Toner pads are the most popular skincare trend in Korea right now (2024)

As a lover of Korean skincare, I pride myself on having intimate knowledge of all things K-beauty (I tried the viral CosRX Snail Mucin way before it blew up on TikTok, for example.) So, when I went to Seoul for a business trip a few weeks ago, I didn’t think I’d see any skincare trends or products that I wasn’t already familiar with. Unbeknownst to me, there was something that I wasn’t totally in on just yet: toner pads. As soon as I stepped into OliveYoung (basically like South Korea’s version of Boots), I couldn’t help but notice the walls and walls of toner pads – and tonnes of dewy-faced shoppers throwing them into their shopping baskets. Obviously, I had to see what all the hype was all about, so I tested a tonne of Korean toner pads. And now? I have thoughts to share with you. Keep reading for everything you need to know about the toner pad revolution, plus, my favourites I’ve been using since my return home.

What are toner pads?

When we think of toner pads in the UK, we picture a convenient lil tub of pre-soaked cotton pads to exfoliate the hell outta our faces (usually with the word “peel” written somewhere on the packaging to indicate that it, in fact, will destroy your skin barrier). But in South Korea, toner pads are more like small, targeted sheet masks that people use in different areas of their face. Supposedly, people will wear toner pads on the street – just like we do here with pimple patches.

Toner pads are just cotton pads that are pre-soaked in a toner solution that you can quickly grab from a tub and swipe all over your face (or dab on as a spot treatment or as a mask – read on for more uses). They come in about a bajillion varieties depending on your skin type and goals – like if you want to exfoliate and smooth uneven skin texture, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, plump and hydrate, clear acne and clogged pores – the list goes on.

How to use toner pads:

In the Western world, toner pads have always been a thing but mostly only as a convenient method to apply your toner. K-beauty toner pads are unique in that they work in a few different ways, including:

1. As a toner: The most obvious way to use a toner pad, grab a sheet out of the jar and swipe it across your skin, just as you would a toner you dripped onto a cotton pad. This is great for travelling when you don’t want to bring a big ol’ bottle of liquid or when you’re feeling a lil lazy.
2. As a spot treatment: Whenever you have a spot of irritation, a pimple, or a specific fine line you wanna target, stick the toner pad against it as a quick spot treatment for 5 to 10 minutes. These sheets are usually thin enough that they’ll stay on your face while you potter about.
3. As a sheet mask: Instead of putting on a full-face sheet mask, you can adhere a few toner pads across your face (see in this TikTok). It is a bit more comfortable to wear for long periods of time and sticks on much better than a standard sheet mask, IMO. You can also mix and match different toner pads if you have varying skin concerns across your face.

Now, let’s get into my favourite toner pads I’ve tested:

This all-in-one pad is soothing, exfoliating, and hydrating, so if you really don’t know which one to try, opt for this. PHA is the lightest exfoliating acid, so it gently buffs away dry and dead skin, making it fab for anyone with sensitive skin who also wants to clear acne, reduce hyperpigmentation, and/or smooth texture. The pad itself is also double-sided: one smooth side that lays flat if you decide to stick it on as a spot treatment or mask and one textured side that helps physically exfoliate as well.

Skincare need not fall short of the face; our bodies need TLC, too! Murad recognises that with their acne-control body pads that are designed to reduce the appearance of breakouts, dead skin and blocked hair follicles. Bacne and ingrown hairs, where?!