Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner for dry sensitive skin
Niacinamide
Glycerin
Ceramides
Panthenol
Sodium HyaluronateAverage
- HighDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for dry sensitive skin; other toners fit it better.
- Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2002
- Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry sensitive skin: flakiness, tightness, redness, 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 and sensitive skin, as glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide humectant action while ceramides and phytosphingosine support barrier repair. Niacinamide also helps to improve skin texture and reduce redness.
- While the formula provides excellent hydration and barrier support, it lacks specialized ingredients to directly target dryness and flakiness.
- The product is safe for your dry and sensitive skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components like glycerin and panthenol.
How to apply
- You can use this hydrating toner AM and PM every day to keep your skin soft. Always remember to pair it with SPF in the morning.
- Apply this hydrating toner right after your cleanser and before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the hydrating toner into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- For best results, apply the hydrating toner on slightly damp skin to help lock in moisture.
- Be careful to avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use.
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 Pore-Reducing Toner work for dry sensitive skin?
This toner works moderately well for dry sensitive skin by offering gentle hydration and barrier support from glycerin, sodium hyaluronate, ceramides, and panthenol. While it is safe and unlikely to cause irritation, it lacks specialized ingredients to directly tackle dryness and flakiness. A product of this type needs rich moisturizing and reparative ingredients, along with snail extract and botanical extracts, to deliver maximum benefits and optimal hydration for dry skin.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2002
Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate bring moisture to your skin, while ceramides and phytosphingosine help repair the skin barrier. Niacinamide and panthenol also help calm redness and soothe sensitive areas. However, this skin type needs products with richer moisturizers and botanical extracts to fully target dryness and flakiness.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2002
What does Niacinamide do for dry sensitive skin?
Niacinamide helps dry sensitive skin by calming irritation and keeping moisture locked in so your face feels soft and smooth. It works to build up your skin barrier and calm redness while being very gentle and unlikely to cause irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2004International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2013
What does Glycerin do for dry sensitive skin?
Glycerin helps dry sensitive skin by drawing moisture into the skin and keeping it there, making the skin soft and smooth. It is very gentle and unlikely to cause irritation while improving how well the skin holds onto water. This type of skin needs ingredients that boost hydration and repair the barrier without causing stinging.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008
Where does it go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This toner goes into your morning and evening routines right after cleansing. It is unlikely to cause irritation and helps keep your skin calm, though dry sensitive skin ultimately needs richer ingredients and oils to deeply target dryness and flakiness.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
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. This product is unlikely to cause irritation on dry sensitive skin, and using a barrier-supporting product helps prep your skin for stronger treatments.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2002
How often should I use it?
You can use this toner twice a day in both your morning and evening routines. It is safe for your dry and sensitive skin and helps keep it calm, though this type of skin needs extra rich moisturizers with heavy oils and butters to fully tackle dryness and flakiness.
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This toner is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for your dry and sensitive skin, as it is free of harsh ingredients and includes soothing components like glycerin and panthenol. Reviewers rarely report breakouts or irritation with this formula.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Topical application of an emulsion containing a complete mixture of ceramides III, IIIB, VI, phytosphingosine, cholesterol, and linoleic acid significantly accelerated barrier recovery after SLS damage and improved skin hydration after acetone treatment in human volunteers compared to an emulsion containing only two types of ceramides.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2002A 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, 2017Topical 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, 2017Topical 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 sensitive 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
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