12 Best Toners for Dry Skin in 2024 That’ll Moisturize Your Complexion

We love toner for its exfoliating, dullness-reducing properties, but if you find that most formulas tend to be too astringent, shopping the best toners for dry skin may sway you back. Ditch products with high concentrations of actives, synthetic fragrances, and alcohol; instead, go for toners with a soothing, hydrating roster of ingredients. You already know the heavy hitters. “Hyaluronic acid is a hydration powerhouse that attracts moisture to your skin; glycerin helps draw in moisture and keep your skin soft; ceramides help build the skin barrier,” explains Connecticut-based, board-certified dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD. So, if dewy skin is among your skin-care dreams, read up on the best toners for dry skin, plus board-certified dermatologist and editor insight.

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What to Know About Toners for Dry Skin

Best Overall: Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Skin Barrier Serum Toner

Dr. Jart+

Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Skin Barrier Serum Toner

Why it’s worth it: As you may have guessed, the Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Skin Barrier Serum Toner acts as a hydrating serum and toner (gasp). Its main ingredient is conditioning ceramides, but you can also expect your skin to get a much-needed double dose of moisture replenishment with the help of panthenol. The brand recommends applying this milky formula with a cotton pad to get the most out of each application, but you can also use your (clean!) fingers to pat the product in.

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Commerce producer Sarah Hoffmann before applying the Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Skin Barrier Serum Toner

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Sarah Hoffmann after applying the Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Skin Barrier Serum Toner

Sarah Hoffmann applying the Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Skin Barrier Serum Toner

Tester feedback: “This toner single-handedly saved me from crusty retinol face. When I first gave retinol a go, I’d smooth on a layer of this toner before and after applying and it handled the unpleasant dryness like a champ,” says shopping producer Sarah Hoffmann. “I’ve tried many milky toners in my day and consistently come back to Dr. Jart—this toner and the matching moisturizing cream will never leave my routine, they’re just too good to my sensitive and occasionally dehydrated skin.”

Key ingredients: ceramides, panthenol | Who it’s for: people with uneven tone | Fragrance-free: yes

Best Lightweight: Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum

Sulwhasoo

First Care Activating Serum

Why it’s worth it: Sulwhasoo’s First Care Activating Serum is the serum-toner combo we can’t stop talking about. (Though it’s labeled as a serum, it’s meant to be applied right after your cleansing steps to soothe skin and aid absorption of whatever follows.) The brand’s proprietary Master Complex makes the formula special; blending ginseng with five other precious medicinal herbs and a vitamin C derivative delivers extra antioxidant-driven benefits. The result is a super lightweight, anti-dullness, fine-line-softening, oil-cutting, redness-reducing formula you’ll reach for over and over.

Commerce editor Sarah Han before applying the Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum

Commerce editor Sarah Han before applying the Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum

Commerce editor Sarah Han before applying the Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum

Sarah Han after applying the Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum

Sarah Han applying the Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum

Tester feedback: “I’ve been using this for years because it’s unlike any other toner I’ve tried; Korean brands are continually innovating and this is the sixth iteration of the serum,” commerce editor Sarah Han says. “It does a fantastic job at replenishing and hydrating my skin after a thorough double cleanse. The herbal base is noticeable but not overwhelming; if anything, it’s quite calming. My skin-care routine is incomplete without it.”

Key ingredients: Sulwhasoo Master Complex, vitamin C, derivative, glycerin | Who it’s for: people who want a lightweight formula | Fragrance-free: no

Best Brightening: Glow Recipe Cloudberry Bright Essence Toner

Glow Recipe

Cloudberry Bright Essence Toner

Why it’s worth it: Glow Recipe’s Cloudberry Bright Essence Toner…it’s giving radiance, it’s giving fresh, and it’s giving results. With an emphasis on evening tone, the formula works wonders as the first step in your skin-care routine, boosting absorption of the products following suit. The namesake cloudberry concentrate is loaded with vitamins C and E for brightening, while rice water, glycerin, and collagen amino acids amp up collagen production and moisture. And the orange, wavy glass bottle? So cute.

Contributing commerce writer Annie Blackman before applying the Glow Recipe Cloudberry Bright Essence Toner

Contributing commerce writer Annie Blackman before applying the Glow Recipe Cloudberry Bright Essence Toner

Annie Blackman after applying the Glow Recipe Cloudberry Bright Essence Toner

Annie Blackman after applying the Glow Recipe Cloudberry Bright Essence Toner

Annie Blackman applying the Glow Recipe Cloudberry Bright Essence Toner

Tester feedback: Contributing shopping writer Annie Blackman loves everything about this toner. “It’s like a barely-there skin-softener,” she says. “I like how lightweight this stuff is—never feels like a bulky extra step in my routine. And the bottle is also so cute.”

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