Best Face Toner? 829 Reviews of Thayers, ANUA and BYOMA

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Review-analysis guide: 829 customer reviews read on Ulta and Target (October 27, 2026), sorted and counted by us; product details from Amazon listings checked October 27, 2026.

By The Beauty Read · Checked October 27, 2026 · AI-assisted research and editing · Contains Amazon affiliate links

No face toner here won on everything. Thayers Witch Hazel Toner (paid link) drew gentle-on-skin praise from 94 of 447 usable reviews (21%; most of its reviews are from 2020 and 2021), the BYOMA Hydrating Milky Toner (paid link) drew the most hydration praise (49% of 230) but also the most reaction reports (21%), and the ANUA Heartleaf 77 Soothing Toner (paid link) drew calming praise from 31% of a small sample of 49.

Best face toner: what 829 reviews say

Shopping for a face toner can mean very different things: a witch hazel step after cleansing, a calming watery toner or a milky one that hydrates. We read 829 Ulta and Target reviews of three popular picks to see how often reviewers called each one gentle, hydrating or calming, and how often it caused a reaction or did nothing: Thayers Witch Hazel Toner, the ANUA Heartleaf 77 Soothing Toner and the BYOMA Hydrating Milky Toner. [R-ULT-THY] [R-TGT-THY] [R-ULT-ANU] [R-ULT-BYO] [A1] [A2] [A3]

Thayers drew gentle-on-skin praise from 21% of 447 usable reviews and reaction reports from 10%; 15% gave one or two stars. BYOMA drew hydration praise from 49% of 230 and reaction reports from 21%; 19% gave one or two stars. ANUA drew calming praise from 31% of 49 and hydration praise from 29%; 18% gave one or two stars. [R-ULT-THY] [R-TGT-THY] [R-ULT-ANU] [R-ULT-BYO]

Which reviews we read, and the 103 we set aside

Ulta's pages did not serve every review. They served 295 of 866 shown for Thayers (a page shared by several Thayers scents), 129 of 159 for ANUA and 243 of 455 for BYOMA. On Target we read all 162 reviews written there for the 12 fl oz unscented Thayers toner and skipped 1,666 copied from other sites. We kept 726 and set aside 103. [R-ULT-THY] [R-TGT-THY] [R-ULT-ANU] [R-ULT-BYO]

What we set aside: 76 ANUA reviews. 63 of them were posted from December 29 to 31, 2024, the first three days of reviews on Ulta's page; 12 said the product was free and 2 of the 63 gave one or two stars (3%), against 18% of the reviews we kept. Another 13 came in September 2026, 11 of them on one day. We also set aside 4 more that said the product was free, 10 repeated on the same page and 13 about another product, shipping, not yet used or with no text. [R-ULT-THY] [R-TGT-THY] [R-ULT-ANU] [R-ULT-BYO]

Some cautions. 231 of Thayers' 447 usable reviews are from 2020 and 2021. With 49 usable reviews, a few can move ANUA's shares. BYOMA's reviews run from November 2024 to October 2026. [R-ULT-THY] [R-TGT-THY] [R-ULT-ANU] [R-ULT-BYO]

Thayers Witch Hazel Toner, the gentle everyday pick

Thayers' listing describes its unscented toner as an alcohol-free witch hazel toner with aloe vera and glycerin that purifies, hydrates and balances, and says to apply it with a cotton pad and avoid the eye area. We link the 12 fl oz bottle shipped and sold by Amazon.com. [A1]

Across 447 usable reviews of the witch hazel toner (291 Ulta, 156 Target), 94 (21%) called it gentle on their skin, 113 (25%) said they repurchase it, 59 (13%) mentioned fewer breakouts and 59 (13%) smoother texture or glow. 23 (5%) said it lifts leftover makeup or dirt on a cotton pad. Complaints: 44 (10%) reported a reaction and 19 (4%) found it drying. ANUA's gentle share was a little higher (24%) but from 49 reviews. [R-ULT-THY] [R-TGT-THY]

Recent reviews read a little differently: of 82 usable reviews from 2024 on, 20 called it gentle and 8 said the formula, scent or packaging changed and they like it less. [R-ULT-THY] [R-TGT-THY]

See Thayers Unscented Witch Hazel Toner, 12 fl oz on Amazon (paid link) · This link opens the 12 fl oz unscented toner shipped and sold by Amazon.com; other sizes and scents are on the same page.

ANUA Heartleaf 77 for sensitive skin, from a small sample

ANUA's listing describes Heartleaf 77 as a soothing toner with 77% heartleaf extract and hyaluronic acid, primary irritation tested and non-comedogenic tested, to pat in after cleansing and layer two or three times for more hydration. We link the 8.45 fl oz bottle sold by Anua and shipped by Amazon. [A2]

Of 49 usable Ulta reviews, 15 (31%) called it calming, 14 (29%) hydrating and 12 (24%) gentle on their skin; 8 (16%) said it feels light. 6 (12%) saw no change and 5 (10%) reported a reaction. These are small numbers. [R-ULT-ANU]

See ANUA Heartleaf 77 Soothing Toner, 8.45 fl oz on Amazon (paid link) · This link opens the 8.45 fl oz toner sold by Anua and shipped by Amazon; a 16.9 fl oz size is on the same page.

BYOMA drew the most hydration praise, and the most reactions

BYOMA's listing describes its Hydrating Milky Toner as an alcohol- and fragrance-free milky toner with polyglutamic acid, cica and ceramides, to pat into clean skin morning and night before serum and moisturizer. We link the toner shipped and sold by Amazon.com. [A3]

In 230 usable Ulta reviews, 112 (49%) said it hydrates, 51 (22%) mentioned smoother texture or glow and 58 (25%) said they repurchase it. 48 (21%) reported a reaction such as stinging, redness, bumps or breakouts, the highest share of the three. [R-ULT-BYO]

See BYOMA Hydrating Milky Toner on Amazon (paid link) · This link opens the milky toner shipped and sold by Amazon.com.

How each face toner feels, by skin type

Face toner for oily skin: of reviewers who said their skin is oily or acne-prone, 9 of 33 for BYOMA, 4 of 34 for Thayers and 0 of 5 for ANUA reported a reaction, while 12 of those 34 Thayers reviewers mentioned fewer breakouts. [R-ULT-THY] [R-TGT-THY] [R-ULT-ANU] [R-ULT-BYO]

Toner for sensitive skin: 38 of 50 Thayers, 11 of 28 BYOMA and 8 of 12 ANUA reviewers with sensitive skin called it gentle on their skin. For a hydrating toner for dry skin, 13 of 25 BYOMA reviewers with dry skin said it hydrates. [R-ULT-THY] [R-TGT-THY] [R-ULT-ANU] [R-ULT-BYO]

On feel, 41 BYOMA, 8 ANUA and 12 Thayers reviewers said it feels light or layers well, and sticky complaints stayed at 3% or less for all three. [R-ULT-THY] [R-TGT-THY] [R-ULT-ANU] [R-ULT-BYO]

Keep reading

• ANUA Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner: where it fits in a routine
• Best gentle face cleanser: CeraVe, La Roche-Posay and Cetaphil
• Korean moisturizer for dry skin: three ceramide creams

Frequently asked questions

What does toner do?

In these listings, each toner is a step after cleansing: Thayers describes purifying, hydrating and balancing, ANUA soothing and lightweight hydration, and BYOMA hydration with ceramides. In the reviews, the result mentioned most was gentleness for Thayers, calm and hydration (about 30% each) for ANUA, and hydration for BYOMA.

Which toner for face is best for sensitive skin?

Among reviewers who said their skin is sensitive, 38 of 50 called Thayers gentle on their skin, against 8 of 12 for ANUA and 11 of 28 for BYOMA. Those groups are small, so treat the gap as a lean rather than a verdict, and patch test any new toner on a small area first.

Does toner go on before or after moisturizer?

Before. The ANUA and BYOMA listings both say to apply the toner after cleansing and then follow it with serum and moisturizer, and ANUA adds sunscreen as the last daytime step. Thayers says to apply it with a clean cotton ball or pad, avoiding the eye area.

Is a witch hazel face toner like Thayers drying?

Few reviewers said so about this one: 4% of 447 usable Thayers reviews found it drying or tight, while 21% called it gentle on their skin and 25% said they keep buying it. Its listing describes it as alcohol-free, with aloe vera and glycerin.