Combination skin has always been a persistent problem in the skincare world. It can mean an oily T-zone and dry, red cheeks; or your skin can be clogged with pores, lacking moisture, and struggling with pigmentation. Finding the right skincare for combination skin can be a tightrope walk: balancing hydration without clogging pores, while also providing gentle exfoliation or antioxidants. Fortunately, toners these days are no longer just about cleaning away residual dirt; they’re more about nourishing and replenishing the skin, laying the foundation for subsequent skincare products. Below are eight toners suitable for combination skin, carefully tested and carefully selected by professional reviewers.
1. Damaged Skin Barrier Repair Toner
Benefits: Repairs a damaged skin barrier, soothes irritation, reduces inflammation, and moisturizes
Considerations: Small product size
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, watermelon fruit extract
Benefits: Hydrates, soothes, balances skin tone
Size: 1 oz
Cruelty-free: Yes
This toner, created by skin expert Joanna Czech, balances and hydrates your complexion. It was named Best Toner by the 2024 Byrdie Beauty Awards. It contains hyaluronic acid, fruit extracts, minerals, and stabilized vitamin C to nourish and protect skin from external stressors.
2. Oil-Balancing Natural Toner
- Benefits: Gentle, alcohol-free formula, balances oil production, minimizes pores, 98% naturally derived ingredients
- Considerations: No exfoliating effect
- Key Ingredients: Witch Hazel, Aloe Vera
- Benefits: Balancing, soothing, moisturizing, pore-minimizing
- Size: 8–12 oz
- Cruelty-Free: Yes
This classic toner has long been considered a leader among toners. Its key ingredient, witch hazel, balances oily skin, minimizes pores, and soothes irritation, while aloe vera moisturizes and reduces inflammation. It’s alcohol- and fragrance-free, making it suitable for combination skin.
3. Gentle Exfoliating Toner
- Benefits: Gentle exfoliation, gentle on skin, natural ingredients, reduces wrinkles
- Considerations: May not be suitable for daily use
- Key Ingredients: Lactic acid, willow bark extract
- Benefits: Brightens skin, improves uneven texture, promotes even skin tone
- Capacity: 3.3–8.5 oz
- Cruelty-Free: Yes
If you’re looking for a toner with chemical exfoliation benefits, Ready Steady Glow is a good choice. It contains lactic acid (an acidic exfoliant that firms the skin), willow bark extract, and salicylic acid (a beta-hydroxy acid, or BHA, that minimizes pores). These ingredients work by dissolving dead skin cells to improve dullness, discoloration, and uneven texture.
4. Oil-Control Toner
- Benefits: Regulates sebum production, gentle, non-irritating, moisturizing
- Considerations: May irritate sensitive skin
- Key Ingredients: Witch Hazel, Algae Extract, Vitamin E
- Benefits: Tightens pores, balances oil production, soothes, moisturizes
- Capacity: 6 oz
- Cruelty-Free: Yes
Combination skin is often prone to breakouts, especially in oily areas like the T-zone. This Murad toner removes dirt and oil, regulates sebum production, and moisturizes without clogging pores. It contains witch hazel and algae extract to absorb excess oil and minimize pores, while vitamin E soothes stressed skin.
5. Pore-Minimizing Toner
- Benefits: Minimizes pores, brightens skin, soothes and protects the skin barrier
- Considerations: May not be suitable for sensitive skin
- Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, Chamomile, Ceramides
- Benefits: Balances oil, minimizes pores
- Size: 6.4 oz
- Cruelty-Free: Yes
While you can’t actually change the size of your pores, you can make them appear smaller and less noticeable by keeping them clean. Paula’s Choice’s oil-balancing formula does just that. It contains antioxidants, chamomile, and ceramides to brighten, soothe, hydrate, and protect your complexion.
6. Hydrating Toner
- Benefits: Multiple moisturizing ingredients, improves uneven texture, strengthens the skin barrier
- Considerations: Strong fragrance
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, baobab seed extract, beta-glucan
- Benefits: Hydrates, improves uneven texture
- Capacity: 6.8 oz
- Crucial-Free: Yes
This Belif toner is perfect for combination skin that craves hydration. It contains hyaluronic acid and baobab seed extract to retain moisture and improve uneven texture, while beta-glucan, a powerful humectant, soothes irritated skin and strengthens the skin barrier.
7. Soothing Toner for Sensitive Skin
- Benefits: Reduces redness and inflammation, moisturizes, and balances oil production
- Considerations: Contains petal fragments
- Key Ingredients: Calendula Extract, Licorice Extract
- Benefits: Reduces redness, soothes, and balances
- Size: 8.4–16.9 oz
- Cruelty-Free: No
Kiehl’s gentle, alcohol-free toner is perfect for sensitive skin. Its key ingredients, calendula extract and licorice extract, reduce redness and inflammation while providing needed hydration and balancing oil production.
8. Gentle Exfoliating Toner
- Benefits: Gently exfoliates with AHAs, reduces redness, and minimizes pores
- Considerations: Contains alcohol
- Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, niacinamide
- Benefits: Improves texture, exfoliates, and reduces redness
- Size: 2.5–5 oz
- Crucial-Free: Yes
Tatcha’s Texture Tonic toner can improve uneven texture and brighten the complexion. It contains glycolic acid (another AHA) to gently exfoliate and remove dead skin cells, while niacinamide helps reduce redness and minimize pores.
What to Look for When Buying a Toner for Combination Skin
- Balancing Formula: Choose a formula specifically designed for combination skin for best results. Keywords like “balanced,” “purifying,” and “refreshing” are usually good choices. Unlike traditional toners, balancing formulas can help regulate oil production while preparing your skin for your next skincare routine. – Chemical Exfoliants: Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) like glycolic or lactic acid and salicylic acid (BHAs) are excellent additions to toners for combination skin. These gentle exfoliants help remove dead skin cells from the surface of the skin, improving skin renewal and promoting smoother, more even-toned skin. They can also help improve discoloration and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
- Hydrating Ingredients: In addition to balancing oily areas, you need a hydrating formula to control dry areas. For combination skin, you may need a double treatment to prevent excessive oiliness while repairing dry areas. Hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, aloe vera, and other humectants can ensure you’re addressing both issues while simultaneously addressing dryness.
FAQ
- Is Toner Good for Combination Skin? Toners can help hydrate dry areas while balancing oily areas, making them beneficial for combination skin. However, formulas vary widely, so pay attention to the active ingredients, intended use, and claimed benefits.
- How to Choose a Toner for Combination Skin? Look for a toner designed to balance skin. Many balancing toners are specifically formulated to absorb excess oil while adding hydration. This can help combat both dryness and an oily T-zone complexion.
- What is toner? Traditionally, toners were used to remove any remaining dirt, dust, or impurities from the skin after cleansing. But as Dr. Shah explains, today’s versions are often used to nourish, replenish, and balance the skin’s pH, setting the stage for subsequent skincare products. Sometimes, toners are specifically formulated to address different skin conditions, such as acne or hyperpigmentation.
