The role of a face toner in a skincare routine
What does a facial toner do? Short answer? It is a foundation for any skincare routine. This is the first step in any skincare routine order, even in a skinimalistic one.
Washing your face with water or cleansers can disturb your skin’s pH, creating an alkaline environment on your skin surface. This may lead to weakening of your local immune support of your skin and lead to inflammation and acne.
A face toner helps keep your skin slightly acidic, supporting its protective barrier. Simply put – it creates an unfriendly environment for the bad bacteria and a supportive environment for the good bacteria to thrive.
Face Toner Benefits
Misting a facial toner is an important first step of any skincare routine, as it helps to:
- Restore your skin’s pH balance, creating a beneficial acidic environment for your skin barrier.
- Remove traces of makeup, oil and dirt.
- Hydrate and soothe – a proper face toner includes active ingredients focused on moisturizing and calming.
- Minimize the appearance of pores by removing excess oil.
- Prepare skin for other skincare layers – creating better nutrient absorption for essences, face oil, and moisturizers.
What to look for in the best face toner?
- Look for AHA and BHA in a good skin toner, they restore the skin’s pH supporting skin’s healthy microbiom.
- Best toner for combination skin should include Salicylic Acid, Willow Bark Extract, Glycolic Acid, Niacinamide to help illiminating blackheads.
- Best toner for oily skin will include Witch Hazel, Zinc, Kailon Clay, Lavender to regulate oil production and to mattify skin.
- Acne-prone skin toner should include anti-inflamatory ingredients, like Willow Bark Extract.
- Look for probiotics (Lactobacillus Ferment), Panthenol, Allantoin and Immortelle in the best facial toners for sensitive skin. They restore helpy microbiom and strengthen skin’s local immunity.
- Best Agin Skin toner should include Hylaronic Acid, Glycerin, Ceramides, Peptides, Vitamin C to help replenish moisture and improve skin’s bounce.
Gua Sha Routine
Face toner is also the first step to any facial gua sha routine. Before working with a gua sha stone you need to prepare your skin with misting a facial toner and applying a few drops of a face oil.
One thing to take away: a face toner is a MUST skincare routine step for healthy, glowing skin.
