Toners appear to be little more than glorified, colored water in a minimalistic-looking bottle with a runny consistency. Because traditional toner can leave your skin red and inflamed, wasn’t necessarily beneficial for your skin. Even though it may seem that toners may offer nothing more for your skin than to entice you to spend more, this is not the case.
The current generation of skin toners that emphasize alcohol-free, moisturizing ingredients has made using toners a more pleasant experience for many women. Facial toning is no longer the same as it was 20 years ago, thanks to the wide variety of skin toners on the market today. To help you grasp the value of face toners, we’ll go over five of their skincare benefits and how to choose the perfect one for your skin type in this guide.
What Effect Does Toning Have on the Skin?
Toners, in a nutshell, wear a variety of hats. Depending on the components, a skin toner can cleanse, regulate pH, moisturize, and even exfoliate. In this article, we’ll go over how toner benefits your skin and which toner is best for your skin type.
1. Cleansers leave behind traces of dirt, which is why toners are so important.
Applying a facial toner after cleansing and before applying other beauty products is a common practice. Using a toner after cleansing your face removes any remaining dirt or makeup residue. For the removal of excess oil, dead skin cells, make-up leftovers, and even environmental contaminants like dust, toners serve as a safety net.
2. Toners reduce and prevent acne breakouts.
By removing traces of dirt and bacteria from the skin’s surface, toners help keep pores clean. This will lower the likelihood of your skin developing blackheads, whiteheads, and acne. Thus, toners contribute to the maintenance of a clear complexion, especially for oily and acne-prone skin types.
3. Toners help to Rebalance the Ph Levels in Your Skin.
Due to your skin’s acid mantle, it is necessary to maintain its pH levels. A 2013 study published in the Acta Dermato-Venereologica Journal states that the acid mantle refers to the “inherent acidity of the stratum corneum.” The skin’s protective barrier against external germs is the stratum corneum. As this barrier is acidic, a healthy acid mantle will result in a healthy stratum corneum, which is needed for good skin.
A quality facial toner will assist in restoring your skin’s pH to its natural acidic state, safeguarding the acid mantle. This is particularly crucial if you use an alkaline cleanser combined with water (which has a pH of 7), which can alter the skin’s natural pH balance of 5.5.
4. Skincare Products Benefit from Using Toners.
Cleansing the skin with a toner before applying other skincare products ensures a smooth application process. Because your skin’s pH levels are naturally acidic, preparing your skin for your essence, serum, lotion, and moisturizer enhances the effectiveness of those products. A win-win situation for your skin care regimen is created in this way.
5. Toners can hydrate, brighten, smooth, or control the amount of oil produced in the skin.
Alcohol-free toners with moisturizing elements have replaced traditional alcohol-based toners as the go-to method for eliminating excess oil and smoothing the skin’s texture.
Aside from hydration, the chemicals in a skin toner can also help brighten or smooth your complexion. It’s possible that certain toners also contain astringents, which can help control sebum production.
What Kind of Toner Is Best for Your Skin?
There are various skin toners, including moisturizing, brightening, exfoliating, anti-aging, and calming. Those who are new to face toners may find this confusing. As a result, we’ve put together a guide to help you decide:
Best for all skin types
Keeping skin hydrated is a big selling point for most skincare toners, especially those from Japanese and Korean brands. Keeping the skin hydrated is essential for the effective functioning of the skin’s barrier, as evidenced by a study published in Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology in 2017. (by Dove Press).
Although a hydrating toner may not deliver the deep hydration of a lotion or cream, it does aid in hydrating the skin in a more gentle manner. As a result, it is suitable for all skin types, with dry skin, in particular, benefitting from its use. Toners with humectants such as hyaluronic acid, glycerine, aloe vera, and vitamin B5 should be used.
Soothing Toners
Best for dry or sensitive skin types
Those with dry or sensitive skin can benefit greatly from using a calming toner in their daily regimen. Use an alcohol-free toner with anti-inflammatory components like aloe vera or camomile to minimize redness and soothe the skin.
Choose a facial toner that contains ceramides to repair your skin’s barrier, as dry and sensitive skin types are prone to having a compromised barrier. A 2018 study published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology demonstrated ceramides’ usefulness in treating sensitive skin problems.
Exfoliating Toners
Ideal for combination, aged, dull, and oily skin types
Toners that exfoliate typically include acids such as alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs), and poly-hydroxy acids (PHAs) (PHA). Because of this, exfoliating toners are commonly referred to as “acid toners.”
A more radiant and clearer complexion can be achieved by exfoliating the top layer of skin using alpha-hydroxy acids like glycolic and lactic acid. If you want to lighten hyperpigmentation or boost radiance on aged or dull skin, AHA-based exfoliating toners are great.
Beta-hydroxy acids, on the other hand, such as salicylic acid, go deeper into the skin to unclog pores and provide a more thorough clean. For those with oily or mixed skin, these types of face toners are better choices. Choose an exfoliating toner that contains an astringent to reduce the appearance of pores on oily skin and manage excess oil.
Anti-Aging Toners
Suitable for those with aging skin.
Antioxidants are commonly found in high concentrations of anti-aging toners, which help to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles around the eyes, and brown spots. Vitamin C is a well-known anti-aging agent. According to research published in the Journal of Free Radical Biology and Medicine in 2011, this potent antioxidant is essential for collagen formation, which increases skin suppleness.
As one of the primary reasons for premature skin aging is exposure to ultraviolet light, go for a toner containing antioxidants that protect against UV damage, such as vitamin E and ferulic acid. Vitamin C’s ability to reduce photodamage is increased eightfold when combined with vitamin E and ferulic acid, according to a study published in the Indian Dermatology Online Journal in 2013.
Brightening Toners
Acne-prone, dull, or mature skin types should use this product
Skin-brightening components including papaya extract, ginseng, retinol, or vitamin C are commonly included in brightening toners. Dark spots, sun spots, acne scars, and fine wrinkles can be reduced by using these skin toners.
Other Skincare Recommendations for Toners
The following are some extra skincare recommendations to help you maximize your toner:
- If you’re using a facial mask or exfoliant, wait until after your cleanser before applying your toner. The toner’s absorption will be improved if applied on moist skin before applying makeup.
- You can enhance your skincare routine by using multiple face toners. If you’re looking for an example, try pairing an exfoliating toner with a moisturizing one. Using this method will assist in avoiding or lessening any unfavorable skin reactions.
- Toners should be alternated based on how your skin is feeling that day. Skin that is slightly dehydrated or flushed should be treated with a moisturizing toner. Brightening toners are an excellent option if you’d want to give your face a little more radiance.
- Toner-masking is a popular Japanese skincare technique you might want to try. For best results, soak a few cotton pads in your favorite toner and place them on your face for three to five minutes.
- If your toner contains active ingredients like retinol, which can increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays, sunscreen is incredibly vital.
Toners Raise Your Beauty Routine to the Next Level
Now that you understand what toners do for your skin, it’s time to implement one or more of these tactics into your regular beauty regimen. To maximize advantages, choose alcohol-free, low-pH toners. Also, select the appropriate toner for your skin type. Consider replacing a facial spray for your toner if you’ve run out.
You Aesthetician is well-equipped to recommend the best toner for your skin type and condition.
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