What is a toner?
Toners can be considered one of the biggest mysteries in skin care, no one really knows why you use them or what they are meant to do. In the past, they were needed to remove filmy residue left behind by cleansers and to reset the pH levels of the skin. However due to advances in the cosmetic industry, that function isn’t really needed anymore.
This has left the door open to allow for modern day toners to become the secret weapon in any great skin care routine! Follow us as we dive into what a toner is and how it can help you achieve smooth and radiant skin.
What does a toner do?
Simply put, a toner helps prepare the skin for serums by delivering a fast hit of hydration and returning the skin’s pH levels to a normal range (if it’s still needed because not every cleanser is perfect).
Toners along with improving the skin's tone and texture can also have different ingredient profiles that can be helpful when addressing a concern in your skin that isn’t the main focus of a routine also known as a secondary concern.
What types of toner are there?
Toners have many different names such as tonics, elixirs, mist etc… The only clear difference would be what is a toner and what is an astringent.
Toners: A toner is a water based, liquid solution that is used to help remove anything left behind from cleansing while prepping the skin for serums and creams. Toners tend to be promoted as products that can balance and hydrate the skin; they also can have a variety of ingredient profiles to boost the results of any routine, such as:
- Soothing irritation
- Brightening the overall tone of the skin
- Protecting the skin from free radicals with antioxidants
- Exfoliating away dead skin cells
Astringents: An astringent, while not technically a toner, is oftentimes used as and mistaken for a toner. They are water based solutions that are typically formulated with alcohols and ingredients that can contract the skin tissues (known as astringents) to help clean the surface of the skin. The use of astringents is not generally recommended outside of those with oily and acne prone skin, even then it’s recommended to spot treat once a day to avoid drying out the skin.
Benefits of a toner?
One of the more commonly known benefits of a toner would be removing excess dirt and oil from the skin as well as providing balance and hydration, but along with that a toner comes with many other benefits such as:
- Refined skin’s tone and texture
- Smaller looking pores
- Enhancing how serums and creams perform on the skin
- Brightening the overall look of the skin
Drawbacks of a toner?
While a toner can enhance the overall look and texture of the skin, using too much toner or the wrong toner can set you back in your skin care goals. When using a toner it is important to look out for:
- Irritation or lasting redness
- Peeling or flaking
- Any overly drying feelings in the skin, almost like it’s being pulled taught
Do I really need to use a toner?
By now you may be thinking, do I really need to use a toner? Truthfully it is a completely optional product, not everyone needs a toner. Most traditional claims of a toner can be addressed by other products needed for a routine before adding one. Let’s take a look:
Balances the skin’s pH: Most cleansers are formulated to not overly strip or throw off the pH of the skin. If your cleanser is leaving your skin feeling dry and tight you need a new cleanser not a toner. While there are still things that can alter the pH levels of the skin such as wearing makeup or your sleep schedule when you apply a balanced product to the skin helps balance the skin as well, this can be a moisturizer. Simply saying you need a toner because your cleanser is stripping your skin is not the case anymore and often feels like a sales gimmick.
Completely cleanses the skin: If you are double cleansing this isn’t necessary. In fact adding a toner to a double cleanse would make the cleansing portion of a routine three products long and could lead to over cleansing the skin. Now if you are not someone who wants to double cleanse then you can receive cleansing benefits from a toner, but we will get to that in a moment.
Reduces the appearance of pores: Toners don’t actually do that by themselves, but astringents do! The only toners that are able to deliver these types of benefits would be toners that exfoliate the skin to keep out the oils, dead skin cells and other debris that would take up space in the pore making them appear larger.
When should I use a toner?
There are lots of indicators to let someone know that a toner is a great fit for your routine like:
- Your cleansing routine is leaving things behind
- You exfoliate
- Your skin is covered in excess oils
- You need a dash of more hydration but don’t want to buy another serum
- Your pores are constantly congested
Can I use a toner after exfoliating?
Fun fact: Exfoliation will generally alter the pH of the skin, So as long as you are not using an exfoliating toner, after you exfoliate is a great time to use a toner. Toners can help ensure you have removed the last of your wash off products and set your skin to an appropriate pH range.
Now that you have a better understanding of how a toner can improve your skin, you can now incorporate (or update) your newest secret weapon in your skin care routine!
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