Skin Care: Are Toners Necessary?
Day Three in our Skin Care series……
Toners? What are they used for? Are they necessary? Does the cost of a toner have any bearing on what is inside the bottle?
First, a toner is used to restore your skin’s pH balance after cleansing. Washing the face removes the acid mantle in your skin. The acid mantle is made up of skin oils, called sebum, and sweat. The acid mantle is your skin’s natural protection. It’s generally at about a 4 to a 4.5 which is in the mid to high range, with a scale of 1 being low, 5 being high, and 7 being neutral. Anything beyond the 7 is in the alkaline range.
A toner is not necessary, because in time, your skin replaces the acid mantle on it’s own. If closing pores is the reasoning behind your toner use, you can accomplish this with cold. Either walk outside for a minute, or finish your cleansing routine with a cold water rinse.
If you still want to use a toner, keep in mind that a product with alcohol or even witch hazel can irritate dry or sensitive skin. Plain tap water has a pH of 4 on it’s own, distilled water has a pH of 7, but if it sits out, it will lower to a 5 or 4 from environmental interaction (stuff, gets into it).
Some toners are meant to add moisture back into the skin. If you have dry skin, look for a product with glycerin in it.
Applying toner can be done in a couple of ways. You can sweep it across your face with a cotton ball or do what I do and mist it on with a spray bottle.
I have oily skin with periodic breakouts and I use anti-aging products on my skin. I tone after cleansing. I have a bottle with a mixture of witch hazel and water, about half and half, that I mist my face with after cleansing. Then, I apply my treatment or moisturizing products.
The cost of a toner really doesn’t matter. As long as it returns your pH to what your skin’s pre-cleanse state of acid mantle, then it’s doing it’s job. Try mixing your own with rose water, orange blossom water and adding a few drops of your favorite essential oil.
Image credit: Sephora
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