How To Use Face Toner & Pick The Right One For Your Skin

At first glance, the number of steps involved in a skin care routine can seem overwhelming. Is the toning step done before the exfoliation but after a cleanser? And do I even need a toner? Plus, there are so many different types that it's hard to know which one is best for your skin type. If you've ever been confused about the order of your skincare routine, we've broken it down so you never have to wonder again.

How and when to use toner

So when should you use a toner? You can use it twice a day after cleaning to remove dirt, grime, or makeup. It can be incorporated into your morning and night routine. Once your skin is cleansed, the active ingredients in the toner can be absorbed more efficiently and penetrate deeper into your skin. An easy way to memorize the correct skin care sequence is to apply the products with the thinnest consistency on top of the thickest. Your toner has the thinnest texture compared to your moisturizer that you would last put on.

To apply, soak a cotton ball with toner and then rub it over the face and neck. Instead of a cotton pad, you can put a few drops in your hands and apply them to the desired area with a tapping motion. Some toners can be squirted directly onto the skin for quick use. It depends on your purchase.

You can not only choose between output systems, but also between different types of toner and their advantages. Some are designed to balance the pH of your skin while others are formulated to provide skin nourishing ingredients for specific skin types. Once you're familiar with your skin type or concerns, read on to learn what ingredients to look out for.

How to choose a toner for your skin type

In addition to completing the cleansing process after you've washed your face, toners have many other benefits as well. Depending on the ingredients, toner can help with a variety of problems, such as adding moisture or balancing the skin's pH levels. Below, Eminence Organics Head of Product Development Colette Liebermann narrows down some of the best toner recommendations, depending on your skin problems.

Uneven skin tone

If certain parts of your complexion are darker than the rest, you are dealing with an uneven skin tone. The Stone Crop Hydrating Mist targets this skin problem with Stone Crop Juice and contains ultra-hydrating and nourishing ingredients like lavender. Jasmine completes the formulation and gives your complexion an even and healthy complexion. To use, clean the skin and apply one or two sprays to the face and neck and leave on. You can also apply the toner to a cotton pad if you prefer.

Acne & oily skin

Oily skin is especially prone to large pores and pimples, so look for a rebalancing toner that tones pores and restores moisture. Our Lime Refresh Tonique uses lime juice (a natural astringent), lavender, and green tea to improve oily complexions.

Wrinkles & Fine Lines

Worried about the formation of wrinkles and fine lines? The Neroli Age Corrective Hydrating Mist contains a Natural retinol alternative complex to give the appearance of a lifted and tightened complexion. This mist is pH balancing and contains moisturizing ingredients such as neroli oil, coconut milk and coconut water. Your skin will appear more radiant, dull and hydrated!

Redness

For stubborn flushes, the hawthorn tonic reduces the appearance of redness due to dryness. The formula consists of hawthorn, marjoram, chamomile and eucalyptus oils and gives your skin a revitalized look.

Pore ​​size

Large pores are caused by a variety of factors, including dead skin debris, excessive oil production, and good ol 'genetics. The Mangosteen Revitalizing Mist takes advantage of mangosteen, ribose (from corn seeds) and red clover blossom extract to reduce the appearance of pores and lighten your skin tone.

dryness

Believe it or not, even dry skin can benefit from using a toner. We have two options for you. First, our Stone Crop Hydrating Mist uses stone harvest juice to improve hydration and heal dry skin. Second, the Neroli Age Corrective Hydrating Mist is perfect for dry skin. The ingredients of this mist provide moisture and soften the complexion. If you have mature skin this contains mist as well PhytoCellTec ™ Swiss green apple which helps the skin to look firmer and minimizes the visible signs of aging.

Dullness

Dull skin can be the result of excess skin cells that build up on the surface of the skin. The Mangosteen Revitalizing Mist not only helps with large pores, it also promotes a lively and revitalized complexion by minimizing the occurrence of environmental stress. Our mist is part of our Mangosteen collection that takes advantage of this superfruit to revitalize dull skin, refine pores and renew skin.

Sensitive skin

If you regularly experience stinging, burning, or tingling sensations after applying new products, you may have sensitive skin. Sensitive skin needs soothing botanicals to relieve redness and discomfort caused by dryness. The hawthorn tonic is enriched with chamomile, eucalyptus oil and carrot to protect dry, sensitive skin. This incredibly gentle toner is made from biodynamic ingredients grown by Demeter International Certified Biodynamic® farms. Translation? The Hawthorn Tonique is made from ingredients that have undergone extremely stringent certification standards to create the purest, most effective skin care products.

Have you figured out which toner is right for your skin type? Let us know on social media or in the comments below! You can find these and more toners at an Eminence Organics Spa partner near you.

What Is A Toner & What Exactly Does It Do?

You've heard that using a toner is an important step in your skin care routine, but what does it do? If you're confused about toners, you've come to the right place. We break down exactly what different types of toners do for your skin. Read on to learn what a toner is, why you need to use it, and which toner is right for you.

What is a toner anyway?

Toners are usually associated with drying, alcohol-based formulas that remove oil from your skin – along with every last bit of moisture. Fortunately, toners have come a long way. In addition to astringent properties, the latest generation of toners and facial sprays moisturize, rebalance, and treat a variety of skin problems and conditions.

The benefits of toner: what does it do?

Balances the pH

Toner is often applied after the cleansing step to ensure that the skin's pH is balanced. The pH of a skin relates to the acidity of the protective acid mantle of your skin. If your skin is too acidic, you can break out. This is where the toner comes in as it is there to help balance your skin. As Healthline notes, “… some soaps and detergents are alkaline. Using a product with a very different pH than your skin can disrupt its normal functions and possibly lead to dryness, greasiness or irritation. "

Addressed concerns

Some toners help restore and balance your skin's pH levels, while others nourish the skin and focus on treating specific problems.

"In the past, toners were used to balance the pH of the skin after using an alkaline soap product to cleanse it." Rebecca Kazin, MD, a dermatologist in Washington, DC, told Women & # 39; s Health magazine. Nowadays, however, toners can also nourish the skin with ingredients like chamomile, lavender, and comfrey root.

Helps to absorb upcoming products

Whether a toner balances the skin's pH level or provides nutrients, the toner step prepares your skin to absorb products that you apply afterwards. Eminence Organics Senior skin care trainer Natalie Pergar refers to toning as the "conditioning step" of your skin care routine. The right toner evens out your complexion and provides a moisturizing base layer to prepare your skin for the following steps.

Provides extra thorough cleaning

Even after using a detergent, you may still need to remove any residual sebum, makeup, or dirt, and a toner can help with this. Toners complete the cleaning process by removing any last trace of makeup that your cleaner was unable to remove. These quickly absorbed liquids remove stubborn impurities and provide the skin with the moisture it needs.

The different types of toners

There are hundreds of toners out there and it can be daunting figuring out whether you pick the right one for you. That's why we're here to help!

Toners can be categorized as moisturizing, exfoliating, or astringent based on their purpose. Different toners are suitable for different skin types, so this should be taken into account when deciding which toner to use.

Moisturizing

It's no surprise that moisturizing toners contain moisturizing (water-attracting) ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid. Moisturizing ingredients hold water well and make it difficult for water to evaporate. You can usually find this type of toner in the form of a refreshing mist or spray. One example is our Stone Crop Hydrating Mist, which was developed for dry skin. This gentle face spray is formulated with lavender and nourishing stone harvest juice to improve the skin's moisture levels.

peeling

Exfoliating toners contain a small amount of AHA or BHA ingredients to brighten the complexion and improve a dull skin tone. Typically, these toners help remove dead cells from the surface of the skin, making the skin look softer and smoother.

Astringent

Astringents are better described as a toner’s cousin. If you have oily skin, astringents can also be helpful in getting rid of excess oil. The main difference is that an astringent typically contains solvent alcohols or has a higher alcohol content than a regular toner. Today, however, toners have come a long way since the 1990s. Fortunately for us, astringent toners don't contain high amounts of alcohol like they used to. You are more likely to see formulations with ingredients like witch hazel that are gentler on the skin. Eminence Organics' toners fall into the modern toners category, which means they focus on nourishing the skin with moisturizing ingredients or providing gentle exfoliating benefits.

When should I use a toner?

How to use a toner infographic

In addition to using toners as part of your daily and nightly skin care routine, Eminence Organics offers International Trainers Jude Herrera Toners can also be used throughout the day to moisturize the skin, soothe dryness, or set your makeup in place.

If you're wondering when to apply a toner during your skin care routine, apply it right after you cleanse your skin, morning and night. For application, toner is typically applied by brushing on with a cotton pad. You can also apply and apply a toner with clean hands. Applying a toner when the skin is still slightly damp enables the active ingredients to be absorbed more efficiently. This should help prepare your skin for the rest of the products.

To find the right toner or ingredient for your needs, use our Spa Locator to find a spa for in-person or virtual professional advice to find the best toners for you. And let us know in the comments below or on social media which product you think is best for your skin type.

This post was originally written by Alisha Whitley in June 2019 and has been updated for accuracy and completeness.