The Guide: Toners

My first experience with toner was in the 1990s and at the time there were many "it" skincare products plastered on the pages of Seventeen magazine that you just had to have. The first was Sea Breeze Astringent and I will never forget the potent burn of alcohol and witch hazel. I would stand there in the bathroom squinting my eyes while I smeared it all over my face thinking "oh yes, the burn means it's definitely working." Then I moved up in the world and bought Clinique STEP 2 Toner. Which is basically the same ingredients but cost me more babysitting money. (That free gift with purchase was my jam back in the day!) I look back at photos of myself with a super shiny face and realize now that it was all because of me using alcohol-based toners on my face! Anyway, enough about my terrible teenager skincare choices! 

What is toner?

A toner is a liquid solution that is used as the second step of a skincare routine. It's considered an extension of cleansing to remove any excess makeup, oil, or dirt on the skin, especially if used on a piece of cotton. It helps to balance the pH of the skin if your cleanser is not pH balanced and it's used to prepare the skin for better absorption of the next skincare steps in your routine. 

Different types of toners

Toners are a huge family and there are many names within names for them. For the most part, they are broken down into three larger categories:

1. The "cleansing family" includes tonics and astringent ingredients like witch hazels and is ideal for combination, oily and congested skin types to really break down waxy sebum.

2. The "nourishing" or hydrating family includes hydrosols, hydrating and calming toners and may be used by all skin types but is especially ideal for dry, sensitive, reactive, dehydrated, and combination skin types/conditions to leave a light layer of hydration on the skin. 

3. The "acid" or active family includes AHA/BHA toners and is considered more of a light exfoliating treatment layer. These may be used for all skin types to receive certain skin benefits like smoothing texture, lightening pigmentation, healing acne, etc. 

Witch hazel

Witch hazel is a plant-derived ingredient and comes from the bark and leaves of the witch hazel shrub and is known for its healing, anti-inflammatory, and astringent properties. Pure witch hazel extract is high in tannins which is an antioxidant and constricts the blood flow to the surface of the skin. 

While many people view witch hazel as a safe natural ingredient for the treatment of acne it may do more damage than good for some skin types. It can be very drying and inflammatory for dry, sensitive, normal, and combination skin types. Since it's considered an astringent toner I only recommend witch hazel for oily, oily-acne-prone, and congested skin types.

Keep in mind almost all commercial witch hazels contain anywhere from 10-30% alcohol in them because the standard (and cheaper) commercial extraction process is steam alcohol distillation. Unless the bottle specifically states "alcohol-free" it will contain it. 

Look for alcohol-free, synthetic fragrance/dye-free, menthol/camphor free and with the name Hamamelis Virginiana (witch hazel) high up on the ingredient list. I recommend Thayers Alcohol-Free Unscented Witch Hazel.

Tonics + Astringents

These types of toners help to break down and remove waxy oil from the skin are ideal for combination, oily and congested skin types because they contain naturally astringent and antiseptic ingredients such as any citrus, lavender, ginger, or jasmine without the overly drying and irritating effects like alcohol and witch hazel could potentially have.

Hydrosols + Hydrating Toners

Hydrosols are basically flower, tea, or plant waters distilled in water. They are pretty simple gentle formulas with only a few ingredients and often contain glycerin to help draw water to the surface of the skin. 

Often hydrosols and hydrating toners are one of the same. They are water-based and contain nourishing, hydrating, and soothing ingredients. These types of toners are the most kind to the skin and are best suited for dry, sensitive, dehydrated, normal, combination skin types. Pretty much any skin type can use them and even the oiliest can benefit by having a hydrating toner in addition to an astringent in their arsenal of skincare products.

Acid Toners (AHA / BHA)

Acid toners contain one or a blend of different types of alpha hydroxy or beta hydroxy acids like glycolic, lactic, mandelic, or salicylic acids. They are fantastic if you are trying to achieve a certain skin result or have a specific skin issue such as dullness, clogged pores, texture, pigment, or acne.

These types of toners fit in a skincare routine a little differently than a cleansing or hydrating toner would. While the benefits are considered to be exfoliating, they do not completely replace a true exfoliation step in a routine. Think of these types of toners as a light treatment layer left on the skin. They can be used up to daily but are often recommended every other day to a few days a week. Since AHA/BHA's can make the skin sun-sensitive, it's recommended to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen every single day.

A word on essences

While toners have been around for quite a while, essences are a fairly new category of skincare in the United States. They have actually been around for almost two decades in Asian skincare! The job of an essence is to prepare the skin for the next step and help aid in the regeneration process of the skin. They contain a high concentration of ingredients and since it's a thinner product in consistency, they absorb rather quickly. Essences fit right in between a toner and a serum ingredient, step, and consistency-wise.

How can a toner be used?

1. After cleansing, on a piece of cotton to wipe away any excess oil, dirt, and makeup. 

2. Spritzed on a bare face after cleansing or over makeup to refresh the skin.

3. Poured into the palm of your hand and pressed into the skin after cleansing.

4. Spray your beauty blender with a hydrating toner instead of using water to dampen it.

5. Multiple toner method - Use an in-active toner like a hydrating or cleansing toner on cotton first and a few times a week follow it with an exfoliating acid toner per your skin type and concerns.

6. The Korean Beauty "7 skin method" entails applying a small amount of hydrating toner 7 times if you're feeling a little bit extra.

Do I need a toner?

This is a tricky but common question I receive! The answer is no your face isn't going to fall apart if you don't use one....you don't need a toner, but they are a GREAT idea! They can be a wonderful way to add active ingredients, give extra cleansing, leave hydration on the skin and help aid in the penetration of products.