Facial Toners: What Facial Toners Do In Your Beauty Routine?

If you went through puberty, you probably know what facial toners are. This is the astringent that you used to apply on your face to keep that dreaded acne from breaking out on your face. Because if your face started sprouting those red, inflamed, and embarrassing pimples – that can really put a damper on your confidence.

Once we get past our teenage-years, our raging hormones start to settle and most of us get clearer skin. The need to use toners seem unnecessary. But that is where you are wrong. Together with cleansing and moisturizing, using a toner is important to keep your skin healthy.

There is no doubt that facial toners should be a part of your daily skincare routine. You may let yourself be caught up in the latest products and beauty trends in the market, but you should never compromise the toner that you will use. It is one of the skin care products that have been there for a long time – simply because it is one of the staples that you should apply on your skin.

When you have a healthy skin, that will give you a glow and radiance that no makeup can reveal. But that is only possible if you put the right products on your skin. You need to get to know what a facial toner is and why it is important to your skin.

What do facial toners do?

Before you apply anything on your face, it is always important to know more about it first. So what do facial toners do for your skin?

A toner is basically a solution that is water-based and usually alcohol-free. It contains active ingredients that can remove any debris that you have on your face. It also helps remove the traces of makeup on your face. A great facial toner can also repair, soothe, and smoothen your skin. This will effectively minimize blemishes and any redness or inflammation caused by various skin issues.

Facial toners also come with stronger ingredients. These are the used as treatment-based toners to address specific skin issues. Not only that, it can also prepare your skin for the other anti-aging treatments that you will also use. It calms the skin, controls oils, and even stimulates the circulation of blood. This will help the skin absorb the nutrients and ingredients that will come from the products that you will apply next.

In a typical skin care routine, you need to wash your face before applying a toner. Sometimes, the cleansing process can lower the pH balance on your skin and dry it out. Most toners will help restore the balance. Facial toners contain humectants that will moisturize the skin – specifically the upper layers.

Depending on the toner that you will buy, it can also destroy the bacteria that causes acne, control the production of oil, and stimulate blood circulation. It can also have antioxidant properties. There are also toners that can improve the natural barrier on your skin to make it more resilient when exposed to the harmful elements outside.

Although it is more effective for acne-prone skin types, facial toners can be used for all skin types.

What to expect in a facial toners routine

Now that you know what it can do it is now time to find out what a facial toner routine is like. It has to involve a process that will help make your skin more absorbent of the nutrients and treatments that are in the skincare products that you will use.

In your skin care routine, a facial toner is usually in the second step. Cleansing is always the first step in your routine. While the toner can also cleanse the face, it is not as effective as an actual cleanser. If you really want a complete cleansing of your face, you want to use a cleanser first and then follow it with a toner.

There are many types of toners out there – some are sprayed as mist while others are applied with a cotton pad or ball. While the spray is acceptable, it may not be as effective as the toner that is applied on the face. Remember that a toner is also used to cleanse your skin of whatever debris the facial cleanser missed. If you spray the toner and you do not wipe it, the cleansing will not be complete.

Put enough toner solution in a cotton pad to make it damp. Wipe it on your skin – this is the best way to apply it. The ingredients in the toner can wipe the cleanser residue, chlorines, salts, and chemicals that are in the water used to rinse your face after cleansing.

For best results, it is ideal to keep the toner damp on your skin. While it is still damp, apply the moisturizer that usually follows a toner. This can help seal the nourishment and hydrating ingredients of the toner on the face. Use this in the morning and evening – especially if you have oily skin.

How to layer the products in your facial skin care routine

If you are serious about your facial skin care routine, you want to make sure that you apply the right products. Not only that, you want to ensure that you will apply the different products in the right order. As mentioned, facial toners should come after a cleanser to complete the cleansing process. A moisturizer should come after to make sure the nutrients are trapped in the skin. If you mix these up, you might not get the intended results that you want.

So what is the correct sequence of products that should be applied on your face?

Remove any makeup

If you applied your makeup, it is best to remove it before you do anything else. This is the first step during your night time routine. Apply a makeup remover product and wipe the residue left on your face.

Cleanse your skin

This the thorough way of cleansing your face. In the morning, this is usually the first step. If you have sensitive skin, it is best to choose a cleanser that does not have any sulfate to keep the pH level from being reduced and thus weakening the protective barrier on your skin. A gentle cleansing foam is advised for this step. For those with dry skin, a creamy cleanser is the better option. Unless it is necessary, stay away from exfoliating cleansers.

Exfoliate or tone

Acid-based toners can already serve as an exfoliator. If you want to do this on a daily basis, choose a mild exfoliator. Choosing the right facial toners can improve the texture of your skin and make it clear. Lactic acid is best for gentle exfoliation but if you want dramatic results, use a toner with glycolic acid. Sometimes, your skin does not need exfoliation. If that is the case, you can opt for a balancing toner. This will restore the pH balance to your skin after it is washed away by your cleanser.

Apply treatments

Facial toners help prep the skin for treatments. At this point, your skin does not have dead skin cells and your skin is clear of any obstruction that will keep the treatment from penetrating the deeper layers. If you have skin issues to deal with, this is the best time to apply the treatments. This includes acne spot treatments, leave on retinol, and antioxidant, Vitamin or other serums.

Hydrate your skin

This is best applied as a cream or oil. It maximizes the hydration that your skin will need. This step will not only keep your skin from dehydration. It will also prepare your face for the next step – which is the application of sunscreen and moisturizer.

Protect with sunscreen

In the morning, this step is necessary – even if you are only staying indoors. The harmful rays of the sun can still penetrate your windows. You want to make sure that your face is protected from it. Chemical sunscreen is okay as long as it is applied before your moisturizer.

Moisturize your face

Finally, you want to apply your moisturizer. During your night time skin care routine, this can come after hydrating your face. But during the day, it comes after the application of your sunscreen product. This will help the skin from becoming dry and can also double as your eye cream – if you do not have a separate product to use. If you have dry skin, opt for the cream moisturizers. But if you have oily skin, go for a serum.