Do You Really Need To Use Toner?

Just the word, toner makes me think back to the good ole days of teen acne. I tried every pre soaked cotton round and squeeze bottle on the market that would undoubtedly contain some sort of over drying alcohol or astringent.

Luckily, toners are nothing like they used to be.While they used to contain high amounts ofalcohol and overly astringent ingredients, many toners arenow created without alcohol and  fit almost every skin need.

They are no longer targeted exclusively towards oily or acne prone skin, instead toners have branched out to includesensitive and even dry skin!  Is a toner absolutely necessary?  Not really, however with that being said, I still believe everyone should be using a toner. 

Not every toner is created equally. That being said, depending on the toner in questionit’s going to contain several different ingredients.

Typicallyit will contain an acid for exfoliation,anti-inflammatory agents for calming sensitive skin, oreven antioxidants to fight against aging and skin damage. 

A toner is applied after cleansing. It penetrates your skin deeply with moisture, and it preps your face for the next step in your skincare routine. It is basically a primer for the rest of your skincare, serums, oils, moisturizers, etc.Toners work to balance the skins pHand bring it back to its natural acidic state after cleansing and the moisture from a toner makes skincare products absorb more readily into skin. 

You should use a toner directly after cleansing,during both your morning and night timeskincare routine. It’s important to use a toner immediately after cleansing when your skin is still slightly wet. This helps the toner to absorb deeper into the skin and you can apply your other skincare products after.  This Allows your oil, serum, and moisturizer to deliver better, faster results. 

The application of a toner is completely up to you! Some people prefer to use a cotton round while others apply itdirectly totheirhands andpat it gently into the skin.

Just like a moisturizer that’s targeted towards uneven skin tone, dark circles, and fine lines, toners are targeted towardsyour specific skin needs. When picking a toner, look for one that has a formula suited for your specific skin type and concerns.  

Dry Skin:Toners can add an extra level of hydration and help to rebalance the skins pH levels.  Look for a toner that contains Hyaluronic Acid. Hyaluronic acid works by bindingmoisture to the skin to keep skin hydrated throughout the day. Glycerin is also another moisturizing humectant ingredient. Avoid toners that have high amounts of alcohol in them. 

Dark Marks:.  In general, it's best to stick to one that doesn't have an alcohol base and that is full of antioxidants to help skin heal those dark marks faster.