What is Face Toner (Face Tonic) and How to Use it? (2023 Easy User Guide)
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Today’s topic is about face toner – or sometimes referred to as “face tonic”. The face toner is a thin liquid that cleanses and refreshes the facial skin.
Why use face toner? Well, if what greets you in the mirror is tired skin with pronounced pores and acne, you already know the answer!
A face toner is an important part of a complete face routine that ensures that the face has a so-called exfoliation. This means gently removing the outermost layer of dead skin cells that might otherwise collect dirt and block the pores. After exfoliation, the skin appears cleaner, fresher, and less porous.
- Toner cleanses the pores. During a long day, the facial skin is exposed to sweat, dirt, and dead skin cells, which can block the pores and make the skin oily and tired. Toner contains vegetable acids and natural fat solvents such as glycerin, which effectively wash out oil from the pores so that they appear smaller, lighter, and thus less prominent. Since the toner is so thin, it will penetrate much deeper than regular soaps do.
- Toner restores the skin’s pH balance. The skin is naturally slightly acidic, with a pH value of between five and six. Since almost all soaps are alkaline (high pH value), they can stress the skin so that it compensates by producing too much fat. The natural juices from plants in the toner serve to restore the acid balance in the skin so that the pores do not have to work overtime.
- Toner provides a quick wash. Toner does not need to be foamed or rinsed off and is therefore perfect when you just want to throw away your backpack and move on to a meeting or a party. In a pinch, you can replace a full face wash with a little toner and freshen up the skin considerably more than just a splash of cold water would do.
How do I use a Face Toner?
Complete facial care is a cycle where the steps are:
- Washing
- Toning
- Moisture
First, you wash your face with facial soap or facial scrub in the shower, then you clean the pores with toner, and finally, you can add moisture with a face moisturizer. Aftershave is a type of toner, so men who shave regularly can replace toner and moisturizer with a good aftershave splash, then aftershave balm. However, some people think an aftershave smells too strong to use all over the face and uses toner instead.
If you have oily or impure skin, you can supplement with a face scrub and/ or a face mask 1-2 times a week.
Toner is easy to use: The most common is to pour the toner on a cotton ball and rub the face gently. For many, the cotton ball becomes dark with oil and dirt afterward. Excess toner evaporates by itself, you do not need to rinse it off with water. Some toners come with a spray nozzle – these you can apply directly to the face and then go over with a dry cotton swab. Others come in the form of handy wet wipes.
Aftershave is a Type of Toner
The aftershave splash is a type of toner used after shaving. They differ from aftershave balm in that they do not add moisture, but instead sterilize the shaved area and tone the skin. This is one of the reasons why shaved skin tends to look younger.
Since alcohol both kills bacteria and dissolves fat, most thin-liquid aftershave is alcohol-based. But be careful, as an alcohol-based aftershave can dry out the skin, so be sure to follow it up with an aftershave balm or moisturizer. On the other hand, you can use a clean toner as an aftershave if you have sensitive skin or want to avoid products with a lot of alcohol. As a rule of thumb, aftershave has a more prominent scent than pure toners.
What are the Characteristics of a Good Face Toner?
Toners have traditionally been based on alcohol. Just like with an alcohol-based aftershave, this provides a fairly strong cleanser that can, unfortunately, dry out and ravage the skin. Among other things, such toners have been common as make-up removers for women, and some of them are pure perfumes marketed as skincare.
The best toners are instead based on natural ingredients that are kind to the skin and that serve a function in an already busy morning routine. A quality toner should not sting (or at least not sting over time) and should leave the skin fresh and clean without excessive shine.
