While all of this is completely normal, there are skin-care products that can help your complexion look and feel its best. Case in point: toner. Today’s formulas are packed with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, peptides, and gentle exfoliants that can target specific skin concerns, like dark spots, while offering a baseline of hydration. While they are not a must-have for everyone, the right formula can replenish lost moisture, remove impurities, and boost your skin barrier, as well as prime your skin for the rest of your products, notes New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Pooja Rambhia, MD. Think of them as an extra layer of care tailored to your skin’s evolving needs.
Our Top Toners for Mature Skin
The beauty market offers a wide variety of formulas tailored to specific aging concerns, moving far beyond the astringent liquids of previous decades.
Best Overall: Medik8 Press and Glow Toner
The last thing your skin needs is an exfoliating toner that leaves it feeling tight and dry. That is why experts favor Medik8’s Press & Glow Exfoliating PHA Tonic, which contains glycerin to keep skin moisturized. It is one of the favorite humectants to keep the skin looking fresh and bouncy, according to Carlos Vieira, a board-certified dermatologist based in Philadelphia. As for its exfoliating powers, it is formulated with 5.5% gluconolactone, a type of polyhydroxy acid that gently removes dead skin cells while helping skin hold onto moisture, notes Mamina Turegano, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New Orleans. The toner also includes soothing ingredients like aloe vera, acai, and prickly pear extracts to keep irritation in check.
Best for Redness: Aestura A-Cica365 Cooling Relief Toner Pads pH4.5
Consumers often overlook skin pH, but it significantly affects how the skin looks and feels. Skin is naturally slightly acidic, maintaining a pH of around 4.5 to 5.5, which keeps its protective barrier healthy. As people age, however, that pH can creep up, leaving the skin more prone to dryness, irritation, and redness. Aestura’s targeted toner pads have a pH of 4.5 to restore balance, combined with a blend of Centella asiatica and zinc to soothe irritation and calm visible redness, alongside PHA to gently remove dead skin cells. Hyaluronic acid helps keep skin hydrated, while niacinamide works on uneven tone and brightens the complexion, explains Y. Claire Chang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City. The pads also feel slightly cooling on contact, making them especially refreshing when skin needs a quick pick-me-up.
Best for Uneven Texture: Biologique Recherche Lotion P50V
The "50" in Biologique Recherche’s Lotion P50V refers to the roughly 50 days it takes for skin to go through two renewal cycles, which is also the timeframe the brand suggests giving the formula to improve skin texture and tone. The brand’s philosophy emphasizes maintaining an acidic skin environment, which helps keep the protective barrier functioning properly, according to Alessandra Haskin, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City. To smooth the skin, the formula uses a mix of exfoliating acids, including lactic, salicylic, and phytic acids, along with gluconolactone to loosen and remove dead skin cells. The product line also includes variations like P50W for sensitive skin and P50 PIGM 400 for targeting dark spots, though users note a distinct botanical and vinegar scent due to its active ingredients.
Best for Sensitive Skin: Isntree Ultra-Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Toner
Combining an impressive blend of high- and ultra-low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acids with mineral-rich deep seawater sourced from Ulleung Island in Korea, this K-beauty favorite focuses on deep hydration. The ultra-low molecular weight hyaluronic acid can penetrate more deeply into the skin, while larger molecules support surface hydration, balancing sensitivity and providing comprehensive support, notes Dr. Haskin. Each application leaves skin looking plumper and smoother. Humectants like glycerin and betaine draw moisture into the skin, while panthenol and allantoin soothe and support a compromised barrier. Because the formula skips exfoliating ingredients entirely, it layers well with other active treatments.
Best for Large Pores: SkinCeuticals LHA Toner
Lipo-hydroxy acid, the main ingredient in SkinCeuticals’ LHA Toner, is a salicylic acid derivative ideal for improving skin tone, clearing congested pores, and addressing wrinkles. It is a low-pH toner designed for a gentler experience that helps remove dead skin cells and decongest pores, making it perfect for aging skin prone to breakouts, explains Saami Khalifian, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in San Diego. The formula also contains salicylic acid to tackle excess oil and glycolic acid to smooth rough texture and uneven tone.
Best for Dullness: Paula’s Choice Enriched Calming Toner
The Enriched Calming Toner from Paula’s Choice serves as a multi-action product for aging skin, featuring barrier-supporting and glow-boosting ingredients. It combines vitamin E and vitamin B5 for antioxidant protection and barrier repair, while glycerin and sodium hyaluronate create a dewy, skin-plumping effect. Evening primrose oil and borage seed oil replenish moisture and calm redness, appealing to mature skin that has become drier or more reactive over time. Niacinamide helps brighten uneven tone, and allantoin simultaneously draws in water while providing a very mild exfoliating effect to combat dullness.
Best for Dry Skin: Laneige Cream Skin Cerapeptide Toner & Moisturizer
For skin that drinks up moisturizer only to feel dry an hour later, Laneige’s Cream Skin Cerapeptide Toner & Moisturizer provides a heavy-duty hydration boost. The formula utilizes a trio of humectants—butylene glycol, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin—that work together to draw water into the skin and lock it in. It also features a ceramide and peptide complex that supports healthy barrier function and firmer-looking skin, while white leaf tea provides soothing amino acids to comfort stressed complexions. Despite its deeply moisturizing benefits, the milky formula remains remarkably lightweight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use toner on mature skin?
While facial toners are not always necessary, mature skin can benefit from a formula that supports the skin barrier while addressing concerns that come with aging, explains Dr. Rambhia. Look for toners containing hydrating ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid, which help maintain moisture levels as the skin’s natural retention decreases with age. Other beneficial ingredients include niacinamide, peptides, ceramides, and antioxidants. Dermatologists universally advise avoiding any formulas containing alcohol, as they cause and exacerbate dryness.
What is the best toner for a 50-year-old woman?
At this age, a conservative approach is often most effective, focusing on nurturing the skin rather than aggressive exfoliation. Collagen, the key protein responsible for skin firmness, elasticity, and moisture retention, begins to decline early in adulthood. Studies show that women lose a significant amount of collagen during the first five years of menopause, with levels continuing to drop gradually afterward. Consequently, individuals in their fifties should look for toners that replenish and support the skin with hydrating agents, barrier-strengthening ceramides, collagen-boosting peptides, and environmental antioxidants.
Who should not use toner?
There is no strict age limit on glowing skin, but toner is not a mandatory step for everyone. Dermatologists note that if an individual is already using an effective cleanser and their skin feels balanced, introducing a toner may be unnecessary. If the skin is healthy and balanced without a toner, there is no need to add one, as some complexions simply function better with a minimalist routine.
