e.l.f.

e.l.f. Thirst Burst Pore Perfecting Toner.

Toners

About this product

A hydrating toner from e.l.f. Cosmetics, part of its Thirst Burst range, designed to add moisture and a light glow to the skin as a step in the daily routine.

Full ingredients

Water (Aqua), Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tocopherol, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Erythritol, Disodium EDTA, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Fruit Extract, Tin Oxide

Guru Score

82%

Yay

3 experts · Moderate agreement

What the gurus are saying

Hydration is the theme gurus keep circling back to, with the toner feeling light, not drying, and easy to pat on with your hands or a cotton swab. Its dewy glow can fade once sunscreen goes on top, and opinion splits on whether it does much beyond that: some found little real benefit, while others liked how soothing and affordable it is.

Synthesized from 3 expert reviews · most recent take May 2025

What they liked

Blends seamlessly with foundation
Dewy finish on bare skin
Beautiful holographic packaging

What they flagged

Dewy effect fades under sunscreen
Limited skin benefits beyond hydration

Best for

Dry skin

Type

TonersLiquid

Key actives

Niacinamide Hyaluronic acidVitamin E

Formula notes

Fragrance-freeNo drying alcohol

Where to buy

Ulta → Amazon → Google →

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What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

Robert Welsh

1.11M subs

✓Yay

"I did use the e.l.f First Burst Drops, these, which are really nice as well"

No BS Beauty

89k subs

✓Yay

"They've got some brightening ingredients, but they also have some ingredients in here that help kind of your skin look a little bit brighter right after applying it. I think it's got a little bit of mica in there so it gives your skin a little bit of a glow. So it works really nicely under sunscreens and moisturizers and things like that. It's a really nice product and it's affordable. It's got niacinamide and hibiscus, so it's brightening internally and externally."

All 3 takes from No BS Beauty

e.l.f. Cosmetics Holy Hydration! Thirst Burst Drops Review, How to Use, Dupes & Alternatives

"It's not life-changing. It's nothing I would repurchase. It's nice. It's affordable. [...] It does blend well with foundation. [...] It does have a dewy effect when you apply it. However, when I apply my sunscreen over it, that dewy finish is pretty much gone. So it's not the most exciting thing. For what it promises, a multi-use formula gives skin a dewy and post shower glow, I would agree it kind of does that, but doesn't have really much other skin benefits aside from that."

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"The elf Thirst Burst drops, the packaging is just beautiful, it's blue holographic with a little bit of pink in it. [...] This one we've got hyaluronic acid again, sodium hyaluronate, sunflower seed oil. [...] It's supposed to give your skin kind of a glow from the hibiscus in there from the color of it. [...] It comes up in a light pink shade on the skin, and it's quite nice."

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Dr Dray

2.69M subs

✓Yay

"This is new from e.l.f., the holy hydration line has these thirst burst drops. Guess what, it's a 5% niacinamide serum. That's what we need. Check out this little duo though, you can try the drops plus you get their bronzing drops to pop some color on."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Niacinamide

Niacinamide has evidence behind it for redness, uneven tone and supporting the skin barrier, and it is usually well tolerated even by skin that reacts to most things.

Source: DermNet

Humectants and emollients

Ingredients like these draw water into the surface layers and slow how fast it leaves. The evidence is for comfort, softness and hydration rather than for changing the structure of the skin.

Source: DermNet

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant, and it is often in a formula to keep the other ingredients stable rather than as the active itself. It pairs well with vitamin C, though on its own the evidence for visible change is limited.

Source: NIH, National Library of Medicine

Frequently asked.

What is e.l.f. Thirst Burst Pore Perfecting Toner?

A hydrating toner from e.l.f. Cosmetics, part of its Thirst Burst range, designed to add moisture and a light glow to the skin as a step in the daily routine.

Is e.l.f. Thirst Burst Pore Perfecting Toner worth it?

Yes. All 3 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 82%.

What is e.l.f. Thirst Burst Pore Perfecting Toner's Guru Score?

e.l.f. Thirst Burst Pore Perfecting Toner holds a Guru Score of 82%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 3 expert reviewers we have collected.