A facial toner is sometimes a must-have in one’s skincare routine, and on the other hand, we’re also questioning if you really need a facial toner in your skincare routine. I myself have been wondering this question for many years and have actually opted out of using one unless it was gifted to me. Only in the past 2 years I’ve started incorporating a toner into a twice daily skincare routine. For those with issues like having oily skin and breakouts, we can understand why this extra step can help clarify the skin. But is this a necessity for everyone and every skin type? Read on to find out if a facial toner is something you should be adding as the second step to your daily skincare regimen.
What Is A Facial Toner?
In the early days, a facial toner was a liquid made to remove the leftover film from a cleanser or to help with oily skin and included ingredients like alcohol and was drying, and occasionally stung as well. Now with better ingredients, and research and development, a toner’s main job is to balance the pH of our skin after using a cleanser as well as help with other skin concerns and helps prime your face for the next steps of your skincare routine.
You may also find that toner helps remove excess makeup that had not been removed by your cleanser and assists as an extra step in deep cleaning your pores. I know I’m relieved when I use a toner and notice that the cotton pad has some leftover makeup that wasn’t removed by my cleansers! I then swipe a few more times until nothing is left and my face is completely clean and makeup free.
How To Use A Toner
Generally, facial toners are used with a cotton pad so that it can help remove any residue leftover from a cleanser or makeup. The other option is that you can apply it to your hands so you don’t waste any product, and pat it into your skin. If you get a toner that comes in a spray, you can just spray it directly to your face. But if you want to use it as a step for additional cleansing, you can also spray it into a cotton pad to apply on to your skin.
What A Toner Does
1 – Balance the PH of your skin. The pH level of skin is around 5.5 and after cleansing your skin can be around a level 7 because cleansers are more basic and the pH level ranges from 4.5-7. Toners are a little more acidic and brings your skin’s pH level back to 5.5. Disrupting your skin’s pH can weaken it through environmental stressors which in turn can cause dryness, acne, sensitivity, and other skin issues.
2 – Strengthen the skin barrier. A slightly acidic toner helps strengthen and protect the skin barrier.
3 – Lock in moisture. A toner can help with boosting hydration in your serums and cream and basically paves the way for your skin to be more receptive to those next steps.
4 – Removes leftover residue. Whether it’s residue from your cleanser or makeup that wasn’t completely taken off during makeup removal or cleansing, a toner will help catch this.
5 – Smooths skin texture. Ingredients like hydroxy acids helps exfoliate the skin of dead skin cells for a smoother and healthier surface.
6 – Lessen the visibility of pores and tightens the skin. Toners also assist with minimizing the look of pores and deep cleanses in the areas you need.
7 – It refreshes the skin. It revitalizes your skin and makes you feel cleaner as well.
Choose A Facial Toner For Your Skin Type/Skin Issue
Dry and Mature Skin – A toner with hyaluronic acid and other moisturizing ingredients is of utmost important. Recommendations: Guerlain Abeille Royale Lotion or the Kiehl’s Cucumber Herbal Alcohol-Free Toner
Normal Skin – A toner that balances your pH, removes residue, and preps your skin for the next step of your skincare routine will do well. Luckily, normal skin types can use almost all toners except those for oily skin since toners these days are mostly for very targeted uses. Recommendation: La Neige Essential Power Skin Toner.
Combination/Oily Skin – Choose a toner that will help with removing excess oil and has ingredients with salicylic acid or tea tree oil. For oily skin in particular, an astringent may be used too. It helps with drying out the excess oil and cleans the skin even deeper. Recommendations: Farmacy Deep Sweep Pore Cleaning 2% BHA Toner, Avène Cleanance Mat Mattifying Toner (if the formula hasn’t changed since 2009, this is the strongest mattifying toner I’ve used so be wary if you’re not extremely oily!), and the Murad Clarifying Toner which I shared in my Skincare Journey Part 2 blog post.
Sensitive Skin – Use a mild, and non-drying toner such as the Kiehl’s Cucumber Herbal Alcohol-Free Toner.
Dull Skin – Brightening and exfoliating toners that have lactic acids or natural exfoliants. Recommendations: Fenty Skin Fat Water, Ren Skincare Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic, and Ole Henriksen Glow2OH Dark Spot Toner
Large Pores – A toner that helps tighten the pores as well as clarifies is best. Recommendations: Biossance Squalane + BHA Pore-Minimizing Toner and Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Toner
Is An Essence The Same As A Toner?
A similar question that can be asked when you’re looking into toners is if an essence is the same thing. Although they’re both very similar in texture and consistency, an essence is more for added hydration and helps enhance the effects of the next step of the serum. You apply it by pressing into the skin rather than swiping it all over the face so your skin can absorb it better.
However, some people do choose to replace their toner with an essence if they find that they’re on the drier side and would prefer to only use one extra product in their routine. An essence in most cases will also help balance your skin’s pH levels.
When I first tried adding an essence into my skincare routine years ago, I didn’t notice too much of a difference because I had combination skin at the time. When I tested it out again recently during the winter, my skin type was dry so I found that it really helped with added hydration and smoothening my skin. I think for now, I would prefer to add this to my skincare routine only during the winter when my skin is very dry from the harsh weather. Currently, this is my Winter Skincare Routine For Dry Skin That Works.
If you’re interested in trying an essence out, these are my recommendations: Tatcha The Essence, Shiseido Revitalizing Essence, and the Amore Pacific Vintage Single Extract Essence.
So Is A Facial Toner An Essential Step I Should Be Adding To My Daily Skincare Routine?
I find that if you have normal skin, and your cleanser isn’t stripping your skin’s pH levels, a facial toner isn’t absolutely necessary but your skin won’t mind it since it will help with nourishing and replenishing your skin! But if you have specific skin concerns such as large pores, dry skin, or even dull and textured skin, a toner will help a lot. If you find that your cleanser, serum, and/or moisturizer isn’t doing enough, adding a toner to your skincare routine to address certain skincare issues you want to target can help the effects of these other products as well as allow you to see better results.
Like I said in the beginning of this blog post, I’ve only been really incorporating a facial toner into my routine the past couple of years since I was also skeptical about whether I really needed it or not. Although I occasionally tested toners during my earlier years when I had a lot of breakouts in early 2008, I strayed for quite a while after that. But introducing it back into my routine after my skin type changed, I noticed that I’ve really seen the results of cell turnover, brighter and clearer skin, and will continue to have it as must-have in my skincare routine.
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