If You Have Oily Skin, These 11 Toners are Worth Every Penny

In the midst of majestic overnight masks, crystal deodorants, Botox-esque serums, and yes, even electric lip plumpers, it's no surprise toners get somewhat neglected in our skincare and beauty routines. After all, they can't offer bespeckled-with-glitter selfies, and the application is somewhat anti- climactic. However, when it comes to oily skin types, toners are an especially important product to have in your arsenal, as they provide the skin with numerous benefits.

• Our Picks
• Final Verdict
• What to Look For
• Why Trust ishonest?

Best Overall: Kiehl's Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion

Originally formulated in 1964, there’s a good reason why this toner has remained a mainstay among the extensive line of Kiehl’s skincare products ever since. It balances and soothes oily skin, while camphor and menthol make it feel cooling and refreshing. You can use it all over, but it also doubles as a spot treatment if there are just a few oily spots you want to care for, like your T-zone, for example.

Best Budget: Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel Pore Perfecting Toner

Not only does this cost less than a latte, but it’s also somewhat of a classic, with a 100% natural formula that’s choice for oily skin. Fragrance-free, the star of the show, is, you guessed it, witch hazel, an oil-absorbing ingredient found in many skincare products. Plus, the brand also uses a unique type of distilled witch hazel that isn’t diluted, making for maximum potency and efficacy.

Best for Large Pores: Origins Zero Oil Pore Purifying Toner With Saw Palmetto & Mint

Contrary to popular belief, you actually can’t change the size of your pores, and they don’t open or close. What does happen is that they can start to appear larger or smaller, based purely on how much stuff is in them. In other words, the more clogged your pores are, the bigger and more prominent they’ll look.

That’s why this formula is choice; it contains oil-dissolving salicylic acid to keep pores clear (and looking small). It also has skin-clearing saw palmetto to help ward off breakouts, and cooling mint to make it feel extra refreshing, especially for using after a sweaty workout or on a hot day.

Best Exfoliating Formula: Ole Henriksen Balancing Force Oil Control Toner

Key Ingredients

Green tea is a botanical derived from the leaves and buds of the tea plant Camellia sinensis. The active components of green tea are polyphenols (also called catechins) that are believed to benefit the skin due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Not only does this multi-tasker sufficiently sop up excess oil and mattify shiny skin, but it also touts a combination of three different acids to act as an effective—yet gentle—exfoliator. The formula, a blend of both alpha hydroxy and beta hydroxy acids, lactic, glycolic, and salicylic acid, leaves your complexion looking matte, but with just the right amount of glow. But it doesn’t stop there; with a proprietary blend of active botanicals such as green tea, eucalyptus, algae, and Irish moss, this formula helps absorb unwanted oil and has natural antiseptic properties, too.

Best Drugstore: Pixi Glow Tonic

Key Ingredients

Aloe vera is a naturally derived ingredient known for its soothing and moisturizing properties. The aloe plant's inner gel mucilage (the part that's used in skincare products) is made up of 99.5% water.

Heralded as one of the best drugstore toners money can buy, this glow- inducing pick from Pixi is rumored to yield results equally staggering as its significantly pricier counterparts. It happens to be a genius recommendation from former ishonest Editorial Director Faith Xue, is made with 5% glycolic acid, ginseng, and aloe vera, and features oil-banishing benefits.

What Our Testers Say

"After a month of use, I do feel like my skin looks brighter and clearer, and I think the dark spots are clearing up, too." — Adam Hurly, Product Tester

Best Mist: Boscia Rosewater Mist with Witch Hazel

Just because you have oily skin doesn't mean your toner should dry you out. Thankfully, this facial mist from Boscia does the opposite; its formula, created with rosewater and aloe vera, delivers a major dose of hydration, while witch hazel cleanses and absorbs excess oil. It's also vegan and free of parabens and fragrances. The result is dewy, soft skin and we're totally here for it.

Best for Acne-Prone Skin: Glytone Acne Clearing Toner

Toners in general are a good product to add into your routine if you’re constantly battling blemishes, and this formula, especially. This formula, made with a 2% concentration of salicylic acid, keeps excess oil at bay, unclogs pores, and gently exfoliates, working to both treat existing blackheads, whiteheads, and blemishes, and keep new ones from cropping up.

Since it does sop up all that excess oil, start using it once a day, and gradually increase to twice-daily use, just to make sure you don’t inadvertently over-dry your skin.

Best for Sensitive Skin: Origins Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Mega-Mushroom Relief & Resilience Soothing Treatment Lotion

Excess oil and sebum instigate a frustrating and vicious cycle of acne, redness, and pigmentation. This mega-mushroom blend toner from Dr. Weil for Origins is the cream of the crop for soothing and solving all of the aforementioned skin woes. It's an especially great option for those with oily and sensitive skin.

Best Scent: Kopari Coconut Rose Toner

Skin is far from static, and though oil is always our number one archnemesis, some days our skin is slicker than others. And for that reason (plus the amazing ingredient list), we love this coconut and rose-infused toner from Kopari. (If you're unfamiliar, the brand is basically the holy mecca of all things coconut.) This option keeps the complexion balanced, nixes redness, and diminishes the appearance of pores while still being gentle enough for our skin's better (aka less oily) days.

Best Solid: Milk Makeup Matcha Toner

Who says toners can only come in liquid form? This stick earns the distinction of being the first solid toner out there, making it ideal for travel (no worries about TSA compliance here) or for stashing in your gym bag since there’s no need to stress about potential spills. The gel-based formula—made with matcha green tea, witch hazel, and cactus elixir—glides smoothly on the skin and purifies, absorbs oil, and hydrates the skin.

What Our Testers Say

"The Milk Matcha Toner is the first toner I’ve found in a long time that embraced my skin. The product plays a beautiful balance between keeping my skin nourished while still keeping it in check." — Celeste Polanco, Product Tester

Best Vegan: Herbivore Botanicals Jasmine Green Tea Oil Control Toner

This pretty mint-green mist from Herbivore is specifically formulated for oily, acne-prone skin—plus, it's vegan and cruelty-free. A powerful lineup of green tea, witch hazel, aloe vera, ginger root, and white willow bark are expertly infused into soothing organic jasmine flower. Give your complexion a quick spritz for a convenient, refreshing pick-me-up.

Final Verdict

Work the right toner into your skincare routine and prepare to be amazed at how much less oily your complexion will be. In our eyes, you can't go wrong with Kiehl’s Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion (view at Nordstrom), which feels instantly cooling and works as a spot treatment, too. As a budget-friendly alternative, Dickinson’s Original Witch Hazel Pore Perfecting Toner (view at Walgreens) is an OG cult-classic you can nab at the drugstore, as is the Pixi by Petra Glow Tonic (view at Pixi Beauty), a personal favorite of many ishonest editors. Meanwhile, the Milk Makeup Matcha Toner (view at Sephora) is the first solid toner formula we’ve ever come across, a gel-based option that tamps down excess oil and is perfect for travel.

What To Look For in a Toner for Oily Skin

Exfoliating or skin-clearing ingredients

Two of Hartman’s faves? Alpha- or beta-hydroxy acids and sulfur. They help clear pores, reduce oil production, and chemically exfoliate, he says.

Calming ingredients

Since you don’t want to risk over-drying or irritating your skin, ideally you want a formula that also touts ingredeints like niacinamide or aloe vera to help soothe and hydrate, says Hartman.

Be cautious with alcohol and witch hazel

While these two super-astringents are generally a no-go in a toner if you have dry skin (especially alcohol), those with oily skin may be able to tolerate them. The caveat? Don’t use a toner that contains either of these in super high concentrations, warns Hartman. “If it makes your skin feel overly tight after use, choose a different product,” he says.

Why Trust ishonest

ishonest contributor Melanie Rud has over a decade of experience in the beauty industry, writing for some of the biggest magazines and websites out there. Her skin veers more towards combination than oily, but she did recently re-discover the magic of toners and loves using one when her skin is feeling slick.

Meet the Expert

Corey L. Hartman is a board-certified dermatologist and the founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology in Birmingham, AL. He specializes in treating skin of color, with a strong interest in dermatologic surgery, injectables, hair restoration, and laser dermatology.

Read more on: skin, oily skin