Home / All products / Toners / Round Lab
Product photo: roundlab.co.kr (official brand store). The pack size shown may differ from the Korean 300ml × 2.
Birch Juice Moisturizing Toner
Round Lab's hydrating toner from its Birch Juice line: a simple, fragrance-free formula with birch sap (10,000 ppm), glycerin, hyaluronic acid, panthenol and licorice, for dehydrated skin.
Buyer verdictA safe, plain hydrating toner for normal, dry and combination skin, and an easy one to layer. It doesn't exfoliate or treat anything specific. In Seoul it's usually sold as a 1+1 pair of 300ml bottles, which is very good value.
- Key ingredient
- Birch sap (10,000 ppm), Glycerin, propanediol and glycereth-26
- Texture
- Watery toner with a light, slightly cushioned feel
- Routine step
- toner · AM & PM
- Korean pack
- 300ml × 2
Overview
Key ingredients
- Birch sap (10,000 ppm) The line's theme ingredient, listed at 1%
- Glycerin, propanediol and glycereth-26 Humectants that give the hydration
- Sodium hyaluronate and hyaluronic acid Extra hydration
- Panthenol and dipotassium glycyrrhizate Soothing
- Irish moss and sugar cane extracts Small amounts of conditioning extracts
What it is
Round Lab is a Korean brand known for simple formulas and its 1025 Dokdo toner. The Birch Juice line is its hydration range, which also includes the brand’s popular sun cream. This toner comes in a 300ml bottle, and Olive Young usually sells it as a 1+1 set of two 300ml bottles.
The Korean ingredient list is short and plain. After water come glycerin, propanediol, glycereth-26 and pentylene glycol, all humectants. Then birch sap, listed at 10,000 ppm (1%). Next are small amounts of Irish moss and sugar cane extracts, sodium hyaluronate, hyaluronic acid, panthenol and dipotassium glycyrrhizate.
There’s no fragrance, no essential oil and nothing that exfoliates.
Who it suits (and who should skip it)
Good pick if
- Your skin feels tight or dehydrated after cleansing
- You want a gentle, plain toner you can layer two or three times
- You use strong actives and want a toner that won’t add irritation
Skip it if
- You want a toner that exfoliates or controls oil
- You’d like a toner with a clear active, such as niacinamide or BHA
- Your skin needs a milky, richer toner in winter
What the ingredients do
The humectants (glycerin, propanediol, glycereth-26) do most of the work. They draw water into the skin’s surface, which is what makes it feel plumper and softer. Hyaluronic acid adds to that. Panthenol and dipotassium glycyrrhizate (from licorice) are gentle soothing ingredients.
Birch sap gives the line its identity. It’s naturally rich in sugars and minerals and is used in Korean skincare as a hydrating base. At 1%, it’s a meaningful but supporting ingredient.
Because the formula is so simple, it’s a low-risk toner for sensitive skin.
How to use it
Round Lab’s directions: morning and evening after cleansing, spread a suitable amount over the skin and pat gently until absorbed. You can apply it with your hands or a cotton pad.
For extra hydration, use the Korean “seven skin” method: pat in two or three thin layers instead of one. Follow with serum and moisturiser.
How it compares
Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Toner is the brand’s other bestseller. It’s lighter and gently exfoliating, which suits oilier skin. Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Toner is another hydrating toner, with a stronger focus on hyaluronic acid. Torriden Dive-In Toner is a popular hyaluronic toner with a slightly cushioned feel.
See our toner buying guide to avoid buying several toners that do the same thing.
Is it worth buying in Seoul?
For value, yes. We haven’t matched a like-for-like listing on Amazon yet, so there’s no direct comparison. Olive Young’s 1+1 set gives you 600ml for about the price of one bottle, which works out very cheap per ml, and it clears the ₩15,000 tax refund minimum by itself.
The catch is weight: two 300ml bottles are heavy. Pack them in your checked suitcase, or buy a single bottle if your luggage is tight.
FAQ
Does it contain fragrance?
No. The Korean ingredient list has no fragrance or essential oils.
Is it the same as the Dokdo toner?
No. Round Lab's 1025 Dokdo Toner is the brand's mild-exfoliating, mineral-water toner. The Birch Juice toner is purely hydrating, without exfoliating ingredients.
Does it have vitamin C?
Ascorbic acid appears near the end of the list, in a tiny amount that likely helps stabilise the formula. It's not a vitamin C toner.
Can I use it with acids or retinol?
Yes. It has nothing that exfoliates, so it pairs well with stronger treatment products and helps keep skin comfortable.
