In the U.S., toners aren't a widely-followed skin-care step, but in South Korea they're not just an option, but an essential step in achieving "glass skin." For better or worse, glass skin—the buzzy term that describes an ultra-dewy and radiant complexion—is one Korean trend that isn't going anywhere, thanks in large part to Korean toners. K-beauty toners, in particular, ensure your skin’s pH, sebum and moisture levels are balanced directly after cleansing with gentle, nourishing formulas that pores drink up. They also act like a primer for skin to better absorb your serums and moisturizers, making your entire skin-care regimen more effective and your skin look plumper and brighter from the jump.
If you're intrigued by all the hype surrounding glass skin and the K-beauty toners that deliver it, you've come to the right place. Ahead, the best Korean toners from well-known K-beauty brands, and some that are still the category's best-kept secret.
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Best Rice Water Toner
Antioxidant-rich rice water has been used for centuries to help soothe or calm skin and protect from free radicals. In toner form, it does that and more. Haruharu's formula includes glycerin and hyaluronic acid to deliver deep hydration, alleviating skin tightness and inflammation and promoting radiance. It's also fragrance-free and safe for use on sensitive skin.
BUY NOW - $22
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Best Multitasking Toner
From Laneige comes this refillable milky cream/toner hybrid made of ceramides, peptides and white leaf tea (a skin soother full of amino acids). Use it before a heavier moisturizer, as your main face cream or even as a face mist (it comes with a mist attachment for on-the-go hydration) for a bouncier, firmer complexion.
BUY ON SEPHORA - $36
BUY ON AMAZON - $36
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Best for Dry Skin
Another multitasking toner comes from Dr. Jart+, this time as a toner/serum hybrid. It's a panthenol, ceramides and hyaluronic-forward toner that's deeply moisturizing and reparative for even the driest skin.
BUY ON SEPHORA - $40
BUY ON AMAZON - $40
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Best Brightening Toner
"A concentrated essence toner formulated with cloudberry—a superfruit rich in vitamin C—and powerhouse antioxidant CoQ10, this powerful toner brightens and evens your complexion as it works double-duty as a serum-booster," our editor reported at the launch of Glow Recipe's Cloudberry Bright Essence Toner.
BUY ON GLOW RECIPE - $38
BUY ON SEPHORA - $38
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Best for Redness
Southeast Asian plant Houttuynia cordata, or heartleaf, is an under-the-radar ingredient—in the U.S.—for calming skin and inflammation, but is well-known in Korean skin care. Anua uses it in its toner to relieve redness, balance pH levels, soothe dryness and lessen irritation thanks to a high concentration of its titular ingredient.
BUY NOW - $23
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Best Milky Toner
Milk as a skin treatment has been popular for a while now, with no signs of waning. Then I Met You's toner takes lightweight nourishing moisture, blends it with squalane, glycerin and sodium hyaluronate for extra hydration and then adds a one-percent blend of AHAs and PHA for gentle exfoliation that refines skin texture and shrinks pores.
BUY ON AMAZON - $35
BUY ON SOKO GLAM - $35
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Best for Sensitive Skin
The straightforward formula that uses 97 percent naturally-derived ingredients—makes it a favorite among sensitive skin types. It also has a water-like consistency, so it's especially refreshing as it hydrates, cools and repairs skin.
BUY NOW - $20
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Best Exfoliating Toner
With AHA, BHA and PHA in the form of citric acid, salicylic acid and lactobionic acid, respectively, Some By Mi's Miracle Toner smooths skin texture and shrinks the look of pores without stripping skin or causing irritation, thanks to hyaluronic acid and niacinamide.
BUY ON SOKO GLAM - $23
BUY ON AMAZON - $23
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Best for Oily Skin
This formula from CosRx boasts anti-inflammatory and antibacterial benefits from a blend of honey and 72.6 percent black bee propolis extract, and visibly reduces redness and excess oil in days, per the brand.
BUY NOW - $30
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Best Water-Based Toner
Made from deep sea water enriched with over 70 vital minerals, Round Lab's 1025 Dokdo Toner does a little bit of everything: exfoliates, hydrates and plumps.
BUY ON AMAZON - $17
BUY ON TARGET - $17
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Best Skin-Softening Toner
Ma:nyo's Panthetoin Essence Toner has an all-star lineup of ingredients for baby soft skin: panthenol, sunflower seed oil, hyaluronic acid, squalane, ceramides and macadamia nut oil. Its texture is thicker than milky formulas, more like lotion, that glides on and absorbs quickly.
BUY ON AMAZON - $32
BUY ON ULTA - $22
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Best for Combination Skin
A lot of us fall somewhere in between dry skin and oily skin—if that sounds like you, Beauty of Joseon's Glow Replenishing Rice Milk is an excellent toner choice. It helps control oil with a layer of sebum control powder and locks in moisture with rice extract and amino acids for a glass skin-like sheen, not shine.
BUY NOW - $18
