A toner is only essential if it is beautifully formulated to improve your skin. All of the toners on this list meet or exceed this expectation. A well formulated toner is only added to the Best Products list if it:
- Does not contain needless irritants such as alcohol, witch hazel, peppermint, menthol, citrus, and fragrant plant extracts
- Fortifies your skin with proven antioxidants
- Drenches your skin with critical repairing ingredients
- Contains soothing anti-irritants
- Is fragrance-free
Surveying the toner category, there are far more similarities than differences among the numerous offerings. Almost without exception, the majority of toners either are boring concoctions of water and glycerin or contain irritating ingredients such as alcohol, witch hazel, and menthol. Those types of toners (they may also be labeled "fresheners", "tonics", "softening lotions" or "astringents") are NOT recommended.
The small selection that rate as best are only those with truly state-of-the-art formulations. The companies that make these products endeavored to create toners that go beyond just softening skin and/or removing the last traces of makeup. These top tier toners infuse skin with an extra dose of ingredients that help repair and replenish so skin can look and act younger.
Recognizing that a well-formulated toner can be an integral part of one’s skin-care routine, the toners on ths list supply skin with antioxidants, innovative water-binding and skin-repairing agents, and/or cell-communicating ingredients—all essential elements for creating and maintaining healthy, radiant skin and/or improving how skin looks and feels. If you've stayed away from toners due to thinking they were unnecessary, you'll be surprised at how much a well formulated toner can improve skin concerns such as redness, flaking, and enlarged pores.
