The best toners hydrate, brighten and smooth skin. These multipurpose formulas have had a resurgence in skincare in recent years, providing a base layer of nourishment after cleansing.
Early exfoliating toners of the Nineties and early Noughties were often full of stripping ingredients – a one-stop shop for causing or exacerbating inflammation. By the mid-2000s, toners had, by and large, fallen out of popularity altogether. The new generation of toners, however, has a wider range of purposes, with many containing no exfoliants at all.
Toners are particularly great if you have dehydrated or dry skin as they’ll give your skin a much-needed boost of hydration and soothing ingredients such as squalane, antioxidants, hyaluronic acid and fatty acids. But if you have oily or combination skin, some toners can take the place of your typical moisturiser, providing lighter alternatives as part of your summer skincare routine.
I investigated which offers the best value for money. From milky toners to non-exfoliating formulas, some of these are cult favourites among beauty buffs, while others are underrated gems that deserve a spot in your skincare routine.
How I tested
For context, I have rosacea and sensitive skin, and am prone to hormonal breakouts. Over a few weeks, I put a range of toners to the test, incorporating them into my morning and evening skincare routines to find the best ones. I considered the following factors:
- Absorption: I evaluated how quickly each formula absorbed into my skin to make sure it didn’t leave behind a sticky or greasy residue. I favoured the formulas that absorbed fast, felt weightless and caused no irritation.
- Formula: I considered the formula and the texture of each tone, whether it was lightweight or heavy. I preferred the formulas that felt comfortable on my skin.
- Scent: Fragrance was also important. If the formula was scented, I didn’t want it to be overpowering or cause irritation to sensitive skin.
- Skincare benefits: Above all, I wanted to see the benefits on my skin. I considered any short- and long-term results of each toner, assessing whether the formulas brightened, hydrated and smoothed my skin.
Why trust me
I am a beauty writer and editor with years of experience testing and writing about skincare (I have shelves full of serums, cleansers and of course toners). I’ve consulted dermatologists, interviewed experts, and most importantly, consider all skin types in my pieces. As someone with rosacea and sensitive skin, who’s prone to a hormonal breakout, I know the products that make a difference. For this review of the best toners, I’ve used some of them for years and others for less time, but I’ve been impressed with each one for different reasons.
The best toners for 2025 are:
- Best overall – Ilia Beauty the base face milk: £58, Spacenk.com
- Best budget buy – Byoma hydrating milky toner: £11.87, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for anti-ageing – Curél plumping hydrating gel essence: £13, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for boosting radiance – Tatcha the essence: £102, Spacenk.com
- Best luxury buy – Pat McGrath Labs the essence lotion: £81, Sephora.co.uk
Ilia Beauty the base face milk
Best: Toner overall
Size: 100ml
Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid and barrier-renewal complex
Why we love it
- Fast-absorbing
- Instantly smoothing
- Feels luxurious
Take note
- Expensive
- Heavy bottle not suitable for travel
This is one of the most luxurious and efficacious toners I’ve tried, thanks, in part, to the weighted, frosted glass bottle. The formula inside is a blend of hydrating hyaluronic acid, smoothing prickly pear, antioxidant-rich microalgae and a renewal complex that strengthens the skin barrier. I found it to be fast-absorbing and loved how well it smoothed texture, especially before applying make-up. It moisturised both dry and oilier parts of my skin, too, leaving behind no stickiness, greasiness or tacky finish.
Buy now £58.00, Spacenk.com
Byoma hydrating milky toner
Best: Budget toner
Size: 150ml
Key ingredients: Polyglutamic acid, proprietary barrier lipid complex and cica
Why we love it
- Generous bottle size
- Affordable
- Efficient packaging
- Hydrating
Take note
- Isn’t hydrating enough for very dry skin types
If you’re keen to try out a toner in your skincare routine, Byoma is a reliable one-stop shop. For less than £15, it does a decent job at hydrating and smoothing. The large bottle details each ingredient and its purpose, where and how to apply it, any products to use with it, and what skin types it works for (everybody).
The stopper also means you don’t have to be too cautious when pouring it onto your hand before application, which means less mess and less wasted product. It adds a subtle radiance, is instantly hydrating and leaves skin silky soft – a great all-rounder for a reasonable price.
Buy now £11.87, Amazon.co.uk
Curél plumping hydrating gel essence
Best: Anti-ageing toner
Size: 140ml
Key ingredients: Ceramides and eucalyptus extract
Why we love it
- Thicker consistency than some but very lightweight
- Good for sensitive skin
Take note
- Has a tackier finish because of the gel formula
If you’re looking for a more robust toner that doesn’t have a typical watery texture, you’ll love this gel-based formula. The ceramide-rich essence is distributed via a pump component, it’s a hybrid product of a moisturiser and lightweight non-exfoliating toner that adds a hit of hydration and plumping effect to mature skin. It’s free from common irritants such as fragrance and colourants, making it ideal for sensitive skin types keen to try out a toner. If you have combination skin, I’d recommend skipping your usual moisturiser afterwards, as this product is plenty hydrating enough.
Buy now £13.00, Amazon.co.uk
Laneige cream skin cerapeptide toner and moisturiser
Best: Toner for dry skin
Size: 170ml
Key ingredient: Ceramides, peptides and white leaf extract
Why we love it
- Fluid and lightweight
- Perfect as a hybrid toner and moisturiser
- Isn’t sticky
Take note
- Takes a while to pat into skin
This was my first foray into the world of milky toners, and it left a good impression. It’s especially good for combination and oilier skin types in the summer when I’m keen to avoid exacerbating excess oil production by using lighter products.
I opted to pour three to four drops onto my palms before rubbing the formula onto the face. It does take longer to absorb than some of the other products I tested, but once it’s rubbed in, skin is left soft and smooth with no stickiness.
This formula features Laneige’s cerapeptide complex, green tea extract, camellia japonica flower extract and fatty acids, which, combined, are rich in antioxidants and can help reduce inflammation and redness, while simultaneously moisturising.
Buy now £29.50, Boots.com
Antipodes ananda antioxidant-rich gentle toner
Best: Toner mist
Size: 100ml
Key ingredients: Raspberry-seed oil, mamaku black fern and Waiwera mineral water
Why we love it
- Easy to apply
- Doesn’t require rubbing in
- Refreshing pick-me-up
Take note
- Fragrance may irritate very sensitive skin
If you’re feeling a bit lazy or are also on the hunt for a refreshing face mist when the weather warms up, look no further. New Zealand-based beauty brand Antipodes has created this toner as part of its hydrating line-up of products, and we’re big fans. You can use this as you typically would on cleansed skin in your skincare regimen and throughout the day when your skin is feeling parched. Made with a blend of botanical extracts, raspberry-seed oil and aloe vera, it instantly soothed and helped to calm the rosacea on my cheeks and chin. The bottle, despite being 100ml, is quite compact and fits easily in a tote or an over-the-shoulder bag, so you can take it with you on the go, too.
Buy now £15.40, Lookfantastic.com
Lashify pre-cleanse cleansing water
Best: Toner for fast-absorption
Size: 80ml
Key ingredients: Butylene glycol and pentylene glycol
Why we love it
- Instantly absorbs
- Feels like water
- Convenient for travel
Take note
- Expensive for a small, 80ml bottle
While Lashify is an innovative DIY lash-extension system, this watery toner is an underrated gem well worth trying. It is ideal if you’re a bit of a lazy skincare lover and don’t want to spend ages applying multiple products first thing in the morning or before bed.
It looks and feels as fluid and lightweight as water, and absorbs instantly. You can use it as a pre-cleanse step to prep your lashes for any kind of mascara or falsies, or apply it all over your face, by adding a few drops onto a cotton pad and sweeping across the skin – it absorbs excess oil and very gently exfoliates.
Buy now £28.00, Selfridges.com
Pat McGrath Labs the essence lotion
Best: Luxury toner
Size: 100ml
Key ingredients: Rose-biotic complex
Why we love it
- Feels luxurious
- Beautiful packaging
- Great for make-up prep
Take note
- Very expensive
Nobody does luxury quite like Pat McGrath Labs. This rose essence is a bi-phase formula that you need to shake to mix before applying. It has a subtle rose scent, which isn’t off-putting or overpowering and leaves skin with a lovely soft glow that enhances the luminosity of any make-up applied on top. In fact, I found this worked best as a preparation step for make-up, rather than strictly a skincare product. It’s certainly not cheap, nor is it essential, but if you have the budget and are looking for a fuss-free toner that feels luxurious, I think you’ll love using this day and night.
Buy now £81.00, Sephora.co.uk
Tatcha the essence
Best: Toner for boosting radiance
Size: 150ml
Key ingredients: Rice, algae and green tea
Why we love it
- Softening and smoothing
Take note
- Very expensive
Tatcha’s the essence is a bit of a cult product among beauty lovers, and it’s not hard to see why, just from the packaging alone. It’s another weighted bottle with a frosted exterior and a spout for pouring the watery toner onto a cotton pad or your hands. It’s packed with amino acids, rice, algae and green tea, which hydrate, soothe irritation and add radiance. It’s a beautifully lightweight, silky texture that doesn’t leave behind any stickiness. Nor did it irritate any active acne or rosacea flare-ups I experienced.
Buy now £102.00, Spacenk.com
What is the best toner?
The standout star for me is Ilia Beauty’s the base face milk, with its luxury price tag matching the beautiful formula that left skin softer with less texture. Not only did it add luminosity for make-up, but it was a lovely extra step in my skincare routine. Only a few drops of product are necessary, so it will last ages, too. However, if you’re on a budget, you cannot go wrong with the Byoma brightening toner, which does a very similar job for a fraction of the price.
For more skincare heroes, check out our round-up of the best tried and tested facial cleansers
