Skin Toner

When you think of skin care routines, the generally impression is that you should cleanse, tone then moisturize. Cleansers clean the skin, and moisturizers re-hydrate then skin, but there is often some confusion about what Skin Toner is suppose to do.

Skin Toner is one product that has recently sparked a lot of debate, in the question of if it in fact necessary for the care of your skin. While some people swear by it, others claim it is a waste of time as cleanser, exfoliates and moisturizers are being improved to essential provide the same benefits.

The general idea behind a them is that when you cleanse your skin your pores will open up but the Skin Toner is designed to tighten the pores, smoothen out and rebalance your skin so it will better absorb the moisturizer and in the process make your skin less oily. They work to tighten the skin by firming tissue in and around the pores. By making the pores smaller this also helps to keep away outside environmental elements. They also have small cleansing properties in them that will remove the last traces of dirt and make up.

Originally, Skin Toner worked by using alcohol to take water and dry out the skin. Most products no longer use high amount if any alcohol as it has since been found that taking oils from the skin can make matters worse as the skin tries to counter act by producing even more oil. Astringents usually contain between 20 to 60% alcohol and are only recommended for those with oily skin. However you do have to be careful with it, so even for those with oily skin it is recommended you use it only on trouble spots instead of your whole face.

Other Skin Toners, sometimes known as tonics, will contain a small amount of alcohol, or some will be completely alcohol free which seems to be what the majority of people prefer to use and are known to be helpful for those with acne problems.  If you have dry skin, sometimes even an alcohol free product can cause irritation and it may be best to stay away from them all together.

Choosing to use a Skin Toner or not is completely a personally choice, some find exfoliating is all they need, other chose to use it only when they have a few bumps on their skin. Unfortunately, this may be one of those situations where a trial and error method is best used. Just remember for everyday use stay away from products containing high amounts of alcohol or ethanol, as both will dry your skin out.