Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner for dry skin
Niacinamide
Glycerin
Ceramides
Panthenol
Sodium HyaluronateAverage
- HighDry Skin Fit
- SuperiorEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for dry skin; other toners 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 moderate hydration for your dry skin, as glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide humectant action and support barrier repair, though it does not fully address flakiness.
- Ceramides and cholesterol further aid in barrier support, but the overall formulation is not optimized for intense dryness.
- The product is safe for your dry skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components like panthenol.
How to apply
- Use your hydrating toner AM and PM every day to keep skin soft. Always finish your morning routine with sunscreen.
- Apply the hydrating toner after cleansing and before putting on your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the hydrating toner into your skin and let it absorb. Avoid rubbing your face too hard.
- Put the hydrating toner on slightly damp skin to help your face absorb the moisture better.
- Be careful to avoid the eye area when applying the product.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 10.9k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this toner is highly recommended for oily and combination skin types, effectively controlling sebum and providing lightweight hydration without a sticky feel. Users frequently report smoother skin texture and a noticeable reduction in pore appearance. Some users find pore size reduction to be highly effective, while others report minimal changes. A small number of users experienced breakouts or irritation, and some felt the product was too expensive for the results achieved.
Highlights
Lightweight hydration Mostly Mentioned
- “Provides an internal level of hydration without leaving any heavy finish.”
- “Absorbed into the skin almost immediately.”
- “It is so watery... does not leave any finish whatsoever.”
- “Lightweight liquid formula feels weightless on skin.”
Balances oily skin Often Mentioned
- “It works great to balance oil and is very refreshing, especially in the summer.”
- “Helps control excess oil and shine temporarily.”
- “My skin is less oily and drier areas smooth out.”
- “Decent oil control, I blot my face less.”
Smoothes skin texture Often Mentioned
- “Makes my skin softer.”
- “Skin is more even, smooth, moisturized.”
- “My skin just feels fresh... smoother and brighter.”
- “Helps to remove skin flaking.”
Minimizes pore appearance Sometimes Noted
- “In 2 weeks I saw major improvement in pore size.”
- “My pores have gotten smaller.”
- “The impact on reducing my pores is amazing!”
- “My fave looks airbrushed when I use this regularly.”
Ineffective on pores Sometimes Noted
- “Did not notice any difference in my pores.”
- “Promise of pore minimization feels more like a marketing tactic.”
- “Limited impact on pores.”
- “Blackheads are almost the same.”
Causes breakouts/irritation Rarely Noted
- “My cystic acne in the jaw line has come back.”
- “Irritated skin, stung on application.”
- “Experienced little bumps coming up in my skin.”
Packaging leaks Rarely Noted
- “Spilled all inside the packaging.”
- “Pump had slightly come off.”
- “It was messy.”
Pricey for value Rarely Noted
- “I don't see the price tag as justifiable.”
- “Over-priced... just a good toner.”
- “Expensive for the amount that you get.”
- “Results aren't remarkable enough to justify the higher price.”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, paulaschoice.com, paulaschoice-eu.com, dermstore.com, sephora.sg, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Toner work for dry skin?
This toner offers moderate hydration and barrier support for dry skin, though it may not fully address flakiness or intense dryness. A product for this skin needs a high concentration of effective hydrating ingredients like multiple types of hyaluronic acid or propolis extract, along with soothing components like Centella Asiatica and Aloe Ferox, to ensure optimal moisture and comfort.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for dry skin?
Glycerin, sodium hyaluronate, ceramides, and panthenol help this toner fit your dry skin by providing moderate moisture and barrier support without irritation. However, a product of this type needs a high concentration of effective hydrating ingredients like multiple types of hyaluronic acid or propolis extract, alongside soothing extracts like Centella Asiatica and Aloe Ferox, to fully address intense dryness.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002
What does Niacinamide do for dry skin?
Niacinamide helps dry skin by strengthening the skin barrier, increasing hydration, and reducing water loss. It supports ceramide production and helps keep the surface smooth and calm. This ingredient tends to be very well tolerated and is unlikely to irritate dry skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2004Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026
What does Glycerin do for dry skin?
Glycerin helps dry skin by drawing in moisture and keeping it locked in, which makes the skin feel much softer and smoother. It also supports your natural skin barrier to stop water from escaping easily. A product for dry skin needs extra ingredients like hyaluronic acid and soothing plant extracts to truly calm and hydrate dry patches.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008
Where does this toner go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This hydrating toner goes right after cleansing in your morning routine, before you apply your moisturizer and SPF. It offers moderate hydration and barrier support with ingredients like glycerin and sodium hyaluronate, though dry skin of this type needs richer, heavier creams and facial oils to fully tackle flakiness.
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this toner with retinol by applying it right after cleansing and before your retinol treatment. It is safe and unlikely to cause irritation due to soothing components, though dry skin needs a richer moisturizer with heavier oils and butters to fully tackle flakiness and intense dryness.
How often should I use this toner?
You can use this toner daily in the morning as part of your routine. It offers moderate hydration and barrier support for your skin, though dry skin needs richer ingredients and heavier creams to lock in moisture and fully stop flakiness.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This toner is unlikely to cause breakouts or irritation on dry skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components like panthenol. Reviewers rarely report breakouts or irritation with this product.
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 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, 2017Application of Body Lotion for 5 weeks on cosmetic dry skin improved barrier properties, increased levels of cholesterol, ceramides, and long-chain fatty acids, increased beneficial skin bacteria, and enhanced microbiome functional potential compared to baseline.
Scientific Reports, 2022Topical 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, 2002A 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, 2017A 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, 2025Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005The 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, 2012Moisturizer 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, 2019Topical dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.
Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000Hyaluronic 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, 2020Topical 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, 2011Topical 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, 2022Treatment 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
Why other toners fit dry 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, 2016Sodium trehalose sulfate decreased transepidermal water loss and increased stratum corneum water content in participants with low stratum corneum water content when applied for 4 weeks compared to placebo.
Skin Research and Technology, 2024
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Adenosine, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract Chamomile Flower Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Sodium Pca, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, Ceramide Eop, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Oleth-10, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Trisodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol
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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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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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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