All things toners

A toner, no not the one you wear around your waist to tone your abs and no, also not your physique after a hard workout session, this toner refers to the one we make use of in skincare routines. I have to admit, this was one of the last product types I purchased due to my prior lack of knowledge of it, but now I implement it into my skincare nearing every day!

In most cases, toners are created for oily, acne-prone or combination skin types, however it works wonders for my skin type, which is dry, as well in its added benefits! After using my favourite toner, I saw a visible difference in my skin, especially with my chin acne (along with the use of other products), but it certainly aids when brought in with other beneficial skin products, such as a serum for example or a mattifying moisturizer or even a clay mask. So what exactly is this toner I speak of? It’s simply a lotion or wash type that is designed to further cleanse and help in shrinking pores, it further moisturizes, protects, and refreshes your skin. They are one of the in-between products applied after cleansing (or after a face mask) to remove excess traces of stubborn dirt (such as heavy products, for example, sunscreen or waterproof makeup). It is a fast-absorbing liquid and less diluted than a face wash, but also lighter than a serum or face mask.

So now you may be thinking, okay B so it shrinks pores, big deal. However, there are other benefits that come with this, including restoring the pH balance in your skin. For those cold winter days where water is not an option and you’re only drinking coffee? Your skin will thank you for the rebalance. It also adds a layer of protection to your skin by tightening gaps in your skin, this can protect you from any harmful chemicals such as pollution or even from the chlorine and minerals present in tap water. Toners can also help bind moisture to the skin, also called humectants, which kind of acts like a moisturizer (but you still need to moisturize afterward regardless!) And lastly, it can prevent ingrown hairs (starts applying toner to legs) due to their alpha-hydroxy acids such as glycolic acid.

Are you interested yet? So now how do we go about applying a toner? So this should be your second or third step in your skincare routine, after cleansing or after cleansing and masking, and always before serums and moisturizer. Now depending on the toners packaging, you can easily just spray it onto your skin, or, my recommended method, spray or put some of the liquid onto a cotton pad (or a reusable face pad, we’re still trying to save our environment, baby steps at a time, see my article on all things face wash and tools for mentions on these re-usable pads), and dab into your skin. There. Done. Simple.

All that’s left is choosing a toner for your skin type & B’s recommendations:

First off, make sure to opt for alcohol-free toners and then pick them according to the ingredients you need for your face.

• If you have acne-prone skin, look for something with an AHA (alpha hydroxy acid), this is suitable for sensitive skins as well, as there is just a slight gentle tingle that makes you aware of the right amount of acid brought to balance out your skin. More often salicylic acid is an even better option for acne-prone skin but it can also be a very harsh ingredient, so I would suggest rather using a mask or exfoliator containing salicylic acid, for less frequent use, but maximum benefits.

• For normal to combination skin look for ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, glycerin, retinoids (this may irritate though, depending on other skin factors), Vitamin C (this also helps for pigmentation) and coenzyme Q10

• As mentioned, toners are usually more created for acne-prone skin types, however, dry skins can also benefit from balancing their pH levels, depending on the level of dry your skin is at, you don’t want to dry it out excessively. However, using it may still be beneficial in other ways.

• For mature skins, consider yourself lucky, you get to save some money here, although some companies may want to make some extra money off of you by recommending toners, out of personal research, I would suggest this product type only for users between the ages of 20-45. There have been articles that mention re-using toners once reaching a menopausal state, however, I believe investing in a serum or menopausal orientated skincare would be much more advantageous.

B’s recommendations:

Lush tea tree water toner water (this is the product mentioned above, my absolute favourite); Woolworths W-Beauty Balancing toner with Vitamin Complex; African extracts Rooibos Advantage Misting Toner; The Raw Beauty Company Hibiscus Rose toner; The Body Shop Chinese Ginseng & Rice toner; The Body shop Aloe calming toner; Skin Creamery Skin Tonic (technically not a toner, but a combination of a toner and a serum, in my opinion, works well either way); REN clarifying toning lotion (also a combination product of a toner and a cream); Vichy Purete Thermal refreshing toner; Back 2 Nature Witch hazel & rose water toner; GlamGlow Supertoner.

**A last note, after having written this article, I came across an interesting “warning” of sorts on toners, a lot of beauty brands, including some of my favourites have started taking a step to natural products, essential oils and plant extracts, however, these may cause more irritation to your skin, either due to their long term storing and the natural products losing their touch (I mean flowers die you know?) or because your skin has become used to the chemical orientated products originally used and the new plant-based ones cause an allergy. I’m not saying natural or plant-based is bad, but chemical formulations work better for a reason. Just a last little thought that I wanted to share with you all, feel free to share it yourself, ask me more about anything or just spread the love in any means possible, you might just inspire the next person to do the same.

Keep going, keep glowing, keep growing. You’re doing amazing!

• B x