The Best Hydrating Toners Are Your Secret Weapon For a Long-Lasting Dewy Glow

To the untrained ear, hydrating toner can sound like an oxymoron, an accidental but fortunate pairing that defies toners’ reputation as a drying, outdated skin-care product. But these days, hydrating toners are no longer the exception but the rule. They now offer nourishing ingredients and time-tested actives that can do more for skin than the alcohol-laden, moisture-stripping formulations of the past.

Few things have contributed to this shift quite like essences. Hydrating essences, which are innately nourishing, have long been used in K-beauty to replenish hydration after cleansing and prepare skin to better absorb skincare products, making any serums and moisturizers that follow work that much harder. The best toner for dry skin was forced to compete with this competition, leading to a newly widened category.

Our Top Picks

• Best Overall: Laneige Cream Skin Refillable Toner & Moisturizer, $36
• Best for Acne-Prone Skin: Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water, $18
• Best for Dry Skin: COSRX Full Fit Propolis Synergy Toner, $13
• Best for Mature Skin: SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, $99
• Best for Oily Skin: Thayers Rose Petal Facial Toner, $11
• Best for Sensitive Skin: Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner, $24
• Best for Enlarge Pores: Fresh Rose & Hyaluronic Acid Deep Hydration Toner, $48

With that in mind, consider these the best hydrating toners to consider for every skin type and scenario.

Best Overall: Laneige Cream Skin Refillable Toner & Moisturizer

Formulated to offer the benefits of a moisturizing cream with the lightweight feel and quick absorption of a toner, this formula succeeds in delivering the best of both worlds. Driving its benefits is a ceramide and peptide complex, which both bolster the skin barrier and results in firmer skin over time.

• Key Ingredients: Ceramides, peptides, white leaf tea
• Best For: Dry and mature skin
• How to Use: After cleansing, dispense into hands and pat it into skin, layering as needed for additional hydration.

Best for Plumping: Tatcha The Essence

This essence, a mainstay of Tatcha’s lineup, contains nothing but the brand’s Hadasei-3 complex, a proprietary blend that combines rice, algae, and green tea. The rice in question is fermented with a particular yeast that yields less alcohol and more key nutrients, like amino acids, for skin. Meanwhile, the algae replenishes the skin barrier while green tea supplies antioxidants. In addition to their individual benefits, they work together to boost the efficacy of other products in your routine and leave skin soft, supple, and radiant.

• Key Ingredients: Algae, rice ferment, green tea
• Best For: All skin types
• How to Use: After cleansing, dispense a few drops between the palms and pat it into the face and neck.

Best for Very Dry Skin: CosRX Full Fit Propolis Synergy Toner

CosRX was among the first Korean beauty brands to make its way stateside, so it’s little surprise that the brand offers a hydrating toner that’s more than the sum of its parts. Almost three-quarters of the formula is propolis extract—propolis being the resin-like material made by bees that brims with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties—and supplemented with honey extract. Rather than being sticky, however, the formula is lightweight and sinks in quickly to thoroughly moisturize skin, preparing it for steps ahead.

• Key Ingredients: Propolis extract, honey extract, panthenol
• Best For: Dry skin
• How to Use: After cleansing, pat it onto the face until absorbed, or use it to dampen cotton pads and wear them as a makeshift sheet mask.

Best for Mature Skin: SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

As the story goes, the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence was born when scientists noticed the youthful appearance of Japanese sake makers’ hands (ostensibly from dipping their hands into fermented rice wine during sake production). From that happy incident emerged the brand’s Pitera complex, which is rich in peptides, vitamins, and minerals and responsible for hydrating and brightening skin.

• Key Ingredients: Pitera
• Best For: Sun-damaged skin
• How to Use: After cleansing, dispense a few shakes into the palms, then press it over the face and neck until absorbed.

Best Mist: Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Essence

Why We Love It: This hydrating essence draws its inspiration—and power—from nature, pairing hyaluronic acid with floral hydrosols (in which flowers are steeped in water), botanical extracts, and fermented plants. Many of the ingredients are from Tata Harper’s own farm in Vermont, and have a naturally uplifting scent that makes for a luxurious moment for the senses, too.

• Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, lavender water, barley extract
• Best For: All skin types
• How to Use: Spritz it onto skin after cleansing, or as needed to set makeup or boost hydration.

Best for Skin Barrier Repair: Joanna Czech The Toner

Nowadays, it's pretty much common knowledge that skin barrier repair is actually the key to smooth, glowing skin—not harsh exfoliants and too-potent treatments. Czech’s toner mist is gentle on skin, providing essential nutrients and conditioning agents like prebiotics, vitamin C, sea chamomile, and minerals to limit inflammation and repair barrier function. Plus, its Triple-Hydration Complex of moisturizers like hyaluronic acid and fruit extracts ensures skin remains nourished for hours on end.

• Key Ingredients: A Triple-Hydration Complex (hyaluronic acid, plant sugars, fruit extracts), prebiotic, vitamin C, sea chamomile, minerals
• Best For: Skin barrier repair, irritated skin
• How to Use: Spray into the palms of your hands or directly onto the face. Press and release the toner into the skin for optimal absorption.

Best for Oily Skin: Thayers Rose Petal Facial Toner

Traditional toner formulas once set out to address excess oil with high concentrations of alcohol—which worked too well, often stripping skin of its moisture. That’s not the case with this alcohol-free hydrating toner, which instead uses witch hazel (a natural astringent) to regulate oil levels on the skin, as well as rosewater and aloe vera to restore hydration. That allows it to clarify skin without overdoing it.

• Key Ingredients: Witch hazel extract, aloe vera, rosewater
• Best For: Oily skin types
• How to Use: After cleansing, apply to a cotton pad and apply it to your face.

Best for Sensitive Skin: Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner

Though this formula is soothing, it’s still incredibly powerful: It’s infused with a blend of active ingredients just as likely to appear in face serum, with vitamins C and E as well as hyaluronic acid. They serve to protect skin from environmental aggressors while the plant oils actively soothe skin, leaving it comfortable and calm.

• Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, vitamin E, evening primrose oil
• Best For: Dry, compromised, and sensitive skin
• How to Use: After cleansing, apply it to a cotton pad and pat it onto your face and neck.

Best for Enlarged Pores: Fresh Rose & Hyaluronic Acid Deep Hydration Toner

Not only does this look luxurious, with actual rose petals suspended in the amber liquid, but it feels that way, too: It quickly sinks into skin sans stickiness and leaves skin smooth and comfortable, thanks to a combination of hyaluronic acid, Damask rose extract, and rose fruit extract. The latter has a toning effect that minimizes the appearance of pores, leaving skin visibly smoother.

• Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, rosewater, rose fruit extract
• Best For: Large, visible pores or uneven skin texture
• How to Use: After cleansing, apply a few drops to a cotton pad and sweep it over face and neck.

Best for Acne-Prone Skin: Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water

While this is among the best toners for dry skin, it’s also designed with acne-prone skin in mind, too. With a base of nourishing ginseng water, the formula also contains 2% niacinamide to control oil production and fade dark spots, as well as 0.5% beta hydroxy acid ton gently resurface skin and slough away dead skin cells. This blend puts it among the rare formulas that works across most skin types.

• Key Ingredients: Ginseng root water, niacinamide, beta hydroxy acid
• Best For: Combination and breakout-prone skin
• How to Use: After cleansing, warm a few drops between the palms and pat it onto the face.

Best for Dark Spots: Shiseido Eudermine Activating Essence Lotion

Why We Love It: While the best toners for dry skin may sink in within seconds, the results can be just as fleeting. That’s not the case for this watery formula, which delivers 24 hours of hydration with two types of hyaluronic acid. The formula also houses vitamin C to even out skin tone over time, leaving it more radiant and better protected against external stressors.

• Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, yuzu extract
• Best For: Dark spots, discoloration
• How to Use: After cleansing, apply using cotton pads to the face and neck.

Best for Redness: Rhode Skin Glazing Milk

This hydrating essence calms skin post-cleanse and sets the rest of your routine up for success. On top of that, it also offers long-lasting hydration and soothes irritated skin to reduce redness over time with beta-glucan, a molecule that calms and moisturizes. It’s so gentle that it’s earned the National Eczema Association’s Seal of Acceptance.

• Key Ingredients: Ceramides, beta-glucan, magnesium
• Best For: Dry, sensitive, and irritated skin
• How to Use: After cleansing, apply a generous amount to hands and pat it onto face, neck, and décolleté.

What is a toner?

In the past, “toners were used to ensure there is no trace of makeup left after you wash your face and also to balance your skin’s pH—because in the old days, most of the face washes were soap-based and could be alkaline,” says cosmetic chemist Ginger King.

The problem? Skin’s innate pH leans acidic. “Balanced pH levels help the skin maintain its natural protective barrier, which is important for overall skin health,” says celebrity esthetician Joanna Czech, whose clients include Jennifer Aniston and Kim Kardashian. Not only does toner bring skin back to its acidic pH, but “it’s something that everyone can use in their routine after cleaning to prep your skin before your serums and moisturizers,” says Czech.

What is the difference between a toner vs essence?

An essence is thicker than toner; their compositions more closely resembles serum. “Essences are products that have a high concentration of active ingredients to help hydrate the skin, and may be formulated to provide other benefits like brightening,” says Claire Chang, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist In New York City.

To put it simply, these active ingredients allow essences to target specific concerns. Meanwhile, “a toner may or may not have active ingredients to help with skin concerns,” says King.

What types of ingredients should you look for in a hydrating toner or essence?

For the toner, it’s helpful to look for exfoliating ingredients like alpha hydroxy and beta hydroxy acids, “which are often used to help keep skin on the slightly acidic side,” says King. She also points to witch hazel as a popular option for refining the pores, making them look less visible.

In both essences and toners, hydrating ingredients are especially beneficial; Czech calls out hyaluronic acid and glycerin as two good options. They’re both humectants, meaning they draw water into skin, dampening it and preparing it for additional ingredients.

In the case of essences, Chang recommends supplementing these hydrators with more targeted actives. “Niacinamide, vitamin C, green tea, and licorice root extract are antioxidants that help brighten the skin and have anti-aging benefits,” she says.

What is the purpose of a hydrating toner or essence?

It depends on your exact concerns. “The specific ingredients in the products are more important than whether it is a ‘toner’ or ‘essence’,” Chang explains. “Matching your skin type and specific skin concerns with active ingredients will determine which product is more suitable.” Generally, all skin types can benefit from hydrating toners with hyaluronic acid, she says; those with oily or acne-prone skin should consider toners with exfoliating ingredients, such as salicylic acid, as well as anti-inflammatory ingredients like tea tree oil.

As for essences, formulations with hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and snail mucin are especially helpful for people with dryness, according to Chang. They can also be helpful for mature skin, since these products “often contain anti-aging ingredients like peptides, antioxidants, and vitamins,” she says.

How should you incorporate a toner or essence into your routine?

While there might be some overlap depending on the formulation, “toners and essences often have synergistic benefits and can work together to enhance skin moisture levels and nourish the skin,” says Chang. If you choose to use both, follow your cleanser with toner and then essence before moving onto your serum.

Meet The Experts

• Claire Chang, M.D. is a board-certified dermatologist specializing in cosmetic and laser treatments.
• Ginger King is a cosmetic chemist specializing in creative product formulation and advanced technology applications.
• Joanna Czech is a celebrity esthetician whose clients include Jennifer Aniston and Kim Kardashian.