What the f*%^ is Toner?
Every beauty guru says you should use toner. Every cosmetician or beauty advisor will tell you to tone. But what does that even mean? What first comes to mind for me is always toning, like toning your abs or your butt - but toning your face has nothing to do with tightening or working out in the slightest.
Toner is a liquid applied to the face after makeup removal and cleansing for the purpose of catching any missed makeup reside, tightening up pores that have been opened from warm water and to help with uneven skin tone (hence toneR).
I've used a few toners and Ive found a few major differences. Toners that are alcohol based are often a lot stronger and more abrasive. These types of toners usually have a secondary function or purpose, like acne removal or lightening dark spots (La Roche Posay's Effaclar or Vichy's Idealia Night Peel). Gentle toners with no alcohol usually only help with any remaining makeup and with tightening the pores so that no bacteria can get into them as you sleep.
At face value toners do sort of sound pointless, and for a long time I really didn't understand why I needed a THIRD product. Now I have about seven and I sort of understand. First you have your general makeup remover. Be it micellar water on a cotton round, or a remoistened cloth, you just need to remove the layer of gunk you had on your face all day long. Secondly you need a cleanser to really remove everything. All you've done up until now is expose your skin from under layers of makeup (if you're anything like me), but you haven't actually given it a proper wash. Now once it's washed, you've opened up it's pores and left it vulnerable to the dead skin on your pillow, the gross dust or pet dirt floating in the air and any other nasties. That is where toner comes in. If there is anything left after washing, toner has your back, and toner closes your pores so you don't get pimples overnight. If you exfoliate you would do that before toning, and once you've toned you should be slathering on a serum and a night cream.
Now that I use toner regularly I don't know how I didn't get more acne. It very easily integrated into my routine. If this does sound like a bit of a hassle, there are actually a few cleansers that tone at the same time (Vichy 3 in 1 cleanser). Trust me it's worth the added expense, you only have one face.
XOXO,
Cropberry
Toner is a liquid applied to the face after makeup removal and cleansing for the purpose of catching any missed makeup reside, tightening up pores that have been opened from warm water and to help with uneven skin tone (hence toneR).
I've used a few toners and Ive found a few major differences. Toners that are alcohol based are often a lot stronger and more abrasive. These types of toners usually have a secondary function or purpose, like acne removal or lightening dark spots (La Roche Posay's Effaclar or Vichy's Idealia Night Peel). Gentle toners with no alcohol usually only help with any remaining makeup and with tightening the pores so that no bacteria can get into them as you sleep.
At face value toners do sort of sound pointless, and for a long time I really didn't understand why I needed a THIRD product. Now I have about seven and I sort of understand. First you have your general makeup remover. Be it micellar water on a cotton round, or a remoistened cloth, you just need to remove the layer of gunk you had on your face all day long. Secondly you need a cleanser to really remove everything. All you've done up until now is expose your skin from under layers of makeup (if you're anything like me), but you haven't actually given it a proper wash. Now once it's washed, you've opened up it's pores and left it vulnerable to the dead skin on your pillow, the gross dust or pet dirt floating in the air and any other nasties. That is where toner comes in. If there is anything left after washing, toner has your back, and toner closes your pores so you don't get pimples overnight. If you exfoliate you would do that before toning, and once you've toned you should be slathering on a serum and a night cream.
Now that I use toner regularly I don't know how I didn't get more acne. It very easily integrated into my routine. If this does sound like a bit of a hassle, there are actually a few cleansers that tone at the same time (Vichy 3 in 1 cleanser). Trust me it's worth the added expense, you only have one face.
XOXO,
Cropberry
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