Toner – “ superfluous or truly beneficial?
Toners. We all know they exist. And we all know that toners are used after cleansing and before applying a moisturizer. But how many people actually know what purpose they serve, or what to look for in a toner? Sure, there are the medicated toners with Salycilic Acid or Benzoyl Peroxide, which fight acne. Then there are toners with Alpha-Hydroxi-Acid (AHA) which exfoliate the skin. But if you do not have acne, or are not interested in an AHA-based toner for whatever reason (perhaps you already use an exfoliating scrub, or perhaps your skin is too sensitive for AHA), should you use a toner? Are toners just a superfluous invention of a clever marketing executive, or are they truly beneficial?
In many Asian countries, on the other hand, toners take on a completely different role.
Western skincare philosophy places the focus of a toner on its astringent role. In the West, a toner is supposed to complete the cleansing process. Therefore you commonly find ingredients that will remove any surface oil left on the skin after cleansing. In many Asian countries, on the other hand, toners take on a completely different role. In Asia, a toner is viewed as the first step in the treatment process, i.e. providing the skin with water: Well-hydrated skin is beautiful skin.
Thanks to excessive air conditioning or simply dry weather, many people do suffer from dehydrated skin. In fact, dehydration can occur in all skin types, even oily skin. After all, dehydration means “lack of water”, not “lack of oil”. Have you ever slathered on a rich moisturizer in hopes of relieving your dehydrated skin, only to find it greasy, but curiously parched underneath? This is exactly the issue that a good, hydrating toner will address.
A hydrating toner will saturate thirsty skin with water without adding any oil. By applying a moisturizer afterwards, the hydration provided by the toner is sealed into the skin. Oily skin types can use an oil-free moisturizer. Dryer skin types should choose a moisturizer that does contain oil. The point is, regardless of skin type, using a good toner as part of your regimen will ensure that skin will stay supple and hydrated all day.
My skin is ALWAYS more supple and more radiant when I use my toner, while I notice a big difference when I skip it. In fact, I find that even the greatest moisturizer becomes much, much more effective when used in conjunction with a hydrating toner.
The ingredient list of a toner will help you pick one that actually works. A good hydrating toner should be alcohol-free because alcohol can dry out and irritate the skin. Look for proven water-binding ingredients (so-called humectants), such as Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium PCA, Panthenol or Glycerin. Excellent natural humectants also include Tamarind-Seed or Honey. Look for other ingredients that provide other important benefits, such as anti-inflammatory agents, antioxidants and smoothing ingredients. Great toners I have tried include SK-II’s “Facial Treatment Essence” and Shiseido’s “The Skincare Hydro-Balancing Softener”.
Hydrating toners have become an area of particular interest for me (next to suncare), since there aren’t that many to find in the US. So I decided to develop my own toner exactly to my desired specification. As some of you may know, I co-created JUARA skincare with 3 friends, which has given me the chance to develop products that I truly believe in and that deliver real results. JUARA’s new “Tamarind Tea Hydrating Toner”, which will launch in November, is oil-free, fragrance-free, good for all skin types, and chock-full of hydrating, smoothing and calming ingredients including Tamarind-seed extract, Hyaluronic acid, white, green and black tea, rice brand extract and healing manuka honey. I’ve been using it for months now and would love to get feedback from more people.
Until the launch, between now and November 15, you can receive a free sample of JUARA’s Tamarind Tea Hydrating Toner (while supplies last). Just e-mail your Full name, address and skin type to questions@juaraskincare.com and put “Request for new toner sample” in the subject heading.
I look forward to hearing from you!