The INKEY List PHA Toner for combination skin
Pha Polyhydroxy Acid
Niacinamide
Gluconolactone
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Glycerin
High
- SuperiorCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for combination skin; a few toners fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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 excellent exfoliation for your combination skin due to gluconolactone, which helps smooth texture and manage oily shine. Niacinamide further supports sebum regulation, making it well-suited for your primary concern.
- Aloe barbadensis leaf juice provides a soothing effect, complementing the exfoliating action for comfortable daily use.
- The formulation is safe for your skin, with no harsh ingredients or irritants present.
How to apply
- Use your exfoliating toner during your PM routine. Start once a week and slowly build up if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply your exfoliating toner right after cleansing and before your favorite moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliating toner into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- Apply the exfoliating toner on clean and completely dry skin to get the best results for your combination skin.
- Always avoid the sensitive eye area and wear daily SPF to protect your skin.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 1.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with sensitive and dry skin frequently praise this toner for its ability to gently smooth texture and reduce redness without causing irritation. A moderate number of users note a sticky finish, while a low number find the formula too mild for visible results.
Highlights
Gentle exfoliation Mostly Mentioned
- “Great for sensitive skin”
- “No sting or burning”
- “Gentle enough for daily use”
- “Perfect for reactive skin”
Smoother texture Often Mentioned
- “Skin feels softer”
- “Helped with texture”
- “Smoothed out bumps”
- “Face feels baby soft”
Helps acne Sometimes Noted
- “Cleared up mask acne”
- “Helped with blackheads”
- “Reduced breakouts”
- “Pores look smaller”
Hydrating Sometimes Noted
- “Leaves skin hydrated”
- “Doesn't dry me out”
- “Feels moisturizing”
- “Good for dry patches”
Sticky finish Sometimes Noted
- “Feels tacky on skin”
- “Leaves a sticky residue”
- “Takes a while to absorb”
- “Sticky under moisturizer”
Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Caused cystic acne”
- “Broke me out”
- “Skin felt irritated”
- “Caused redness”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “Bottle leaks”
- “Cap is messy”
- “Dispenses too much”
- “Leaked in transit”
Too mild Rarely Noted
- “Did nothing for me”
- “Too weak”
- “No visible difference”
- “Prefer stronger acids”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, theinkeylist.com, cultbeauty.com, lookfantastic.com, boots.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes The INKEY List PHA Toner a great fit for combination skin?
The INKEY List PHA Toner is a great fit because gluconolactone smooths rough texture while managing oily shine, and niacinamide helps control excess sebum. Aloe barbadensis leaf juice adds a soothing feel that keeps your skin comfortable during daily use, with no harsh ingredients to cause irritation.
Skin Research and Technology, 2023Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for combination skin?
This toner is a great fit for your combination skin because gluconolactone helps smooth texture and manage oily shine, while niacinamide regulates excess oil. Additionally, aloe barbadensis leaf juice provides a soothing effect for comfortable daily use.
Skin Research and Technology, 2023Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
What does Polyhydroxy Acid do for combination skin?
Polyhydroxy Acid helps balance combination skin by boosting hydration while keeping oiliness under control. It is very gentle and unlikely to cause irritation, making it great for smoothing texture without drying out the skin.
What does Niacinamide do for combination skin?
Niacinamide helps balance oily areas by reducing excess shine and pore size while keeping dry patches hydrated and smooth. It also works to calm redness and even out skin tone, making it very suitable for combination skin.
Where does this toner go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This exfoliating toner is a great fit for your combination skin and goes in your evening routine as a cleansing toner after your cleanser. It helps smooth texture and manage oily shine with gentle ingredients while keeping your skin calm and comfortable.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2023
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this toner in the same routine as retinol, but apply the toner first and let it absorb before putting on your retinol. Using them together helps smooth texture and manage oily shine, though it may occasionally cause mild dryness if your skin is not used to strong ingredients.
How often should I use this toner?
Start by using this toner once a week, and if your skin feels comfortable and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often. The gentle ingredients help smooth texture and manage oily shine while keeping your skin calm.
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This toner is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for combination skin because it features gentle ingredients like gluconolactone and niacinamide that help manage oily shine while smoothing texture. Reviewers rarely report breakouts, and the formula contains no harsh irritants.
Skin Research and Technology, 2023Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019
Is this toner fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Combining 10% gluconolactone chemical peeling with oxybrasion or microneedle mesotherapy increased skin hydration and decreased sebum, pH, and TEWL in twenty-one Caucasian women, with no significant differences between the two methods.
Skin Research and Technology, 2023Glycolic acid, salicylic acid, gluconolactone, and licochalcone A combined with 0.1% adapalene showed no hindrance compared to adapalene monotherapy and provided benefits in reducing complications in 25 subjects with mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2019Gluconolactone 14% solution significantly improved mild to moderate acne by reducing inflamed and non-inflamed lesions similarly to 5% benzoyl peroxide, but with fewer side-effects in 150 patients.
The Australasian Journal of Dermatology, 1992Topical 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, 2005Gluconolactone and tartaric acid significantly lower transepidermal water loss and erythema after sodium lauryl sulphate challenge compared to vehicle, untreated control, and glycolic acid in healthy subjects.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 1997A polyhydroxy acid skin care regimen provided antiaging benefits comparable to an alpha-hydroxyacid regimen while demonstrating enhanced mildness and better tolerance in subjects.
Cutis, 2004Gluconolactone treatment significantly increased facial skin hydration in 16 healthy women, with no significant differences between 10% and 30% solutions.
Skin Research and Technology, 2021A 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, 2010A 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
Ingredients
Water, Propanediol, Gluconolactone, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Ppg-26-Buteth-26, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
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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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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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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Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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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?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.