Alcohol-Free Toner Review: Affordable, Fragrance-Free, and Safe for Sensitive Skin

Why I Tried This Toner

The toner I used before felt almost like plain water—just a light splash of moisture and nothing more. I wanted something a bit more effective: alcohol-free, fragrance-free, and suitable for sensitive skin. Ideally, it would give longer-lasting hydration without needing an extra moisturiser right away.

I found this toner on sale for 50% off (12.49 AUD for 355 ml), so I thought it was a good chance to try it. The “48-hour hydration” claim and the fact that it’s meant for all skin types sounded appealing.

First Impressions & Texture

The texture is watery but slightly essence-like. There’s a faint smell, but it doesn’t feel like artificial perfume.

The label recommends using a cotton ball to swipe it across the face. When I tried that, it felt refreshing and lightly hydrating, but most of the toner soaked into the cotton instead of my skin.

When I applied it with my hands, it felt a bit slippery—almost like diluted liquid soap. It evaporated quickly and left a slightly cool, dry feeling on my skin, similar to how acetone feels after it dries.

Pros

• Affordable and generous size – 355 ml for 12.49 AUD on sale.

• Skin-friendly formula – alcohol-free and fragrance-free.

• Gentle for sensitive skin – no irritation or breakouts for me.

• Balanced pH (5.0) – good for maintaining the skin barrier (pH test result showed around 5).

The result indicates PH 5 

Cons

• Hydration isn’t long-lasting – the “48 hours hydration” claim didn’t match my experience.

• Application issues – cotton absorbs too much product; applying with hands feels a bit slippery.

• Not moisturising enough on its own – works better before a moisturiser than as a hydrating toner by itself.

How I Use It Now

Instead of relying on this toner for hydration, I use it as a base layer before moisturiser. It adds a slight grip to the skin, helping the next products absorb more smoothly.

So for me, it works more as a prep toner rather than a true hydrating toner.

Test Results

To check how much product actually stays on the skin, I tested it on black plastic:

• Applied with fingers (top): more toner remained on the surface.

• Applied with a cotton ball (bottom): much less remained, since most was absorbed by the cotton.

This small test confirmed that using fingers is more effective if you don’t want to waste product.

• The first photo shows the toner right after application (top: fingers, bottom: cotton ball).

• The second photo is after 3 hours—the cotton-applied section had already faded.

The photo right after the application - the top one with finger and the bottom one is by cotton ball.

The photo was taken 3 hours after the application-the one I applied with a cotton ball has already disappeared.

Final Verdict

If you're looking for a budget-friendly, alcohol-free toner with a gentle, pH-balanced formula, this one is a decent choice—especially as a first step before heavier moisturisers.

But if your main goal is deep or long-lasting hydration, this toner probably won’t be enough on its own. It refreshes the skin but won’t replace a hydrating essence or moisturiser.

*This review is based on my personal experience, and results may vary for others. Please take it as a friendly reference.