Diving into the world of skincare can be quite an intimidating process. One such product that people are easily intimidated by is toner. Still, considering the three basic steps of skincare- clean, tone, moisturize- it is vital to incorporate a toner in your routine. Contrary to popular belief, modern toners are no longer a mixture of just denatured alcohol and water. Instead of drying out your skin, they hydrate your skin and have critical ingredients that solve many skin concerns.
The main reason behind people straying away from toners is because people confuse toners with astringents. Astringents are usually alcohol-based skincare liquids that remove the oil from your skin. On the other hand, toners balance your skin pH after washing your face and hydrate your skin while providing additional benefits. Toners are a must-have for skincare enthusiasts and beginners alike!
There’s a secretly powerful combination of what no one knows about, and we’re here to unveil the secret. It’s the toner-moisturizer duo. A toner hydrates the skin, while a moisturizer locks in that hydration. So simply apply your toner on damp skin after washing your face, and then apply moisturizer before your skin feels completely dry, and voila! You’ll notice your skin plump up immediately. Using this powerhouse duo gives you plump, hydrated, and glowing skin.
Choosing a Toner for Your Skin Type
There are so many toners, and it gets confusing to choose the best toner for you. So yes, you can look for words like “oil control” on the bottle if you have oily skin or “hydration” if you have dry skin. But sometimes those aren’t mentioned, so here are some ingredients to look for according to your skin type.Â
Oily Skin
- Willow bark extract is a natural source of salicylic acid. So if you have oily acne-prone skin, look for a toner with this in it. It unclogs pores and kills acne-causing bacteria, and reduces the size of pores. In addition, it has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, which could be helpful for this skin type.
- Niacinamide is another name for vitamin B3. It reduces hyperpigmentation, controls excess oil production, reduces your pores’ size, and soothes acne! This ingredient can brighten up your skin, and every person with oily skin needs to have niacinamide in their routine!
- Tea tree oil is famous for its antibacterial properties, which help reduce acne while also preventing it. It helps kill the bacteria that cause acne and controls oil production, so even if you don’t have acne but have oily skin, a rule of thumb is that toners with tea tree oil are mattifying and helpful for you.
Dry Skin
- Rosewater is a classic ingredient in Indian skincare that hydrates the skin deeply. It has antioxidant properties and helps to reduce redness in the skin while protecting it. In addition, it can help diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, but we can’t ignore the fact that any toner with rosewater just has to have a divine scent!
- Vitamin E has powerful antioxidant properties that protect the skin from free radical damage. What people don’t know is that vitamin E is moisturizing and nourishing. A traditional Indian beauty hack is to cut up vitamin e oil capsules and mix the oils into moisturizers before applying them to cure dry skin, but this can be tedious in today’s times. Hence, a toner just does the job!
- Hyaluronic acid is a name you’ve probably heard many times by now. It’s one of the trendiest ingredients right now because of the immediate results it provides. Hyaluronic acid holds up to one thousand times its weight in water, so it gives your skin an instant plumping effect and makes your skin look luminous.
Normal Skin
- Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that brightens your skin, fades hyperpigmentation, and protects it from UV damage. It also has anti-aging properties. Every single skin type can benefit from vitamin C. If you feel like your skin is starting to look a little dull, then you’ll notice that using a toner with vitamin c is life-changing.
- Pomegranate is another excellent antioxidant that might sound like an exotic ingredient for a skincare product. But it hydrates your skin and has excellent anti-aging properties. In addition, it is a natural form of vitamin C, so it gives your skin a dreamy, luminous glow.
Sensitive Skin
- Cucumber extract is a god sent for sensitive skin. It has soothing and cooling properties, and toners with cucumber extract can help to reduce redness, irritation, and itchiness in the skin. Toners with this can also bring you a lot of instant relief when you apply them.
- Green tea is incredibly soothing for those of you who have acne-prone and sensitive skin. Green tea is an antioxidant that calms, reduces, and prevents acne and helps fade acne scars while protecting the skin from UV damage. It also reduces redness and flushing in sensitized skin, so a toner with green tea might just become your savior.
Now that you know how to choose a toner that works for you let us quickly take a look at how to use a toner.
- Apply toner on damp skin and lock it in with a moisturizer to get the most out of your products.
- During the daytime, make sure you use sunscreen because the only duo more potent than a toner and a moisturizer is sunscreen and an antioxidant suck as a toner. This duo will not let UV rays cause damage to your skin.
Lastly, don’t forget to use a face cream or a moisturizer like Olay Cream, Lakme, or any other brand of your choice.
