What's a must-buy Korean toner everyone gets at Olive Young?

The same four keep coming up — Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Toner, Anua's Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner, SKIN1004's Madagascar Centella Toning Toner, and Anua's Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner — and this comparison ranks all four for sensitive-skin fit specifically, with Anua's Heartleaf 77% coming out on top of that scoped ranking.

Is Round Lab really more popular than both Anua toners?

Yes, by general popularity — but Anua's Heartleaf 77% specifically outranks it for sensitive or acne-prone skin, which is this comparison's stated criterion.

Can I use both Anua toners together?

Some readers layer the Heartleaf 77% first for calming and the Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner second for glow, though that's a personal routine choice, not a requirement.

How much does the Heartleaf 77% cost?

₩15,000 at Korean retail, roughly $18 at US retail.

Which toner is best for a first-time K-beauty shopper with calm, non-reactive skin?

Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Toner, per this comparison's first-toner-suitability criterion.

comparison

4 Best Olive Young Toners 2026

A side-by-side comparison of the four toners that consistently top the must-buy-at-Olive-Young list, including two real Anua placements at the top of the sensitive-skin ranking and further down the glow slot.

K-Beauty Cart Research Desk2026-07-089 min read

Research note

Research note: product facts should be checked against current brand and retailer pages before major updates. Review signals are treated as directional patterns, not universal outcomes.

Capsule

The comparison, up front

The must-buy Korean toner list at Olive Young is short and consistent: Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Toner, Anua's Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner, SKIN1004's Madagascar Centella Toning Toner, and Anua's Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner. This comparison is scoped specifically to sensitive, red, or acne-prone skin — and on that scope, Anua's Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner (₩15,000 in Korea, roughly $18 in the US) is the honest number-one pick, ahead of Round Lab, which remains the safer, more universally loved choice for normal, combination, and first-time K-beauty shoppers on general popularity rather than this comparison's sensitivity-focused criterion.

Stating the scope up front matters because "best toner at Olive Young" and "best toner for sensitive skin at Olive Young" are genuinely different questions with different honest answers. This guide picks the second, narrower question as its ranking criterion — and ranks all four toners against it — rather than blending sensitivity fit and general popularity into one vague ranking that doesn't actually answer either question well.

Criteria

This comparison is scoped to sensitivity fit, not general popularity

General popularity and sensitive-skin fit are different questions, and this comparison keeps them separate rather than blending them into one ranking.

Sensitivity and redness fit — does the formula story target reactive skin specifically?
Price at Olive Young in Korea versus US retail.
Texture — watery versus milky, and how that affects layering.
First-toner suitability for someone new to Korean skin care.
How central the stated ingredient story is to each product's identity.

1. Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner — Best for sensitive, red, or acne-prone skin

At ₩15,000 in Korea (roughly $18 in the US), Anua's Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner is built around a heartleaf (houttuynia cordata) concentration story specifically aimed at sensitive, red, or acne-prone skin. That narrower focus is exactly why this comparison ranks it first for the specific skin-type question it's scoped to, even while Round Lab remains ahead on general, unscoped popularity.

The formula's identity is built almost entirely around calming rather than active treatment, which is what makes it a defensible top pick specifically for reactive skin — there's no exfoliating acid or strong active competing with the calming story, so the whole formula is working toward the same goal. Readers with normal, non-reactive skin may not notice a meaningful advantage over Round Lab, which is part of why this guide keeps the two criteria (sensitivity fit versus general popularity) separate rather than picking one universal winner.

2. Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Toner — Best for normal, combination skin and first-time buyers

Round Lab's Dokdo Toner earns the top general-popularity spot by being genuinely low-risk: a mineral-water-based formula that works across normal, combination, and sensitive skin without a strong active ingredient to react to. That low-risk profile is exactly why it's the safer default recommendation for someone buying their first Korean toner and unsure what their skin will tolerate.

The trade-off is that it doesn't target redness or acne-prone skin as specifically as Anua's Heartleaf 77% does — it's a safe generalist, not a specialist, and readers whose skin runs specifically sensitive or reactive may find the more targeted calming formula above it a better match for that particular need. Best for normal or combination skin, and for first-time K-beauty toner buyers who want the lowest-risk starting point.

3. SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Toning Toner — Best for gentle exfoliation and glow

SKIN1004's centella-led toner does a different job than either Anua toner: it's built around gentle exfoliation paired with a glow finish, which makes it a better fit for readers whose priority is texture and radiance rather than redness or hydration specifically.

Because it introduces a gentle exfoliating element that the other three toners on this list don't have, it's positioned third rather than competing directly with the calming-focused entries — it's solving a different problem (texture and glow) than sensitivity or general safety, which keeps it out of direct competition with the top two picks above it. Best for readers who want gentle exfoliation and a glow finish rather than a purely calming or purely safe generalist toner.

4. Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner — Best for the milky glass-skin look

Anua's second entry on this list, the Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner, is a richer, milkier formula built around rice extract for the trending glass-skin look. It fills a different slot than the Heartleaf 77% — glow and richness rather than calming — which is why both Anua products can honestly hold separate positions on the same list instead of competing with each other.

It lands fourth on this specific comparison because sensitivity fit is this guide's stated ranking criterion, and the Rice 70's glow-and-richness formula story isn't built around calming the way the top two entries are. For a reader specifically chasing the milky glass-skin finish rather than optimizing for sensitive skin, it's a genuinely strong, distinct pick — just not the winner of this particular sensitivity-scoped comparison. Best for readers chasing the trending milky glass-skin look as an additional layer over a base toner.

At a glance

Side-by-side

1. Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner	₩15,000 in Korea (~$18 US); best for sensitive, red, or acne-prone skin — this comparison's top pick.
2. Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Toner	Most universally loved on general popularity; best for normal, combo skin, and first-time K-beauty toner buyers.
3. SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Toning Toner	Gentle exfoliation plus a glow finish; a different job than either Anua toner.
4. Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner	Milky, richer texture built for the trending glass-skin look.

Decision

Which should you actually buy?

If your skin runs sensitive, red, or acne-prone specifically, buy Anua's Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner — the top pick on this comparison's stated criterion. If your skin is calm and you want the safest, most universally loved first toner regardless of sensitivity, buy Round Lab. If gentle exfoliation and glow matter more than calming, buy SKIN1004. If you're chasing the milky glass-skin look specifically, add Anua's Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner as a second layer.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about choosing between these four.

What's a must-buy Korean toner everyone gets at Olive Young? The same four keep coming up — Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Toner, Anua's Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner, SKIN1004's Madagascar Centella Toning Toner, and Anua's Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner — and this comparison ranks all four for sensitive-skin fit specifically, with Anua's Heartleaf 77% coming out on top of that scoped ranking.
Is Round Lab really more popular than both Anua toners? Yes, by general popularity — but Anua's Heartleaf 77% specifically outranks it for sensitive or acne-prone skin, which is this comparison's stated criterion.
Can I use both Anua toners together? Some readers layer the Heartleaf 77% first for calming and the Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner second for glow, though that's a personal routine choice, not a requirement.
How much does the Heartleaf 77% cost? ₩15,000 at Korean retail, roughly $18 at US retail.
Which toner is best for a first-time K-beauty shopper with calm, non-reactive skin? Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Toner, per this comparison's first-toner-suitability criterion.