The Best Moisturising Toners to Swap In For Summer Creams

Harpers Bazaar Arabia

02-06-2025

Heavy creams weighing you down? These hydrating toners deliver all the moisture with none of the melt
Summer skin doesn't need a thick, heavy cream to stay hydrated, especially when you're already battling sweat, humidity, and the dreaded midday shine. If your usual moisturiser feels more like a layer of heat-trapping regret this time of year, consider this your sign to switch things up. Enter moisturising toners with their featherlight, fast-absorbing formulas that deliver a serious hydration boost without weighing you down. These multitasking heroes balance, soften, and prep your skin, all while keeping things breathable. Whether you're oily, dry, or somewhere in between, here are the best hydrating toners to replace your heavy duty creams and keep your glow going strong all summer long.
Laneige Cream Skin Toner
This K-beauty favourite delivers the hydration of a moisturiser with the lightweight texture of a toner. Its milky, creamy formula instantly quenches skin, leaving it soft, smooth, and glowing. Infused with white leaf tea water, it calms redness and irritation while a ceramide and peptide complex supports a stronger, firmer skin barrier. Ideal for dry and sensitive types, though those with oily or acne-prone skin may find it a bit rich.
Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum
Technically a serum, but used like a toner, this cult-favourite formula preps your skin right after cleansing. Its power lies in Sulwhasoo's proprietary Master Complex, combining ginseng, medicinal herbs, and vitamin C to fight dullness, redness, and early signs of aging. Featherlight in texture, it's perfect for refreshing and restoring balance from the very first step.
Shiseido Eudermine Activating Essence Lotion
This watery essence doesn't just hydrate, it keeps skin quenched for 24 hours thanks to dual hyaluronic acids. Enhanced with vitamin C, it helps even tone and brighten over time, making it a standout pick for dry skin in need of lasting moisture and protection from environmental stressors.
Dr Jart+ Ceramidin Skin Barrier Serum Toner
Part serum, part toner, this ceramide-powered hybrid deeply nourishes and fortifies the skin barrier. Panthenol boosts hydration, making it a saviour for dry or sensitized skin. Use with a cotton pad or pat in with your hands، either way, you'll get an ultra-hydrating finish and noticeable softness.
La Prairie Swiss Cellular Refining Lotion
This elegant formula brings the brand's iconic luxury to your toner step. With soothing chamomile and cucumber extracts, it refreshes skin, reduces redness, and minimises the look of pores. A gentle yet effective post-cleanse ritual for all skin types, it preps your complexion for the rest of your routine with a silky, balanced finish.
SK-II Facial Treatment Toner
Infused with the brand's signature Pitera complex، rich in peptides, vitamins, and minerals، this lightweight toner gently exfoliates with AHAs while boosting radiance and hydration. It also helps refine skin texture and deeply cleanses, picking up residual grime even after cleansing. A cult classic with real results.
Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Essence
This botanical-rich essence blends hyaluronic acid with fermented plants and floral hydrosols grown on Tata Harper's Vermont farm. The result is a skin-quenching, aromatic mist that feels as luxurious as it is effective, offering a natural glow and boost in hydration with every spritz.
Charlotte Tilbury Glow Toner
Created for dull or dry skin, Charlotte Tilbury Glow Toner is an acid-free toner loaded with hydrating ingredients like glycerin, sodium hyaluronate, and shea butter. Niacinamide helps brighten and even skin tone, while prickly pear extract encourages gentle exfoliation. A dewy-skin must-have with a silky finish.
Fenty Beauty Fat Water Toner Essence
A TikTok favourite, this hydrating milky toner lives up to the hype. Tamarind, panthenol, and hyaluronic acid provide a juicy moisture surge, absorbing in seconds to leave skin plump and soothed. The packaging is innovative and travel-friendly, though the subtle scent might not be for everyone.
Tatcha The Essence
Made with the brand's Hadasei-3 complex, rice ferment, algae, and green tea, this essence boosts hydration, softens skin, and enhances the effectiveness of every product layered after. Naturally rich in amino acids and antioxidants, it's a soothing, radiant-starting step in any routine.
Joanna Czech The Toner
This nutrient-packed mist does more than tone, it repairs and calms with a blend of vitamin C, prebiotics, sea chamomile, and minerals. Designed for sensitive or compromised skin, it also features a Triple-Hydration Complex to keep skin nourished and resilient all day long.
Rhode Skin Glazing Milk
A calming, hydrating essence that does double duty: it soothes irritation post-cleanse and locks in moisture for hours. With ceramides, beta-glucan, and magnesium, it's gentle enough for eczema-prone skin and has earned the National Eczema Association's Seal of Acceptance.