Obagi Nu-Derm Toner for dry skin
Witch Hazel Water
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Panthenol
Allantoin
GlycerinLow
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A weak match for dry skin; the toners alongside 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 suitability for your dry skin, as glycerin provides humectant action, but it lacks sufficient emollient ingredients for optimal results.
- The presence of Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Panthenol offers general skincare benefits, such as hydration and soothing, which are supportive for your dry or flaky skin.
- The formula is safe for your dry skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
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
★4.8Overall rating based on 1.8k+ reviewsBased 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
Why is Obagi Nu-Derm Toner a weak match for dry skin?
Obagi Obagi Nu-Derm Toner offers moderate suitability for dry skin because glycerin provides hydration, but it lacks sufficient softening ingredients for optimal results. A toner of this type needs rich softening ingredients and deep moisturizers to truly comfort and nourish dry skin.
Which ingredients make this toner a poor fit for dry skin?
Witch Hazel Water and Potassium Alum make this toner a poor fit for dry skin because they may dry out the skin rather than keeping it soft and nourished. A product for dry skin needs rich, softening ingredients and skin-soothing moisturizers like glycerin and panthenol to lock in moisture.
What does Witch Hazel do for dry skin?
Witch hazel may not be the best fit for dry skin because some forms can strip away natural moisture, so dry skin needs gentle, rich ingredients that deeply hydrate and restore the skin barrier.
Phytochemistry, 2001International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2022
What does Aloe Vera Leaf Juice do for dry skin?
Aloe Vera Leaf Juice helps increase water content in dry skin to keep it feeling soft and smooth. It works well to boost hydration without changing water loss through the skin.
Where does this toner go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This hydrating toner goes right after cleansing in your morning routine. A toner of this type needs rich softening and smoothing ingredients to keep dry skin comfortable.
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this toner with your retinol, applying the toner right after cleansing and before your retinol treatment. It is unlikely to irritate dry skin, but because it lacks rich moisturizing ingredients, dry skin of this type needs added softening creams and rich oils to stay truly smooth.
How often should I use this toner?
You can use this hydrating toner daily in your morning routine after cleansing and before moisturizing. A product of this type needs rich moisturizing ingredients and skin-softening oils to properly care for dry skin.
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This toner is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry skin because it is free of heavy, pore-clogging oils and harsh ingredients. A product of this type needs rich, nourishing plant oils, butter, or heavy softeners along with glycerin to truly comfort and protect dry skin.
Is this toner fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum).
What the research says
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, 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 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 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, 2018Hamamelis 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, 2001Witch 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, 2025A 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, 2010Moisturizer 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 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, 2018A 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, 2017The 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, 2001
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, 2016Skin care regimens containing beta-glucan improved hemoglobin index, skin hydration, and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in 20 patients undergoing fractional laser therapy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Co-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.
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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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