Skin Toner: Is It Necessary?

For some of you, remember good ol’ Sea Breeze? Well toners have come a long way since their association with acne-prone skin and the distinct scent of Sea Breeze. Often misunderstood and underrated, the benefits of toner have often been debated. Is it a necessary step in your skin care regimen? Toners can do a number of great things for your skin. They remove excess makeup, dirt, impurities, even skin tone and open up your pores for better absorption of a serum and/or moisturizer. Most confusion about toners stem from the fact that the term "toner" can be used to refer to several different types - traditional toners, astringents and fresheners.

Traditional toners consist of moisturizers, oils and extracts that help soothe your skin. They contain a small amount of alcohol and are best suited for normal, combination and oily skin. Astringents, which are alcohol-based, tighten skin, pores and remove oil. They are the strongest form of toners and are usually designed to control oil and best suited for very oily skin. However, you have to be careful when using astringents because too much usage can cause an over-production of oil. Fresheners work similarly to astringents by tightening the skin, but they do not contain alcohol. They are the mildest form of toners, suitable for all skin types, even dry and sensitive skin.

Are toners really beneficial to your skin? Do you really need to use one? Get the details below.

The Benefits of Using Skin Toner

Skin toners have come a long way. Today, they are becoming more and more part of the treatment process rather than supporting the cleansing process. One of the main reasons why toners are recommended is because they help remove excess makeup, oil and other impurities left behind by your cleanser. Once all of the excess impurities are removed, the toner helps any serum or moisturizer you use better absorb into your skin. For best results, and depending on the sensitivity of your skin, a toner should be used at least once a day and up to twice a day, after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Keep the time of year in mind when it comes to toners. In colder months, skin can become irritated. You may want to use a formula which helps promote moisture-retention and provides soothing benefits. In warmer months, you may want to switch to a formula that provides gentle exfoliation to help combat the buildup of dead skin cells that occurs more regularly during this time.

Here are five benefits to consistently using a toner in your daily skin care regimen.

Shrinks pores: Applying a small amount of toner daily to your face helps remove dirt, oil and gives the appearance of smaller pores. Smaller pores = flawless skin = less makeup needed.

Gives your skin pH balance: Our skin is naturally acidic, normally with a pH balance between five and six. After cleansing, due to the alkaline nature of soap, the pH balance of skin gets disturbed. When this happens your skin needs to work overtime to restore the balance, which may result in oil, but using a toner helps to restore this balance quickly. Balanced skin doesn't overwork itself. Therefore it reduces stress, oil, or breakouts to your skin.

Adds a layer of protection: Toners protect your skin and tighten pores, thus reducing the penetration of impurities and environmental contaminants into the skin. It can even protect and remove chlorine and minerals present in tap water. Tighter pores = bacteria can't get in, saving you from gross build up that can lead to dull skin and/or breakouts.

Refreshes and prepares skin to better absorb anti-aging serum and/or moisturizer: Toner leaves your skin revitalized and prepares it to better absorb the serum and/or moisturizer you use.

Can prevent ingrown hairs: For all you face-shavers out there, toners containing glycolic or other alpha-hydroxy acids can help prevent ingrown hairs.

Hydrating and Anti-Aging Properties

Toner, in my opinion, is a secret weapon in skin care. Our skin is made up of water and when it is dehydrated our pores look bigger, wrinkles and lines look more prominent and the skin generally looks lifeless. Think of moisturizing as a two-step process. First toner in the form of liquid and second your moisturizer.

Toners are actually quite hydrating and packed with active ingredients to treat and soothe skin. Toners containing alcohol remove excess oil from the skin and can actually help prevent breakouts for those with acne-prone skin. Toners with glycerin and hyaluronic acid can help hydrate the skin and prevent dryness. As the weather warms up, even combination skin tends to break out, so toners with salicylic acid can be really helpful for gently unclogging your pores and preventing summer breakouts. They are even great in the winter, when the air is dry. Toning is great while traveling. The air in-flight is so drying, and a toner will cleanse, hydrate, and leave you feeling refreshed.

Toner products are more varied and diverse than ever. There are formulations with beta and alpha-hydroxy acids to exfoliate acne-prone skin, antioxidants like vitamin C, moisturizing toners with aloe and vitamin E, calming anti-inflammatory ingredients for sensitive skin and many with retinoids and other anti-aging compounds. Toners containing antioxidants, salicylic acid and alpha-hydroxy acid can control oil production and contain moisturizing ingredients that hydrate skin. These hydrating toners are actually beneficial for the skin and can target, depending on the ingredients, any skin care concerns you might have.

Why Use a 4 Step Skin Care Regimen with a Toner

Toners can be a great adjunct to a skin care regimen for those that need help with oily skin or clogged and large pores. Using a toner can be a nice way to add active ingredients like retinoids, antioxidants and exfoliants to your existing products. Specific toners address certain skin concerns, including sensitivity, acne, and anti-aging. Rodan + Fields regimens include specific toners that meet specific needs.

If a cleanser does what it should, it will pull impurities out of your skin, open up the pores and clean the dead skin, dirt and bacteria away from your face. If it’s a cheap wash, it will just push the junk around your skin instead of cleaning it off. Did you know that bubbles and foam are bad when it comes to cleansers? They destroy the delicate lipid barrier of the skin and ruin its natural moisture process. If you have oily skin, it will become oilier; if you have dry skin, it will become drier.

After cleaning your face with a good cleanser, you need to take advantage of the open pores and get those important ingredients in while you have the chance. A toner is extremely important for delivering ingredients deeper into the skin. Liquid is much less dense than cream, but it also balances the pH level of skin, which resolves oiliness or dryness and kills the bacteria that may still be stuck deep in the pores.

After toning, treating your skin is important because your pores are still open to the environment. This step will close pores, keep the good ingredients in and the bad stuff out, including pollutants, bacteria and more. Restoring the skin’s natural moisture will slow down the aging process, help out with sensitivity and keep your face looking and feeling better all around. As important as always, wear sun protection no matter what. It is very important in order to keep skin young and healthy looking.

Rodan+ Fields clinically-proven toners are specifically formulated for your skin type and concerns, producing lasting results. Learn more!

Sources:

https://www.today.com/style/6-reasons-why-you-should-use-facial-toner-I211682

https://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/beauty/skin-toner1.htm