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At one point or another, we’ve all asked ourselves: Do we need to use toner?
The short answer is yes, you do.
Regardless of skin type, toner is an essential part of any skincare routine. However, conventional toners are formulated with harsh ingredients that could potentially irritate or strip our skin of the moisture that it needs to look its best. OR even worse, they could aggravate existing skin problems!
The best organic toners are formulated with natural ingredients that can deliver a healthy dose of essential nutrients to our skin, along with a much-needed boost of hydration to dry skin types. From soothing and hydrating our skin, to removing makeup and balancing pH, a great organic toner can work wonders for clearing and improving the skin’s overall condition.
Looking for the best organic toner for dry skin? Here’s some useful information to guide you through it!
Ingredients to Look for in a Toner for Dry Skin
Aloe vera
Aloe vera is best known for its healing effects on the skin. Rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals like potassium and magnesium, it has anti-inflammatory and soothing properties that helps support our skin health.
It also has the ability to help our skin retain its moisture by increasing the water content on its surface layer, which is especially beneficial for dry skin types.
Rose water
Rose water has strong anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, which aids the skin in its natural healing process. It’s full of antioxidants, which means that it protects our cells from free radical damage. It also has a soothing effect on skin, which can help calm down redness or breakouts.
Glycerin
Glycerin works as a humectant to keep our skin hydrated. It helps our skin retain its moisture by drawing the moisture from our surroundings and locking it in. It also has the ability to help other key ingredients penetrate deeper into our skin.
Hyaluronic acid
Hyaluronic acid is also a humectant. It works wonders for giving dry or dehydrated skin a boost of hydration. Hyaluronic acid is an important ingredient to incorporate into any anti-aging skincare routine. It has strong antioxidant properties, which is essential to achieving a youthful, radiant complexion.
Plant Hydrosols
When essential oils are extracted through the steam distillation process, the condensate is also collected. These plant hydrosols are less potent but they possess the same healing properties! When incorporated into skincare, plant hydrosols can support our skin health by hydrating, soothing, and balancing skin.
Ingredients to Avoid in Toners for Dry Skin
High amounts of alcohol
Alcohol-based products can strip our skin of the vital elements that are essential for maintaining healthy skin! These products are incredibly harsh and they can damage the skin’s protective barrier. They may also irritate skin, or cause enlarged pores and bumps.
Exfoliating agents
Regular exfoliation is an important step in any skincare routine. However, dry skin types should stay away from exfoliating toners. Exfoliating toners work best for those with oily or acne-prone skin. Dry skin types will benefit from soothing, moisturizing toners that are designed to nourish and replenish moisture.
Harsh astringents
Harsh astringents are way too drying for dry skin types! For instance, standard witch hazel contains high levels of alcohol (ethanol), which can irritate or strip our skin of the moisture it desperately needs. Witch hazel has benefits in toners for dry skin, as long as there are moisturizing ingredients included in the formula.
The Best Organic and Natural Toners for Dry Skin
Josh Rosebrook’s Hydrating Accelerator can give dry skin a much-needed boost of hydration. This hydrating elixir delivers a powerful combination of nutrient and antioxidant-rich ingredients like aloe, marula, licorice, and sea buckthorn to give the skin a youthful, plump appearance. The best part is the lovely marshmallow scent!
Pros
- Nutrient-rich formula gives skin a boost of radiance
- Can be used to set makeup or for a quick pick-me-up
- Lovely, light marshmallow scent
- Gives skin a dewy glow
Cons
- Product is relatively small ($22 for 60 ml)
Where to Shop
This moisturizing toner is a fantastic choice for normal and dry skin types. 100% Pure’s Restorative Sea Culture Hydrating Toner features an impressive list of natural ingredients to help our skin retain its moisture, such as glycerin, hyaluronic acid, algae, sea kelp, and chia seed water.
This elixir is formulated with algin from seaweed, which delivers a dose of the purest sea minerals and nutrients to our skin. Something to keep in mind: It has a gel consistency that feels tackier than most toners since it uses gelatinous algin as a base.
Pros
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- Nourishes skin with the purest sea minerals and nutrients
- Gel consistency absorbs quickly
- Ultra-hydrating formula
Cons
- Gel consistency might be too tacky or sticky for some
- Witch hazel is the second ingredient but moisturizing ingredients will counteract the drying effects.
Where to Shop
This soothing toner works great for mature, dry, and sensitive skin types. Odacité’s Aloe + Immortelle Hydra-Repair Treatment Mist infuses skin with vital nutrients that are essential for achieving a naturally radiant complexion. It contains a unique blend of calming and hydrating ingredients like fresh aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, chamomile, rose water, and rice extract which can effectively nourish dry skin.
Pros
- Lightweight and refreshing mist
- Soothing formula works great for mature, dry, and sensitive skin types
- Pleasant, uplifting scent
- Helps minimize the appearance of pores
Cons
- A bit of a splurge! ($42 for 50 ml)
Where to Shop
Indie Lee’s CoQ-10 Toner works wonders for brightening up your complexion and evening out skin tone. Formulated with antioxidant CoQ10, cucumber, chamomile, and hyaluronic acid, this refreshing toner effectively soothes and nourishes skin. It also comes with a lovely herbal scent that feels remarkably therapeutic!
Pros
- Soothing and nourishing formula
- Incredibly refreshing mist
- Helps brighten up complexion and even out skin tone
- Light, herbal scent
Cons
- Some aren’t a huge fan of the scent
- The spray isn’t “misty” enough
Where to Shop
This moisturizing and balancing toner is suitable for all skin types – dry, mature, sensitive, combination, or blemish-prone skin. One of the most notable ingredients in this toner is AHA, which is effective for balancing the skin’s microbiome.
Marie Veronique’s Balancing Hypo Tonic also contains beta glucan which enhances the efficacy of other active ingredients by helping them penetrate more deeply into the skin.
Pros
- Contains humectants, which increases water content on the skin’s surface layer
- Helps reduce breakouts
- Rebalances the skin’s pH and pre/probiotics
- Calms and soothes irritated skin
Cons
- The bottle doesn’t come with a spray
Where to Shop
This hydrating elixir contains a wealth of healing ingredients to naturally support skin health. Laurel Skin’s Hydrating Elixir I is formulated with a unique blend of therapeutic grade essential oils which improves circulation and delivers anti-inflammatory, soothing, healing, and firming benefits to skin. It also contains Rose Geranium and Rose hydrosols, which helps skin retain its moisture and reduces the appearance of fine lines.
Pros
- Pleasant, earthy scent
- Gentle, healing formula
- Leaves skin feeling soft and clean
- Formulated with therapeutic grade essential oils
- Contains Lemon Balm, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
Cons
- None, great reviews all-around!
Where to Shop
This ultra-moisturizing toner has phenomenal reviews all-around! Full of antioxidants, Agent Nateur’s Holi (Water) can strengthen the integrity of skin while providing a boost of radiance.
This toner effectively cleanses, hydrates, brightens, and tightens skin. It also works wonders for reducing the appearance of breakouts, pores, redness, and any signs of aging.
Pros
- Similar consistency to a light serum
- Amazing scent
- Reduces the appearance of pores, redness, and fine lines
- Helps clear breakouts
- Leaves skin feeling soft and plump
Cons
- Definitely a splurge ($88 for 120 ml)
Where to Shop
If you’re looking for a hybrid between toner and moisturizer, this is it. One Love Organics’ Vitamin D Moisture Mist is formulated with emollient oils, Vitamin E, Shiitake Mushroom, and alpine rose, which works together to deliver long-lasting hydration! This powerful combination also helps protect skin from the effects of environmental stressors and elemental dryness.
Pros
- Contains Shiitake Mushroom, which is a natural source of Vitamin D
- Protects skin from effects of environmental stressors
- Light and refreshing mist
- Pleasant scent
Cons
- None, great reviews all-around!
Where to Shop
Osea’s Sea Vitamin Boost is a great option for anyone who’s looking for a hydrating toner that can deliver anti-aging benefits. A key ingredient is Wild Gigartina Algae, which promotes collagen production, along with soothing and hydrating benefits. It also contains a powerful combination of Resveratrol and Pomegranate, which helps protect skin from inflammation, photo-aging, and cellular damage.
Pros
- Promotes collagen production
- Helps reduce signs of aging
- Refreshing and hydrating formula
- Soothing effect on skin
Cons
- Some find it has a runny consistency
Where to Shop
Mun’s Anarose Hydrating Rose Toner works well for calming and restoring balance to the skin’s pH. Formulated with Bulgarian Rosewater and Hyaluronic acid, this toner effectively soothes skin while delivering a boost of hydration! It also contains natural salicylic acid which removes dead skin cells and allows other key ingredients to penetrate deeper into skin.
Pros
- Contains natural salicylic acid to help remove dead skin cells
- Goji Berry Extract provides anti-aging benefits
- Helps skin restore pH balance
- Suitable for all skin types
Cons
- None - great reviews all around!
Where to Shop
Conclusion
The main takeaway? You need to find a good toner.
For dry skin types, moisturizing toners can drastically improve the overall condition of your skin. From brightening and clarifying your complexion, to diminishing fine lines and wrinkles, the best organic toners come with remarkable healing properties that can help us achieve a gorgeous glow from within!
Already using an organic toner? We always love hearing from you! Let us know in the comments about your own experience along with any tips you might have to share – and of course, if you have any questions.
You listed Witch Hazel as a harsh astringent and yet recommended the 100% Pure Sea Culture toner which has Witch Hazel as the second ingredient. Can you please advise? Thanks!
Hi there, thanks for your question 🙂 You are correct that the 100% Pure Sea Culture Toner contains witch hazel as its second ingredient. The other ingredients contained in this toner are quite moisturizing (glycerin and hyaluronic acid), so they counteract the potential drying of witch hazel. It also doesn’t include alcohol, which makes a toner much more drying to the skin. We don’t recommend using pure witch hazel as a toner, but having it in a toner can still be useful for dry skin as long as the other ingredients are moisturizing.
I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.