Thayers Skincare Guide: Witch Hazel Toner, Evidence and Who Should Skip It

Thayers is an American brand best known for its alcohol-free witch hazel toners. It traces its roots to Henry Thayer & Co., which Dr. Henry Thayer founded in 1847, and it has belonged to L'Oréal since 2020. The Unscented Witch Hazel Toner ($10.99 for 12 fl oz at Target) is the safest pick in the range, while the scented versions and the acid toners are the ones to skip if your skin is sensitive.

Before you buy, you can scan a product's barcode or label with the ingredient scanner in Pori to check the formula against your skin type. Pori reads the ingredient list for you; it does not diagnose skin conditions.

This guide covers who owns Thayers, what is in its witch hazel toners, what the research on witch hazel actually shows, which products suit which skin and who should skip them. We compared published ingredient lists, brand claims and listed prices; we did not test these products on skin. Prices are Target list prices as of November 2026.

Who owns Thayers?

L'Oréal does. In June 2020 it agreed to buy Thayers Natural Remedies from Henry Thayer Company, its parent, and placed it in its consumer products division, next to brands such as Garnier. Thayers had about $44 million in sales in 2019 and was based in Easton, Connecticut. L'Oréal named the Witch Hazel Aloe Vera Formula Facial Toner as its bestselling product.

The brand's own history says Dr. Henry Thayer, born in 1823, studied chemistry and founded Henry Thayer & Co. in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he made concentrated plant extracts for physicians. The witch hazel toners came much later. Thayers says it introduced alcohol-free witch hazel and its first facial toners in 1989, and moved to certified organic witch hazel and aloe vera in 2012. The 1847 date refers to the company's founding.

What is in Thayers witch hazel toner?

The formula is short. The Unscented toner lists water, glycerin, witch hazel bark, leaf and twig extract and aloe leaf extract, then a preservative system of phenoxyethanol, caprylyl glycol and ethylhexylglycerin, with citric acid and potassium hydroxide to set the pH. Thayers says the formula is 98% natural in origin.

Two details set Thayers apart from the clear witch hazel sold in drugstores. First, it contains no added alcohol. Classic drugstore witch hazel is a steam distillate that usually contains about 14% alcohol, and that alcohol is part of why it feels so astringent. Second, Thayers says its witch hazel is extracted by maceration, soaking the plant rather than distilling it, which it says keeps the tannins. Tannins are the plant compounds that tighten proteins on the skin surface and give witch hazel its astringent feel. The brand does not publish how much tannin ends up in the bottle.

The flavored versions, such as Rose Petal, Cucumber and Lavender, share the same base and add botanicals. The Rose Petal Facial Mist, for example, lists rose flower water and "fragrance" after the witch hazel and aloe, so check each label if scent bothers you.

What does the evidence say about witch hazel?

Less than the reputation suggests. A 2025 review of witch hazel in skin care, published in the journal Molecules, notes that the bark contains roughly 8 to 12% tannins but also that relatively few thorough studies exist and much of the literature is outdated. The human trials that do exist are small and mostly test witch hazel creams and lotions. We found none that tested a toner.

• Sunburn-type redness: in a 2002 study in 40 healthy volunteers, lotions with 10% witch hazel distillate reduced UV-induced redness a little. Their plain bases also reduced it, and only one lotion beat its base at one UV dose. Hydrocortisone worked best.
• Eczema: in a 1995 trial in people with moderately severe atopic eczema, a witch hazel distillate cream worked no better than the same cream without witch hazel, and hydrocortisone outperformed it.
• Acne and pores: we found no controlled trial showing that a witch hazel toner clears acne or shrinks pores. The tight, matte feel after use is the astringent effect, and it is temporary.

So treat a witch hazel toner as a light, refreshing step. It can make oily skin feel less greasy for a while and adds a little hydration from glycerin and aloe. It is not a treatment. If you want an acne active, look at salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide or adapalene instead. Our guide what does toner do explains where toners fit.

Which Thayers products should you buy?

For oily or combination skin

Start with the Unscented toner after cleansing, on a cotton pad or patted in with your hands. If you have clogged pores, Thayers' Blemish Clearing Cleanser adds salicylic acid; retailer listings give 1.5% and say no fragrance is added, though some list 2%, so check the box. Use one salicylic acid product at a time. A salicylic cleanser plus a salicylic toner plus a retinoid is a common route to dry, irritated skin.

For dry or dehydrated skin

The Milky line is the better fit. The Hydrating Milky Face Wash is fragrance-free and sulfate-free, and the Milky Toner works like a light essence. Follow either with a moisturizer; our guide to types of moisturizers helps you choose one.

Who should skip Thayers witch hazel toner?

• People with rosacea. The American Academy of Dermatology tells people with rosacea never to use an astringent or toner, and to choose products labeled "fragrance-free" rather than "unscented."
• People treating acne with prescription products. The AAD's acne advice is to avoid astringents, toners and exfoliants, which can dry the skin and make acne look worse. If you use tretinoin, adapalene or benzoyl peroxide, a toner rarely adds anything. See our acne-prone skin routine.
• People with eczema or a damaged barrier. The best eczema trial found no benefit over a plain cream, and plant extracts can still irritate. A fragrance-free moisturizer will do more. Our guide to a damaged skin barrier covers what helps.
• Anyone who reacts to fragrance. Skip the flavored toners unless the label shows no fragrance, and stay with Unscented or the Milky line. Read fragrance and essential oils in skincare for why.
• Sensitive skin using the acid toners. The salicylic and AHA toners are exfoliants. Start a few times a week, and do not stack them with other acids; see how often to exfoliate.

Is Thayers toner bad for your skin because of alcohol?

The core toners are labeled alcohol-free, so the drying alcohol in old-style witch hazel water is not the issue. The fatty-sounding alcohols you may see on other labels are a different thing; our article on alcohol in skincare explains the difference. The more common problem is fragrance in the flavored toners, and using a toner on skin that is already irritated.

How do you use Thayers toner?

1. Cleanse first. Toner goes on clean skin, morning, evening or both.
2. Apply a small amount. Pat it in with your hands or sweep it on with a cotton pad. Do not scrub.
3. Follow with your other steps. Serum and moisturizer next, then a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher in the morning.
4. Watch your skin for two weeks. Stinging, tightness or new redness mean the toner is not for you. Stop and go back to cleanser and moisturizer.

Is Thayers worth it?

At about $11 for 12 fl oz, the Unscented toner is one of the cheapest toners on the shelf, and the formula is short and alcohol-free. If you like the feel of a toner and your skin is not reactive, it is a fair buy. Just do not expect it to treat acne, close pores or calm eczema; the evidence does not support that. For a toner that does more work, compare options in our toner catalogue, and for a full routine on a budget, see our drugstore skincare routine. L'Oréal's other skincare brands are covered in our CeraVe and La Roche-Posay guides.