Skin Toner Guide (What Is It, Benefits, & Top Picks)

Does hearing the word “toner” remind you of being a teenager, dealing with stinging astringent products that make your face feel like it’s on fire? If that’s the case, then you’ll be glad to know things have changed since those days.

Skin toners have improved dramatically since those days when you were an acne-covered teen. Toners are now seen as a vital step in a healthy skincare regimen – even as an adult. Indeed, whether your skin is dry, oily, or somewhere in the middle, today there are skin toning products that help with all skin types.

Below, we’ll discuss some of the basis of toners, with the ultimate goal of leading you to the best skin toner for glowing skin!

What is Skin Toner?

Toner is a type of liquid that you apply to your face. This product is primarily water-based, with a combination of other ingredients depending on the brand you have chosen. This awesome skincare tool is a key part of the skin cleaning process – applied after you finish cleaning your face but before you moisturize.

Those toners you used as a teenager made your face feel like it was on fire because they were alcohol-heavy. Alcohol in skin toner is used to remove oils, but it also causes severe dehydration.

Years later, skin toners have evolved to be less alcohol-based and more natural. Toners in the present are extremely gentle and made of natural ingredients. Keep your eye out for toners that are 100% free of alcohol – those are our favorites!

Benefits of Toners on the Skin

There are several benefits to using skin toners. These benefits can vary based on the brand you use, as each brand has different ingredients. Below, here are some general benefits of skin toners:

• Restores Balance To Your Skin’s pH. Because human skin is naturally acidic and soap is basic (alkaline), cleansing your skin too often could destabilize your skin’s natural pH levels. Skin toners are an asset here, as they can promote a more acidic skin pH. Thus, they are great to use after cleansing to balance your pH.
• Helps Cleanse Your Skin. Another great reason to use a toner is that they help to remove things like dead skin, dust, and other junk from your skin and pores. Not only that, but skin toners can help clean up make-up after a night out. Keep in mind that while skin toners can help the cleansing process, they are not a substitute for cleaners/exfoliators.
• Helps to Hydrate Your Skin. If you use a natural toner with zero alcohol, then you may notice a wonderful hydrating effect on your skin. Usually, skin toners are considered humectants, which means they help bring healthy hydration into your skin layer.
• Helps to Make Pores Smaller. By removing excess oil from your skin, toners can help pores look smaller and less noticeable. Not only that, but toners can also make your skin more firm/tighter.
• Helps to Reduce Excess Oils. As we discussed above, toners can help balance out your natural skin pH. A natural result of a balanced pH is fewer breakouts, meaning a less oily complexion!

What’s the Best Skin Toner for Me?

Below, we’ll cover what the best toners are for a few common skin types.

Acne-prone skin: People who suffer from acne or have sensitive skin should use toners with salicylic acid. This ingredient helps to strip the skin of excess oils which can cause breakouts.

Combination skin: Target toners with lactic acid. This ingredient helps to moisturize drier skin while staying gentle.

Dry skin: If you have dry skin, try to avoid toners with alcohol in them. As we mentioned earlier, alcohol can completely dry out skin. Instead, go for toners with glycerin or essential oils, which help nourish the skin.

Mature skin: We recommend going for toners with natural ingredients like aloe vera or vitamin C. These are two ingredients that can be excellent moisturizers. Indeed, toners with Vitamin C are among the best toner for glowing skin.

Normal skin: Go for Coenzyme Q10 and hyaluronic acid, which possess antioxidant and moisturizing properties, respectively. These ingredients can help your skin maintain its hydration and soften your look.

Conclusion

Skin toners are a powerful tool in your skincare arsenal. In this article, we’ve shared some of the basics of toners, including what they are, how they have evolved over time, what their benefits are, and more. We hope this article can help you to choose your perfect toner!