These Face Toners Will Tone Down Your Rosacea

Best Toners for Rosacea

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People with rosacea are treated like the red-headed stepchildren of the skin type family. Most of the skincare products that are exfoliating or skin-rejuvenating are a big no for rosacea sufferers. We’re deprived of a good chunk of goodies like glycolic acid toners, some essential oils, salicylic acid cleansers, and retinol serums. What else is there, right? No! It’s all about finding the right ingredients. And there’s a rosacea-friendly equivalent of each of those products we’re told to steer away from. But for today, we’ll be focusing on the best toners for rosacea.

Toners are perceived to be non-essential for normal skin types. But when you have rosacea, you can benefit a lot from face toners in your routine to deal with redness, sensitivity, dryness, itchiness, and red bumps. There are toners you can use to strengthen your facial cleansing.

Moreover, there are toners you can use to replenish some of the moisture that’s lost during cleansing. There are also toners to soothe redness and even out the skin tone. And get this, there are also exfoliating toners you can use to get rid of dullness, dry out acne, unclog pores, and shrink them in size.

Did you think that glycolic and salicylic are the only two acids skincare experts have to offer? Thankfully, not. More on that in a bit. There are some amazing toners that don’t irritate sensitive skin or cause rosacea flare-ups. Read on to find yours.

The Best Toners For Rosacea

Below are the best toners for people with rosacea.

1. Fresh Rose & Hyaluronic Acid Deep Hydration Toner

Fresh Rose & Hyaluronic Acid Deep Hydration Toner - Best Toner For Rosacea

If you’re looking for a hydrating toner to replenish your clean skin before slathering the face with serums and moisturizers, this one does the job without irritating your skin. On the contrary, thanks to the soothing ingredients, it calms redness while hydrating your skin with hyaluronic acid.

Because it has anti-inflammatory rosewater and nourishing angelica leaf extract. The toner also has cute little rose petals floating in the bottle. The alcohol-free toner is a great one to sweep off the remaining dirt on the skin while balancing and replenishing it.

Key Ingredients: Rose water, hyaluronic acid
Key Benefits: Hydrates, calms
Size: 8.4 oz/250 ml
Good To Know: Alcohol-free

2. Indie Lee CoQ-10 Toner

Indie Lee CoQ-10 Toner - Best Toner For Rosacea

This one is an amazing anti-aging toner for rosacea that’ll enhance your cleanser while infusing your skin with antioxidants. It’s made with coenzyme Q10, a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals that damage the skin. Besides the skin-replenishing hyaluronic acid, it has all the rosacea-friendly botanicals to reduce redness on the skin.

With aloe, cucumber, and chamomile, the toner soothes sensitivity and redness and gives you an even skin tone. It’s alcohol-free and is the perfect toner for an anti-aging skincare routine that leaves the skin soft, renewed, and protected.

Key Ingredients: Coenzyme Q10, hyaluronic acid, aloe, cucumber
Key Benefits: Hydrates, calms inflammation, reduces free radical damage
Size: 4.2 oz/125 ml
Good To Know: Alcohol-free, fragrance-free, cruelty-free

3. The Inkey List Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA) Gentle Exfoliating Toner

The Inkey List Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA) Gentle Exfoliating Toner

I told you there are exfoliating toners for rosacea. You can always go for a low-strength glycolic or salicylic acid toner with additional soothing ingredients. Even though your choice of chemical exfoliants is all up to you, there are exfoliating acids known for their non-irritating and gentle nature.

And one of them is gluconolactone. It’s a polyhydroxy acid that is less penetrative and less sensitizing. It’s ideal for gently exfoliating the skin and removing the built-up dead skin cells without causing further irritation or dryness. This toner is formulated with gluconolactone to help rosacea skin get that glow back, minus the flare-ups.

It also has soothing aloe water and vitamin B3 (niacinamide), to help minimize pores. So this one is great for people with acne rosacea. And what do you know, it is super affordable too. If you’re new to exfoliation, I’ve got an amazing round-up of exfoliators for rosacea that’ll make things a lot easier.

Key Ingredients: Gluconolactone, niacinamide, aloe
Key Benefits: Exfoliates without peeling, calms redness, softens pores
Size: 3.4 oz/100 ml
Good To Know: Alcohol-free, fragrance-free, cruelty-free

4. Innisfree Green Tea Balancing Toner

InnisFree Green Tea Moisture-Balancing Toner - Best Korean Toner For Rosacea

It may be tricky to balance your skin’s oil production without overdrying your skin, especially when you have rosacea. That’s why a balancing toner like this one is handy when you have oily and combination skin.

This Korean toner is made with soothing green tea to take the edge off red and irritated skin after cleansing. Plus, it has betaine, which is a hydrating ingredient that balances moisture in the skin. The toner replenishes oily and dehydrated skin without making it greasy.

Key Ingredients: Green tea extract, glycerin
Key Benefits: Hydrates, calms inflammation and redness
Size: 6.76 oz/200 ml
Good To Know: Alcohol-free, fragrance-free

5. Caudalie Vinoclean Moisturizing Toner

Caudalie Vinoclean Moisturizing Toner - Best Hydrating Toner For Rosacea

This is another gentle, alcohol-free toner for rosacea that provides hydration and soothing benefits. It’s mainly made with natural ingredients. Personally, I love every single product by Caulidae for my rosacea skin not because they’re mostly natural but because even the ones with active ingredients are super gentle on my skin.

This one contains rose water and a Caudalie exclusive wine-derived ingredient that hydrates and moisturizes the skin. This is practically water and a great first step in a soothing skincare routine to layer your products on. It’s fragrance-free but it is nicely scented and instantly freshens up the skin.

Key Ingredients: Rose water, Vinolevure
Key Benefits: Boosts hydration, preps skin
Size: 6.76 oz/200 ml
Good To Know: Alcohol-free, fragrance-free, vegan

6. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Wild Oat Hydrating Toner

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Wild Oat Hydrating Toner - Best Toner For Rosacea

For that post-shower skin where your skin is freaking out from the hot water, an instant soothing toner like this one can calm your skin by reducing redness. The toner is suitable for very dry, sensitive, and reactive skin. Because it’s packed to the gills with soothing oat extracts.

The alcohol-free formula replenishes the skin with hyaluronic acid and balances the skin tone for a more uniform complexion that’s plump, fresh, and cool as a cucumber.

Key Ingredients: Colloidal oatmeal, honey, green tea, feverfew extract
Key Benefits: Instantly calms skin, reduces redness
Size: 6 oz/177 ml
Good To Know: Alcohol-free, fragrance-free, cruelty-free

7. Darphin Intral Daily Micellar Toner

Darphin Intral Daily Micellar Toner - Best Toner For Rosacea

I admit that I’m a little experimental with my skincare routine even though I have sensitive skin. It’s because I refuse to settle with basic products that do the bare minimum. If you’re like me and an instant gratification seeker, this is an amazing toner you can use to calm your rosacea flares and infuse the skin with anti-inflammatory skincare goodies.

It hydrates with hyaluronic acid and glycerin and soothes the skin with panthenol. And it nourishes and calms skin with antioxidant-rich peony extract, and chamomile extract, and strengthens the skin with probiotics. You can use it for cleansing after washing your face. But this is as beautiful as a face serum. It absorbs super fast and leaves your skin looking dewy and smelling fresh.

Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, vitamin B5, peony, chamomile
Key Benefits: Calms skin, hydrates, restores suppleness
Size: 6.7 oz/200 ml
Good To Know: Alcohol-free, 92% natural

8. Kiehl’s Calendula Herbal Extract Alcohol-Free Toner

Kiehl's Calendula Herbal Extract Alcohol Free Toner

Another effective soothing toner for rosacea and sensitive skin is this one by Kiehl’s. It contains anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial calendula extract. It also contains allantoin, which is an ingredient rosacea sufferers are highly familiar with.

It’s a potent skin soother that reduces inflammation and sensitivity. You can hydrate your skin after cleansing to relieve redness and itchiness with this cute bottle of calendula petals. So if you prefer a treatment toner that actually helps with redness and rosacea flares, this is one of the best ones to try.

Kiehl's Calendula Herbal Extract Alcohol Free Toner
by Ejollify

Key Ingredients: Calendula extract, allantoin
Key Benefits: Soothes redness, replenishes skin
Size: 8.4 oz/250 ml
Good To Know: Alcohol-free, fragrance-free, non-comedogenic

9. Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Calming Mist

Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Calming Mist - Best Toner For Redness and Rosacea

This one is a multi-tasker that is a must-have for redness-prone skin. We all know the redness-reducing Cicapair CC Treatment. It’s a foundation and primer for rosacea. The same anti-redness ingredients are in this face mist to ease rosacea flare-ups. The key ingredient, Centella Asiatica, is an anti-inflammatory gem that works wonders for rosacea and eczema.

It also has vitamin B3 as well as pro-vitamin B5 to restore the skin and boost moisture. This is, hands down, one of the best toners for rosacea that is suitable for all skin types. You can use it as your anti-redness toner after cleansing or as your daily refreshing face mist.

Key Ingredients: Centella Asiatica, vitamin B5, niacinamide
Key Benefits: Hydrates, cools skin, calms redness and sensitivity
Size: 1.69 oz/50 ml
Good To Know: Alcohol-free

Related: Best Face Mists For Rosacea

10. Pixi Milky Tonic

Pixi Milky Tonic - Best Affordable Toner For Rosacea

This toner is made with skin-plumping jojoba milk as well as sodium hyaluronate to hydrate dry, dehydrated skin. It also contains a blend of skin calmers like chamomile, green tea, and black oat.

It’s a nourishing and conditioning toner for rosacea sufferers that will prep your skin for a full-blown skincare routine that won’t end up causing further irritation.

Key Ingredients: Green tea extract, chamomile extract, oat extract
Key Benefits: Soothes inflammation and redness, hydrates
Size: 3.4 oz/100 ml
Good To Know: Alcohol-free, cruelty-free

The Verdict

So these are some of the best toners for rosacea. If you’re looking for a gentle toner to replenish and hydrate without irritating rosacea skin, I can swear by Caudalie Vinoclean Moisturizing Toner. It’s alcohol-free, fragrance-free, and very unlikely to irritate no matter what type of rosacea you have. It leaves the skin smoother and brighter and also comes in a more budget-friendly 100 ml bottle. But if you prefer something like a treatment toner to calm rosacea flares, redness, and sensitivity, definitely go for Kiehl’s Calendula Herbal Extract Alcohol-Free Toner. It’s free of irritants, contains several anti-inflammatory ingredients, and leaves your skin healthy and glowing. If you’ve found a favorite, take a look at our round-up of the best moisturizers for rosacea to pair with your toner.

What To Look For in a Toner For Rosacea

Hydrating Ingredients

Even a very basic toner should contain hydrating ingredients. These can be glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and mineral-rich rose water. Your toner should at least replenish your skin right after cleansing and prep your skin for your skincare routine.

Soothing Ingredients

For a face toner to help rosacea, it should contain soothing, calming ingredients. These can be anti-inflammatory botanicals like oatmeal, calendula, and green tea. These are the ones that can treat rosacea-related concerns such as bumps, redness, and sensitivity.

Gentle Formulation

Alcohol is a very common irritant found in face toners as some toners are for cleansing and alcohol helps with that. But concerning rosacea, alcohol can be irritating and drying for the skin and can even cause flare-ups. Avoid ingredients like alcohol in your toner. And if you have very sensitive skin, try to avoid fragrance as well or other astringents like high-concentration witch hazel.

FAQs

Read Next: Best Face Serums For Rosacea

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