Today I’m going to be talking about Facial Toners: the middle man in your skin routine.
Toner is great for balancing facial pH after using soaps and cleansers, and also for refreshing the skin before moisturizer is applied.
It’s an essential part of any skin care routine, as it provides gentle cleansing as well as antibacterial protection.
There are seven different toners I’m going to be talking about today, all of which include natural ingredients and are not test on animals.
And for all of you Vegans out there… we know it can be difficult sifting through endless bottles of product in the stores, sorting through all sorts of ingredients, trying to find a a great toner that’s actually vegan-friendly.
So I’m happy to tell you that you need not look any further, as in this article, four out of the seven toners you are about to see have received PETA’s certification as being Vegan.
First let’s check out our top choices…
List of Vegan Facial Toners
Here is a quick summary of our top choices for a particular category. You can always find out more information about the products by scrolling down the page.
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ACURE Toner Rose + Red Tea
Best All-Around Value
The Acure Facial Toner in Rose and Red Tea is certainly value for money, at only $12.99 it makes a great addition to this list.
Containing Red Tea, this toner is rich in zinc and can help to penetrate the skin and act as an antiseptic to alleviate acne: leaving clear, fresh skin.
It contains witch hazel which is an astringent anti-oxidant: which is beneficial for the skin in providing blemish fighting and anti-inflammatory powers: making skin feel cleansed and clear.
Calendula, Chamomile and Bulgarian Rose form a great combination to help to soothe the skin and hydrate it: resulting in supple, soft skin.
- Certified cruelty-free and vegan by PETA
- Alcohol-Free Certified
Product Highlights
- No synthetic fragrances
- Sulfate free
- Natural ingredients
- Rose and Chamomile To soothe the skin
What We Like
- thumbs-upDoesn’t leave skin feeling dry
- thumbs-upFresh Scent
- thumbs-upDoesn’t leave a sticky residue
What We Didn’t Like
- thumbs-downSmall Bottle
- thumbs-downNot a strong enough smell
Town & Anchor Clarifying Toner
Our Top Choice for Sensitive Skin
Packed with essential oils, this toner is full to the brim with goodness.
Aloe Vera Provides gentle hydration to the skin, blending easily into the skin and free from oily residue. Aloe Vera is natural, helps to reduce inflammation and acts as a healing agent for irritated skin, making it the perfect choice for those with sensitive skin.
Willow Bark provides a natural exfoliant, helping to penetrate deep into the pores of the skin to clear any bacteria and debris from within the skin, to leave a radiant glow.
Vitamin C is a powerful force, providing UV protection and also increasing levels of collagen in the skin: acting as an anti-aging remedy which helps to leave you with a youthful, renewed complexion.
Town and Anchor themselves vow that with every product sold, they will donate an All Natural Body Cleanser to those in need.
- Certified Vegan & Cruelty-Free by PETA
- 100% ethically sourced Botanicals
Product Highlights
- Hydrating and gentle on skin
- Packed with antioxidants for skin repair
- Natural Ingredients
- Vitamin C to provide Uv Protection
What We Like
- thumbs-upAlthough it contains Tea Tree, not drying on skin
- thumbs-upReally helps to reduce inflammation
- thumbs-upPerfect for sensitive skin
What We Didn’t Like
- thumbs-downMasculine smell (made mostly for men)
- thumbs-downSmall Bottle
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Our Top Choice for Refreshing Oily Skin
LUSH is well known for its ethical beauty products.
Completely animal cruelty-free and 100% vegetarian, these products are ideal for those with an ethical standing.
LUSH are strong advocates in the fight against animal cruelty in the cosmetics industry.
Active Ingredients:
- Tea Tree Oil provides anti-bacterial properties and is amazing for preventing and clearing acne, leaving skin feeling clean and refreshed.
- Grapefruit Water is full of vitamin C and contains natural acids which travel deep into the skin, cleansing it and helping to fight infection.
- Vitamin C is an antioxidant which will protect the skin and also help improve circulation, providing anti-aging properties. Grapefruit, tea tree, and juniper water provide oil-free cleansing, helping to refresh and renew oily skin, without leaving any oily residue on the surface of the skin.
This vegan face toner is also packed with potassium which aids in cellular cleansing and helps to tighten the pores of the skin.
- 100% ethically sourced ingredients
- Certified cruelty-free by PETA
- Bottles made from 100% recycled plastic
- LUSH launched the ‘Lush Prize’, awarding prizes for those who find other ways to test products other than on animals
Product Highlights
- 100% Natural Ingredients
- No residue left on the skin
- Packed with essential oils and vitamins
What We Like
- thumbs-upSmells fresh
- thumbs-upNon-Greasy
- thumbs-upDoesn’t leave residue behind
What We Didn’t Like
- thumbs-downPump gets blocked on the bottle
- thumbs-downSmells slightly of Sprite, which some don’t like
- thumbs-downTea Tree Oil may inflame sensitive skin
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Sibu Sea Buckthorn Clarifying Toner
Our Top Choice for Those with Allergies
Full of Omega Fatty Acids: this toner has anti-inflammatory properties, protecting skin and facilitating healing, leaving the skin healthy and refreshed.
Balances pH for six hours, helping to protect against acne and rid the skin of harmful bacteria, leading to cleansed, radiant skin.
Sea Buckthorn has several benefits:
- Helps soothe rosacea; which is a condition that results in red bumps forming on the skin
- Treating and preventing acne; to pave the way to healthy skin
- Providing deep nourishing hydration; to soothe and soften the skin
The McMullin family – who founded SIBU Beauty – are invested in helping the endogenous people of the Himalayas, having buckthorn berries harvested by hand rather than using machines.
This gives many residents sustainable jobs and a way to provide for their families.
- The family was thanked personally by the Dalai Lama, with him recognizing the humanitarianism and sustainable work for local villages.
- Certified Cruelty free and Vegan- PETA
Product Highlights
- Restructures and firms skin
- Suitable for sensitive skin and those with allergies
- Restores youthful skin
What We Like
- thumbs-upCalms the effects of rosacea and help complexion
- thumbs-upAbsorbs into the skin quickly and can be worn under makeup
What We Didn’t Like
- thumbs-downSticky residue left on the skin after use
- thumbs-downVery small Bottle
Suki Concentrated Nourishing Toner
Gentle on the skin, this is ideal for those with dry and sensitive skin.
Shitake Mushroom extract provides anti-aging benefits by increasing collagen production in skin cells and also has inflammatory properties to leave feeling soothed and supple.
Rose oil concentrate increases blood circulation to the skin cells and has antiseptic properties, making it a powerful bacteria-fighting ingredient.
The increased circulation promotes skin cells to produce more collagen and keep elasticity in the skin.
- Certified Cruelty-Free by PETA
- Tested safe for pregnant women and babies
- 100% pure concentrated ingredients
Product Highlights
- Free from carcinogens
- Gentle hydrating power
- Anti-aging ingredients
- Free from synthetic allergens
What We Like
- thumbs-upReally helps to eliminate spots
- thumbs-upHelps with skin problems such as rosacea
What We Didn’t Like
- thumbs-downVery weak scent
- thumbs-downSome say no effect seen
Dr. Alkaitis Organic Herbal Toner
Aloe Vera forms a gentle, hydrating base for this toner, helping to penetrate deep into the skin and leave it feeling soft and smooth. It also acts as an anti-inflammatory, aiding in the healing of irritated and damaged skin.
Vitamins B and C provide the skin with essential nutrients and aid collagen synthesis and regeneration of skin cells, combatting the signs of aging and making the skin feel renewing and revitalized.
Organic Grape Alcohol is a key ingredient in this toner, with the ability to balance the skin’s pH, provide a gentle cleanse and also strengthen the skin: it helps to leave the skin protected, clean and youthful.
- Organic Beauty Talk Award 2011
- Green Beauty Award
- Cruelty Free by PETA
Product Highlights
- Organically Grown Ingredients
- 100% pure essential oils
- Gentle cleansing power
- Antibacterial properties, protecting the skin against acne
What We Like
- thumbs-upGreat for sensitive, acne prone skin- doesn’t cause contact dermatitis like some other brands
- thumbs-upLovely, earthy smell
What We Didn’t Like
- thumbs-downLeaves a stickiness on the skin
- thumbs-downStings in contact with broken skin
Dr. Botanicals Cleanse and Tone
This is a 2-in-1 treatment, cleansing, and toning the face in one motion.
Aloe Vera. Cucumber and Hazel water work together as a formidable team to soothe the skin and gentle hydrate deep into the pores, leaving the skin silky and soft.
The combination of eucalyptus and peppermint oil act as powerful antibacterial agents, protecting the skin from infection and fighting bacteria.
Elderflower oil is packed full of flavonols, which are known for their antibacterial, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory powers. This provides powerful protection for the skin and leaves it feeling refreshed and bright.
- 100% Natural Ingredients
- Vegan and Cruelty Free by PETA
- Environmentally conscious
Product Highlights
- Elderflower brightens the skin
- Natural Ingredients
- Paraben Free
- Gentle to skin and suitable for sensitive skin
What We Like
- thumbs-upThe smell isn’t too strong
- thumbs-upRich cleanser
- thumbs-upSmoothes the skin really well
What We Didn’t Like
- thumbs-downSome have reported that the pump does not work very well
- thumbs-downSome may find it the bottle size expensive
So, now that we’ve had a round-up of our products, it’s time to ask the important question:
Why do we need Toner?
Here are five reasons you should be adding toner into your beauty routine:
It Balances Skin pH
After we use any face wash or soap, our skin’s pH level is raised high. As our skin naturally is slightly acidic, this upsets our skin, and it has to work overtime to try and restore it’s natural pH, which can cause excess oil production. Using a toner lowers the pH before too much oil is produced and starts to clog up the skin.
It can prevent ingrown hairs
Toners containing acid can aid in the prevention of ingrown hairs, by dissolving any dirt or oil before it builds up to cause an infection.
It moisturises
Many toners now include moisturizing ingredients such as aloe vera, meaning that the skin can be hydrated before even having to apply moisturizer.
It can help prevent acne
Toner is great for penetrating into the skin pores and clearing out dirt and oil, this, in turn, prevents build up of bacteria and the formation of acne.
It refreshes the skin
Even if you haven’t got the time to wash your face, applying a toner can give your skin a quick refresh and gets rid of any excess oil.
5 Natural Toner Ingredients to Look For
If you are a natural/organic freak then you’re going to want to look to see if these organic ingredients come inside the vegan toner of your choice.
1. Elderflower Oil
As you will have seen above in ‘Dr.Botanicals Cleanse and Tone’, Elderflower oil is a great natural addition to toners. It has many benefits, including anti-viral, anti-cancer and anti-bacterial properties. It is gentle on the skin and suitable for those with allergies and is used widely as a medicine too. With the ability to protect the skin from so many issues, this is an ingredient to look out for in your next facial toner.
2. Witch Hazel
Witch Hazel is a great soothing ingredient. It is used to treat acne, to help smooth out puffy eyes and also helps with the treatment of varicose veins. A natural healer, it is certainly an ingredient you want in your skincare regime.
3. Tea Tree Oil
Tea Tree Oil is a natural antiseptic, helping to fight blemishes and leave the skin feeling youthful and fresh. As it is potent on it’s own, it is advised the a carrier oil should be used when applying it to the face (such as sweet almond oil). The general ratio is 10:1, 10 parts carrier and 1 part tea tree oil.
4. Vitamin C
Vitamin C (otherwise known as Ascorbic Acid) is one the superheroes in anti-aging. It’s ability to increase blood circulation and increase collagen production within the skin cells makes it a must have ingredient for skincare.
5. Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera gel is extracted directly from the plant, you could even snap off a leaf of a plant you have at home and apply it to the face. It is 100% natural and full of vitamins, providing your skin with deep hydration and anti-inflammatory properties. If you ever burn the skin, it can be applied directly and helps with the healing process. It is commonly used in toner which is directed as those with dry and sensitive skin, as it is nourishing and gentle to the skin.
4 Non-Vegan Ingredients to watch out for in a Face Toner
1. Glycerine
Glycerin is in many toners as a humectant- this means that its job is to keep moisture in the upper layers of the skin, leaving you hydrated. However, glycerine can be sourced from animal fat. There are many other ingredients which act the same way, such as rose water, so it is best to avoid glycerine.
2. Collagen
The second ingredient to watch out for is Collagen. Collagen is a fibrous protein found in animals. It can be found in many toners which boast ‘anti-aging’ effects. It isn’t a necessary ingredient as things like Vitamin C can promote collagen growth in the skin.
3. Lactic acid
Lactic acid is derived from animal blood or tissue, and can be found in the toner as an acne fighting ingredient. It boasts acne preventing and anti-aging properties, but may do more harm than good.
The FDA reported that lactic acid might actually cause lasting sun damage to the skin. This is an ingredient which can be easily avoided by replacing with more nourishing ones such as Tea Tree Oil.
4. Lanolin
And finally, Lanolin. This is an oil extracted from sheep’s wool and is said to help deeply hydrate the skin, making it a popular ingredient for toners aimed at those with dry skin.
It is an emollient said to coat the outer layers and skin and also penetrate deep, providing extreme moisture.
However, it is not proven to provide any benefit to the skin at all.
So why use it?
A much better alternative to this would be something like Aloe Vera or almond oil, both of which are extremely hydrating and full of vitamin E.
We hope this article helps you to make the right choice for your skin type, as well as finding the most natural and cruelty-free ingredients on the market.