Olay Cleanse Toner for oily skin
Witch Hazel
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Allantoin
Menthyl Lactate
Alcohol Denat
Average
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for oily skin; other cleansing 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 astringent properties for your oily skin, with alcohol denat and witch hazel extract helping to manage shine and oiliness. Aloe barbadensis leaf extract and allantoin provide soothing benefits, contributing to overall skin comfort.
- The formula is generally safe for your skin, as it avoids harsh ingredients and includes components known for their calming effects.
- While it addresses oiliness, the benefits are primarily supportive rather than targeted for significant reduction of oily shine.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of AM and PM routines. Start using your cleansing toner 3 times a week and increase to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply your cleansing toner after cleansing and before applying your moisturizer or SPF. This fits right into the middle of your daily skincare steps.
- Gently press 2 to 3 drops of the cleansing toner directly onto your skin. Avoid rubbing it in and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the cleansing toner to completely dry skin for the best control of oily shine. Clean skin helps the product work more effectively.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Do a simple patch test before your very first use to check for comfort.
Questions and answers
How well does Olay Cleanse Toner work for oily skin?
Olay Cleanse Toner works moderately well for oily skin by helping to manage shine and oiliness using witch hazel and alcohol denat, while soothing the skin with aloe and allantoin. However, its benefits are mostly supportive rather than strongly targeted for a major reduction of oily shine. Oily skin of this type needs products rich in exfoliating acids like AHA and BHA alongside hydrating agents to effectively manage oil and brighten the skin.
Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for oily skin?
Witch hazel extract and alcohol denat help manage shine and oiliness, while aloe barbadensis leaf extract and allantoin provide soothing comfort for oily skin. To fit oily skin even better, a toner of this type needs effective exfoliating acids like AHA and BHA to balance oil production and smooth the skin.
What does Witch Hazel do for oily skin?
Witch Hazel helps calm irritated skin and may reduce redness and swelling. It is unlikely to cause irritation and is generally well tolerated by sensitive skin types.
What does Aloe Vera Leaf Juice do for oily skin?
Aloe vera leaf juice helps hydrate oily skin by increasing water content in the outer skin layer without adding heavy oils or modifying water loss. It is also often combined with treatments to help calm redness and reduce acne breakouts.
Clinical Pharmacology, 2018Skin Research and Technology, 2006
Where does this toner go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This toner goes in your evening routine after your makeup remover and cleanser, and before your treatment and moisturizer. An oily skin type needs products that balance oil and shine while keeping skin comfortable.
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this toner in your evening routine, but apply it before your retinol treatment only if your skin tolerates the alcohol denat and witch hazel well without becoming dry. Oily skin often benefits most from a product of this type that also includes ingredients to balance oil while strengthening the skin barrier.
How often should I use it?
You can use this cleansing toner in your evening routine, as it helps manage shine and oiliness while keeping skin comfortable. To best fit oily skin, this type of product needs stronger oil-reducing ingredients and balancing properties that target excess shine.
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This toner is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily skin, as it avoids heavy oils and includes calming ingredients like aloe and allantoin. A product for oily skin like this needs lightweight, oil-balancing ingredients and gentle soothing agents to keep skin clear and comfortable without feeling heavy.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol denat).
What the research says
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, 2001A 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, 2018Witch 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, 2025Hamamelis virginiana bark extract inhibited Cutibacterium acnes-induced IL-6 release and TNF-伪-induced IL-8 release in human keratinocytes without showing antibacterial or antibiofilm activities.
Antioxidants, 2022A 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, 2010Topical 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, Alcohol Denat, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Witch Hazel Extract, Allantoin, Menthyl Lactate, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Blue 1, Yellow 5
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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Victoria Derkova, MS
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How does it fit your skin?
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