye blackheads and sebaceous filaments), fade dark spots, and improve texture with frequent use (that said, if you have super sensitive skin, we recommend only using it a few times per week). 

Skin feel is an important part of the skincare experience, and our tester loved how this milky formula applied. It was easy to dispense and spread, and absorbed nicely, leaving her skin dewy-looking but not sticky. It is also layered under other products without pilling. With consistent use, it even helped smooth and brighten her complexion.

Saleam, tester with combination skin: “The toner seemed to make my skin a bit smoother, more dewy, and glowy, which also helped with the appearance of my skin. There were some improvements in my skin tone after a few weeks of using it consistently.”

Best Brightening

Ole Henriksen Barrier Booster Orange Ferment Vitamin C Essence

$48 at Olehenriksen.com

Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, fermented orange peel extract, orange stem cells, niacinamide | Benefits: Brightening, hydrating | Size: 6.76 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Whether you’re tackling dark spots or just a pervasive dullness, this brightening toner promises to restore your radiance. It’s packed with tried-and-true skin brightening ingredients, including niacinamide and good ol’ vitamin C, and our tester says it left her skin glowing. Three dime-sized dollops of this milky formula were enough to cover her face and neck. She had to fan for a moment to ensure it was totally dry before proceeding with the rest of her skincare routine, but appreciated how well suited the hydration level was for her combination skin—moisturizing but not at all oily. The result? A noticeably dewier, glowier, smoother complexion. 

Evangelina, tester with combination skin: “It leaves a dewy glow, and it definitely makes your face feel smooth.”

Best for Oily Skin

Fenty Beauty Fat Water Toner Essence

$38 at Sephora $38 at Fentybeauty.com $38 at Kohls.com

Key Ingredients: Tamarind, hyaluronic acid, mineral PCAs, panthenol | Benefits: Moisturizing, soothing, hydrating | Size: 5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

As seen on TikTok (and evidenced by our test), the Fat Water Hydrating Milky Toner Essence from Fenty Beauty is totally worth the hype. Between the innovative bottle (the product dispenses from a twist top) and super milky consistency that soothes skin on contact, it’s no wonder people are obsessed with this product. Our tester enjoyed that the lightweight formula was absorbed in 30 seconds, offering a feeling comparable to a nice drink of water. Since nothing is perfect, there’s one thing she flagged: The smell. While it’s not scented, it still has a subtle smell that she wasn’t a fan of. If you can get past that, though, it’s worth every penny.

Chantia, tester with combination skin: "My skin looks clear and doesn't feel as dry as it felt earlier in the day. It feels refreshed and less oily."

Best Hydrating

Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Toner

$48 at Sephora $48 at Ulta $66 at Nordstrom

Key Ingredients: Rose fruit extract, rose water, angelica leaf extract, hyaluronic acid | Benefits: Toning, soothing, nourishing, moisturizing | Size: 8.4 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

While some toners are loaded with ingredients that exfoliate and increase cell turnover, this one gives the skin a moisture boost instead. Formulated with rose water and hyaluronic acid (two ingredients known to increase hydration and nourish skin), those with normal, dry, combination, and oily skin will benefit tenfold from adding the dreamy formula to their routine. Our tester enjoyed that it made her skin feel calm and hydrated, and appreciated that it didn't create a stinging sensation as some toners do. It's great for sweeping on for additional cleansing and moisture. 

Chantia, tester with combination skin: "This did an excellent job of cleansing and refreshing. My skin felt rejuvenated, and it provided a hydration boost without feeling heavy or sticky."

Best Pads

Biodance Collagen Gel Toner Pads

$26 at Sephora $72 at Beautytheshop.com

Key Ingredients: Collagen, oligo hyaluronic acid, galactomyces | Benefits: Firms, hydrates | Size: 60 pads | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you have a multistep skincare routine, convenience is your friend. These single-use pads from Biodance come saturated with a collagen-rich formula, supporting skin firmness and elasticity with a quick and easy swipe. Made from a thin, sumptuously soft fabric, the pads felt comfortable on our tester’s skin, although they could be a little messy and tricky to maneuver. The formula dries down with a slightly tacky finish, but it worked surprisingly well under makeup, and thanks to the inclusion of hyaluronic acid, her skin appeared hydrated and plump.

Alyssa Kaplan, editor with combination skin: “The toner definitely added a layer of hydration and some plumping benefits. It's gentle enough for daily use and layers well with other products.”