🇬🇧United Kingdom

Estée Lauder Perfectly Clean Multi-Action Toning Lotion/Refiner for sensitive skin

High

  • HighNormal Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • HighSafety

One of the best toners for sensitive skin.

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

How to apply

  • Use your exfoliating toner as part of a PM routine once a week to start. Carefully increase frequency only if your skin tolerates it well.
  • Apply this exfoliating toner after cleansing and before your moisturizer. It fits right into your usual step for toners.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliating toner into your skin. Avoid rubbing to keep redness down.
  • Apply the exfoliating toner on completely dry skin to help improve your skin's tolerance. This helps protect your sensitive face.
  • Do a patch test before your first use and avoid the delicate eye area . Skip strong acids or retinoids on the same night.

People Say

★4.4Overall rating based on 500+ reviews

Users generally praise this product as a refreshing, dual-action toner that gently exfoliates and balances the skin without stripping moisture, leaving the complexion smooth and radiant. While effective for most skin types, including dry and combination skin, some users with sensitive skin caution that the alcohol content and fragrance may cause stinging or irritation.

Highlights

  • Refreshing feel Mostly Mentioned
    • “leaves skin glowing fresh”
    • “very refreshing after cleansing”
    • “removes any remaining impurities”
    • “feels light and refreshing”
  • Gentle exfoliation Often Mentioned
    • “gently exfoliates the skin”
    • “leaves skin smooth”
    • “removes dull skin cells”
    • “softens skin texture”
  • Non-drying formula Sometimes Noted
    • “works without drying”
    • “doesn't strip my skin”
    • “hydrating and comfortable”
    • “no tightness after use”
  • Pleasant scent Sometimes Noted
    • “gentle smell”
    • “fresh scent”
    • “smell is very pleasant”
    • “mild and isn't overwhelming”
  • High price point Sometimes Noted
    • “a bit expensive”
    • “pricey for a toner”
    • “wish it was cheaper”
    • “luxury price tag”
  • Alcohol content Rarely Noted
    • “contains alcohol denat”
    • “smells like alcohol”
    • “can be drying due to alcohol”
    • “avoid if avoiding alcohol”
  • Skin irritation Rarely Noted
    • “caused stinging”
    • “burning sensation”
    • “redness after application”
    • “irritated my sensitive skin”
  • Strong fragrance Rarely Noted
    • “scent is too strong”
    • “overwhelming fragrance”
    • “perfume is too much”
    • “prefer fragrance-free”

Sources: lovi.care, boots.com, myer.com.au, lookfantastic.com, escentual.com, perfumesclub.co.uk, and more

Questions and answers

What makes Estée Lauder Perfectly Clean Toning Lotion a great fit for sensitive skin?

This toner is a great fit for sensitive skin because it uses lactobionic acid and phytic acid to smooth the surface safely without harsh ingredients that cause irritation. It also helps calm redness with witch hazel and dipotassium glycyrrhizate while keeping skin hydrated with glycerin and sodium hyaluronate.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2010Phytochemistry, 2001

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

Lactobionic acid and phytic acid gently refine your skin surface, while dipotassium glycyrrhizate and witch hazel help calm redness and irritation. Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate add essential hydration, and the formula contains no harsh or prohibited ingredients that may cause discomfort.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2010

What does Hyaluronic Acid do for sensitive skin?

Hyaluronic acid helps calm and hydrate sensitive skin while supporting the skin barrier to keep it soft and comfortable. Clinical studies show it improves surface moisture and reduces dryness, roughness, and redness without irritation.

Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2025Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2018

What does Lactobionic Acid do for sensitive skin?

Lactobionic acid helps sensitive skin by keeping it calm and hydrated while gently smoothing the surface without irritation. It is very unlikely to cause redness or harm the skin barrier, making it an excellent choice for gentle daily care.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2010

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

This toner goes in your routine after cleansing, using it once a week at first and carefully building up frequency if your skin tolerates it well. It gently refines the surface while soothing ingredients help calm redness and irritation.

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

You can use this toner with retinol by applying the toner first, waiting for it to dry, and then following with your retinol. Because this formula uses gentle exfoliating acids and soothing ingredients, it is unlikely to cause irritation when paired with your evening routine.

How often should I use this toner?

You can start using this exfoliating toner once a week to see how your sensitive skin reacts, and use it more often if you tolerate it well and see good results. The formula contains gentle soothing ingredients and safe exfoliants that help refine your skin without causing harsh irritation.

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, as it contains no harsh ingredients that typically trigger irritation. Lactobionic acid gently refines the skin's surface without causing barrier impairment, while glycerin and sodium hyaluronate provide essential hydration.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2010Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019

Is this toner fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It contains fragrance (parfum) and drying alcohol (alcohol denat).

What the research says

  • Lactobionic acid produced better skin performance with a lack of skin irritation and barrier impairment compared to glycolic acid in 77 healthy volunteers.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2010
  • Combining a 20% lactobionic acid peel with aluminum oxide crystal microdermabrasion increases skin hydration, improves elasticity, and decreases transepidermal water loss in 20 Caucasian females compared to lactobionic acid peel alone.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019
  • 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
  • An emulsion containing 10% lactobionic acid significantly reduces human skin surface pH without causing skin irritation or barrier impairment.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019
  • Topical 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, 2011
  • Topical 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, 2022
  • Treatment 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
  • Carboxytherapy alone and combined with lactobionic acid, ferulic acid, and ascorbic acid significantly reduced vascular dark circles and combined pigmentation in the tear trough and lower eyelid of 39 Caucasian participants.

    Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2024
  • Lactobionic acid improved skin barrier function most compared to other AHAs and BHAs when tested on an ex vivo porcine skin model, confirming significant barrier-protective effects and enabling toxicity evaluation of cosmetic ingredients.

    International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2021
  • Lactobionic acid per se and incorporated into an alkyl polyglucoside-based emulsion demonstrated satisfying antioxidant and moisturizing efficacy.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2012
  • 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
  • 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
  • Hamamelis virginiana bark extract inhibited Cutibacterium acnes-induced IL-6 release and TNF-α-induced IL-8 release in human keratinocytes without showing antibacterial or antibiofilm activities.

    Antioxidants, 2022
  • 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
  • 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
  • Ethyl acetate and aqueous fractions of Bambusa vulgaris leaves accelerate cutaneous wound healing and inhibit carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats.

    Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, 2016

Ingredients

Water, Alcohol Denat, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Hypnea Musciformis Extract Algae Extract, Gellidiela Acerosa Extract Algae Extract, Witch Hazel, Silybum Marianum Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, Pisum Sativum Extract, Gentiana Lutea Root Extract, Algae Extract, Rice Bran Extract, Yeast Extract, Sucrose, Trehalose, Lactobionic Acid, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sorbitol, Caffeine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Biosaccharide 1 Gum, Ppg-26-Buteth-26, Sodium Hyaluronate, Zinc Pca, Pentylene Glycol, Ppg-5-Ceteth-20, Sodium Hydroxide, Glucosamine Hcl, Parfum, Phytic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Disodium 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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Prices checked 16 Oct – 6 Nov 2026

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