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Obagi Nu-Derm Toner for sensitive skin

Low

  • SuperiorNormal Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

A weak match for sensitive skin; the toners alongside fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. 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 benefits for your redness and irritation, as Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract provide supportive anti-inflammatory action suitable for your sensitive skin.
  • The formula also provides excellent hydration for your normal skin type due to humectants like Glycerin and Panthenol, which help maintain moisture balance.
  • The product is safe for your sensitive skin, containing no harsh ingredients and including soothing agents like Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract.

How to apply

  • Use your hydrating toner in both your AM and PM routines. Start 3 times per week and move to daily use if your skin feels good.
  • Apply your hydrating toner right after cleansing and before putting on your moisturizer or SPF.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the hydrating toner into your skin and let it absorb for a minute before the next step.
  • For sensitive skin, apply the hydrating toner on dry skin to keep it calm and comfortable.
  • Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid the sensitive eye area.

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

Why is Obagi Nu-Derm Toner a weak match for sensitive skin?

This toner is a weak match for sensitive skin because its witch hazel and added fragrance may cause dryness or irritation. A toner for this skin needs gentle, soothing ingredients like aloe and glycerin to keep skin calm and hydrated without harsh extras.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

Which ingredients make this toner a poor fit for sensitive skin?

Witch hazel water, fragrance, and artificial color make this toner a weak match, as they may trigger redness and stinging. Sensitive skin needs soothing ingredients like aloe and panthenol, alongside gentle moisturizers like glycerin, to keep the skin calm and hydrated without irritation.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

What does Witch Hazel do for sensitive skin?

Witch hazel helps calm sensitive skin and reduce redness because its natural plant compounds soothe irritation and support the skin barrier. It is unlikely to cause trouble when used gently, though picking alcohol-free formulas works best to keep dry skin comfortable.

Phytochemistry, 2001International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2022

What does Aloe Vera Leaf Juice do for sensitive skin?

Aloe Vera Leaf Juice helps calm sensitive skin and keeps it hydrated without causing irritation. Studies show it supports skin comfort and can safely improve moisture levels.

Skin Research and Technology, 2006Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025

Where does this toner go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?

This toner goes after cleansing in the morning and evening routine for sensitive skin. To truly suit this skin type, a product of this type needs calming plant extracts and hydrating ingredients like glycerin and panthenol to keep moisture balanced without causing irritation.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

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

You can use this toner with retinol by applying the toner first after cleansing and letting it dry completely before your retinol treatment. This helps keep your skin comfortable, though a toner for sensitive skin needs gentle ingredients like soothing botanical extracts and hydrating agents without drying alcohols or fragrance.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

How often should I use this toner?

You can use this hydrating toner in the morning and evening as part of your daily routine. Panthenol and glycerin help maintain moisture balance and improve hydration.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?

This toner is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for sensitive skin. A product of this type needs soothing ingredients like aloe and panthenol, along with gentle hydrators such as glycerin, to keep sensitive skin calm and comfortable.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

Is this toner 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Niacinamide/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, 2012

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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Prices checked 6 Nov 2026

How does it fit your skin?

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