Toner vs. Essence Mist Spray: Has Skincare Really Changed?

While scrolling down Instagram, Facebook or any other social media sites one product keeps appearing again and again – An Essence Mist Spray. However, ask a baby boomer and it will be revealed that the person always relied on hydrating toners, believing it to be an essential step after cleansing the skin. With changes in the skincare tends there has been a shift from traditional toners to essence mists or hydrating mist sprays which are mostly favoured by Gen Z. 

So, the crucial question is whether skincare has really changed, or is it just a slight change in the terminology? Let’s find out without any further delay! 

Traditionally the beauty and skincare needs of people were simple, being focused on the overall wellbeing of their skin health. This ideology of overall skin health and wellbeing led to the use of different universal products. Skin hydrating toners was no exception as they have been used for generations as a universal skincare product, instead of identifying it as some targeted solution to specific skin concerns (Sisodia et al., 2025). Toners were specifically used by people traditionally to remove the remaining traces of dirt and product buildup while preparing the skin for receiving additional nourishment from the latter skincare products (Orzechowicz et al., 2026). Moreover, traditionally people used toners after cleansing as the motive was to balance the skin pH and reduce dehydration. So, traditionally people embraced skin toners as their only hope in their “not-so-structured” skincare regimes.

Traditionally toners contained alcohol and other astringent ingredients that aimed at controlling the sebum production while providing a refreshing sensation. However, with the advancements in skincare formulations and change in skincare demand patterns of users, beauty and cosmetics brands shifted their attention to the use of wide range of skincare ingredients. They started using ingredients like rose water, aloe vera, glycolic acid, niacinamide, salicylic acid etc, instead of using skin drying alcohols (Chatur et al., 2021). The motive was to make a shift from synthetic ingredients to some natural ingredients for improving the function of conventional toners in regard to better absorption of serums or nourishing creams in the skin. 

Currently, toners still continue to live up to play an important part in regular skincare regimes for their role in enabling better absorption of serums and moisturizers. Most baby boomers still rely on toners after a cleansing therapy for retaining their skin health, keeping it completely relevant till date.  

With the entry of Gen Z population in the skincare markets there has been a slight shift in consumer expectations, values and behaviour while selecting skincare products. Furthermore, the ongoing digitalisation and emergence of wide range of social media platforms helped connecting people beyond borders while influencing their purchase decisions through Korean skincare secrets, the concept of “Glass Skin” and suggestions of famous dermatologists. Gen Z started reconsidering the use of different skincare products and almost resisted the use of lengthy skincare routines in their fast-paced lifestyle (Sangal, Nigam and Bhutani, 2022). So, the target audience turned to products that help execute a wider range of purpose, thereby contributing to the rise of essence mist spray in skincare regimes. 

It was observed that unlike most of the traditional skin toner formulations, these essence mist sprays work primarily on hydrating the skin and keeping it nourished. Modern day Essence Mists are often formulations that are lightweight and are rich in humectants and moisture magnet ingredients like Hyaluronic acid, Pentavitin, Panthenol, Ceramides etc which helps in keeping the moisturized for longer hours, post cleansing (Havoj, 2024). Instead of acting on impurities like traditional toners, essence mists play an important role in replenishing skin’s moisture content while soothing dryness and preventing irritation for healthy skin barrier function. The essence mists are also made available for different skin types rather than positioning as universal skincare products. It has helped in addressing targeted skin concerns while relying on judging the skin types. This strategy has served well in aligning with the interests of the Gen Z population as they seek targeted products that are made with the view of addressing specific skin concerns. 

The major reason for quick adoption of essence mists by Gen Z population is the versatility of benefits that the product specifically offers. Different essence mists are formulated in a way so that they can be applied immediately after going through a cleansing ritual. Furthermore, Ridwan, Musa and Haeruddin (2025) found that Gen Z population has a precise obsession with informed decision making which has been controlling their urge of buying products that gave out complete ingredient information. In this connection, certain essence myths often enlisted different ingredients and their respective benefits on their labels, with the aim of keeping the users informed on the benefits of the product and the respective outcomes that can be expected (Radyi et al., 2024). This became a single factor that influenced the increased engagement of Gen Z users with Essence Mist sprays. Finally, the ease of use, at any time of the day, has delivered the most-awaited autonomy over rigid skincare rituals to the Gen Z population, piquing their interests. So, in clear words the essence mists fell under easy to use and flexible skincare, while simultaneously being informative and versatile. 

Therefore, it favoured the interests of the users while emerging as a trending choice to be incorporated into every skincare regime. 

• Chatur, V.M., Walode, S.G., Awate, S.A., Gandhi, M.U. and Thorat, V.S., 2021. Formulation and physical characterization of herbal face gel toner. World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 11(1), pp.138-145. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/5212/85c200bf479f2880916ba7a043c1188c38fe.pdf 
• Havoj, P., 2024. A Comparative Analysis of Skin Care Product Preference Factors of Generations Z and X (Doctoral dissertation, Sveučilište Algebra Bernays). https://repozitorij.algebra.hr/object/algebra:796/FILE0 
• Orzechowicz, W., Wasilewski, T., Hordyjewicz-Baran, Z., Stanek-Wandzel, N., Fleszer, J. and Malorna, K., 2026. Development of a Facial Toner Formulation (Cosmetic) Considering the Surface and Aggregation Properties of Non-Ionic Surfactants in Water–Glycol Systems. Colloids and Interfaces, 10(3), p.46. https://www.mdpi.com/2504-5377/10/3/46
• Radyi, S.A.M., Ridzwan, R., Mohamad, N.M. and Abdul Rahman, M.A., 2024. Influences on Generation Z’s purchasing decision-making on e-commerce platforms: Beyond products and website design. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 14(12), pp.2457-2469. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/387208065_Influences_on_Generation_Z's_Purchasing_Decision-Making_on_E-Commerce_Platforms_Beyond_Products_and_Website_Design
• Ridwan, N.H., Musa, C.I. and Haeruddin, M.I.M., 2025. Decision-making behavior of generation Z in online purchases: A systematic literature review. Multidisciplinary Reviews, 8(12), pp.384-399. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/393311731_Decision-making_behavior_of_generation_Z_in_online_purchases_A_systematic_literature_review
• Sangal, S., Nigam, A. and Bhutani, C., 2022. Purchase behavior of generation Z for new-brand beauty products: Exploring the role of blockchain. Journal of Electronic Commerce in Organizations (JECO), 20(2), pp.1-21. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/363046131_Purchase_Behavior_of_Generation_Z_for_New-Brand_Beauty_Products_Exploring_the_Role_of_Blockchain
• Sisodia, A., Chettupalli, A.K., Bukke, S.P.N., Rahaman, S.A., Chaudhary, S. and Nicholas, B., 2025. Toning with Nature: A Review of Natural Ingredients in Cosmetic Formulations. Natural Product Communications, 20(7), p.1934578X251353560. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1934578X251353560