Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner for dry sensitive skin
Lavender Oil
Lavender Flower Extract
Glycerin
Saponins
Chlorphenesin
Average
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for dry sensitive skin; other cleansing toners fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry sensitive skin: flakiness, tightness, redness, 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 moderate suitability for your dry skin due to the presence of glycerin, a humectant, but lacks sufficient emollient or occlusive ingredients to fully address dryness.
- The inclusion of saponins and polysorbate 20 provides moderate cleansing benefits, while Lavandula Angustifolia Oil offers some soothing effects, though these are not primary concerns for your dry or flaky skin.
- The product is safe for your dry and sensitive skin as it contains no harsh or prohibited ingredients, minimizing irritation risks.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine. Start using your cleansing toner 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin feels good.
- Apply your cleansing toner after washing your face and before putting on your moisturizer or SPF. This step comes right after cleaning your skin.
- Gently press 2 to 3 drops of the cleansing toner into your skin with your hands. Let it soak in for a minute before adding more products.
- Since your skin is dry and sensitive, apply the cleansing toner on dry skin for better comfort . This helps your face stay calm and happy.
- Always avoid the delicate eye area when putting on your cleansing toner. Do a quick patch test before using it for the first time.
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 dry sensitive skin?
Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner works moderately well for dry sensitive skin because it contains glycerin for moisture and lavender oil for calming effects, though it is unlikely to cause irritation. However, it lacks enough softening or sealing ingredients to fully care for dry skin, which needs richer moisturizers and barrier-supporting ingredients to stay soft and smooth.
Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
Glycerin helps bring moisture to your skin, while lavender oil and extract may soothe it. Because it is an average fit, dry skin needs a product with richer softening and sealing ingredients to truly lock in hydration.
What does Lavender Oil do for dry sensitive skin?
Lavender oil may help calm dry sensitive skin, but it can occasionally cause irritation or allergic reactions in some people. This type of skin needs gentle, fragrance-free hydration and soothing ingredients to protect its barrier without causing redness.
What does Lavender Flower Extract do for dry sensitive skin?
Lavender flower extract helps calm dry sensitive skin by reducing stress on skin cells and supporting the skin barrier so it stays soft and comfortable. This plant extract is unlikely to irritate easily, making it a gentle choice for soothing your skin.
Where does this toner go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This toner goes after your cleanser in the morning and evening routine for dry sensitive skin. A product of this type works best for this skin when it includes rich smoothing ingredients and protective shields that lock in moisture and deeply relieve dry areas.
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this toner with retinol by applying the toner first after cleansing and before your retinol treatment. It is unlikely to cause irritation because it has a safe makeup, but dry skin needs richer ingredients like ceramides and nourishing oils to fully soften and protect the skin.
How often should I use this toner?
You can use this toner daily in the morning and evening as part of your routine. It is unlikely to irritate your skin, but because it only offers moderate suitability, your dry sensitive skin needs extra richness from softening and barrier-protecting ingredients to fully lock in moisture.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This toner is unlikely to clog pores, cause breakouts, or lead to purging on dry sensitive skin because it contains no heavy oils or pore-clogging ingredients. It is formulated safely to minimize irritation risks.
Is this toner 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, 2025Polysaccharide-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, 2012Saponins 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, 2022Lycoperoside 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, 2025
Why other cleansing toners fit dry sensitive skin better
Cosmetic formulations containing 5% Centella asiatica extract showed the best efficacy in improving skin moisture and decreasing transepidermal water loss, while also exhibiting antiinflammatory properties in 25 volunteers compared to baseline measurements.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Co-delivery of paeonol and madecassoside via nanoemulsions improved transdermal delivery, promoted barrier repair proteins, inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in cellular and 3D models, and reduced transepidermal water loss and acne in human facial skin compared to free components.
Molecules, 2023Gluconolactone treatment significantly increased facial skin hydration in 16 healthy women, with no significant differences between 10% and 30% solutions.
Skin Research and Technology, 2021
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
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
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