e.l.f. Pure Skin Toner: a Guru Score of 71% from 2 experts

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Approved takes Critical takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

~Approved

"I have very sensitive skin and AHAs in particular can be difficult for my skin to tolerate. I'm also a tretinoin user so my skin's pretty sensitive, and all that being said I did not notice any type of irritation with this whatsoever. I've been using this so much. It's nice to have that kiss of glycolic acid in there just to kind of keep the skin cells shedding off at a regular pace, but I really wouldn't consider this even to be an exfoliating toner. It's squarely a hydrating toner. The texture is really watery, it's very thin. It doesn't have a bouncy or gel-like texture. This is very watery and absorbs really nicely into the skin, and once it absorbs it does dive deeper into the skin. This isn't that thin watery toner that just sits on top. This definitely goes a little bit deeper to replenish the skin. It feels really nice, and because it is so thin and watery without any stickiness or tackiness, you can actually layer this up onto your skin a lot. If you're into the seven skin method, this is the best texture for that because it doesn't build up thick or greasy. Sometimes toners when you put a couple layers on it almost creates a film on top of your skin where nothing quite sits right, but this doesn't do that."

All 2 takes from Kelly Driscoll

Hydrating Toners From the Drugstore! | e.l.f., Thayers, Peach Slices, Cerave

"I have very sensitive skin and AHAs in particular can be difficult for my skin to tolerate. I'm also a tretinoin user so my skin's pretty sensitive, and all that being said I did not notice any type of irritation with this whatsoever. I've been using this so much. It's nice to have that kiss of glycolic acid in there just to kind of keep the skin cells shedding off at a regular pace, but I really wouldn't consider this even to be an exfoliating toner. It's squarely a hydrating toner. The texture is really watery, it's very thin. It doesn't have a bouncy or gel-like texture. This is very watery and absorbs really nicely into the skin, and once it absorbs it does dive deeper into the skin. This isn't that thin watery toner that just sits on top. This definitely goes a little bit deeper to replenish the skin. It feels really nice, and because it is so thin and watery without any stickiness or tackiness, you can actually layer this up onto your skin a lot. If you're into the seven skin method, this is the best texture for that because it doesn't build up thick or greasy. Sometimes toners when you put a couple layers on it almost creates a film on top of your skin where nothing quite sits right, but this doesn't do that."

July Faves | e.l.f., Avene, Tsubaki, YSL

"This is just exactly what you'd expect it to be, nice and watery, but it actually does provide a really good amount of hydration to the skin. The first use I was like, oh yeah, I like this, this is good, and now I've been reaching for it so much over the last couple of weeks. It's [...] such a basic toner and that's really what I'm craving in my routines right now. [...] This has really slotted in as a really nice solid basic toner that doesn't feel stressful. It just really gets the job done. It's really nice and light, it's perfect for summertime. I'm not suffering with deep deep dehydration right now, and this is providing all the hydration that I need. There is glycolic acid in here too, which I was really shocked to find because I didn't notice it on the ingredients list right away. [...] I had been using it two times a day, [...] layering this onto my skin for at least a week or two at that point before I realized it was in there."

Dr Dray

2.68M subs

~Skip

"I was confused whether this is an exfoliant or a hydrating toner. It contains glycolic acid but this isn't called out on the packaging or website, which is problematic because glycolic acid can increase sun sensitivity. Most products with alpha hydroxy acid come with a sunscreen disclaimer but this one doesn't, and I would like more transparency about the intended purpose. While I didn't develop any irritation, I didn't notice benefits and I didn't feel like this was adding much to my skincare routine. The consistency is lightweight but the overall consistency I just didn't really feel like this was adding much. For me this one would be a pass and I wouldn't buy it myself."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Niacinamide

Niacinamide has evidence behind it for redness, uneven tone and supporting the skin barrier, and it is usually well tolerated even by skin that reacts to most things.

Source: DermNet

Alpha hydroxy acids

Alpha hydroxy acids loosen the bonds holding dead cells at the surface. The evidence supports smoother texture and more even tone over time, and they can leave skin more sensitive to sun.

Source: NIH, National Library of Medicine

Ceramides

Ceramides are part of the skin's own barrier, and moisturisers built around them have evidence for holding water in and settling the tightness and flaking that come with a damaged barrier.

Source: DermNet

Frequently asked.

What is e.l.f. Pure Skin Toner?

A lightweight hydrating toner by e.l.f. formulated with glycolic acid.

Is e.l.f. Pure Skin Toner worth it?

The gurus mostly approve it, but with enough reservations to keep it in the middle at a Guru Score of 71%.

What is e.l.f. Pure Skin Toner's Guru Score?

e.l.f. Pure Skin Toner holds a Guru Score of 71%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 2 expert reviewers we have collected.