Holika Holika Aloe Soothing Essence 98% Toner for oily skin
Aloe Essence
Ectoin
Centella Asiatica Extract
Sodium Hyaluronate
AllantoinAverage
- SuperiorOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for oily skin; other toners fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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 soothing and hydration for your oily skin, as Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract and Ectoin provide humectant action and barrier repair, respectively. The texture and pH are also well-suited for oily skin.
- The inclusion of Centella Asiatica Extract and Allantoin further supports skin calming and hydration, addressing general skincare needs.
- The product is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine. Start using your soothing toner 3 times a week and work up to daily use if your skin likes it.
- Apply your soothing toner after cleansing and before your moisturizer or SPF.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the soothing toner into your skin with your hands. Let it absorb for a minute before moving on ⏱ to the next step.
- For the best results , apply your soothing toner to slightly damp skin to help it sink in better.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a quick patch test before using the soothing toner for the very first time.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 100+ reviewsBased on limited data, this alcohol-free toner is highly regarded for its immediate cooling and soothing properties, effectively calming redness, sunburns, and sensitive skin. It also refreshes the complexion by removing impurities. Some users with dry skin report it is not hydrating enough on its own and suggest layering with a moisturizer.
Highlights
Soothing & calming Mostly Mentioned
- “calms redness instantly”
- “great for sunburn”
- “soothes irritated skin”
Refreshing texture Often Mentioned
- “absorbs fast”
- “very refreshing”
- “cooling sensation”
Non-sticky finish Sometimes Noted
- “no sticky residue”
- “leaves skin soft”
- “clean finish”
Insufficient hydration Sometimes Noted
- “not enough for dry skin”
- “needs lotion after”
- “slightly drying”
Strong fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “smell is too strong”
- “heavily fragranced”
- “scent lingers”
Gentle exfoliation Rarely Noted
- “removes leftover dirt”
- “skin feels smoother”
- “good pore care”
Bottle design Rarely Noted
- “hard to get out”
- “rigid bottle”
- “need to shake hard”
Price vs. value Rarely Noted
- “bottle is small”
- “expensive for what it is”
- “wish it was bigger”
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Questions and answers
How well does Holika Holika Aloe 98% Toner work for oily skin?
Holika Holika Aloe Soothing Essence 98% Toner offers moderate hydration and calms oily skin well with aloe, ectoin, and centella, though other products fit it better. A soothing toner for oily skin needs oil-controlling ingredients to manage shine and balance the skin.
Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for oily skin?
Aloe essence and ectoin make this toner a good fit for oily skin by providing light moisture and helping calm the skin. To work best for oily skin, this type of product also needs oil-controlling ingredients that balance shine.
What does Aloe do for oily skin?
Aloe vera helps calm oily skin while keeping it comfortable and hydrated without adding extra grease. Its plant-derived compounds provide soothing and skin-protecting benefits that work well for managing shine.
What does Ectoin do for oily skin?
Ectoin helps protect oily skin from irritation and environmental stress while keeping it calm and balanced. It acts as a cell protector that strengthens the skin barrier and keeps moisture locked in without feeling heavy. Oily skin of this type needs lightweight hydrators and antioxidants like ectoine to stay smooth and calm.
Clinics in Dermatology, 2008Arhiv Za Higijenu Rada I Toksikologiju, 2016
Where does this toner go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This toner goes right after cleansing in your morning routine, and after cleansing or cleansing toner in your weekly routine. Oily skin works best with toners that combine lightweight hydration and barrier repair ingredients like aloe and ectoin.
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this toner alongside retinol by applying it right after cleansing to calm your skin and boost hydration before your retinol treatment. This type of product works safely without irritation, though oily skin often benefits more from a toner that also includes lightweight exfoliants and oil-controlling ingredients.
How often should I use this toner?
You can use this toner daily in your morning routine after cleansing and before your moisturizer. It offers moderate hydration and calming for oily skin, though this skin type benefits even more from lightweight balancing ingredients and oil control.
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This toner is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on oily skin, as it has a safe formula without harsh ingredients and includes soothing components. To better care for oily skin, a product of this type needs lightweight hydration and ingredients that balance oil while calming the skin.
Is this toner fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
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, 2016A 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, 2018Topical 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, 2018Topical 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, 2010Combining ectoine and mannitol with UV filters significantly improved protection of squalene oxidation, catalase activity, and trans-UCA compared to UV filters alone in 10 subjects on irradiated areas.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical 7% ectoine during serial 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser therapy produced a greater reduction in skin erythema, improved stratum corneum hydration, reduced transepidermal water loss, and decreased low-echogenic pixels in thirty participants compared to a vehicle control.
Biomedicines, 2026Regular application of a novel anti-ageing cream containing hyaluronic acid, ectoin, and botanical actives significantly reduced wrinkle depth and length in the periorbital area while demonstrating very good skin tolerance.
Polymers, 2023Topical application of 0.05% w/w ECa 233 gel reduced erythema index by 0.03 U and improved early crusting and general wound appearance compared to placebo in thirty individuals undergoing facial laser resurfacing.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2020A 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, 2017Moisturizer 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 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, 2019Topical 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, 2016A 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, 2020An 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
Ingredients
Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Betaine, Glycereth-26, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Ectoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Gellan Gum, Ppg-26-Buteth-26, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Citrate, Calcium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Disodium Edta, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid
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
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