Clarins Purifying Toning Lotion for dry skin
Spiraea Ulmaria Extract
Crocus Sativus Flower Extract
Witch Hazel Extract
Microbiote Complex
Aquatic Plant Extracts
Caution
- LowDry Skin Fit
- SuperiorEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A poor match for dry skin; the cleansing toners alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. 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 excellent cleansing for oily skin due to high concentrations of witch hazel leaf extract and spiraea ulmaria extract for pore decongestion, but it lacks specialized moisturizing ingredients like saccharide isomerate, making it less effective for your dry or flaky skin.
- The presence of glycerin and other emollient ingredients is moderate, and the astringent properties of spiraea ulmaria extract are more suited for oily skin types.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or 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 your cleanser, and before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the cleansing toner into your skin and let it absorb for a minute before layering.
- Apply the cleansing toner on slightly damp skin to help with hydration and absorption.
- Avoid the delicate eye area and do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.1Overall rating based on 1.3k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with combination to oily skin generally praise this alcohol-free toner for its ability to control shine and refine pores without stripping moisture. A significant portion of long-time customers express disappointment with the reformulation, citing a polarizing scent and a stickier finish compared to the discontinued "Iris" version.
Highlights
Controls oil & shine Often Mentioned
- “Mattifies T-zone”
- “reduces sebum”
- “keeps skin shine-free”
Refreshing & gentle Often Mentioned
- “Feels clean”
- “non-drying”
- “soothing”
- “alcohol-free formula”
Reformulation disappointment Often Mentioned
- “Inferior to "Iris" toner”
- “miss the old formula”
- “"why change it"”
Unpleasant scent Often Mentioned
- “Smells like "wet dog"”
- “rotting leaves”
- “overpowering fragrance”
Effective cleansing Sometimes Noted
- “Removes leftover makeup”
- “clears residue”
- “leaves skin pristine”
Pleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “Spa-like fragrance”
- “fresh floral notes”
- “fruity aroma”
Refines pores Sometimes Noted
- “Tightens pores”
- “improves texture”
- “minimizes pore appearance”
Poor packaging design Sometimes Noted
- “Opening too wide”
- “pours too fast”
- “wastes product”
Sticky residue Sometimes Noted
- “Leaves tacky film”
- “feels heavy”
- “not fully absorbing”
Skin irritation Rarely Noted
- “Caused breakouts”
- “stinging”
- “redness”
- “allergic reaction”
Sources: lovi.care, clarinsusa.com, macys.com, boots.com, sephora.com, influenster.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise caution with Clarins Purifying Toning Lotion for dry skin?
This toner is a poor match for dry skin because it focuses on clearing pores and tightening with ingredients like witch hazel and meadowsweet extract, while lacking enough specialized moisturizing ingredients. A product for this skin needs plenty of hydrating ingredients and soothing extracts to provide essential moisture and maintain a gentle balance.
Which ingredients make this toner a poor fit for dry skin?
Witch hazel extract and Spiraea ulmaria extract make this toner a poor fit because their astringent properties are better suited for oily skin. A product for dry skin needs rich moisturizing and nourishing ingredients like glycerin and soothing plant extracts to provide essential moisture.
What does Meadowsweet Extract do for dry skin?
Meadowsweet extract helps balance oil and soothe dry skin, but dry skin needs richer ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture and keep it soft and smooth.
What does Saffron Extract do for dry skin?
Saffron extract helps boost skin moisture and supports the skin barrier. This ingredient may improve hydration and reduce dryness when used in a moisturizing cream.
Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2014Planta Medica, 2025
Where does this toner go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This toner is a poor match for dry skin because its witch hazel and plant extracts are meant for oily skin and it lacks enough moisturizing ingredients. Dry skin needs a toner that brings extra hydration and soothing moisture with ingredients like hyaluronic acid or glycerin.
Can I use this toner with salicylic acid, and in what order?
Using this toner with salicylic acid is a poor match for dry skin, as the astringent ingredients and lack of specialized moisturizing components may leave your skin flaky and irritated. A product of this type needs rich, gentle moisturizers and barrier-repairing ingredients to keep dry skin soft and comfortable.
How often should I use this toner?
This toner is a poor match for dry skin, as its witch hazel and plant extracts are meant to clear pores on oily skin rather than hydrate. Dry skin needs gentle, hydrating toners packed with moisturizing ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid.
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This toner is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on dry skin, because its astringent ingredients are designed to clear pores rather than trap oil. However, dry skin needs products featuring rich moisturizing ingredients like glycerin and soothing plant extracts to keep it soft and comfortable.
Is this toner fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum).
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, 2017Chemical profiling and in vitro screening of Filipendula ulmaria extract and centrifugal partition chromatography fractions on Normal Human Epidermal Keratinocytes identified 28 compounds, with specific fractions upregulating genes related to skin barrier function, epidermal renewal, and stress responses.
Molecules, 2023Oral and topical botanical products containing ingredients like ashwagandha, saffron, l-theanine, and tocopherol reduced facial redness and pigmentation and improved sleep and certain mood parameters in healthy females with sensitive skin compared to baseline.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2022Topical water-in-oil cream containing 3% Crocus sativus extract demonstrated absolute physical stability across various storage conditions and produced a significant increase in skin moisture and changes in transepidermal water loss compared to the base in human volunteers.
Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2014Topical cream containing saffron extract and avocado oil improved wrinkle grading, reduced nasolabial fold area and volume, and increased skin elasticity in twenty healthy volunteers over 12 weeks without allergic reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020A Hamamelis virginiana leaf extract increased LOXL1 expression twofold, decreased elafin synthesis, restored functional elastic fibers, reduced nonfunctional elastin aggregates, decreased wrinkles, and improved skin firmness.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2018Hamamelis bark proanthocyanidins strongly increased the proliferation of cultured human keratinocytes and reduced transepidermal water loss and erythema formation in SLS-irritated skin, whereas the polysaccharide fraction had no effect.
Phytochemistry, 2001Witch hazel bark extract and hamamelitannin showed pronounced anti-inflammatory activity, supported keratinocyte migration in a wound healing assay, and inhibited Staphylococcus aureus growth, whereas their skin microbiota metabolite ellagic acid stimulated inflammatory mediator release.
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2025
Ingredients
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Ppg-26-Buteth-26, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Maris Aqua Sea Water Eau De Mer, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum, Disodium Edta, Potassium Sorbate, Phenylpropanol, Phenethyl Alcohol, Spiraea Ulmaria Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Witch Hazel Leaf Extract, Saccharide Isomerate, Crocus Sativus Flower Extract
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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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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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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