Back to Basics: What is a Skin Toner?

Today's toners typically have a water-like or milky format and are formulated to provide specific skincare benefits, such as exfoliation, hydration, barrier support, and others. Here's how it all works.

First, toners remove traces of dirt or makeup left over after cleansing your face. Many toners also have an exfoliation component that helps dissolve the bonds holding dead skin cells together—such as direct acids—revealing smoother, more radiant skin.

What is a Skin Toner Used For

• Removing Residual Impurities: Even after cleansing, traces of dirt or makeup can remain. Toners help ensure your skin is thoroughly clean.

• Supporting pH Levels: Most modern cleansers are pH-balanced and designed to maintain the skin’s natural equilibrium. The exception is soap, which tends to be more alkaline. In cases where pH may be disrupted, toners can help support and maintain balance.

• Targeting Skin Concerns: From dullness to dehydration, different toners cater to specific issues using potent ingredients.

Toners can play a helpful role in skincare regimens, offering additional benefits beyond cleansing. Unlike serums, toners have a lightweight, often watery, consistency, and a layer-friendly approach for delivering potent ingredients. These formulations often address specific skin concerns such as uneven tone, congested skin, and signs of aging.

Toners often raise many questions—such as how to layer them, how often you should use a toner, and what they really do. Let's explore some of the common questions and misconceptions below.

Now we’ve debunked the myths, let’s compare the different types of toners and what skincare concerns they tackle.

There are toners available for different skin textures as well as formulations to support different skin concerns, depending on their ingredients. Our toners support exfoliation and hydration and use synthetic and biotechnology-derived ingredients to deliver results to the skin. Let's take a look:

Acid-Based Toners

Toners with an exfoliating acid, like our Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner, are ideal for improving the look of skin texture. They also help brighten the appearance of uneven skin tone and reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles.

Glycolic acid is the key technology in our water-based toner. This type of alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) exfoliates the skin and removes dead skin cells to reveal a smoother surface.

Hydrating Toners

Hydrating ingredients are key for dry or sensitive skin. Our Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner offers a non-acid exfoliating solution.

This lightweight milky toner uses yeast-fermented N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) to encourage surface exfoliation and smooth uneven skin texture. It also contains Squalane, which is found naturally within the skin’s sebum and helps keep moisture locked in.

Knowing more about the different types of toners can help us figure out how to use them daily. But first, let’s see where they should fall when using The Ordinary’s simple three-step regimen of Prep, Treat, and Seal.

How Often Should You Use a Toner?

For most skin types, toners can be used once or twice daily. Exfoliating acid toners, however, should typically be used at night and not combined with other exfoliating products to avoid irritation. Always follow with sunscreen during the day when using products containing exfoliating acids and be sure to follow usage instructions.

To know how to correctly apply either an acid-based or a hydrating toner, let’s revisit our two examples from earlier.

How to Use the Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner

• After cleansing, apply a small amount of the water-based toner to your face or neck using a cotton pad or fingers. Avoid the area around your eyes. Do not rinse off. Allow the toner to absorb into your skin before proceeding to the Treat Step of your regimen.

• Use once daily, ideally in the evenings. Do not use on sensitive, peeling, or compromised skin. Avoid using this toner with other strong acids, and always use sunscreen during the day, as AHAs can increase sun sensitivity.

How to Use the Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner

• Apply the lightweight, milky toner to your face and neck after cleansing using a cotton pad or fingers. Avoid the eye contour or any contact with your eyes. Do not rinse off. Let the toner sink into your skin before moving to the Treat Step, where serums are applied.

• This gentle hydrating toner can be used in the morning and evening.

• While generally well-tolerated, patch test first if you have sensitive skin.

Both of these toners are excellent choices, offering different benefits. If you’d like to use them together, apply the Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner in the morning and the Glycolic Toner in your evening regimen.

Toners are an ideal start to your skincare regimen. They offer a wide range of benefits, from exfoliation and hydration to smoothing and brightening. Plus, they prepare your skin for other products like serums and face oils.

Now we’ve covered toners, check out our Sets, or choose your own path with our Regimen Builder.