But First, Toner.
I get asked this all the time - what is Toner, and do you need one in your routine?
The simple answer in my opinion is yes, it is one of the best secret weapons to healthy glowy skin.
Using a gentle toner helps to unclog pores, remove excess grime that cleanser may not have removed, balance our skin's PH, and prep it for serums, moisturizers, and oils applied after.
So, What is a Toner?
Toner is like a primer for your skincare routine. It almost always come in liquid form, and the molecules within it are extra small and are able to penetrate deeply into our pores to help balance and restore our skin's pH levels that can be harmed by washing with tap water. Unlike the toners of our teen days that used to come in the 3 step acne kits in the potent little bottle known for burning and stinging our faces, toners today harness gentle yet beneficial ingredients to soothe and nourish the skin. Using a toner essentially helps balance out the surface of our skin to prep and prime it for whats to come.
Toners today contain a variety of amazing ingredients to help with all types of skin concerns. Some include exfoliating ingredients like AHAs and BHAs to help to clear out our pores, while others host natural botanical ingredients like rose water, witch hazel, chamomile for calming the skin.
When do I use a Toner?
The toning step comes immediately after cleansing. The liquid toner penetrates the skin better when it is wet, so applying active ingredients immediately after cleansing ensures all the ingredients are able to do their work diligently.
How Do I Apply Toner?
There are a few ways you can apply toner.
Option A. Saturate a cotton pad with the product and swipe it gently over your entire face.
Option B. Pour a few drops of the product into your hand and pat it all over your face.
Option C. A toner that comes in mist form that you spray onto your face and let air dry.
What Type of Toner is Good for My Skin?
First and foremost:
When purchasing a toner I try to always make sure to avoid those with ingredients like high concentrations of Alcohol or Denatured Alcohol, or any added Synthetic Fragrance listed in the ingredients as both can be over drying and irritating for the skin - especially since it is meant to be penetrating deeply into our pores.
Instead of alcohol, I like to look for toners that contain witch hazel, an ingredient that is both calming and clarifying, and the use of natural botanical ingredients gives an added fresh scent.
Dry Skin: Look for toners with Glycerin, Hyaluronic acid, rose water, Sodium PCA, or Lecithin to help add and retain moisture to the skin.
Combination or Dull Skin: If you're looking for help with brightening your complexion look for toners with chemical exfoliants like Glycolic acid or Lactic acid which are great for brightening the skin.
Acne prone or Oily Skin: I like using Glycolic and Lactic acid in my toners, but toners with Salicylic acid and Niacinamide also help keep acne and clogged pores at bay.
Sensitive Skin: Look for a toner with skin-calming botanicals that I mentioned above like rose water, chamomile and aloe to help soothe and calm your skin barrier.
As soon as you start to incorporate a toner into your AM and PM routine you will see an immediate improvement in your complexion's glow.
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