While the norm is that a toner should be an astringent that removes grime and dirt while balancing the pH, Korean toners work to give the skin instant hydration as the first step after cleansing with a face wash. In the past, “toners were used to ensure there is no trace of makeup left after you wash your face and also to balance your skin’s pH—because in the old days, most of the face washes were soap-based and could be alkaline,” cosmetic chemist Ginger King previously told Vogue.
Even still, esthetician Emma Jin affirms that Korean formulas stand in a category of their own, not to be compared to Western formulas. “[Korean toners] are typically much more hydrating and skin-forward, featuring ingredients like hyaluronic acid, fermented extracts, centella asiatica, and rice water,” Jin tells Vogue. “ These formulas are designed to add moisture, not strip it. Meanwhile, a lot of western toners historically leaned on alcohol and astringents, which can compromise your skin barrier over time.”
Vogue’s Favorite Korean Toners
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And that’s not exclusive to toners only, but all of Korean skincare. “K-beauty revolves around nurturing [the skin] barrier–optimizing the hydration within and blocking out pollutants and environmental stressors,” says Dr. Christine Hall, a general practitioner in medical aesthetics. “The whole regime centers around maximizing hydration of the skin or ‘skin flooding’ with product after product aimed at restoring the skin barrier and locking in hydration.”
With that in mind, the best Korean toners make exfoliation and hydration feel more comfortable—shop our 8 favorite formulas below. Consider a few of our favorites, below, many of which were hand-picked by experts.
Best for Skin Texture: Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner
- Why We Love It: Some By Mi’s viral toner blends alpha, beta, and polyhydroxy acids for three times the exfoliating power. Plus, as Dr. Catherine Chang, MD, a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon notes in our Korean skincare products guide, this pick is particularly beneficial for brightening and boosting skin cell turnover. With the addition of niacinamide and tea tree leaf water, the formula also helps soothe irritation and fight oil-slick sebum production.
- Key Ingredients: Tea tree leaf water, niacinamide, salicylic acid, niacinamide, salicylic acid, lactobionic acid, citric acid,
- Best For: A powerful exfoliating toner to tackle skin texture and enlarged pores
- How to Use: Per the brand, use the formula no more than twice weekly to avoid over-exfoliation. Simply apply to a cotton pad and swipe across your face as normal.
- Size: 5.07 oz
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| An effective treatment for hyperpigmentation or congested complexions | Too strong for those with sensitive skin |
| Boasts a pH level of 5.5, the ideal level for skin health |
Best Exfoliating Toner Pads: Medicube Zero Pore Pads
- Why We Love It: Another TikTok viral favorite, Medicube’s Zero Pore Pads, aim to clear congestion. A blend of plant-based ingredients, including cypress leaf and skullcap extracts, helps reduce excess oil production, while willow bark extract and lactic acid exfoliate away impurities. Although your pores can’t disappear per se, decongested pores appear less noticeable. Notably, lactic acid, a key ingredient, draws upon traditional Korean skin exfoliation rituals. For example, Glow Recipe cofounder Christine Chang previously told Vogue that “a common bathhouse tradition is to splash spoiled milk onto faces after cleansing as milk contains lactic acid, which helps smooth skin texture and brighten.” As an added bonus, the toner pads have a double-sided texture—one side smooth and the other slightly gritty for added physical exfoliation.
- Key Ingredients: Lactic acid, salicylic acid, willow bark extract, hyaluronic acid, panthenol
- Best For: Enlarged pores, blackheads, oily skin
- How to Use:
- Size: 70 pads
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Dual-textured pads | Some find this pick to be a bit sticky after application |
| Works well to reduce congestion and excess sebum |
Best Milky Toner: I’m From Rice Toner
- Why We Love It: Per K-Beauty experts Sarah Chung Park and Michelle Lee, this pick is one of the original milky toners (and one of the most popular). “Milky toners have been around for many years in Korea but they had a real moment in the U.S. this past year,” Lee, K-Beauty World CMO and former Allure EIC. “I still love this one for hydrating and gentle brightening.” Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Y. Claire Chang, MD is also a fan, explaining in our hydrating toners guide that the star ingredient, rice extract, offers “both skin-softening emollients and skin-brightening ingredients.” Another element thats unique about this pick is it’s bi-phase formula—so make sure to give it a good shake before applying.
- Editor’s Experience: “I consider myself a milky toner connoisseur, and I reach for this one when I want hydration and softening. Though it is certainly great to layer moisture, where it differs from other similar formulas is in its inclusion of rice extract—an ingredient renown to brighten and smooth. Fortunately, it’s also lightweight enough to layer with other products.” —Kiana Murden, beauty shopping writer
- Key Ingredients: Rice extract, rice bran extract, purslane extract, adenosine
- Best For: Discoloration, brightening, and acne-prone skin.
- How to Use: Shake well to emulsify the formulas, then dispense onto a cotton pad (or into your hands) and pat it into your skin.
- Size: 5.07 oz
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Non-comedogenic formula | Bi-phase formula can feel heavy if you forget to shake it before applying |
| Brightening and hydrating |
Best with Plant-Based PDRN: Mediheal Toner PDRN Toner Pads
- Why We Love It: Mediheal’s toner pads take a plant-based approach to PDRN, deriving the regenerative ingredient from damask roses. This is infused in extra-large toner pads for deep firming hydration to refine pores, smooth texture, and visibly lift sagging skin all in one gentle swipe.
- Editor’s Experience: “I reach for these when I want a toner pad that’s similar to a sheet masks. Leave it on for hours or simply swipe the skin as usual to allow the PDRN to work its magic.” —K.M.
- Key Ingredients: Glycerin, niacinamide, damask rose water, panthenol, allantoin, gardenia flower extract, black currant leaf extract, raspberry leaf extract, soybean seed extract, squalane,
- Best For: Pore tightening, oily skin
- How to Use: Either swipe directly onto clean skin or stretch the toner pads to apply as a targeted sheet mask treatment.
- Size: 100 pads
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Multi-purpose toner pad usage | Not suited for acne-prone skin types |
| Features plant-derived PDRN |
Best with Ceramides: Laneige Cream Skin Cerapeptide Toner Moisturizer
- Why We Love It: Consider this pick like a hydrating cream with the lightweight texture of a toner. In addition, Dr. Y.C. Chang noted that it’s particularly beneficial for those with dry or dehydrated skin. It’s also excellent for skin flooding: the milky base acts as an emulsion, bolstering the skin barrier with each use, thanks to a blend of ceramides, peptides, and white tea leaf extract. As an added, sustainable bonus, the packaging is refillable—simply repurchase the refillable pouch rather than a new bottle.
- Key Ingredients: White leaf tea water, ceremide, peptides
- Best For: Hydration
- How to Use: Shake before use, dispensing two to three drops in your palm. Apply to clean, damp skin.
- Size: 5.7 fl. oz
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Ceramide and peptide-rich, hydrating formula | Despite being non-comedogenic, the formula may feel heavy on oily or acne prone skin |
| Non-sticky finish |
Best with Black Rice: Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner
- Why We Love It: It’s no secret what Haruharu Wonder’s best-selling Black Rice toner leads with as a star ingredient—rice water has been an essential part of Korean, Japanese, and Chinese cultures for centuries. Black rice, in particular, boasts major anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. The viscose watery essence also delivers a concentrated dose of antioxidant-rich bamboo extract and ginseng, along with hyaluronic acid and glycerin for hydration. Plus, for those with more sensitive skin, there’s an option that’s alcohol and lavender oil-free.
- Key Ingredients: Glycerin, fermented rice extract, moso bamboo extract, aspergillus ferment, ginseng root extract, beta-glucan, hyaluronic acid, lavender oil
- Best For: Normal to combination skin types
- How to Use: Apply to clean skin. According to the brand, you can layer up to two to three times for extra hydration
- Size: 5.1 fl oz
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Antioxidant rich formula | Can be a bit sticky, best to allow it to dry down before layering |
| Hydrating and lightweight |
Best with Ginseng: Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water
- Why We Love It: Beauty of Joseon’s ginseng toner aims to control oily skin with a blend of 2% niacinamide for brightening, and 0.5% beta hydroxy acid for gentle exfoliation. “Ginseng root water and niacinamide both repair, revitalize and brighten,” Dr. Y.C. Chang told Vogue in our hydrating toners guide, noting how its also helpful for targeting signs of aging. “The essence absorbs easily into the skin and is ideal for layering skin-care products.”
- Key Ingredients: Ginseng root water, niacinamide, beta hydroxy acid
- Best For: Combination and breakout-prone skin; mature skin
- How to Use: Pat a few drops onto clean skin.
- Size:
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Brightening and smoothing | Not the most hydrating for very dry skin |
| Subtle plumping for mature skin types |
Best Calming: Abib Heartleaf Calming Toner Skin Booster
- Why We Love It: Abib’s calming toner contains 5% heartleaf extract, sourced from the Korean Jiri mountains, known for its anti-inflammatory properties. For extra calming, centella ansiatica further soothes redness. Meanwhile, soybean extract and hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid boost hydration levels.
- Key Ingredients: Heartleaf extract, centella asiatica
- Best For: Soothing, hydration
- How to Use: Pour directly into hands, or soak a cotton pad, and apply directly to clean skin. Per the brand, the formula can be layered up to three times.
- Size: 7.1 oz
| Love It | Leave It |
|---|---|
| Dermatologist tested, and free from fragrance or alcohol. | Contains soy bean extract, which can be pore clogging for acne prone skin types |
| Calming blend of heartleaf and centella ansiatica extracts |
Everything You Need to Know
What makes Korean toners special?
Jin explains that Korean skin-care routines are built on the philosophy of layering hydration, and K-beauty toners themselves are what make layering effective.
“In Korean skincare, toner isn’t just about balancing pH after cleansing—it’s the foundation that preps your skin to actually absorb everything that comes after it,” she says. “Think of it as wetting a sponge when washing dishes: without it, your dish soap (or in this case, serums and moisturizers) is just sitting on top of the skin rather than getting in deep where they can do real work.”
Why is skin barrier support important?
Dr. Hall likens the the skin to a brick wall. “The bricks resemble our cells and the cement in between resembles the tissues that hold the cells together to form a barrier that locks in hydration and keeps out infection and pollutants.”
How To Pick a Korean Toner
Jin recommends that when deciding which toner to consider, you consider your skin’s primary concern as a starting point, rather than your skin type alone. “For example, oily skin doesn’t automatically mean you need a product that’s mattifying—you might actually be oily because you’re dehydrated, which is incredibly common,” she says. “Patch test, layer the product lightly, and pay attention to how your skin feels 20 minutes after application. That’s your most accurate answer.”
How To Apply Toner
There are multiple ways to apply toner, but regardless of methodology, it should be your first step after cleansing. “Your toner or essence provides the first step in hydration and hydration is key to glass skin,” says Dr. Hall.
The simplest way is to place the recommended amount of product into your hand and press it into the skin using your palm. Continue patting until the toner has been fully absorbed. To remove excess sebum or residue, soak cotton pads with toner and then gently swipe across the face. Pat in any leftover serum. For a mini face mask treatment, take the soaked cotton pads and place them on irritated or dry areas of the face for 10 minutes.
How We Tested
When we test and review a product, we take a holistic approach to deliver well-rounded product recommendations. First, we lean on Vogue’s vast network of experts—from board-certified dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and K-beauty founders—to gain professional acumen on the industry’s standout products, ones these specialists would actually use on their clients. We pair their expertise with our editorial best practices to curate the thoughtful edits you read on our site.
As it relates to Korean toners we selected the best based on the following characteristics: ingredients, texture, finish, and the skin care concerns they address. To do this, we paired our own personal tests of each formula with expert guidance and reviewer insights to determine which we would recommend to you.
Meet The Experts
- Dr. Catherine Chang, MD, FACS is board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon based in Beverly Hills.
- Dr. Y. Claire Chang, M.D. is a board-certified dermatologist specializing in cosmetic and laser treatments.
- Christine Chang is the cofounder of K-beauty brand Glow Recipe.
- Sarah Chung Park is a K-beauty industry expert, founder and CEO of Landing International, and creator of K-Beauty World.
- Dr. Christine Hall, MRCGP, MBChB, MRPharmS, PGDipGPP, MPharm, is a Korean skin-care doctor, glass-skin specialist, pharmacist, and aesthetic doctor. Taktouk Clinic.
- Emma Jin is a board-certified aesthetician at Stalle Studios in New York City
- Michelle Lee is the former EIC of Allure and currently the CMO at K-Beauty World.
