Because many dermatologists and other skin-care experts do not recommend the use of toners in your everyday skin-care routine, they instead advocate for gentle — but thorough — cleansers.
"An alternative to using a toner is to use an effective cleanser," says Gohara. "The Dove Beauty Bar ($13 for a pack of eight) is a great choice, as it deposits moisture into the skin as it cleans, leaving the skin softer and more radiant." Rogers also recommends gentle cleansing for people who have sensitive skin or rosacea.
As an alternative to an actual toner, you can also try single-ingredient solutions, such as witch hazel or apple cider vinegar. However, Shelger made sure to note that a product that combines many active ingredients is more likely to have a visible effect on the skin than one single home remedy. Another recommendation for a toner alternative is rose water, which can have a calming and purifying effect on the skin. Try out Lush's Eau Roma Water ($23) or Whamisa's Organic Flowers Damask Rose Petal Mist ($38).
Tsai also noted, "Sheet masks perform a similar function of swelling and plumping the skin with hydration, which allows deeper penetration of anything to follow." For Asian beauty skin masks that provide the benefits of hydrating toners, check out Tatcha's Luminous Dewy Skin Mask ($45 for a pack of four), the Dr. Jart+ Hydration Lover Rubber Mask ($12), or Glow Recipe's Watermelon Glow Jelly Sheet Mask ($8).
