🇪🇸Spain

Obagi Nu-Derm Toner for oily acne-prone skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

Obagi Nu-Derm Toner

Average

  • SuperiorOily Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

Works for oily acne-prone skin; other toners fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. 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

  • Excellent suitability for your oily skin is provided by Witch Hazel Water and Potassium Alum, which help regulate sebum and offer astringent properties, though the hydration from glycerin and panthenol is moderate and not specifically targeted for your acne concerns.
  • The inclusion of Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract offers soothing benefits that complement your skin's needs.
  • The product is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of beneficial components.

How to apply

  • Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin feels fine.
  • Apply your hydrating toner after cleansing and before putting on your moisturizer or SPF.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the hydrating toner into your skin with your hands. Let it ⏱absorb for a minute before adding your next product.
  • Applying the hydrating toner on slightly damp skin helps your face absorb it better. This keeps your oily skin balanced and hydrated.
  • Be sure to avoid the eye area when applying. Do a patch test before your first use to check for any reaction.

People Say

★4.8Overall rating based on 1.8k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, users with aging, sensitive, and hyperpigmentation-prone skin highly recommend this alcohol-free toner for its ability to remove lingering impurities without stripping moisture. It is frequently praised for balancing the skin's pH and preparing the face for subsequent treatments, leaving the complexion feeling fresh and soothed.

Highlights

  • Non-drying hydrating Mostly Mentioned
    • “does not dry skin”
    • “leaves face soft”
    • “alcohol-free formula”
    • “feels hydrated”
  • Deep cleansing Often Mentioned
    • “removes last traces of makeup”
    • “skin feels squeaky clean”
    • “removes excess oil”
    • “gets all dirt off”
  • Prepares skin Sometimes Noted
    • “preps for serum”
    • “helps products absorb”
    • “essential step”
    • “balances pH”
  • Soothing calming Sometimes Noted
    • “soothes redness”
    • “calms sensitive skin”
    • “feels cool”
    • “refreshing sensation”
  • Pore refinement Rarely Noted
    • “tightens pores”
    • “pores look smaller”
    • “smooths texture”
    • “refines skin surface”
  • Availability Rarely Noted
    • “often out of stock”
    • “hard to find”
    • “shipping delays”
    • “backordered”
  • Fragrance Rarely Noted
    • “scent is too strong”
    • “contains fragrance”
    • “smells like perfume”
    • “prefer unscented”
  • Packaging design Rarely Noted
    • “hard to dispense”
    • “bottle leaks”
    • “hole is too small”
    • “wish it had a pump”
  • Price Rarely Noted
    • “expensive for a toner”
    • “pricey”
    • “costly”
    • “wait for sale”
  • Sensory feel Rarely Noted
    • “feels sticky initially”
    • “leaves a film”
    • “tingles slightly”
    • “watery consistency”

Sources: lovi.care, lovelyskin.com, dermstore.com, obagi.com, eskinstore.com, skinstation.co.uk, and more

Questions and answers

How well does Obagi Nu-Derm Toner work for oily acne-prone skin?

Obagi Nu-Derm Toner works reasonably well for oily acne-prone skin, helping control oil and soothe your skin, though its hydration is only moderate. A product of this type needs ingredients like Beta-Glucan, Sodium Hyaluronate, and oil-controlling agents to better manage blemishes and provide optimal results for this skin type.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

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

Witch hazel water and potassium alum help make this toner a fit for oily skin by managing excess oil and providing a tightening feel. A product of this type needs strong soothing ingredients, oil-controlling agents, and targeted hydration to best care for this skin type.

What does Witch Hazel do for oily acne-prone skin?

Witch hazel helps calm redness and balances irritated skin by reducing inflammation and soothing acne-prone areas. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may support clearer skin when used in your routine.

Phytochemistry, 2001Antioxidants, 2022

What does Aloe Vera Leaf Juice do for oily acne-prone skin?

Aloe Vera Leaf Juice helps calm redness and reduces acne breakouts for oily skin. Studies show it effectively targets acne lesions and lowers redness when used regularly.

Clinical Pharmacology, 2018The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2014

Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?

This hydrating toner goes after cleansing in the morning routine and during weekly care. A skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin needs targeted blemish-fighting ingredients and oil-balancing components alongside lightweight hydration.

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

You can use this toner after cleansing and before your retinol, as it is safe and unlikely to cause irritation. However, an oily acne-prone skin type needs targeted hydration and soothing ingredients that specifically address acne concerns to get the best results.

How often should I use it?

You can use this toner daily in your morning routine after cleansing and before moisturizing. It is safe for your skin and is unlikely to cause irritation.

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

This toner is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily acne-prone skin, as it has a very safe profile without harsh ingredients. However, to truly target breakouts and acne concerns, a product of this type needs specialized clarifying ingredients and oil-balancing hydrators.

Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum).

What the research says

  • 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

  • Hamamelis 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, 2001

  • A 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, 2018

  • Witch 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

  • Hamamelis virginiana bark extract inhibited Cutibacterium acnes-induced IL-6 release and TNF-α-induced IL-8 release in human keratinocytes without showing antibacterial or antibiofilm activities.

    Antioxidants, 2022

  • A cream combining propolis, tea tree oil, and Aloe vera reduced erythema scars, acne severity index, and total lesion count better than erythromycin cream in sixty patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris compared to placebo.

    Clinical Pharmacology, 2018

  • Topical aloe vera gel significantly accelerated split-thickness skin graft donor-site healing compared to placebo in 12 patients, but showed no significant difference in pain relief.

    Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2018

  • Topical application of Aloe vera cream reduced postoperative pain at rest and during defecation, accelerated wound healing at two weeks, and decreased analgesic requirements in patients after open hemorrhoidectomy compared to placebo.

    Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

Why other toners fit oily acne-prone skin better

  • Co-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, 2023

Ingredients

Water, Witch Hazel Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Potassium Alum, Sodium Pca, Panthenol, Dmdm Hydantoin, Polysorbate 80, Allantoin, Glycerin, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Borago Officinalis Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Saponins, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Parfum, Fd, C Blue No

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.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play