Toners are the mystery of the skin care world. They are often mis-used and misunderstood.
Do not use a toner to:
- cleanse your face. If your cleanser isn't cleaning your face, then it's time for a new cleanser or proper cleansing technique. Toners are not meant to cleanse skin.
- dry out oiliness. A toner used to dry out oily skin will usually have the opposite effect. This is because many toners contain a lot of alcohol. I prefer that there is NO alcohol in a toner. If yours has alcohol, you can tell by the location of the ingredient on the list whether it's too much. If it's in the top half of the list, it most likely has too much alcohol. If there is more than one type of alcohol in the ingredient list, it's probably too much alcohol.
Do use a toner for:
- infusing beneficial ingredients into the skin after cleansing. A quality toner will have good ingredients to nourish your skin.
-dehydration. So many skins today are dehydrated because of what we apply to skin and how we live our lives. In winter, this can become a greater problem, and a good strategy is to layer, just like you would layer clothing to keep warm. Layer products, starting with a toner, then serum, then moisturizer, then spf.
-freshening mineral makeup. In the last few years it has become known that spf wears off after a few hours no matter how high the number. To easily reapply spf, I recommend a brush on mineral spf that you can easily take with you. Toner is helpful to refresh the look since minerals can make some people look a little flat. Simply hold the bottle 12" from your face and lightly mist.
-keeping back skin clearer. One of the easiest ways to help back acne is to mist with a salicylic toner - easier to apply than a cream or serum!
Pick the right toner
Here are some toners to help common conditions;
Sensitive red skin and rosacea
Salicylic to keep pores clearer
A good toner is an all-season multi-tasker, an important part of your skin care regimen.