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The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner for acne-prone skin

High

  • SuperiorCombination Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

A great choice for acne-prone skin; a few toners fit it even 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 excellent exfoliation for your combination skin, as Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate smooths texture while Hyaluronic Acid supports skin barrier function and provides hydration.
  • This formula is also well-suited for your acne-prone skin, with Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate and Hyaluronic Acid offering moderate benefits for blemishes and breakouts.
  • The product is safe for your skin, featuring soothing ingredients like Panthenol and Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate with no risk of irritation.

How to apply

  • You can use this exfoliating toner in your PM routine. Start by using it 1 time per week and increase slowly if your skin is happy.
  • Apply your exfoliating toner right after cleansing and before your moisturizing steps. This helps your skin stay clean and clear.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliating toner into your skin with your hands. Avoid rubbing to keep your face calm.
  • Apply the exfoliating toner on clean and dry skin for the best comfort. Let it dry for a minute ⏱ before moving on.
  • Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid putting the product too close to your eyes.

People Say

★4.4Overall rating based on 2.0k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, users consistently describe this toner as an exceptionally gentle and hydrating exfoliant that provides a "glass skin" finish, making it a favorite for those with sensitive or dry skin who cannot tolerate stronger acids. While many report smoother texture and increased radiance, a significant portion of users note a distinct fermented scent and a minority experienced breakouts or found the finish slightly tacky.

Highlights

  • Gentle & non-irritating Mostly Mentioned
    • “suitable for sensitive skin”
    • “no stinging or burning”
    • “gentlest exfoliant I've used”
  • Hydrating & plumping Mostly Mentioned
    • “feels like a light moisturizer”
    • “leaves skin plump”
    • “very hydrating for dry skin”
    • “milky and soothing”
  • Glow & radiance Often Mentioned
    • “gives instant glass skin”
    • “dewy finish”
    • “skin looks brighter”
    • “healthy glow”
  • Improves texture Often Mentioned
    • “skin feels softer”
    • “smoothed out roughness”
    • “reduced texture irregularities”
    • “face feels baby soft”
  • Unpleasant scent Often Mentioned
    • “smells like yeast”
    • “sourdough starter scent”
    • “funky fermented smell”
    • “smells like beer/bread”
  • Sticky or greasy Sometimes Noted
    • “leaves a tacky film”
    • “feels slightly greasy”
    • “takes time to absorb”
    • “heavy for oily skin”
  • Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
    • “caused fungal acne”
    • “broke me out in tiny bumps”
    • “clogged my pores”
    • “whiteheads appeared”
  • Lack of results Rarely Noted
    • “didn't notice any exfoliation”
    • “no difference in dark spots”
    • “too gentle to be effective”
    • “just glorified water”

Sources: lovi.care, theordinary.com, sephora.com, ulta.com, reddit.com, and more

Questions and answers

What makes The Ordinary Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner a great fit for acne-prone skin?

This milky toner is a great fit because Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate and Hyaluronic Acid offer moderate benefits for blemishes and breakouts on acne-prone skin. It is also safe for your skin, featuring soothing ingredients like Panthenol with no risk of irritation.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017

Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for acne-prone skin?

Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate and Hyaluronic Acid make this toner a great fit for your acne-prone skin by offering moderate benefits for breakouts while keeping your skin hydrated. Soothing ingredients like Panthenol also help keep your skin calm with no risk of irritation.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017

What does Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate do for acne-prone skin?

Saccharomyces ferment filtrate helps balance oily skin and keeps pores clear, while also calming redness. A product of this type needs soothing ingredients like Centella asiatica and barrier-strengthening fermented components to properly care for acne-prone skin.

What does Hyaluronic Acid do for acne-prone skin?

Hyaluronic acid helps acne-prone skin by soothing irritation, calming redness, and keeping the skin balanced without clogging pores. When combined with targeted ingredients like zinc oxide, it may also help reduce breakouts.

Biomedicines, 2025Drug Delivery, 2017

Where does this toner go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?

This exfoliating toner goes in the morning routine after cleansing and before moisturizing, and it is usually started once a week. The formula smooths texture, helps with blemishes, and brings soothing ingredients like Panthenol and Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate with no risk of irritation.

Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?

Yes, you can use this toner with retinol by applying the toner first to smooth your skin and then following with your retinol treatment. Soothing ingredients like panthenol help keep this routine gentle and reduce the likelihood of irritation on acne-prone skin.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

How often should I use this toner?

Start using this exfoliating toner once a week, and if your skin handles it well, you may carefully use it more often. This gentle schedule helps smooth your texture and manage breakouts safely while keeping your skin calm.

Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?

This toner is a great fit for acne-prone skin, helping smooth texture while offering moderate benefits for blemishes and breakouts with Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate and Hyaluronic Acid. It features soothing ingredients like Panthenol and Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate with a strong safety profile, making it unlikely to cause irritation or breakouts.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017

Is this toner fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.

What the research says

  • A combination serum containing galactomyces ferment filtrate, dexpanthenol, and Centella asiatica effectively treated post-acne hyperpigmentation in subjects with colored skin by significantly increasing lightness scores in Fitzpatrick skin type V and reducing the melanin index in Fitzpatrick skin type IV compared to placebo.

    Skinmed, 2021
  • Application of Galactomyces ferment filtrate skin care formula significantly reduced the net values and daily fluctuation of facial pore area, roughness, and redness in young Japanese women.

    Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2021
  • Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.

    American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
  • A new topical panthenol-containing emollient significantly improved transepidermal water loss reduction, stratum corneum hydration, and intercellular lipid lamellae length compared with control in healthy subjects without negatively impacting bacterial viability.

    The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017
  • A panthenol-enriched mask significantly decreased erythema and hyperpigmentation, increased sebum and stratum corneum moisture, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to a saline dressing in 60 subjects undergoing facial laser treatment.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025
  • Topical moisturizers improved skin barrier function and surface moisture, while a postbiotic moisturizer with yeast extract uniquely supported microbiome balance and modulated biomarkers of skin barrier, structure, and inflammation in participants and ex vivo explants exposed to environmental aggressors.

    Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2023
  • A maintenance therapy with a cosmeceutical formulation containing hydroxyphenoxy propionic acid, ellagic acid, yeast extract, and salicylic acid over 20 weeks significantly improved even skin tone, spot intensity, spot size, and overall hyperpigmentation in 33 healthy subjects with moderate facial dyspigmentation.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2015
  • A methanol yeast extract increases proliferation and migration while decreasing entrance into senescence and apoptosis phases in 3T3 fibroblast cells.

    Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2014
  • Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011
  • Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.

    Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022
  • Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.

    BMC Oral Health, 2019
  • 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, 2017
  • The 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, 2020
  • Ten 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, 2001
  • Topical gel containing chitosan, 0.2% chlorhexidine, allantoin and dexpanthenol did not improve postoperative comfort regarding swelling and pain, but improved the wound's aesthetic appearance following impacted lower third molar extraction compared to no gel.

    Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2016
  • A topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.

    Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020
  • An overnight patch containing Allium cepa extract and allantoin safely promotes scar healing after dermatologic surgery, resulting in significantly greater reductions in observer- and patient-assessed POSAS scores compared to no treatment.

    Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2018
  • Moisturizer containing 5% panthenol, madecassoside, and copper-zinc-manganese decreased adverse reactions and downtime after ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing with comparable efficacy to 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream in 20 subjects.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019
  • Topical dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.

    Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000
  • Hyaluronic acid, hyaluronic acid plus dexpanthenol, and isotonic saline nasal sprays all significantly improved dry nose symptoms over four weeks in 240 patients, with hyaluronic acid plus dexpanthenol providing superior nasal moisturisation compared to the other two.

    Auris, Nasus, Larynx, 2020

Ingredients

Water, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Hyaluronic Acid, Allantoin, Panthenol, Betaine, Sodium Pca, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

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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