The 8 Best Toner Pads for Any Skin Type to Achieve Radiant, Refreshed Skin
If you aren’t incorporating toners or clear pads with toner into your skincare steps, you’re missing out on an essential component. It sets the “tone” (get it?) for the rest of your beauty routine. Basically, including this TikTok-famous step is like a foundation that the rest of your routine can build on. “Some toners work as a second step to make sure any leftover impurities or cleanser is removed,” explainsskin biologist Shuting Hu, Ph.D. “Others are formulated to provide specific skin benefits, such as gentle exfoliation (also called peeling), hydration, pore-minimizing, or soothing and calming the skin.”
Once this step is complete, the rest of your skincare (and even makeup) can potentially go on more smoothly and seep into the skin more effectively. In fact, many people opt for this step when they want the glass skin look.
We’ll get into more of the benefits and uses of toners later down below, but we’re really big on toner pads when we’re traveling or in a rush. It’s nice because they come already prepared with a recommended dosage of product meant to be applied to the skin. They’re easy to use once and toss, and not all toner pads are the same. While the main purpose for these skincare products is similar, they all have something unique to them. In case you’re new to this step, we’ve included our tried-and-true best toner pads for every skin type and concern below. So, whether you want to get rid of dark spots/hyperpigmentation, dull skin, dead skin cells, sebum, skin texture, you name it—we’ve got your skin concerns covered. From oily skin to dry skin and anything in between, there’s something for you.
Meet the Expert
Shuting Hu, Ph.D., is a skin biologist and founder of ACADERMA skincare.
Emme Diane Burg is an esthetician and founder of EMME DIANE skincare.
1. Best Acid-Packed Toner Pads for Sensitive Skin:
FIRST AID BEAUTY Facial Radiance Pads
A major draw of certain toner pads is their ability to deliver powerful acids in one easy application. But depending on your skin, a high dosage of AHA and/or BHA can cause redness or irritation. We love these because they’re formulated to offer gentle exfoliation for sensitive skin to see fresh, glowy results.
2. Best Glycolic Acid Toner Pads:
SONÄGE SKINCARE Glow to Go Glycolic Acid Peel Pads
We’re big fans of glycolic acid, thanks to its ability to penetrate the skin’s barrier and go deeper than other acids. Known for its incredible exfoliating properties, glycolic acid also stimulates collagen production, so when we’re looking for that all-in-one refresh, these peel pads are what we turn to. Tip: They’re on the more powerful side, so you’ll only want to use them two to three times a week.
3. Best Daily Toner Pads:
BEAUTYSTAT Universal Triple Action Daily Peel
It’s easy to get toner pad–happy, but not all pads are designed to be used daily. We’re big fans of these exfoliating toner pads, because they offer dead skin removal and smoothing and brightening benefits, and they’re even encouraged for day-to-day use. Thanks to a triple blend of lactic acid, time-released salicylic acid, and glucosamine in this product, a fresh, radiant glow is destined to be yours.
4. Best Rinse-Off Toner Pads:
PIXI BEAUTY Glow Peel Pads
We turn to rinse-off toner pads when our skin experiences breakouts or other sensitivities, or when we’re planning to be out in the sun. That’s when we still want to gain those exfoliating, radiant benefits, but without the risk of irritation. These pads are designed to sink into the skin for two to three minutes, then followed by a cool water rinse.
5. Best K-Beauty Toner Pads:
MEDICUBE Zero Pore Pads
Talk about an all-star lineup! AHA, BHA, panthenol, allantoin, and sodium hyaluronate make up these Korean toner pads that are designed to help minimize the appearance of pores, brighten the skin, and smooth. We especially love turning to these when we’re dealing with breakouts or blackheads.
6. Best Medical-Grade Toner Pads:
SKINMEDICA Even & Correct Brightening Treatment Pads
Fine lines, wrinkles, and dullness? They don’t stand a chance against these power-packed bad boys. Infused with glycolic acid, niacinamide, and a proprietary LTN complex, these target uneven complexion while minimizing the appearance of pores and unwanted signs of aging. We also appreciate that they’re formulated for all skin types and tones.
7. Best Hydrating Toner Pads:
MEDIHEAL Watermide Moisture Pad
Truly like a glass of water for the skin, this product is where we turn whenever we need an a.m. or a.m. pick-me-up. Packed with botanical extracts and Icelandic glacial water, the Korean skincare pick claims to improve hydration by 165% after only three uses. These are more like a miniature sheet mask you can plop onto the skin and leave there for as long as you wish.
8. Best Toner Pads for Acne-Prone Skin:
PETER THOMAS ROTH Goodbye Acne Max Complexion Correction Pads
Salicylic acid for breakouts? Sign us up! Also packed with glycolic acid, which we know and love, these saturated standouts help clear up acne and blackheads, and help reduce the look of pores, fine lines, uneven skin tone, and texture.
Everything to Know About Toner and Toner Pads
1. What Is Toner?
As we touched on above, applying toner is an oft-overlooked step in a skincare routine that has many unique benefits.
“Toner preps the skin to better absorb serums and moisturizers by restoring your skin’s natural pH balance,” explains esthetician Emme Diane Burg. “This can be disrupted by factors like tap water and some cleansers. When your skin is properly balanced, it’s better protected from bacteria, dryness, and irritation. When wiped on the skin with a cotton round, toner also helps remove residual minerals, chlorine, or other impurities left behind by tap water—even with proper cleansing. This is especially important if you live in an area with hard water, which can be harsh on the skin over time.”
Burg, who launched her own Calm Down Toner, wants to be clear that toners are not astringents. “Astringents, like those alcohol-based formulas from the ’90s (Sea Breeze or Oxy Pads, anyone?), can be overly drying and disruptive to the skin.”
If you have dry skin, you’ll want to aim for alcohol-free toner pads and opt for more hyaluronic acid–based products. And we want to point out that essences are also often confused for toners, but they’re different in that essences can be thicker, and are primarily used for hydration.
2. How Are Toner Pads Used Correctly?
The great thing about toner pads is that they’re one and done. There’s no art or science to applying them correctly.
“Toner pads are cotton pads pre-soaked with toner, making them convenient and easy to use,” Dr. Hu explains. “The most common way to use them is to take one pad and gently swipe it across clean skin just like you would with a toner that you pour onto a cotton pad. They can help with even application and making sure the skin gets the right amount of product without overusing it.”
Because many of these products are packed with AHA, BHA, PHA, tea tree oil, or vitamin C, you’ll want to ensure you follow up with sunscreen during the day.
3. How Do Toner Pads Differ From Regular Toners?
While the product on a toner pad can essentially offer the same benefits as product in a toner bottle, a pad offers product in a more concentrated form.
“Traditional toners are lightweight liquids either sprayed onto the skin or on a cotton round, meant to balance and hydrate the skin,” Burg says. “Toner pads come pre-saturated, generally in an exfoliating or brightening solution.”
The expert adds, “One side benefit of using a toner bottle or spray is that you use a fresh cotton round with every application. Toner pads typically require you to reach into a container each time, which could potentially lead to bacterial contamination.”
According to Dr. Hu, “If the toner is designed for second cleansing or pore-minimizing, toner pads can offer better efficacy because the physical pad helps remove residue while applying the formula. In this case, toner pads may be a more effective option than using a liquid toner with a separate cotton pad.”
Dr. Hu’s ACADERMA Equilibria Stabilizing Toner is powered by prebiotics with a main focus on neutralizing the skin’s microbiome and strengthening the barrier. This, in turn, leads to more effective application of whatever steps come next.