PHA Toner
Reviewed by SerumTruth Editorial · Updated July 2026
The softest way to add an exfoliating acid to a routine, with a genuine niacinamide dose alongside for tone and shine. Reach for it if AHAs and BHAs are too much, not if you want serious resurfacing.
- Evidence21 / 30
Strength of the research behind the key actives
- Gluconolactone (PHA): moderate evidence
- Niacinamide: moderate evidence
- Score is the average of the key actives’ evidence grades.
- Potency20 / 25
Dosed at studied levels, not fairy-dusted
- Gluconolactone (PHA) (3%): present, but below a studied dose
- Niacinamide (3%): dosed at a studied level
- Potency tracks how strongly the actives are dosed, led by the strongest, not how many there are.
- Delivery & stability14 / 20
Delivery tech + packaging that protects fragile actives
- Delivery: standard
- Packaging: opaque tube
- No fragile actives here, so packaging barely moves the score.
- Formulation8 / 10
Disclosure, active breadth, and ingredient generation
- 2 of 2 actives disclose a concentration
- 2 key actives (breadth credit caps at 3)
- Current-generation or synergistic: Gluconolactone (PHA)
- Value12 / 15
What a month of use costs vs. the category
- About $19 per month to use
- $18 for 100 ml, used about twice a day (about 1.75 ml each time), so a bottle lasts about 1.0 months
- Band: $6/month or less earns full marks, $60/month or more hits the floor.
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What’s inside
| Active | Disclosed | Dose |
|---|---|---|
| Gluconolactone (PHA) | 3% | Light |
| Niacinamide | 3% | Studied |
3% gluconolactone (a polyhydroxy acid) with 3% niacinamide, both disclosed, in an opaque plastic bottle. PHAs are the gentlest exfoliating acids, and 3% sits at the mild, low end, so the well-dosed niacinamide is arguably the harder-working active here.
How it’s delivered
Air- and light-sensitive actives (vitamin C, copper peptides) lose potency fast in the wrong packaging, so delivery and the bottle are scored, not just what’s on the label.
The actives, explained
Cosmetic information for general education, not medical advice. The SerumProof score reflects our reading of publicly available research and formulation disclosures. See how scoring works.