What is toner and why should you care? Here’s everything you need to know about find the best toner for healthy, beautiful skin
If the word “toner” brings up painful memories of astringent products that sting so much it feels like your face is on fire, then you probably haven’t touched the stuff since you were an acne-laden teenager. And it’s time we set the record straight.
Toners have come a long way, and these days most skin and beauty professionals consider them an essential part of any skin care routine (even in adulthood). Every skin type—from dry to oily and everything in between—can benefit from toner.
Need some convincing? Then read on to learn what toner is, what it does for your skin, how to use it, and the best toner for your face.
What Is Toner?
At its simplest, toner is a liquid product that’s applied to the face. It’s typically made up of water and a mixture of other ingredients that vary by brand. Toners are generally used after cleansing and before moisturizing as part of an overall skincare routine.
The toners of your teenage years probably stung so much because they contained high amounts of alcohol. The alcohol was added to strip oils from the skin—while this was thought to remove the oils that might contribute to acne, it also had a severely dehydrating effect.
Luckily, more natural solutions were found, and today’s toners are typically gentler and more versatile. There are plenty of alcohol-free toners available, and a wide range of products exist to address different skin concerns. We’ll take a look at some of these potential uses in the next section.
What Does Toner Do for Your Skin?
The specific uses and benefits of toner vary a bit depending on the ingredients. That said, here’s a general overview of what face toners can do for you:
- It cleanses the skin. Toners help clean up the skin’s surface and remove dust, dead skin cells, and other impurities so they’re less likely to clog up pores and contribute to acne. Toners can also provide extra assistance in removing makeup. It should be noted that toners aren’t meant to be a substitute for cleansers; rather, they help finish the job that cleansers start.
- It hydrates the skin. This is unlikely to be true for toners with high levels of alcohol—but more natural toners can have a hydrating effect. Toners are typically humectants, which is a fancy way of saying they help draw moisture into the skin.
- It reduces irritation. Toners that contain soothing ingredients may help calm down red, irritated skin.
- It balances skin pH. Human skin naturally leans toward the acidic side of the pH scale, but soap is generally alkaline. This means too much cleansing can throw your skin pH out of whack. Toners help restore this balance by tipping the scales back toward acidity.
- It helps reduce oiliness. A great side effect of a more balanced skin pH is that it helps reduce excessive oil. This, in turn, can cut down on breakouts.
- It minimizes pores. Because toners tend to remove excess oils from the face, this can help pores appear smaller. Toners may also help tighten and firm the skin.
- It helps protect the skin. This is primarily because (as noted above) toners tend to shrink the pores. When the pores are tighter, it’s more challenging for dirt, oils, and other impurities to squirrel beneath the surface of the skin. Read more…
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