Martian Mattifying Melting Water-Gel Toner

There is a specific category of skincare product that exists primarily to be interesting. The kind of product you pull out at a sleepover to show people, the kind that earns its keep on Instagram before it earns it on your skin. Sunday Riley's Martian Mattifying Melting Water-Gel Toner, launched in 2016, was absolutely that product — and the question was always whether the science underneath the spectacle could justify the price tag.

The spectacle, to be fair, is good. You scoop a fingertip of thick, green-tinted gel from the jar, press it onto your face, and it melts on contact into a watery liquid that disappears into the skin. It feels like a magic trick the first few times. The cooling sensation is immediate and pleasant, and within minutes, your pores look visibly blurred and your T-zone has a soft-matte finish that genuinely works as a makeup base. The brand cited clinical data: 53% reduction in T-zone pore size within 10 minutes in a study of 56 subjects. That tracks with the real-world experience — the effect is noticeable and nearly instant.

But here is where the Martian toner starts losing altitude. The pore-minimizing magic is temporary — it's a cosmetic trick performed by bentonite clay, tapioca starch, and polymethylsilsesquioxane (silicone microspheres) that physically blur and absorb at the skin's surface. These ingredients do exactly what they claim, but they wash off, wear off, and fade by midafternoon on most oily skin types. There is nothing wrong with temporary cosmetic improvement — that is literally what primer does — but the toner positioning and the $25 price tag suggest something more transformative than what you actually get.

The active ingredients tell a more complex story. Manuka oil, black cumin seed oil, and magnolia bark extract form an antibacterial trio that is genuinely interesting from a formulation standpoint. Manuka oil's beta-triketones have documented in vitro activity against Propionibacterium acnes, and black cumin's thymoquinone offers anti-inflammatory support. Green tea extract and witch hazel add antioxidant and astringent properties. On paper, this is a thoughtful combination of oil-control and antimicrobial ingredients aimed at the root causes of oily, congested skin.

Then you look at the second ingredient on the list: alcohol denat. In significant concentration, alcohol denat. is what gives the gel its melting texture and fast-drying finish, but it also introduces a drying element that seems counterproductive in a product designed for daily use on skin that's already producing excess sebum partly in response to dehydration. The formula does include emollients and botanical oils to offset the alcohol, but it's a philosophical contradiction — drying out oily skin to control oil is the skincare equivalent of fighting fire with a flamethrower and then handing out fire extinguishers.

And then there is the smell. Initial application is fine — herbal, lemongrass-forward, vaguely botanical in a way that feels intentional. But as the product absorbs and the volatile notes evaporate, the scent transforms into something earthy and pungent that reviewers have compared to everything from dried shrimp to wet rags to bird seed. It is, by a wide margin, the most consistently cited complaint across every retailer that carries this product. When your single most common piece of user feedback is about an unpleasant odor, that is a formulation problem that no amount of clever texture can distract from.

The texture innovation itself is worth examining. Gel-to-water technology uses surfactant systems — in this case, sorbeth-30 tetraisostearate and sorbitan sesquiisostearate — to create a gel structure that breaks on contact with skin, releasing the aqueous phase. It is clever cosmetic chemistry, and Sunday Riley's cosmetic chemist founder clearly enjoyed engineering it. But clever chemistry should serve skin health, not just sensory novelty. The transformation is satisfying, but the end result — a light film of mattifying minerals on slightly alcohol-dried skin — could be achieved by simpler means.

The ingredient list also includes pearl powder as the final ingredient, which means this product is not vegan despite the brand's general lean toward vegan formulations. It is a minor inclusion — pearl powder at that concentration is unlikely to do much beyond marketing appeal — but it is worth noting for consumers who check these things.

Value is where the Martian struggles to justify itself. At $25 for 1.7 ounces, it's moderately priced for Sunday Riley but expensive for a toner with temporary cosmetic effects and a divisive scent. The larger 4.4-ounce bottle at $55 offers better per-ounce value, but commits you to a product you may not love after the novelty wears off.

The product appears to have been quietly discontinued by Sunday Riley — it is no longer listed on the brand's official website and is out of stock at most major retailers as of 2026. This is not surprising. The Martian never achieved the cult status of Sunday Riley's hero products, and its combination of novelty texture, niche audience (strictly oily skin), and the scent issue likely limited repeat purchases. It was an interesting experiment from a brand that knows how to make interesting experiments, but interesting is not the same as essential.

Formula

The Science

The Martian toner's oil-control approach relies on a combination of physical absorption and antibacterial activity. Bentonite clay, a montmorillonite mineral, works by adsorbing sebum through ion exchange — its negatively charged platelets attract and bind the positively charged lipid components of sebum. A 2017 review in the Iranian Journal of Public Health confirmed bentonite's established oil-absorbing and antimicrobial properties (Iranian J Public Health, 2017). However, a 2023 study in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology found that while bentonite clay masks improved sebum content and skin evenness, they did not significantly change actual pore area — an important distinction between how pores look and how large they are (J Cosmet Dermatol, 2023).

Manuka oil (Leptospermum scoparium) is the formula's most distinctive active ingredient. A 2020 review in Molecules confirmed strong in vitro antimicrobial activity attributed to beta-triketone compounds, including activity against Propionibacterium acnes — the bacterium implicated in inflammatory acne. The same review noted manuka oil's anti-inflammatory properties via inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase, which would help reduce the redness and swelling associated with acne lesions (Molecules, 2020). However, the review also noted that clinical evidence in human skincare applications remains limited.

The alcohol denat. in this formula serves dual purposes: it enables the gel-to-water phase transition and acts as a penetration enhancer for the oil-soluble actives. However, denatured alcohol in significant concentrations can impair the skin barrier by dissolving lipids in the stratum corneum, potentially triggering compensatory sebum production — the opposite of the product's intended effect for long-term use.

References

1. Bentonite Clay as a Natural Remedy: A Brief Review — Iranian Journal of Public Health (2017)
2. Comprehensive assessment of the efficacy and safety of a clay mask in oily and acne skin — Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology (2023)
3. Manuka Oil — A Review of Antimicrobial and Other Medicinal Properties — Molecules (2020)

Dermatologist Perspective

Dermatologists generally take a cautious view of mattifying toners with high alcohol content, as the short-term oil control can come at the cost of barrier function. Board-certified dermatologists note that alcohol denat. as the second ingredient suggests a significant concentration that may trigger rebound oiliness in some users. The manuka oil and bentonite clay components have dermatological merit — manuka's antimicrobial properties are recognized, and clay-based sebum absorption is a well-established approach. However, dermatologists typically recommend that patients with oily, acne-prone skin prioritize barrier-supportive ingredients (niacinamide, salicylic acid) over astringent-based approaches. This product would most commonly be recommended as an occasional-use mattifying step rather than a daily toner.

Guidance

Martian launched in 2016 as Sunday Riley's play for the oily-skin market, complementing the brand's existing focus on treatment serums and oils. The 'Martian' name and green gel aesthetic leaned into the brand's whimsical naming convention (alongside 'Luna' and 'Saturn'). The product appears to have been quietly discontinued, suggesting it never achieved the cult following of Sunday Riley's hero products.

About Sunday Riley Established Brand (5–20 years)

Sunday Riley was founded in 2009 by cosmetic chemist Sunday Riley in Houston, Texas. The brand is Leaping Bunny and PETA certified cruelty-free, B Corp certified, and has built a reputation for active-driven formulations. The Martian toner appears to be discontinued or in very limited availability as of 2026.

Brand founded: 2009 · Product launched: 2016

Myth vs. Reality

Myth

A toner with alcohol denat. is always bad for oily skin and will cause rebound oiliness.

Reality

While alcohol denat. can be drying and strip natural oils, this formula combines it with emollients (dicaprylyl carbonate), humectants, and botanical oils that partially offset the drying effect. However, for daily use on compromised or sensitized oily skin, the alcohol content is a legitimate concern that may outweigh the mattifying benefits.

Myth

This toner permanently shrinks pores.

Reality

The pore-minimizing effect is temporary and cosmetic — bentonite clay and tapioca starch create a soft-focus blurring effect that wears off within hours. Pore size is determined by genetics, sebum production, and skin elasticity. No topical toner can permanently reduce pore diameter.

FAQ

Common Praise

"Unique gel-to-water texture feels refreshing and satisfying to apply"

"Effective immediate mattifying and pore-blurring effect"

"Creates a smooth base for makeup application"

"Cooling sensation feels pleasant on oily skin"

"Noticeable reduction in midday shine with regular use"

Common Complaints

"Unpleasant lingering scent after the product absorbs into skin"

"Alcohol denat. as second ingredient is drying and potentially irritating"

"Mattifying effect wears off after a few hours"

"Results not dramatic enough to justify the price point"

"Strong initial fragrance from lemongrass and botanical oils"

Appears In

best toner for oily skin best mattifying toner best pore minimizing toner best toner for acne

Related Conditions

oiliness large pores acne

Related Ingredients

manuka oil bentonite green tea witch hazel