COSRX Centella Water Alcohol-Free Toner

COSRX

Centella Water Alcohol-Free Toner

face toner

Added Last edited

Fit by skin type

General, ingredient-based — not your personalized match.

Dry
59%
Combination (dry)
59%
Balanced
60%
Combination (oily)
90%
Oily
90%

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9
Ingredients
3
Benefits
2
Actives
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The COSRX Centella Water Alcohol-free Toner is formulated with plant extracts, 82% mineral water, and 10% centella asiatica leaf water. Its soothing ingredients help to calm irritated skin, significantly hydrate and infuse the skin with nourishment, and reduce pores.

Key Insights

Benefits

3
Anti-Aging
Hydration
Soothing

Active Ingredients

2
Hyaluronic acid Vitamin B5 (panthenol)

About Centella Water Alcohol-Free Toner

Overview

Centella Water Alcohol-Free Toner is a watery-light toner from COSRX, a brand based in Korea. The formula is built mainly around hydration and soothing. The ingredient list runs to 9 ingredients, each broken down in full below.

Texture and finish

By its ingredient list the formula reads as very light — essentially a water-and-humectant base with little emollient weight. With almost no emollient load it should absorb quickly and finish close to matte. Hydration is handled by Butylene Glycol, Betaine and Panthenol, humectants that pull water into the upper layers of skin rather than sealing it there.

What the formula does

Hydration: High. Ingredients that pull and hold water in the upper layers of skin, and here that comes from Butylene Glycol, Betaine, Panthenol and Sodium Hyaluronate.

Soothing: High. Ingredients aimed at visible redness and reactivity, and here that comes from Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Panthenol, Allantoin and Sodium Hyaluronate.

Who it suits

On richness alone it suits Combination (oily) and Oily skin best, and is the least natural fit for Dry, Combination (dry) and Balanced skin. Nothing in the list is flagged as a common irritant, which is a reasonable starting point for reactive skin — though a patch test is still the only way to know.

What it does not target

The formula contributes little or nothing on antioxidant protection, oil control, brightening and tone and cell renewal. That is not a fault — most products are not meant to do everything — but if one of those is your priority, this is not the product that will address it.

What is not in it

Reading the full list, the formula is fragrance-free, essential-oil-free, no drying alcohol, paraben-free, silicone-free and microplastic-free. Those claims come from the ingredient list itself, not from the packaging.

Where it fits in a routine

It can be used morning and evening. In a routine it goes after cleansing, before serums. Apply to slightly damp skin so the humectants have water to hold on to.

This summary is generated from the product's ingredient list. It is not a review, it is not the brand's own marketing claims, and it does not replace advice from a dermatologist.

Pros and cons

Drawn purely from the ingredient list

Pros

  • No fragrance or declared allergens
  • No essential oils
  • No drying alcohol
  • Silicone-free
  • No microplastics
  • Strong humectant content for hydration
  • Several soothing ingredients
  • No common irritants flagged in the list
  • No recognised malassezia (fungal acne) triggers

Which skin types it suits

Scored on how rich or light the formula reads from its INCI order.

Suitable for

  • Combination (oily) skin
  • Oily skin

Less suitable for

  • Dry skin
  • Combination (dry) skin
  • Balanced skin

Sensitive skin

No ingredient in this formula carries a common-irritant flag, making it a reasonable option for reactive skin. A patch test is still recommended, as individual skin reactivity varies.

Skin concerns

Based on the curated benefits documented for this product's ingredients.

Helps with

  • Hydration 5 ingredients

    Attracts and locks in moisture to keep skin plump and dewy

  • Soothing 3 ingredients

    Calms redness, irritation, and inflammation for sensitive skin

  • Anti-Aging 1 ingredient

    Boosts collagen and cell turnover to reduce fine lines and wrinkles

Does not target

Anti-Acne Blackhead Reducing Dark Spot Fading Evens Skin Tone Oil Control Pore Minimizer Smooths Bumpy Skin

None of the ingredients in this formula are associated with these benefits. This is not unusual, as most products are designed to target a limited number of concerns.

Key ingredients

The actives, UV filters and benefit-carrying ingredients in this formula, in the order they are listed.

1st on the list, which puts it at an estimated 30–80% of the formula.

Aqua (EU),Deionized Water,Distilled Water,Micromatrix Fractile AN,Onsen-Sui (JPN),Purified Water

Hydration

3rd on the list, which puts it at an estimated 5–20% of the formula.

Butane-1,3-diol (CAS No. 107-88-0/ EC No. 203-529-7) (R)-(-)-butane-1,3-diol” (CAS No. 6290-03-5/ EC No. 228-532-0)

Hydration

5th on the list, which puts it at an estimated 2–10% of the formula.

Methanaminium, 1-carboxy-N,N,N-trimethyl-, hydroxide, inner salt

Hydration
Panthenol Vitamin B5 (panthenol)

6th on the list, which puts it at an estimated 2–10% of the formula.

Butanamide, 2,4-dihydroxy-N-(3-hydroxypropyl)-3,3-dimethyl-, (2R)-; dl-Panthenol

Hydration Soothing

7th on the list, which puts it at an estimated 1–5% of the formula.

Urea, (2,5-dioxo-4-imidazolidinyl)-

Soothing
Sodium Hyaluronate Hyaluronic acid

9th on the list, which puts it at an estimated 1–5% of the formula.

Hyaluronic acid, sodium, salt

Hydration Anti-Aging Soothing

Formula analysis

Each axis is scored from the ingredients present and how high up the list they sit.

Hydration High

Ingredients that pull and hold water in the upper layers of skin

Barrier support Low

Lipids and repair signals that support skin barrier integrity

Antioxidant support None

Ingredients that mop up free radicals from UV and pollution

Oil control None

Ingredients that moderate sebum or absorb shine

Brightening None

Ingredients that act on uneven tone and post-inflammatory marks

Soothing High

Ingredients aimed at visible redness and reactivity

Cell renewal None

Retinoids, acids and enzymes that speed surface turnover

Firmness signalling None

Peptides and growth factors that signal for collagen support

Active and supporting ingredients

"Active" here means an ingredient carrying a recorded active type or a recognised UV filter.

Active ingredients (2)

Supporting ingredients (7)

Solvents, emollients, texture agents and preservatives — the formula that carries the actives.

Water Centella Asiatica Leaf Water Butylene Glycol 1,2-hexanediol Betaine Allantoin Ethyl Hexanediol

What is and is not in it

Read from the full ingredient list. A brand's own claim may differ.

Free from

  • Fragrance-free
  • Essential-oil-free
  • No drying alcohol
  • Paraben-free
  • Silicone-free
  • Microplastic-free
  • Sulfate-free
  • Dye-free
  • Oil-free
  • No animal-derived ingredients

What to layer it with

Judged by the same curated rules our routine checker uses. It reads the ingredients, not the label.

Compatible with

  • Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid)
  • Retinoids (retinol, retinal)
  • AHAs (glycolic, lactic)
  • BHA (salicylic acid)
  • PHAs (gluconolactone)
  • Benzoyl peroxide
  • Azelaic acid
  • Copper peptides
  • Bakuchiol
  • Niacinamide
  • Hyaluronic acid
  • Ceramides
  • Signal peptides
  • Panthenol
  • Sunscreen

Nothing in this formula belongs to a group our rules can put in conflict, so it layers freely. Order still matters — thinnest texture first.

Where it fits in a routine

Morning Evening
  1. Cleanse
  2. Toning
  3. Treat
  4. Moisturise
  5. Protect

This product is the "Toning" step.

  • Apply to slightly damp skin so the humectants have water to hold on to.

Safety and suitability

Flags to check, not verdicts. None of this is medical advice — if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or treating a skin condition, ask a doctor.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Nothing in this formula is on the standard pregnancy-caution list. That is not clearance — ask your doctor about anything you use daily.
Fungal acne (malassezia)
No ingredient here is a recognised food source for malassezia.
Sensitive and reactive skin
No ingredient in this formula carries a common-irritant flag, making it a reasonable option for reactive skin. A patch test is still recommended, as individual skin reactivity varies.

Ingredients by function

Most ingredients do more than one job, so these counts add up to more than the 9 ingredients on the label.

4
Solvent

Dissolves and carries everything else

3
Humectant

Draws water into the upper layers of skin

2
Active

Changes how skin behaves rather than how it feels

2
Texture agent

Sets the thickness, spread and stability of the formula

1
Soothing

Calms visible redness and irritation

1
Occlusive

Forms a film that slows water loss

1
Plant extract

Botanical material, usually for antioxidants or scent

Ingredient breakdown

Every ingredient on the label, in order, with what it does and roughly how much of it is likely to be there.

1 Water Solvent
Estimated level
30–80%
Confidence
Low — inferred from list position alone
Roles
Solvent

1st on the list, which puts it at an estimated 30–80% of the formula.

Aqua (EU),Deionized Water,Distilled Water,Micromatrix Fractile AN,Onsen-Sui (JPN),Purified Water

Hydration
3 scientific references
  • Skin Research and Technology, May 2015, pages 131-136
  • Skin Pharmacology and Applied Skin Physiology, November-December 1999, pages 344-351
  • Journal of Cosmetic Science, September-October 1993, pages 249-262
Estimated level
5–20%
Confidence
Low — inferred from list position alone
Roles
Plant extract

2nd on the list, which puts it at an estimated 5–20% of the formula.

Centella Asiatica Leaf Water is an aqueous solution of the steam distillate obtained from the leaves of Hydrocotyl, Centella asiatica L., Apiaceae

3 Butylene Glycol Humectant
Estimated level
5–20%
Confidence
Low — inferred from list position alone
Roles
Humectant, Texture agent, Solvent

3rd on the list, which puts it at an estimated 5–20% of the formula.

Butane-1,3-diol (CAS No. 107-88-0/ EC No. 203-529-7) (R)-(-)-butane-1,3-diol” (CAS No. 6290-03-5/ EC No. 228-532-0)

Hydration
5 scientific references
  • CosmeticsInfoorg, Accessed March 2021, ePublication
  • US Food and Drug Administration Code of Federal Regulations</em>, Accessed March 2021, ePublication
  • International Journal of Toxicology, May 2011, pages 5S-16S
  • Skin Research and Technology, November 2007, pages 417-24
  • Journal of the American College of Toxicology, September 1985, pages 223-248
Estimated level
2–10%
Confidence
Low — inferred from list position alone
Roles
Solvent

4th on the list, which puts it at an estimated 2–10% of the formula.

5 Betaine Humectant
Estimated level
2–10%
Confidence
Low — inferred from list position alone
Roles
Humectant, Texture agent

5th on the list, which puts it at an estimated 2–10% of the formula.

Methanaminium, 1-carboxy-N,N,N-trimethyl-, hydroxide, inner salt

Hydration
5 scientific references
  • International Journal of Toxicology, 2018, pages 28S-46S
  • Food Science and Biotechnology, October 2017, pages 1391-1397
  • The Journal of Chemical Physics, June 2015, ePublication
  • The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, September 2004, pages 539-549
  • Skin Research and Technology, February 2003, pages 50-58
6 Panthenol Active
Estimated level
2–10%
Confidence
Low — inferred from list position alone
Roles
Active

6th on the list, which puts it at an estimated 2–10% of the formula.

Butanamide, 2,4-dihydroxy-N-(3-hydroxypropyl)-3,3-dimethyl-, (2R)-; dl-Panthenol

Hydration Soothing
7 scientific references
  • The Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Accessed April 2021, ePublication
  • International Journal of Cosmetic Science, December 2019, pages 534-547
  • Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, January 2019, pages 346-354
  • Cosmetic Ingredient Review, March 2018, pages 1-51
  • The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, August 2017, pages 173-180
  • Journal of Cosmetic Science, August 2011, pages 361-370
  • American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, Volume 3, 2002, pages 427-433
7 Allantoin Occlusive
Estimated level
1–5%
Confidence
Low — inferred from list position alone
Roles
Occlusive, Soothing

7th on the list, which puts it at an estimated 1–5% of the formula.

Urea, (2,5-dioxo-4-imidazolidinyl)-

Soothing
8 scientific references
  • Chemistry Series, March 2020, pages 7-21
  • Molecules, June 2019, pages 1-33
  • European Journal of Pharmacology, February 2018, pages 68-78
  • Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, June 2017, Volume 76, Issue 2, Supplement 1
  • Pharmacognosy Review, Volume 5, July-December 2011
  • International Journal of Toxicology, May 2010, Supplement, pages 84S-97S
  • Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology, October 2008, ePublication
  • https://wwwaccessdatafdagov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearchcfm?CFRPart=347&showFR=1
Estimated level
1–5%
Confidence
Low — inferred from list position alone
Roles
Solvent

8th on the list, which puts it at an estimated 1–5% of the formula.

2-ethylhexane-1,3-diol

Estimated level
1–5%
Confidence
Low — inferred from list position alone
Roles
Humectant, Active

9th on the list, which puts it at an estimated 1–5% of the formula.

Hyaluronic acid, sodium, salt

Hydration Anti-Aging Soothing
5 scientific references
  • Der Hautarzt; Zeitschrift fur Dermatologie, Venerologie, und Verwandte Gebiete, December 2017, pages 987-993
  • Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, July 2014, pages 277-287
  • Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, October 2012, pages 20-23
  • DermatoEndocrinology, July-December 2012, pages 253-258
  • Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, September 2011, pages 990-1000

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Frequently asked questions

What ingredients are in Centella Water Alcohol-Free Toner?

WATER, CENTELLA ASIATICA LEAF WATER, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, BETAINE, PANTHENOL, ALLANTOIN, ETHYL HEXANEDIOL, SODIUM HYALURONATE.

What are the active ingredients in Centella Water Alcohol-Free Toner?

PANTHENOL, SODIUM HYALURONATE.

How do I use Centella Water Alcohol-Free Toner?

Apply an appropriate amount onto a cotton pad. Apply whilst gently following the lines of your skin. Turn the cotton pad over and gently pat the absorb the contents

What skin types is Centella Water Alcohol-Free Toner good for?

Judged on how rich the formula reads from its ingredient list, it suits Combination (oily), Oily skin best. It is the least natural fit for Dry, Combination (dry), Balanced skin.

Is Centella Water Alcohol-Free Toner good for sensitive skin?

No ingredient in this formula carries a common-irritant flag, making it a reasonable option for reactive skin. A patch test is still recommended, as individual skin reactivity varies.

Is Centella Water Alcohol-Free Toner fungal acne safe?

No ingredient in this formula is a recognised food source for malassezia, the yeast behind fungal acne.

Can I use Centella Water Alcohol-Free Toner while pregnant?

Nothing in this formula is on the standard pregnancy-caution list. That is not medical clearance — check anything you use daily with your doctor or midwife.

Is Centella Water Alcohol-Free Toner fragrance free?

Yes. Reading the full ingredient list, this formula is fragrance-free.

Does Centella Water Alcohol-Free Toner contain alcohol?

No. Reading the full ingredient list, this formula is no drying alcohol.

Is Centella Water Alcohol-Free Toner silicone free?

Yes. Reading the full ingredient list, this formula is silicone-free.

Does Centella Water Alcohol-Free Toner contain essential oils?

No. Reading the full ingredient list, this formula is essential-oil-free.

Is Centella Water Alcohol-Free Toner paraben free?

Yes. Reading the full ingredient list, this formula is paraben-free.

What can I layer with Centella Water Alcohol-Free Toner?

It layers well with Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid), Retinoids (retinol, retinal), AHAs (glycolic, lactic), BHA (salicylic acid), PHAs (gluconolactone), Benzoyl peroxide.

When should I apply Centella Water Alcohol-Free Toner?

Use it morning and evening, after cleansing, before serums.

How many ingredients does Centella Water Alcohol-Free Toner have?

It lists 9 ingredients, of which 2 are recorded as actives.

Who makes Centella Water Alcohol-Free Toner?

COSRX, a brand based in Korea.

Brand
COSRX
Country
Korea

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