Everything you need to know about toners. What it is, the benefits and how to use them.
What is a toner?
Simply put, a toner is the second step in a skincare routine. It’s right after cleansing or washing your face but before using a serum or moisturiser.
It clears away any dirt or pollution your cleanser didn’t remove from your skin so the ingredients in your serum or moisturiser can get deep into the layers of your skin.
Some people argue that using a toner is not necessary but it depends. If you believe your cleanser got all the dirt then you can skip using a toner but it’s advised that you use a toner every day.
Why use a toner?
A toner removes any traces of dirt, grime, and impurities stuck in your pores after you wash your face. It has many benefits to skin including:
- Helping to improve the appearance and tightness of your pores
- It restores your skin’s pH level
- It smooths skin by refining rough patches
- Improves skin tone
Types of toners
Like everything in skincare, choosing the right product for your skin type is key. Choose a product with the wrong ingredients and you end up causing more harm than good.
Back in the day, toners used to be harsh because they were formulated with astringents to treat acne and breakouts but today, there’s a toner for every skin type and skin issue – from acne to dryness to aging.
You can essentially choose your toner based on your skin’s needs. For example, if you have dry skin, avoid alcohol-based toners and choose toners that clean your skin and pores while hydrating it. Toners with ingredients like rosewater, Vitamin E, Aloe Vera is recommended.
For sensitive skin, go for toners with soothing ingredients like chamomile, cucumber, hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, and rose water
And if you have oily skin, break out a lot or have acne prone skin, use toners containing ingredients like witch hazel, Tee tree oil. You can also go for toners that contain alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs)—like glycolic, salicylic, or lactic acids—which are chemical exfoliants that help gently clear away dead skin and reduce oil.
How to use a toner
To use a toner, simply soak a cotton ball with the toner and gently sweep it across your skin after cleansing every morning and before you go to bed at night. This should be your second step so it preps the skin to absorb your serum, moisturiser and other skin treatments.
Note: You can use a toner every day and tone twice a day (morning and night) especially if your skin is oily or prone to acne.
