Those with combination skin have a tough go of it. While parts of their skin may be oily, other parts are dry, and it can be rather difficult to treat both areas equally and effectively. This can prove even more difficult when one has mature or sensitive skin, in addition to combination skin. Balance is key, and it can be hard to know where to find the best facial toner when there are many different concerns to treat. That’s why we’ve done the work for you in this article about the 5 Best Toners for Combination Skin. No matter what kind of combination skin you have or what kind of price point you’re looking for, we have a toner that’s perfect for you!
What Makes a Good Toner for Combination Skin?
As we said above, finding the right toner for combination skin can be tricky, as it is important to treat different skin conditions in one go. You’ll need to both address dry skin and oily skin, so balance is key.
Look for ingredients that work to hydrate your skin while cutting down on excess oil. Less is more when it comes to balancing combination skin; avoid harsh ingredients that will overstrip your skin of oil, causing the dry areas to suffer.
1. Best Overall Toner for Combination Skin
Fleur & Bee: Rose and Shine Rose Water Toner
Proving the adage that using only the best ingredients will yield the best results, our Rose and Shine rosewater toner, truly is the total package. Using just a handful of nourishing actives, this gentle, refreshing toner is perfect for any skin type– but especially effective for combination skin that might have multiple issues. Its key component, rosewater, has been used for literally thousands of years for its ability to promote overall skin health and balance the skin. It also helps to soothe and plump the skin, keeping it looking young and healthy. In addition to rosewater, Rose and Shine contains glycerin, a champion when it comes to keeping the skin hydrated. And of course, keeping with the Fleur & Bee ethos, it’s completely free of all parabens, sulfates, silicones, GMOs, artificial fragrances. Pro tip: our in-house esthetician always keeps one in her travel bag for restoring hydration on long flights and balancing oily skin on hot summer days.
2. Best Drugstore Toner for Combination Skin
e.l.f.: Pure Skin Toner
This affordable drugstore toner is so gentle it could easily go in our “Best Toner for Sensitive Combination Skin” category. Using oat milk as its anchor ingredient, this toner nourishes and soothes the skin while using niacinamide to help reduce the appearance of pores and even out skin tone. To make sure it’s helping skin stay moisturized, it also uses ceramides to help fortify skin’s moisture barrier along with our old favorite, hyaluronic acid. This non-irritating toner also exfoliates without stripping the skin, so your other products like moisturizer, makeup and even sunscreen will go on the skin more evenly. And at under $10, this toner is a great buy.
3. Best Toner for Mature Combination Skin
Dermalogica: Antioxidant Hydramist Toner
If you can’t turn back the hands of time, the next best thing is an anti-aging toner that helps replenish and moisturize the skin to make it look as if you did! That’s why we love this toner from Dermalogica. Known for its anti-aging properties and ability to help diminish fine lines and wrinkles, it helps resist the toll time can take on our skin with ingredients we love like pea and bamboo extract to help increase hydration and skin elasticity which diminishes as we age. White tea is also a key component of this toner, bringing with it the anti-aging power of antioxidants. Finally, it also includes rose and clove extracts to help soothe, calm, and refresh the skin.
4. Best Toner for Sensitive Combination Skin
Paula's Choice: Calm Soothing Toner
The name really says it all, doesn’t it? Made for sensitive, combination skin, it contains green tea to help calm the skin and protect it from environmental factors trying to harm it, hyaluronic acid to help moisturize and restore skin’s moisture barrier, and licorice and willow herb to help fight redness and irritation. Formulated with a milky texture, it feels so soothing on the skin and even helps fight wrinkles. It’s so gentle, it can even be used on skin with certain chronic skincare conditions. And, at around $20, it’s affordable for most.
5. Best Exfoliating Toner for Combination Skin
REN Clean Skincare: AHA Facial Toner
Nothing will make the skin look more dull or lifeless like old, dead skin sitting on top of healthy, new skin. Combining an exfoliant with your facial toner is a great way to gently remove dead skin that needs to go. That’s exactly why we’re into this exfoliator from REN. It uses both an AHA (lactic acid) and a BHA (salicin) to slough off dead skin so newer, healthier skin shows through. Lactic acid helps to restore moisture where your skin needs it, while salicin comes from willow bark and is well known for its ability to help reduce the appearance of pores. Gently introduce this toner into your regime one to three times a week, or as needed.
As you can see, we chose toners that are gentle but highly effective so you can confidentially treat your entire face. No matter which subcategory you’re in, one of those five toners is sure to work for your combination skin!
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