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Facial toners can pick up the slack from whatever job your facial wash didn’t get to. Not only does it go the extra-length in picking up leftover makeup particles and dirt, but many facial toners also deliver beneficial ingredients that serve a number of functions (such as fighting acne, adding moisture, and so forth). HollywoodLife has rounded up the best facial toners to add to your skincare routine after washing your face:
1. AHC Aqualauronic Toner
If you’re in serious need of moisture, hyaluronic acid is your savior. “Dermatologists have long touted its plumping and moisturizing ability because it can carry up to 1,000 times its weight in water,” according to The New York Times. So, we’re excited to introduce this facial toner from AHC, which features not one but THREE types of hyaluronic acid. The toner’s French sea water delivers even more moisture, while the formula’s ceramides help trap moisture.
“This product really hydrates all day long and keeps you from having dry skin,” one Amazon reviewer gushed, while another wrote, “I’ve been on Accutane for 4 months and my face has taken a pretty hard hit with dryness… after using this only 3 times in conjunction with my favorite cruel intensive moisturizer I can already see a huge difference in my skin tone and texture.” As you can see, Amazon reviewers are vouching for this ultra-hydrating toner. $27, Amazon.com
2. Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner
Tired of all the witch hazel products, or find that it’s a little too harsh for your face? This facial toner is just as amazing for your skin, with its own unique lineup of key ingredients: niacinamide to “minimize the appearance of pores” and promote “a more even skin tone”; chamomile and burdock root extract to “soothe sensitive skin” and “provide antioxidant benefits”; and hyaluronic acid and ceramides to “restore skin’s moisture barrier” and “provide lightweight hydration,” according to the toner’s Amazon listing. We especially love the fact that hyaluronic acid is part of that list, since the skincare has been raving over the gooey ingredient that our bodies naturally produce and ups your hydration game (just take a look at skincare TikTok). Paula’s Choice is also a well-respected brand itself in this community. $22, Amazon.com
3. Murad Environmental Shield Essential-C Toner
This is a unique facial toner since it contains Vitamin C, which is a HOT ingredient in skincare right now. Vitamin C does wonders in boosting collagen production, which in turn will give your face the appearance of being well-hydrated. Vitamin E has also been added to this formula from Murad, which is an antioxidant that prevents damage to cells. $36, Amazon.com
4. THAYERS Alcohol-Free Witch Hazel Facial Toner with Aloe Vera Formula
Of course, we couldn’t ignore the No. 1 best-selling toner on Amazon: THAYERS Alcohol-Free Witch Hazel Facial toner. Nearly 43,000 shoppers on Amazon have left reviews for this cult-favorite skincare product, with 80 percent of those reviews leaving five stars. The witch hazel, which this particular facial toner is famous for, “tightens pores,” “controls acne and oil production” and “reduces redness and inflammation,” according to THAYERS’ Amazon page. Here’s what separates THAYERS’ toner from the many other witch hazel-based toners on the market: it contains “195% more tannins than competitors,” which are a “plant-derived polyphenol” found in the witch hazel plant that is “natural astringents that work to reduce the appearance of pores and help to promote an even skin tone,” Dr. Maura, a naturopathic doctor, explained on THAYERS’ website.
Tannins are also excellent fighters against acne, too, since they already “defend against bacteria and fungi” in plants, Dr. Maura explained — meaning they’ll do the same on your face! As an added bonus, this toner formula includes gel from the aloe vera plant, which delivers extra hydration to your face — a must for these months when it sometimes feels like the air is literally biting our skin. $8, Amazon.com
5. Dickinson’s Enhanced Witch Hazel Hydrating Toner
Here’s another facial toner with thousands of Amazon reviews to back its effectiveness (nearly 19,000, precisely). Like the THAYERS facial toner above, witch hazel is the main ingredient of Dickinson’s Enhanced Witch Hazel Deep Cleansing Astringent (98 percent total) that is organic-certified and has been distilled. We especially love that this toner contains “contains zero parabens, dyes, sulfates, or gluten.” This specific toner from Dickinson’s has also been boosted with hyaluronic acid (which we raved about above) and Vitamin E! $5, Amazon.com
6. Mario Badescu Witch Hazel Toner
We had to throw in a facial toner from a celebrity-favorite skincare brand: Mario Badescu! Stars like Bella Hadid, Oprah Winfrey, Kylie Jenner, and Jennifer Aniston have all raved over the famous brand in the past, and its witch hazel toner also has its own cult following on Amazon, where it was even deemed an “Amazon’s Choice” product. Since you know how by now how witch hazel works, we’re going to focus on this facial toner’s rosewater which is actually a combination of “black rose, rosewater, and rose oil” that gives you a rush of antioxidants on top of the witch hazel’s cleaning powers. $11, Amazon.com
7. Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control Triple-Action Toner
For our acne sufferers, here is the facial toner for you. Instead of the common witch hazel ingredient found in most facial toners, this toner takes a more active approach to prevent pimples and cystic acne with two percent salicylic acid. It all depends on your skin needs — we wouldn’t necessarily recommend this toner if breakouts are not your main concern. Don’t worry if the mention of “acid” sounds drying or a little too powerful: Neutrogena’s Oil-Free Acne Stress Control Triple-Action Toner also has green tea and cucumber extracts to “soothe redness” and alleviate “irritation.” $7, Amazon.com
