Toners are an essential part of a good, effective skincare routine. It helps complete the cleansing routine and boosts the effects of the rest. Below, we share what we know about this vital step that can dramatically change the overall skincare experience.
In this blog, we’ll skip the Skincare Toners 101 lesson and go straight to:
- The “then and now” of how the formulation of toners evolved
- What benefits most consumers seek from their toners
- The best Korean toners we recommend and what they do for specific skin needs
Toners, Then and Now
For various reasons, some people still don’t include toners in their skincare routine. This may be because toners back in the day used to contain alcohol in their formulation, which dried out the skin and made issues like acne even worse. Others may not know the importance of toners.
Not long ago, each toner was only suited to deliver one benefit. There were only three types – hydrating toners, exfoliating toners, and treatment toners for wrinkles or brightening care. According to what each individual needed most, they would have to choose one of the three to add to their routine.
Nowadays, toners have amazing ingredients and are predominantly alcohol-free. Skincare brands have gathered the needs of various consumer types and created multi-purpose toners according to every skin type or need.
K-beauty toners are an essential part of the 10-step Korean skincare routine. This is because Korean women understood the benefits of using a toner after cleansing and before nourishing.
The best Korean toner helps soften the skin while removing dead skin cells and impurities your cleansing routine did not catch. Additionally, a good toner helps condition your skin which boosts the efficacy and absorption of active ingredients in the next skincare steps.
Let’s review the various benefits available in today’s Korean toners.
The Seven Toner Benefits Consumers Look For
The basic rules for when to use a toner and how to choose the right one have stayed the same. If you need more hydration or an additional exfoliating treatment in your skincare routine, you can find toners to meet your specific requirements.
The biggest difference in the best Korean skincare toners nowadays is that brands have created toners with multiple benefits to address different skin types rather than just providing one benefit per product. Consumers have become smarter about their skincare and are communicating with brands about the various benefits they need in order to resolve their skin concerns.
Here are the benefits of Korean toners most sought after by consumers:
Hydrating & Nourishing
While all skin types need hydration and nourishment, dry and sensitive skin types especially crave more and more of this benefit. External factors, like pollution, harmful UV rays, and wearing masks all day affect the skin’s healthy moisture balance day to day.
Because this benefit is a must for these skin types to retain and maintain a healthy moisture-oil balance, this is one of their top choices for what a toner must provide.
Exfoliating
Oily, acne-prone skin types need an additional exfoliation step in their skincare routine. They seek a toner that eliminates dead skin cells and any residue that can disturb the oil balance of their skin.
It is not to say this benefit is a need exclusive to these skin types. And with more exfoliation, other benefits, such as soothing, will have to follow.
Purifying
While exfoliation focuses on removing impurities, purification focuses on cleaning the environment (or skin) of any residue that can cause bacterial infections, inflammation, or other irritation.
This may go hand in hand with exfoliation and soothing, as most acne-prone skin types seek this benefit to clear any possibility of a breakout.
Soothing
Oily and sensitive skin types seek this benefit most, but it is not exclusive to just these skin types. Each individual may have different reasons for needing the additional soothing benefit.
Some need to alleviate the skin from irritation after exfoliation, while some need it to calm inflammation that may lead to a breakout.
Some need it from the extreme dryness of their skin as it stretches and irritates the skin. Whatever the reason, most Korean skincare toners contain natural soothing ingredients to satisfy all skin needs.
Smoothing
All skin types desire smoother skin. After all, skin care is about creating smoother, clearer skin. This can be done by benefits that deliver wrinkle, blemish, or pore care. A smoothing toner will soften the skin to help minimize bumps and dips.
Balancing
A healthy skin is maintained by balance. Too little hydration will cause dry skin, whereas skin that is too high in pH (alkaline) will result in the natural skin barrier to break down, causing all kinds of skin trouble.
An imbalanced skin needs the right formula to return to a healthy, mildly acidic surface with the perfect balance of oil to moisture ratio. All healthy skin must maintain balance. Premium, high-quality toners contain the right balancing recipe for your skin to maintain its best condition.
Brightening
This is any toner that can brighten the complexion, even out the skin tone, or contain whitening ingredients. The brightening benefit is especially popular for those who fully grasp K-beauty as their skincare solution. And this is regardless of skin type.
Whether you are looking for a healthier glow or a full level-up brighter skin tone, toner is a must-have in your skincare regime.
Here is our selection of the Best 10 Korean toners to stock your business. Your beauty and makeup store is incomplete unless you have these incredible products in your inventory. Our best Korean toner selections were created based on skin needs.
Most of these products are beauty award winners, best sellers, and number 1 on recurrent purchases. For more K-Beauty skincare products, check out our other product picks on our blog!
Acne Care Toners (Purifying + Soothing + Exfoliating)
These toners purify the skin. They also heal, calm, and refresh, and contain effective exfoliating ingredients.
1/ SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Toning Toner
This light-textured product is great to heal any breakouts or issues like acne quickly. This toner can be used as a light exfoliating step gentle enough for daily use and sensitive skin types.
Many people love the refreshing sensation of using this product in the morning. It contains 84% Centella Asiatica extract, which provides great skincare benefits, such as soothing and hydration.
2/ Some by Mi AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner
The best acne care products are multifunctional, and this toner has many facets, all appropriate for acne-prone, oily, and sensitive skin types.
The AHA, BHA, PHA acids, papaya extract, and witch hazel clean and purify deep within pores, and a high concentration of tea tree water extract helps maintain a healthy skin tone and texture and soothes irritations. Reviews show the product truly comes through with its promises.
Pore Care Toners (Purifying + Soothing + Balancing)
To maintain clean, healthy pores, you must start with a purifying, balancing toner that soothes any potential breakouts on site.
3/ Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner
Anua’s Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner is your new holy grail for achieving a hydrated, calm, and beautifully balanced complexion. Enriched with Heartleaf (Houttuynia Cordata) extract, this gentle yet potent toner is a must-have for those experiencing redness, irritation, and dry skin.
On top of ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid, Glycerin, and Panthenol, Anua’s products are free from alcohol, artificial fragrances, and harmful chemicals that can irritate sensitive skin and dry out natural moisture.
4/ Needly Daily Toner Pad
The Needly Daily Toner Pad is a cult favorite item that has grown in popularity through word of mouth.
This may not be outwardly apparent, but toner pads are gaining more popularity in Korea than regular bottled toners. This is because most women use pads to apply their toner, applying soaked pads like sheet masks to get the most out of the active ingredients.
Needly Daily Toner Pad, along with other local and global brand toner pads, will continue to gain popularity and stay on the top list of best Korean toner selections.
It contains BHA and PHA for gentle exfoliation, salicylic acid to soothe redness and irritation, and polyhydroxy acid to tighten pores to reveal smooth, glowing skin.
These daily exfoliating pads have no artificial chemicals, making them perfect for sensitive skin. Because of their ingredients and light formula, many fans use them as a face mask for better results.
Balance Care Toners (Hydration & Nourishing + Balancing)
Sometimes, your skin just needs recalibration to look its best. Balance toners contain the proper recipe to provide hydration and nourishment to the skin to restore the pH balance.
5/ Etude Soonjung pH 5.5 Relief Toner
This toner is a winner for all skin types. It contains Panthenol and Madecassoside, which promote healing and barrier protection and soothes the skin of various conditions.
It excludes various additives that irritate the skin, and the formula was created mildly acidic to match the skin’s most optimal base condition for pH balance. Some reviews also suggest it provides an instant cooling effect.
6/ Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Toner
This hydrating and nourishing toner boasts impressive skincare benefits, making it a crowd favorite.
Designed for all skin types, especially those with dehydrated, dull, and sensitive skin, it features more than 70 natural ingredients that deeply nourish and revitalize the skin and strengthen the natural barrier for healthy moisturizing.
Users love its gentle, lightweight, and non-sticky feel, as well as its powerful calming and soothing properties.
Bright & Soft Care Toners (Brightening + Hydrating + Purifying)
Bright and soft care toners soften the skin to eliminate dead skin cells, clear away impurities, plump tired skin with hydration, and leave skin more radiant.
7/ I’m from Rice Toner
We consider this one of the best-selling toners of 2022, and still steadily a top seller currently. Containing 77.78% Rice Extract and Niacinamide, this toner provides a multitude of benefits, and the claims have been verified by its many fans.
It provides deep hydration and protects the moisture barrier. It softens the skin to eliminate dead skin cells and provides the proper nutrients your skin needs to purify and rebalance, leaving the skin with a luminous, soft glow.
8/ Goodal Green Tangerine Vita C Toner Pad
This cult favorite toner pad is rated highly for its versatile benefits. The 5-in-1 product is rich in vitamin C from Jeju green tangerines and natural acids from lemon, bilberry, orange, and other fruit extracts to exfoliate, moisturize, even out skin tone, brighten, and detoxify.
It contains no other harsh acids, making it gentle enough for daily morning and evening use and suitable for sensitive skin.
Glow Plump Care Toners (Brightening + Hydration & Nourishing + Smoothing)
9/ NUMBUZIN No.3 Super Glowing Essence Toner
NUMBUZIN’s No.3 Super Glowing Essence Toner is a revolutionary skincare product perfectly formulated to achieve radiant, supple, and glowing like never before.
Enriched with Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), this toner effectively reduces the appearance of dark spots and evens the skin tone, leaving your complexion brighter and more youthful.
It also contains a blend of Hyaluronic Acid and Ceramides, providing long-lasting hydration and supporting the skin’s natural barrier function. See the difference it can make in your skin’s health and appearance.
10/ COSRX Full Fit Propolis Synergy Toner
This toner is both refreshing and soothing and provides a nice glowing effect. The best thing about this incredible product is that it provides a boosting effect.
Many users worldwide say that when using this toner as preparation for nurturing creams, the results of the entire cleansing routine are far better than before.
Your skin will look healthier, smoother, repaired, and glowy. It truly hydrates the skin, and you can see the glass-like effect after the first application.
Find Your Supply of the Best Korean Toner Products From UMMA
When searching for the best wholesale supplier of these top Korean toners for your store, UMMA is your best option.
We have a unique, curated selection of the best and trending Korean skincare, cosmetics, and hair care brands. We also consistently provide timely guides and product recommendations so you can keep up with trends and the ever-changing demands of your customers.
You will find low, competitive prices for these top-selling toners, exclusive membership benefits, and the support you need to help your business grow. Sign up now and get a registration bonus you can use on your first purchase.
