Facial toners should be a normal part of your daily skin care regime. Toners are important to remove the residue left from cleansers and other products, and leave your skin refreshed and glowing. It is important that you understand the types of toners available and how they will work on your particular skin type.
Astringent Toners
Toners that are called “astringents” work well on skin that is oily or has the propensity to break out. Astringents have high levels of alcohol to dry up oil and acne. The high level of alcohol, however, can be very drying to the skin. When selecting an astringent toner, look for products that contain added ingredients meant to prevent the drying. Witch Hazel is an added ingredient in many toners that refreshes and prevents drying. Olay Oil Minimizing Facial Toner is one of our favorite astringent toners.
Non-Astringent Toners
Toners that do not contain astringents are formulated to refresh the skin. These toners will remove oil and product residue from the surface of the skin, but do not penetrate the pores. If you have oily skin or acne prone skin, this may not be the toner for you. For normal or dry skin, a non-astringent toner works best. In this category, we like Neutrogena Alcohol-Free Toner Cleansing; an affordable and gentle toner.
How Toners Should be Used
Many women do not know how to properly use a facial toner. And, if a toner is not used properly, it’s no surprise that it will not do what it’s supposed to do. It’s important that you follow a consistent process. Here are our suggestions for fresh, clean, and healthy skin:
- A toner will not work on skin that is not clean! Use a cleanser that is formulated for your skin type. The cleanser not only removes dirt, makeup, and dead skin cells, but it opens your pores which makes the toner work much better.
- Always use cotton balls or swabs to apply toners to your skin. Never use your fingers as any bacteria on your fingers will go right into your now opened pores.
- Gently apply the toner using a circular motion, taking care to not overly scrub the skin.
- Use ample toner on areas where oil and makeup tend to build up.
- Always use a moisturizer after you apply toner. This is important even if you are using a toner that is “moisturizing”.
- Lastly, try to stick to products that to together. If you have oily skin and use a cleanser for oily skin, your toner should be astringent.
