Toner has been part of skincare routines for decades, but it has also become one of the easiest steps to skip. So why introduce a toner now?
Why Now?
Traditional toners made sense at a time when facial cleansers could leave the skin feeling stripped and in need of rebalancing. As cleansing formulas became gentler and more sophisticated, that original role became less relevant.
In the iS Clinical routine, toning has always been part of cleansing. Cleansing Complex is a 3-in-1 formula that acts as a deep cleanser, a toner (pH balanced at 5.6) and a makeup remover, performing all three steps in one wash.
Daily Active Smoothing Toner isn’t a replacement for Cleansing Complex. It takes the toner step in a different direction. Rather than simply refreshing the skin after cleansing, it combines gentle exfoliation, hydration and skin preparation in one daily, leave-on step.
What Makes the Formula Different?
Daily Active Smoothing Toner combines three forms of exfoliation with ingredients that support hydration and skin comfort.
Mandelic Acid, a larger-molecule AHA, helps gently refine dull, uneven texture, while Salicylic Acid, which is oil-soluble, works within the pores to help address build-up, excess surface oil and visible congestion. A PHA Complex, including Gluconolactone and Lactobionic Acid, is the gentlest of the three and provides additional resurfacing with hydrating properties.
Rather than relying on exfoliation alone, the formula also includes Sodium Hyaluronate and Aloe Vera to support hydration, alongside Panthenol and Allantoin to help soothe and comfort the skin, together with Witch Hazel and fruit extracts.
Used together at daily-use levels, the exfoliating technologies resurface gradually rather than aggressively.
Where It Fits Into Your Routine
Daily Active Smoothing Toner forms part of Step 1: Prep.
After Cleansing Complex, it becomes the first leave-on step in the routine, helping refine the skin’s surface while preparing it for the serums and hydrators that follow.
This gives toner a much clearer purpose than simply sitting between cleanser and serum. It actively contributes to the routine by helping address texture, dullness, visible pores, excess surface oil and congestion while supporting hydration.
What Did Consumers Experience?
Daily Active Smoothing Toner was evaluated in an independent 28-day consumer study involving 36 subjects.
| 92% | agreed their skin felt more hydrated (after 14 days) |
| 89% | felt the toner was gentle enough for daily use |
| 86% | said their skin felt clean and deeply purified (after 7 days) |
| 83% | reported instantly refreshed skin (after 30 minutes) |
Who Is It For?
Daily Active Smoothing Toner is formulated for all skin types, including sensitive skin.
It may be particularly beneficial for skin experiencing:
- Dullness
- Uneven or rough texture
- Visible pores
- Excess surface oil
- Congestion and build-up
Those who are new to exfoliating acids or have particularly sensitive skin can introduce the product gradually and adjust frequency according to how the skin responds.
How to Use It
Apply Daily Active Smoothing Toner after cleansing and before serums and hydrators.
Saturate a cotton pad and gently apply over the face and neck, avoiding the eye area. Alternatively, pat the solution into the skin using the fingertips. There is no need to rinse.
Use daily, or as desired, and follow with SPF in the morning.
Toner, Reconsidered
Daily Active Smoothing Toner is not simply a return to the traditional toner step.
It brings together gradual exfoliation, hydration and skin preparation in one formula, giving toner a more relevant role within a modern skincare routine, as the next step after Cleansing Complex