Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner for acne-prone skin
Lavender Oil
Lavender Flower Extract
Glycerin
Saponins
Chlorphenesin
Average
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for acne-prone skin; other cleansing toners fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate cleansing and hydration for your combination skin, as glycerin and saponins help decongest gently and retain moisture. Lavandula Angustifolia Oil provides anti-inflammatory benefits supportive for acne and blemishes.
- The formula offers general skincare benefits that can aid in soothing and hydrating, which is beneficial for managing breakouts.
- The product is safe for your combination skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing lavender oil.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using the cleansing toner 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply the cleansing toner after cleansing and before your moisturizer or SPF.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the cleansing toner into your skin and let it absorb for a minute before layering other products.
- Apply the cleansing toner on dry skin since your skin is not sensitive and you want to target blemishes.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before first use to ensure your skin feels comfortable.
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 600+ reviewsThis alcohol-free toner is praised for purifying and hydrating combination skin, leaving it balanced, soft, and refreshed. Users frequently note its gentle, non-stripping properties and a refreshing lavender scent, with many appreciating its ability to enhance the absorption of subsequent skincare products. Some users find the lavender scent strong, and a few mention potential dryness for dry skin types.
Highlights
Gentle and non-stripping Often Mentioned
- “Feels incredibly gentle and instantly rebalances my skin's pH.”
- “Purifies without completely stripping my moisture barrier.”
- “Remarkably gentle, making it perfect even for my slightly sensitive skin.”
Refreshing scent Often Mentioned
- “The lavender scent is soothing and authentic.”
- “A delicate and refreshing scent.”
- “Smells absolutely incredible... made me feel like I'd just visited a spa.”
Convenient spray Sometimes Noted
- “The nozzle disperses a fine even mist.”
- “I love that it comes in a spray bottle!”
- “I always love a good toner mist.”
Improves skin texture Sometimes Noted
- “Helped soften my skin texture and calms down any irritation.”
- “My skin is literally glowing and looking healthy.”
- “Leaves my skin feeling incredibly soft.”
Strong lavender scent Sometimes Noted
- “Lavender smell is strong!”
- “Heavily scented, so if you don't like lavender, I would probably avoid.”
- “Only so-so on the scent... my least favorite of the scents.”
Potential dryness Rarely Noted
- “Some users with dry skin said their skin became dryer with use.”
Spray bottle preference Rarely Noted
- “Only wish it was not a spray.”
- “I apply with the mist or unscrew the cap and use a cotton ball.”
Sources: lovi.care, elemis.com, lovelyskin.com, influenster.com, lemon8-app.com, thecharmingdetroiter.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner work for acne-prone skin?
Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner works moderately well for acne-prone skin by offering gentle cleansing, moisture retention, and soothing benefits to help manage breakouts. While it is safe and calming, this skin type needs a product that includes strong blemish-fighting ingredients like glycolic acid, salicylic acid, or niacinamide, paired with hydrating and soothing components like aloe vera or gentle exfoliants.
Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Glycerin and saponins help gently clear pores and hold onto moisture, while lavender oil and extract provide calming benefits for breakouts. A toner for acne-prone skin needs ingredients like salicylic acid, glycolic acid, or niacinamide to more effectively target blemishes and balance oil.
What does Lavender Oil do for acne-prone skin?
Lavender oil helps acne-prone skin because it has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that target breakouts and calm redness. Studies show it may fight acne-causing bacteria and reduce swelling safely.
What does Lavender Flower Extract do for acne-prone skin?
Lavender Flower Extract helps calm acne-prone skin by reducing redness and swelling linked to breakouts. It also offers antioxidant benefits that protect irritated skin while it heals.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
Use Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner as a cleansing toner in your evening routine after removing makeup and cleansing. Acne-prone skin works best with products that provide gentle decongestion, moisture retention, and calming ingredients like lavender oil and glycerin.
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this toner with retinol by applying the toner first to hydrate and soothe, followed by your retinol treatment. This approach helps keep your skin calm while managing breakouts, though acne-prone skin ultimately needs gentle cleansers and barrier-repairing ingredients to fully thrive.
How often should I use it?
You can use this toner in your evening routine as a gentle cleansing step. To best manage acne-prone skin, this type of product also needs ingredients that deeply clear pores and keep oil balanced.
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This toner is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts because it is free of harsh ingredients and uses soothing lavender oil and gentle cleansers to help calm the skin. However, since it is only an average fit for acne-prone skin, a product of this type needs stronger blemish-fighting ingredients and oil-balancing benefits to truly keep breakouts at bay.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (linalool, geraniol, parfum, and limonene).
What the research says
A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Saponaria officinalis callus extract suppressed inflammatory mediators in macrophages, showed no skin irritation in 30 volunteers, and significantly reduced desquamation by 44.07% in 21 participants, demonstrating significant anti-inflammatory and exfoliating effects.
Plants, 2025Saponins of Korean red ginseng protect the skin from particulate matter-induced damage by decreasing levels of reactive oxygen species, leptin, inflammatory cytokines, and melanin.
Nutrients, 2022Polysaccharide-based O/W emulsions incorporated with lavender essential oil applied to cellulosic support are non-irritating, provide softness and moisturizing effects, and are safe for topical patch applications.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021Gellan gum hydrogel films co-encapsulating ofloxacin with tea tree or lavender oil achieved 98% wound contraction and completely healed epidermis in rats after ten days of treatment compared to baseline.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021Topical application of lavender oil significantly promoted wound contraction, collagen synthesis, and fibroblast differentiation with up-regulation of TGF-beta in a rat model compared to control.
BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2016Lavandula angustifolia leaf callus extract enhanced skin cell viability, reduced oxidative stress and melanin content, improved wound healing, and enhanced skin barrier function in human skin cells and clinical tests.
Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 2025Tea tree oil effectively treated acne while lavender and rosemary oils demonstrated anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties in derma cosmetic applications based on an evaluation of various essential oils.
Frontiers in Medicine, 2025A blend of Lavandula angustifolia flower extract and dipeptide-4 reduced oxidative and glycation markers, enhanced ATP, SOD, autophagy, and melatonin production, and improved tissue morphology in human skin models and fibroblasts.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2026The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012Lycoperoside H from tomato seeds improved epidermal dehydration by stimulating ceramide synthesis and increasing total stratum corneum ceramides by approximately 1.5-fold and ceramide (NP) by approximately 2-fold in reconstructed human epidermal keratinization models, while exhibiting anti-inflammatory effects in animal tests.
Molecules, 2021Total saponins of Panax notoginseng ameliorated sodium dodecyl sulfate-induced barrier impairment in a reconstructed human epidermis model by alleviating stratum corneum thickening, upregulating barrier-related proteins, and regulating a multi-pathway network involving lipid metabolism.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2025Ginseng berry rare saponins protected human keratinocytes and mouse skin against UVB-induced photodamage and ferroptosis by activating the Nrf2/HO-1/GPX4 pathway.
Food Research International, 2024
Ingredients
Water, Polysorbate 20, Glycerin, Methyl Gluceth-20, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium Edta, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil Lavender Oil, Chlorphenesin, Linalool, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Saponins, Tromethamine, Geraniol, Parfum, Limonene, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract Lavender Flower Extract, Saponaria Officinalis Root Extract Leaf Sweet Betty Root Extract Leaf
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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