Know all you need to know about toners right here :) Get the most honest answers to common questions you might have asked before buying and when you use a toner.
Among cleansers, moisturizers, serums, sunscreens and the like, brilliant toners are the hardest to spot by general consumers, but they do exist. Here are some honest answers to common questions you might have asked before buying and when using a toner.
Not to say necessary, but a well-formulated toner with essential ingredients can absolutely be a bonus when it comes to blossoming a healthy and radiant skin. The right toner will provide your skin with extra antioxidants and skin-recovering ingredients such as glycerine, vitamins and ceramides.
For people with dry skin, toner can provide additional moisture and nutrients to keep skin healthy and hydrated. For people with oily skin on the other hand, toner can be the only “moisturizer” your skin needs to keep it hydrated throughout the day.
The precondition is that, only a kind-heartedly formulated toner (free from fragrance, high concentration of alcohol, irritating ingredients etc.) is beneficial for your skin. Most toners in the market, sadly, are sold cheaply and consist of mostly water, alcohol, fragrance, irritating menthol or peppermint extracts for cooling. These toners don’t actually serve its purpose and are only for a brand’s business profit. So, be extra observant when looking at the list of ingredients when you shop for a toner.
2) Should I use “you” if “you” bubble?
The fact is, most beneficial and active ingredients have the natural tendency to bubble in liquid. BUT, these bubbles usually subside quickly, and completely disappear in less than 15 minutes. High polymer, thickeners or large molecule ingredients such as Cellulose, Hyaluronic Acid, Xanthan Gum and the like, can get bubbled too when shaken, but these bubbles fade instantly.
Be aware when bubbles in a toner lasting more than 15 minutes, because it means the toner contains a high concentration of surfactant (commonly used to dissolve oil-soluble ingredients, fragrance or essential oils in toners). High concentration of surfactant in toners can be irritating when it is left on skin for too long, especially for people with sensitive skin. People with sensitive skin should definitely avoid using toners that produce long-lasting bubbles, and people with normal skin should avoid such toners so your skin will not turn sensitive.
3) Should I use “you” if “you” cool my skin or smell of alcohol?
Alcohol is used in toners to dissolve certain ingredients or act as a penetration enhancer for other ingredients. If you get to smell the alcohol very obviously and feel an intense cooling sensation on your skin after applying the toner, it usually means a high concentration of alcohol (SD alcohol / denatured alcohol / alcohol in the list of ingredients) is added to the formulation. Astringent ingredients (such as witch hazel) are friends for alcohol-based toners.
There is no single benefit for using alcohol on your skin, except that it evaporates with the sebum on the surface of your skin, giving you a temporary refreshing feeling seconds after applying. Dry skin and sensitive skin are definitely not capable of taking the long-term damage from high concentrations of alcohol. For oily skin, even when you have a clear skin surface, the underlying active sebum glands are still actively secreting oils to the surface of your skin. Alcohol-based toners never resolve oily skin issue, but it can cause irritation and free-radical damage in the long run.
But fret not as there are many great options for alcohol-free toners with beneficial ingredients out there waiting to serve you skin pleasantly.
4) Should I use “you” with a cotton pad?
Most people use toners with a cotton pad for a double-cleansing purpose. No doubt, after we rub our face with cotton pad and toner, sometimes we can obviously see the cotton pad carrying our leftover makeup or dirt.
Let’s go back to points 1) and 2)
Some toners let you see A LOT of makeup traces on your cotton pad because they contain a very high concentration of surfactant or alcohol in it. Leaving these high concentration of irritating ingredients on your skin for hours can only do harms.
By all means, never use a toner with a cotton pad only because it cleans your face thoroughly for the second time. If you are concerned of leftover makeup and dirt, then it is a sign to get a better cleanser and a washing cloth! Use a toner because it has an array of skin-loving ingredients crucial for a healthy skin. If it contains a mild and harmless concentration of surfactant to remove the last traces of makeup, take it as a bonus, but not a necessity.
However, if you do not mind using more of the toner, and feel like using a cotton pad can help spread the toner more evenly on your skin, then go ahead!
5) Can “You” be used as a mask?
Some people like to soak cotton pads into toner, and put them on as a facial mask.
The most appropriate use of toner as a mask is when you need to instantly nourish and plump the outer layer of your skin with moisture so that your makeup can be applied smoothly, or when you need instant relief for your sun damaged skin.
But there are some issues you need to consider when doing this. Getting cotton pads in close contact with your skin to force the liquid to penetrate into your skin may not be 100% beneficial. By applying it as a mask, you have no control on which ingredients you want and do not want to penetrate your skin.
Preservatives, fragrance, surfactant and other irritating ingredients can all hitchhike to go further into your skin and cause harm. Hence, using a safe, well-formulated toner with an appropriate amount of the mentioned ingredients is the key!
Which Worthee Toner is Right for Me?
- Minimalist PHA 3% + Biotic Toner is gentle and suitable for all skin types. It essentially hydrates the skin after cleansing and helps in removing dead skin cells / built up left after cleansing.
- Mad Hippie Hydrating Nutrient Mist delivers instant moisture to thirsty skin of any type. Its water-light mist is designed to restore skin damage from exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
- Timeless HA Matrixyl 3000™ Cucumber Spray provides hydration and nourishment for all skin types. It also prolongs the health of your skin by protecting against signs of aging.
- Garden of Wisdom Triple Toning Treatment is a glow-enhancing and pore-reducing toner that also exfoliates and moisturizes the skin.
- Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner is designed to normalize and reduce enlarged pores for those with normal, oily, or combination skin that also may be sensitive.
- Paula’s Choice Resist Advanced Replenishing Toner is recommended for normal to dry skin (including sensitive skin) concerned with reducing wrinkles and repairing sun-damaged skin.
- Paula’s Choice Resist Weightless Advanced Repairing Toner significantly improves skin tone and texture while shrinking pores and calming redness from breakouts. It is designed for those with normal to oily skin.
Your Sharing: Do you think toner is necessary for your skin? Why and why not? Have you found a toner that you really like so far?