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Best glycolic and lactic acid toners to boost radiance and smooth skin
The best glow-boosting toners to add to your skincare routine
Tested by Maria KumarBeauty and Grooming Testing Manager
If you’re still sceptical of putting 'acid' anywhere near your face, the Good Housekeeping Institute is here to break down everything you need to know about Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs), a must-try group of exfoliating acids, which includes lactic and glycolic acid, and bring you all the benefits for your skin (spoiler: fewer finer lines, improved skin texture and a more glowing complexion).
Our experts recruited a reader panel of 357 women to help them trial a range of the best glycolic acid toners on the market. These 14 exfoliating products were deemed the best for delivering even, glowy results, minus any irritation.
Best AHA toners
What does glycolic acid do?
Glycolic acid is the best known chemical exfoliating ingredient within the AHA family, as it's the go-to for boosting glow. But how does it work?
Over to Dr Sonia Khorana, dermatology expert and GP, to explain. “Glycolic acid works by gently dissolving the bonds between dead skin cells on your skin’s surface, helping them to shed and make way for the newer, smoother skin underneath,” she says. “It's considered the golden standard of AHAs and you should expect to see improvements to your skin's texture, tone and brightness."
Its benefits are extensive, but these are the key ones, according to Dr Khorana.
Reduction in hyperpigmentation: Glycolic acid can help to fade hyperpigmentation and age spots as it encourages skin cell turnover, exfoliating the pigmented skin to reveal a fresher, brighter complexion.
Smoother skin: It can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, thanks to its exfoliating effect, which accelerates skin cell renewal and boosts collagen production.
Fewer blemishes: Glycolic acid helps to fight acne by removing dead skin cells before they can block pores and cause breakouts.
Improved softness: It's also classed as a humectant, which means it draws moisture into your skin and helps to keep it soft and supple.
Another member of the AHA family is lactic acid. It has the same benefits as glycolic, but tends to be gentler and kinder to skin. It doesn't provide the same immediate effects as glycolic, but it's generally a more sensitive-skin-friendly option. We tested a range of AHA toners containing lactic acid too, so you have a variety to choose from.
Can you use glycolic acid toner every day?
Ultimately, this depends on your skin type, but start by introducing glycolic acid into your skincare routine weekly and monitor how your skin reacts.
"If you're using a rinse-off product, like a cleanser or a toner with a very low percentage of glycolic acid, then everyday use is generally okay," says Dr Khorana. "That said, I would still advise introducing it slowly, once or twice per week, and taking it from there.
"Oily skin should tolerate it better but dry or sensitive skin types may struggle with daily use, even at a low concentration. If you’re using a higher concentration of a leave-on toner, I would recommend using it up to three times weekly."
Most glycolic acid toners will start with around 2% of glycolic acid but this can increase to 10%. If you're new to acid toners, start with a concentration of less than 8% and work your way up. Those with sensitive skin should stick to a lower dosage.
Glycolic acid toner is best applied at night, as it makes your skin sensitive to sunlight. Use after cleansing.
How long does it take to see results from glycolic acid toner?
As with all things beauty, consistency is important if you want to enjoy the benefits. If used regularly as part of a skincare routine, you should notice a difference within a month. If you're looking to see a reduction in fine lines or hyperpigmentation, give it more time – say, two to six months.
What are the side effects of glycolic acid toner?
Glycolic acid can offer an array of skincare benefits, but unfortunately, there's no guarantee it will get along with your skin type.
Dr Khorana believes it's best for those with oily, dull, combination or mature skin. Those with sensitive skin may be fine with a lower concentration toner, but in general, she explains: “People with skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, or those who are more likely to develop sensitivity (dry, sensitive, rosacea prone), should be cautious when using glycolic acid as it can increase skin sensitivity and irritability". Sorry.
No matter your skin type, always remember to follow up with SPF the next day, as glycolic acid can increase your sensitivity to harmful UV rays.
How we test
Our panel of 357 women put 26 different AHA acid toners to the test for a month, before feeding back on which products gave them their desired glow, as well as factors such as packaging, ease of use and texture.
In the lab, the Good Housekeeping Institute experts used a high-tech skin analysis machine to judge each toner on its ability to smooth complexions, boost radiance, reduce wrinkles and brown spots, and improve the overall appearance of skin. The feedback was combined to award a final score – you'll find those tried and tested picks below marked with the GHI Approved logo.
And we've also asked our editors to share their favourites to ensure there's a choice for every need and budget – you'll find those under our editors' picks.
Score: 84/100
Our luxe winner came out on top for its ability to improve smoothness and minimise age spots and fine lines. Formulated with lactic acid, most of our testers were happy with their results and it aced our lab test too, scoring highly for improving skin texture.
It didn’t spark any sensitivity and left skin feeling refreshingly hydrated with a youthful glow.
Key specifications
| Size | 100ml |
|---|---|
| Designed for | Dry, combination, mature skin |
Score: 83/100
Our panel raved about how soft this formula left their skin, without any prickly sensations. Some testers would have liked it to deliver more hydration, but it helped reduce the appearance of pores.
Skin felt clean and looked brighter after use, with the majority agreeing that it didn’t leave their complexion feeling tight or dried-out.
Key specifications
| Size | 250 |
|---|---|
| Designed for | Dry, combination, acne-prone skin |
Score: 82/100
It’s no easy feat to find a skincare product that genuinely tackles the appearance of wrinkles, but this vitamin C-packed formula scored well in our lab test for improving the look of fine lines.
Everybody said their skin tone appeared more even and felt silky-smooth after use, too.
Key specifications
| Size | 150ml |
|---|---|
| Designed for | Mature skin |
Ole Henriksen Glow2OH Dark Spot Toner
Score: 77/100
Topping our lab test for fading brown spots, our panellists also noticed an improvement in the look of their age spots and hyperpigmentation.
It increased radiance, smoothness and improved skin texture for most testers, too. The majority also said it left them with a more even complexion.
Key specifications
| Size | 190ml |
|---|---|
| Designed for | Dull, mature, combination skin |
Score: 76/100
Blackheads are clogged hair follicles that appear as tiny dark bumps, often around the nose. They're a pain to get rid of, but they've met their match in this toner.
Our testers confirmed it helped to clear blackheads and left their skin looking brighter, with less visible pigmentation. Some experienced a bit of tingling immediately after application, but this decreased over time, leaving a fresh feeling in its wake.
Key specifications
| Size | 200ml |
|---|---|
| Designed for | Acne-prone, combination skin |
The Inkey List Glycolic Acid Liquid Toner
Score: 75/100
This toner successfully tackled oily, acne-prone skin by reducing excess sebum and smoothing any textural irregularities.
It was proven to improve texture in our lab test, with the majority of our panel backing that up. Most noticed an overall improvement in their skin, although it didn't do much for hydration.
Key specifications
| Size | 100ml |
|---|---|
| Designed for | Acne-prone skin |
Saturday Skin Pore Clarifying Toner
Score: 74/100
You can’t shrink the size of pores, but you can minimise their prominence. Our panel found this toner did a brilliant job at that, with one tester even saying it helped improve the milia (tiny white bumps) around their chin.
It evened out skin tone for most, but it has a high percentage of glycolic acid (10%), so if you haven’t tried AHAs before, opt for one with a lower dosage.
Key specifications
| Size | 125ml |
|---|---|
| Designed for | Acne-prone, combination skin |
The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution
Score: 73/100
Giving a wake-up call to lacklustre skin, this toner left nearly all our panel with a brighter, more radiant complexion.
The majority agreed that it didn’t cause any tightness or sensitivity, but in the lab, it didn't prove as effective at minimising the appearance of brown spots or wrinkles as some other products in our round-up. However, overall, most testers said their skin looked better after use.
Product specifications
| Size | 240ml |
|---|---|
| Designed for | Dull skin |
Evolve Organic Beauty Liquid Radiance Glycolic Toner
Score: 72/100
This organic formula claims to be 100% natural, using citric acid from fruits and naturally preserved sugar cane (aka glycolic acid) to gently exfoliate.
Its lab score was average for improving wrinkles, brown spots and texture – but most of our panel saw an improvement in the smoothness of their skin. They also appreciated how fast it absorbed, meaning they could continue with their morning routine quickly.
Key specifications
| Size | 100ml |
|---|---|
| Designed for | Dry, normal skin |
Dior Capture Youth New Skin Effect Enzyme Solution Age-Delay Resurfacing Lotion
Score: 72/100
If you’re plagued by dry skin, this toner is brilliant at banishing dead skin cells. It didn’t leave skin feeling too tight or dry after use either, and our testers enjoyed juicier, more hydrated complexions.
It could have smoothed skin more effectively, but it didn’t cause any irritation and left the majority of testers keen to keep using it after the month-long trial.
Key specifications
| Size | 150ml |
|---|---|
| Designed for | Dry, normal skin |
Score: 71/100
If this toner's sophisticated, minimalist packaging hasn't drawn you in already, the results certainly will. Our panel agreed that their skin tone appeared more even after a month of use, with one tester particularly loving the “fresh” feeling it gave them.
It disappointed slightly in our lab test, only showing minimal improvements in texture, brown spots and wrinkles, but over half of panellists found it minimised the appearance of any hyperpigmentation.
Key specifications
| Size | 215ml |
|---|---|
| Designed for | Acne-prone, normal skin |
Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner
Score: 71/100
If you've stopped active breakouts in their tracks but can’t seem to recover from the aftermath, note that this cult favourite scored highly in our lab test for improving skin texture.
It helped smooth post-hormonal bumps and evened out skin tone for all testers. It wasn’t effective at improving fine lines, but for those in need of post-acne recovery, it's unbeatable.
Key specifications
| Size | 236ml |
|---|---|
| Designed for | Acne-prone skin |
Editors' picks
REN Clean Skincare Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic
Get ready to glow with this cult-classic toner from REN. This one doubles the power as it’s made with a blend of both AHAs and BHAs, which contain both lactic acids to exfoliate the dead cells and salicin to clear the pores of any build-up.
Plus, we love the smell of this one; it leaves us feeling reinvigorated and refreshed. It works hard without making a song and dance about it and irritating skin, much like your favourite colleague. You won’t run out anytime soon either, thanks to the generous 250ml bottle.
COSRX AHA/BHA Treatment Toner Facial Exfoliating Spray
You may be familiar with the, let’s say, unique snail-slime-enriched cream from CORSX that took the internet by storm earlier last year. It’s clear why the brand’s other products may have been slightly overshadowed, but this clarifying toner is also worth a bit of beauty buzz.
It’s made with the dream team ingredients of toners; salicylate and glycolic acid, for both gentle exfoliation and complexion balancing. It leaves the snail mucin to the daily cream but does have other natural ingredients like bark and apple water to help resurfacing and reduce inflammation and breakouts. What’s more, it’s easily dispensed via a spray nozzle. Pass us the bottle.
The verdict on the best glycolic and lactic acid toners
Glow up with our winning toner, Omorovicza Omoressence. which left our testers with brighter, clearer complexions. It offers a quick return on investment too, as one tester said it transformed their skin in just two weeks.
But if you want to brighten on a budget, then you can’t go wrong with The Ordinary’s Glycolic Acid Toning Solution, which will add radiance to your skin without irritating it.
If your skin is on the mature side, then let the fine line-reducing Temple Spa Glowcolic Toner work its magic, harnessing glycolic acid's resurfacing and smoothing properties.
Why trust the Good Housekeeping Institute
The Good Housekeeping Institute opened its beauty lab in 2015 and since then, with the help of 25,000 readers, our experts have put 240 product categories to the test, from vitamin C serums and hair dryers to LED face masks and electric toothbrushes.
Our testers are experts in their fields, whether that's haircare gadgets or skincare science. They develop rigorous protocols to ensure every product is tested against its claims. We also ask our at-home panel to try them out in real life, feeding back on performance and ease of use.
Lifestyle writer Madeleine Evans has written hundreds of beauty product reviews, working closely with the testing team and analysing results to help guide readers through the vast landscape of skincare products. She also tries the products herself so she can understand their pros and cons first-hand. When it comes to toners, her personal favourite is the PIXI Glow Tonic, which is the perfect match for her combination skin.
Madeleine is our Lifestyle Writer, specialising in expert-tested reviews and round-ups on the latest beauty Beauty and Health & Wellness products. From skincare to protein powders, Maddie is committed to providing honest and helpful reviews to help guide readers to the best product for them. Maddie has a BA in English Literature and Language, which stemmed from her lifelong interest in reading and writing. She started her post graduate life at Hearst UK within a marketing capacity, which quickly turned into a desire to fulfil a writing career.
When she is not writing about the latest expert reviewed products, you can find her rifling through vintage shops or car boots, reading a print magazine, or capturing portraits on her film camera.
Maria is our Beauty and Grooming Testing Manager, and since joining in mid-2022, she has managed the testing for mutiple categories including scalp scrubs, collagen supplements and retinol serums. In addition to her master's degree in chemical engineering and a diploma in cosmetic science, she recently received her MBA from the London College of Fashion, focusing on case studies within the beauty industry. Prior to joining the company, she worked within the global technical team at the Estee Lauder Companies for over six years, collaborating with the chemists and engineers to launch luxury beauty products at scale and to quality. She has also worked as a formulation scientist within the pharmaceutical industry and takes this evidence based approach into all her product testing.
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