19 best face toners for every skin type and concern, tried & tested by the GLAMOUR editors

There's no denying that face toners have come a long way since those shockingly irritating astringents we used in our teenage years to keep breakouts at bay. Today's formulas help recalibrate your skin's pH levels after cleansing to keep it in a state of balance (and make freak outs less likely). Brimming with the same actives as your serums, facial toners also posses a glow-giving quality of their own.

Not to mention, toners can help manage various skin concerns, including dullness and congestion with skin-brightening antioxidants and pore-refining salicylic acid, lactic acid and hydroxy acid – which are particularly welcome in summer. If that wasn't enough, those with glycerin and ceramides also provide an extra layer of hydration for dry skin types all year round. Even those that are aimed at oily, acne-prone skin are now sophisticated blends of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory botanicals. You can also find clarifying toners that strengthen the skin barrier rather than strip it away.

However, face toners remain a mystifying second step in our "cleanse, tone and moisturise" routines that many tend to skip altogether. In case you need a reminder of what they're actually supposed to do and how your skincare routine can benefit from using them, we spoke to Alise Mihai, aesthetic skin practitioner at Skin+IQ Clinic to answer all your burning FAQs.

Best face toners at a glance: our top picks

1. Best face toner overall: Press & Clear Exfoliating 2% BHA Tonic, Medik8
2. Best refreshing face toner: La Roche-Posay Serozinc, LookFantastic
3. Best glow-giving face toner: Pixi Glow Tonic Glycolyc Acid Toner, Cult Beauty
4. Best face toner for dry skin: Alpha-H Liquid Gold Exfoliating Treatment with Glycolic Acid, LookFantastic

Claire Clifton Coles

Medik8 Press & Clear 2% BHA Tonic

£34 at Medik8

£34 at Amazon

Claire Clifton Coles

La Roche-Posay Serozinc

£11.50 at LookFantastic

Claire Clifton Coles

Pixi Glow Tonic Glycolic Acid Toner

£18 at Cult Beauty

£18 £14.50 at Amazon

Claire Clifton Coles

Alpha-H Liquid Gold Exfoliating Treatment with Glycolic Acid

£42.99 £34.39 at LookFantastic

Meet the expert:

• Alise Mihai, aesthetic skin practitioner at Skin+IQ Clinic

JUMP TO: What is a face toner and how can it benefit skin? | Who is a toner best for? | How/when to use a toner? | A history on toners | Do I really need a toner? OR, skip to the best face toners on the market right now.

“The primary purpose of a toner is to remove any excess oil, dirt and impurities that may have been left on your skin after cleansing,” says Alise. It can also help to lift away any residue left behind by your cleanser. “This prepares skin for a much better serum or moisturiser absorption and it should also help to restore your skin's PH balance [which can be disrupted when cleansing].”

But because we love an opportunity to level-up our skincare steps, most toners come with additional benefits that can help skin. “You can now find a toner suitable for all kinds of skin types and many different individual needs,” says Alise. "You can find toners with various active ingredients incorporated to target different skin concerns." For instance, a toner with salicylic acid (such as Obaig's Pore Therapy) can help to calm spots, a toner with exfoliating acids (such as Pixi's Glow Tonic) can help smooth and brighten skin and a toner with nourishing ingredients like honey can help to soothe sensitivity – all of which can help to improve your skin texture.

“A toner is particularly helpful if you have oily and acne prone skin,” says Alise, but anyone can benefit from one, especially if you choose one tailored to your skin concerns.

“Apply it straight after cleansing as most people don’t know that active ingredients (like vitamin C, retinol and glycolic acids) in skincare products work better when applied onto moist skin,” says Alise. Then leave it to sink in before applying next steps like a serum and face cream.

A bit of background: when toners first arrived on the skincare scene, they tended to be very harsh and packed with drying alcohol to reduce oil production. “Decades ago we used to wash our faces and bodies with lye-based soaps, which left residues on our skin, so toners were used to remove that excess scum,” explains Alise. “They were first made with rosewater, however later alcohol was incorporated as it removed the residue much better. It was then also discovered that alcohol helped with spots due to its drying and antibacterial properties. So toners were around long before they were called ‘toners’ and long before they started gaining mass popularity in the 1980’s. Instead, they used to be called Skin Tonics and Astringents. They were usually quite harsh with perfumes, ammonia and alcohol as women were looking for something that would help tighten facial muscles and that’s exactly how toners were advertised – to give life to tired facial muscles, and all those harsh ingredients had a tightening effect – unfortunately short lasting,” Alise adds. But toners have come on a long way since then.

“Is a toner a 100% necessary part of your skin care routine? Probably not. But it can make you feel like your skin has had an extra boost, so the choice is yours,” says Alise. “Personally I think if you have acne prone and oily skin then a toner should definitely be the second step in your everyday routine.”

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To help you pick the right toner that works for your specific skin type and preferences, we've put together a comprehensive guide on the very best formulas on the market right now: from budget-friendly options to premium buys and trending releases, there's definitely one that will tick all your boxes.

Feeling inspired to upgrade your skincare routine? Shop the best sunscreens for face, best eye creams and the best hyaluronic acid serums.

For more shoppable makeup, skincare, haircare and wellness content from Glamour UK Commerce Writer Denise Primbet, follow her on Twitter @deniseprimbet and Instagram @deniseprimbet.