Dry skin needs moisture, but before you can apply any moisturizing product, it is recommended to prep it first, so your skin can absorb them properly. That’s something you can do with hydrating toners. Having skin that’s in dire need of hydration is a forewarning to further skin problems such as fine lines, itching, and irritation.
You don’t have to worry about these concerns because, in this article, we will recommend to you the best hydrating toners you can purchase through e-commerce sites in the country. Not only that, we’ll be giving you an overview of what kind of hydrating toner is perfect for you with our buying guide—with insights and tips from board-certified dermatologist Dr. Katrina Habaluyas Luz!
Dr. Katrina Habaluyas Luz is the face behind Ask Your Derma. She is a board-certified dermatologist in Metro Manila. She is also an educator and digital creator on all things skin, hair, and nails. She is a Diplomate of the Philippine Dermatological Society and offers online video consultations. You can also catch her on her Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube channel.
Our recommendation articles are carefully researched and crafted by the mybest Philippines team of writers and editors. To stay true to our company’s mission and vision to help users’ selection process easier, we also collaborate with experts from various fields to ensure that our content stays factual and useful.
Experts featured in this article only reviewed the content of our buying guide. They had no part in the selection or ranking of products or services listed.
The products and services listed are ranked independently by the editorial team based on the points mentioned in our thoroughly researched buying guide (as of 01-16-2023).
Toners are products we usually use in our skincare routine after cleansing. They prep your skin so other products you layer like serums and moisturizers will be easily absorbed. It also removes excess oil and dirt your cleansers weren’t able to strip off. They usually come in a watery form, so they’re sometimes confused with micellar water.
Hydrating toners, on the other hand, commonly have an essence-like texture. They are usually syrup-y, but are not sticky. It has the same effect as normal toners, but they have the plus factor of being able to provide hydration to your skin while toning it.
Here are some key points to consider:
For more detailed information, read through our buying guide below.
Since we want to have that hydrated, healthy-looking skin, having knowledge of what ingredients gives the skin those benefits is a must. Aside from focusing on the product’s ability to moisture your skin, you must also know ingredients that would draw hydration to your skin and give you other benefits.
Humectants are hydrophilic. This means that they attract water, absorbing them from either the environment or from the deep layer of the skin. They are usually used in serums and creams, but there are also toners that contain these. They work best when layered with other moisturizing products.
Examples of humectants are glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and sorbitol. Glycerin and hyaluronic acid are both naturally occurring in the body and are produced synthetically to infuse with skincare products.
Sorbitol, on the other hand, is a sugar that naturally occurs in plants and fruits. Thus, they are not only great for keeping the skin moisturized, but they are also usually gentle and non-irritating.
Essences, oils, and extracts coming from plants are typically infused in cosmetic products. This is because they offer lots of benefits – one of them being effective moisturizing agents. Ingredients such as aloe vera and rose water are two of the best ingredients to look for in toners.
Aloe vera consists of enzymes that hydrate the skin and has other beneficial effects, such as supplying the skin with antioxidants to protect it from free radicals. Similarly, rose water is a natural hydrator. It maintains the skin’s pH level or its water-to-oil balance, so it controls excess oils.
Both aloe vera and rose water are also used to soothe the skin with their anti-inflammatory properties, reducing the likelihood of skin irritation, acne, or dermatitis, among others.
Aside from dehydration, there might be other skin problems you need to solve depending on what skin type you have. Getting a hydrating toner with other benefits will not only solve these concerns, but also help you get your money’s worth!
If your skin feels greasy, you might have lots of excess oil on it. Oily skin is also sometimes caused by the lack of moisture, so if you're worrying that hydrating toners won't do you any good, worry not because you can still benefit from it!
In choosing toners for this type of skin, there are products out there that do not only have hydrating benefits but also oil control properties. These may contain ingredients such as witch hazel, niacinamide, tomato extract, as well as green tea extract. Just make sure that it is gentle and still leaves an ample amount of moisture.
Hydrating your skin doesn’t have to be harsh. If your skin is sensitive and prone to damage, look for toners that are alcohol-free and have botanical extracts. Examples of these are elderberry, calendula, rose water, and chamomile, which are all soothing ingredients and are gentle on the skin.
Characterized by skin where some areas are dry while some are dry, combination skin needs a well-balanced formula to even out these areas. Instead of using two different products to target them, it’s better to look for hydrating toners with both alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) like glycolic and lactic acid, and hydrating ingredients like glycerin and natural oils.
You’d want to avoid harsh and acidic ingredients if you want your skin to get the hydration it needs, because they have high probability of drying out your skin. Below are common examples of drying ingredients that toners might have.
Some kinds of alcohol, while working on cleansing your skin, is an ingredient that leads to dryness while breaking your skin’s barriers. It immediately degreases your skin, which, ironically, leads to an excessively oily complexion.
Examples of drying alcohols are SD, denatured, and isopropyl alcohol. But there are beneficial alcohols like cetyl, stearyl, and cetearyl. These are fatty alcohols that are great for dry skin.
Salicylic acid, although it has great exfoliating and anti-bacterial properties, may cause the skin to get excessively dry. It removes the skin’s sebum or excess oils, which may be great for people with oily skin. However, it can cause irritation, especially for those with sensitive skin.
Also known as parfums, synthetic fragrances are created from petroleum and natural gas byproducts. While it can give a nice smell to your skincare product, it can cause rashes, irritation, and redness, which can dry your skin out in the long run. It may also include phthalates, which are considered carcinogens and endocrine disruptors.
With the combination of rosewater and hyaluronic acid, this non-stripping toner will give you gentle, refreshing hydration while minimizing your pores! It contains the power of different rose extracts: rose fruit extract, rosewater, rose oil, and real floating rose petals that tone, soothe, and nourish the skin.
This product also contains angelica leaf extract that helps retain your skin’s moisture, making it look supple and soft. Moreover, this toner is free from harsh ingredients like alcohol, leaving your skin silky soft and well-prepped for your other skincare products.
With 90% calendula extract, this gentle, water-based solution moisturizes and balances skin, making it ready for the rest of your skincare regimen. It contains Pot Marigold, an ingredient derived from calendula extract, which calms redness and irritation.
Meanwhile, its unique Sepicalm compound, which is a combination of water lily extract and amino acids, eliminates impurities and enhances skin texture. This toner also soothes the skin and maintains its water-oil balance. Plus, it also has niacinamide which evens out your complexion and improves wrinkles!
If you don't want any more of those harsh face toners, then Human Nature's toner is perfect for you! This 100% vegan toner gently eliminates leftover makeup and dirt while also hydrating the skin and preparing it for the moisturizing phase of your skincare routine.
It also has a high concentration of moringa, which boosts collagen production to keep your skin soft and smooth. Users also love how it balances the skin's pH level, making it ideal for getting rid of that tight feeling you might experience right after cleansing.
The exfoliating effects of glycolic acid are combined with powerful fruit acids in this AHA-rich toner. Users love how it brightens, moisturizes, and refines the skin without creating irritation or dryness, thanks to hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and its calming botanicals such as witch hazel extract.
Moreover, it is great for people with combination skin, as it balances and prepares the skin to absorb serums and moisturizers more effectively. It also assists the skin's natural regeneration process while decreasing the appearance of pores and uneven texture.
We all want that K-Beauty glass skin smoothnessーand this product gives just that! With its main ingredient, tomato extracts, it soothes the skin and reduces the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots. Its hydrating benefit is also enhanced by sodium hyaluronate, so you can say goodbye to dry skin.
Not only that, it has niacinamide which brightens skin, and ascorbic acid, which infuses the skin with vitamin C, therefore protecting it from UV damage and other environmental stressors. Lastly, it balances the skin's pH level, which is an important toning benefit for those with combination skin.
Combining the hydrating power of a serum and oil-control capabilities of a toner, this 2-in-1 product promises to give you oil-free and smooth-looking skin, without stripping the moisture off your skin.
Moreover, it contains Australian lemon formulated to refine pores, niacinamide to remove dark spots and even out skin tone, and cactus flower to help hydrate the skin, among others.
It may be on the pricier side, but if you have the budget to splurge, consider trying this product. You'll surely get your money's worth because it is indeed a toner and serum in one!
With this local toner, you can give your skin the gentle care it deserves! Lana's rice toner is fragrance-free and alcohol-free, making it ideal for sensitive skin. Its key ingredient is rice bran, which is high in antioxidants and helps brighten and moisturize the skin,
Moreover, it contains niacinamide which aids in the treatment of hyperpigmentation, and witch hazel extract that tightens the appearance of pores without irritating the skin so you can have a smoother and brighter-looking complexion.
If you have skin that is easily irritated, you may consider using Céleteque's alcohol-free toner! It helps remove the final remnants of grime without drying your skin out, keeping intact the moisture your skin needs.
Furthermore, it contains witch hazel extract that soothes your complexion, making it non-irritating. It has no harsh scent, is paraben-free, and hypoallergenicーindeed perfect for sensitive skin.
With the triple power of hyaluronic acid, you're sure to get the moisture and hydration your skin needs with this product! Isntree's toner contains three hyaluronic acids molecules that differ in size, so it is quickly absorbed by your skin. In addition, it also contains the added moisturizing benefits of aloe and althaea rosea extract.
This locks in moisture to your skin and prevents it from evaporating. You'd also love how this toner has a water-based and non-sticky formulation as it feels light on the skin! Moreover, this toner is hypoallergenic, so it's also recommended for people with sensitive skin.
Maximizing the power of vitamin E, working hand-in-hand with wheatgerm oil, this product gently hydrates the skin while removing traces of makeup that was not removed by using a cleanser.
Not only that, but this toner also offers vitamin E's multiple benefits, such as supplying the skin with antioxidants that protects it from environmental stressors and nutrients for a healthy and supple-looking complexion.
Below are some of the most asked questions on the web answered by the mybest team.
A hydrating toner can help balance the pH of your skin, remove impurities missed by your cleanser, and, depending on the ingredients incorporated, help hydrate your skin.
There are no hard and fast rules on this one. Remember, a toner isn't a must. So you can adjust your usage of it based on how your skin is feeling.
Compared to toners, moisturizers are more of a must in a skincare routine. At the end of the day, listen to your skin and adjust accordingly.
Having dry skin could cause a multitude of problems and could make your skin look unhealthy. In order to escape from having dry skin, try checking out these links below to give you moisturized and supple skin.
Author: Maureen Kate Basa
Our buying guide was carefully researched and crafted by the mybest team of writers and editors, in collaboration with the expert featured in this article. We used the buying guide as a basis for choosing and ranking the product recommendations, and we looked at reviews and ratings from different E-commerce sites like Lazada, Shopee, and more.
When you purchase products mentioned in the article, part of the sales may be returned to mybest.
The descriptions of each product is referenced from the content available from the manufacturer, e-commerce sites etc.
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