How to Use Toner for Healthier Skin

So, you religiously wash your face every morning and night. You take off your makeup every night and use moisturizer, however, you are still experiencing breakouts and blemishes frequently. That must be horribly frustrating, but the answer to your problems could be one simple product that you haven’t yet thought about. Many professionals believe that the secret weapon to healthy skin is facial toner. Toner’s have developed over the last several years, and rather than being alcohol filled astringents, they are now made from different ingredients to provide benefits to different skin types. In fact, many toners are made alcohol-free.

What is face toner?

Toners today are water-based formulas that are infused with beneficial skin-soothing ingredients like tea tree, rose, salicylic acid, aloe or other essential skincare ingredients, depending on your needs.

In general terms, the soothing formulas provide the skin with extra hydration and help to remove dead skin cells from the surface of the skin. They unclog pores by removing oil, dirt and grime. The first time you use toner after washing your face, you will be shocked at how much dirt comes off your skin when you think it is clean. The toner is that extra step to really get your skin clean and primes your skin for the rest of your skin care routine, like moisturizers and serums, so that your skin absorbs their benefits effectively.

Picture your skin as a dry sponge. If you were to put moisturizer on a dry sponge, it wouldn’t do anything but sit on the surface. Toner hydrates the skin and prepares your pores for that moisturizer so that you can reap all of the benefits.

Why should I use toner?

The first time you see all that dirt come off your “clean” face, you will be hooked. But, there are loads of benefits that toner provides.

  • It provides extra cleansing after wearing makeup or other heavy products, like sunscreen.
  • It helps to shrink your pores by removing oil from them.
  • It restores the natural acidity of your skin.
  • It provides protection from contaminants in the environment and tap water.
  • It is incredibly refreshing and will wake your skin up.

With all of these benefits, toners are not exactly a replacement for washing your face, but the extra step will leave you with cleaner and more healthy skin, having a huge positive impact on the overall appearance of your skin and pores.

Who should use toner?

To be honest, everyone should be using toner considering there are contaminants that end up on everyone’s skin that doesn’t just disappear with face wash, but especially those who wear makeup. Since not everyone’s skin is made equally, there are different types of toner to fit the needs of different skin types.

  • Dry and sensitive skin - You should be using an alcohol-free toner that hydrates and soothes the skin. Look for ingredients like rosewater, chamomile, and vitamin E.
  • Oily and acne-prone skin - You will want a product with salicylic acid that won’t dry out the skin. So avoid alcohol, but look for ingredients like tea tree oil and aloe vera.

When do I need to use toner?

Toner is best applied after washing your face and is recommended as part of your day and night skincare routine. Some skincare professionals suggest using toner no later than one minute after cleansing, while the skin is still wet, so molecules can penetrate deeper. Then, follow-up with the rest of your skincare regimen.

If you are exfoliating or using a highly drying toner (that contains alcohol), you may want to limit the use to every other day and gradually increase use as you build up a tolerance. Same applies if you have irritable skin.

How do I use toner properly?

It is really a matter of preference, but many prefer to apply the toner to a cotton pad and gently wipe your face with the cotton pad, working your way outwards. An environmentally friendly, and highly refreshing option, is to apply toner using a spray bottle and misting it across your face. The spritz is also a great option to apply as a setting spray after you apply makeup!

Facial toners really are the secret weapon to healthy, hydrated skin and should most definitely be a key step in your skin care regimen.

Resources— Allure, Today, Women’s Health, Elle, Neutrogena

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