The Difference Between Toners and Astringents - Which is Right For Your Skin Type

You already know that finding the right skincare product can be a pain in the pores. Thankfully, Thayers has you covered. No matter what your complexion woes entail, we have just the right product to suit your needs.
Top of the lineup? Our alcohol-free facial toners and quality astringents. While it might be easy to confuse the two, there is a big difference between toner and astringent. Keep reading to learn what they are, how to use them, and which one is best for your individual skin type.

What is a Facial Toner?

Facial toner is essentially a product designed to help improve the appearance and tightness of your pores for better skin overall. Toner also helps balance your skin’s pH and reduce oils, to promote a smooth and glowing complexion. However, not all toners are alike, and it is really important to find a brand that incorporates elements that best match your skin type. At Thayers, we believe in being as natural as possible with your skincare. That’s why all of our toners are alcohol-free to help ensure your skin gets the hydration it needs. Likewise, we add our homegrown witch hazel to all of our toner products. best Witch hazel is a great ingredient to provide relief for skin issues like irritation, redness, and acne, among other problems.

What is an Astringent?

In comparison, an astringent is like a stronger form of a facial toner. They are alcohol-based from botanical sources, and they take on an extra element of helping remove oil from the skin. If you generally have blemishes or at times have excessive oil, you’ll likely want to choose an astringent over a toner.
While you can still use a toner for oily skin, the added ingredients in an astringent are usually a better option due to their natural antibacterial properties. When looking for a product to add to your beauty routine, you want one that has quality ingredients. Witch hazel is naturally a gentle astringent by itself, which is why finding products that include it is so beneficial.
Thayers Witch Hazel Astringent products are designed to help reduce oil in your trouble spots without drying out your skin. While they do contain alcohol, many of our formulas also include other ingredients like aloe vera, coconut water and cucumber to enhance skin moisture.

How to Use Facial Toners and Astringents

Adding toners and astringents as part of your daily beauty routine is really quite simple. All you have to do is pour a bit on a cotton pad or ball and wipe it across your skin. Astringents and toners are meant to be left on, so there’s no need to rinse. Then you just carry on with the remainder of your favorite products, such as moisturizers and serums.
To make things even more easy peasy, Thayers offers towelettes that already have just the right amount of toner. They come in a wide range of options, but we especially love the Cucumber Toning Towelettes .

Alcohol-Free Facial Toners for Sensitive and Dry Skin

So, how do you know which facial toner to choose? If you have sensitive or dry skin, it is super important to choose an alcohol-free toner formula. Most dermatologists and skincare experts will tell you that if you’re experiencing flaky or dry skin after using a toner, it likely contains alcohol. This is especially true if you’re using toner for acne issues.
Thayers Witch Hazel Toner comes in numerous formulas ideal for sensitive and dry skin types. In addition to witch hazel, we also add other elements for improving your complexion, including aloe vera, glycerin, cucumber, and coconut water to reduce dryness.

Astringents for Acne Prone or Oily Skin

For those with blemish-prone or oily skin, choosing an astringent with the right ingredients is also important. In fact, it’s probably even more crucial. Why? Using too much astringent on oily skin can actually make the problem worse, which is the exact opposite of what you are trying to do.
So, be careful with the amount of astringent you use. Some oils are good for the skin, so you don’t want to overdo it. If you start to notice a problem after you’ve added it to your routine, then it might be time to switch to every other day or every few days for better results.
Like our toners, Thayers Witch Hazel Astringent includes other ingredients for better skin. For example, our lemon formula includes lemongrass to help brighten your skin and provide a more youthful complexion.

Can I Use Both Astringents and Toners?

This is a big question in the astringent vs. toner debate. If a little bit is great, a whole lot is better, right? Well, this might sound good in theory, but you want to be careful when using both facial toners and astringents at the same time. Remember the basics: astringent for oily skin and toner for sensitive, dry, or combination skin. Though you only need to use one at a time, you might want to keep both in your beauty cabinet.
Throughout the year, our skin changes. Depending on the season, traveling, where you live, your diet, and a gazillion other factors, you might have skin that’s a little oilier on certain days compared to others. And that’s totally normal and okay! Switching back and forth between Thayers Facial Toner and Astringent depending on your skin’s needs is a good idea.
In addition, if you have combination skin, you could benefit from using both regularly. You can use a toner daily to help tighten and keep your pores healthy; then a quick swipe of a quality witch hazel astringent on your T-zone a few times a week can keep blemishes in check.

There’s a Reason Thayers Has Been Around for Over 150 Years

You know those awesome black-and-white photos of your grandmother with flawless skin? Well, we can’t take total credit for how amazing she looked, as poor photography didn’t always pick up blemishes. But we did help her keep her skin looking great with our quality witch hazel toners and astringents.
The best part is that we’re still using the same natural formula for our toners and astringents. Whether you have oily, dry, or combination skin, there’s a Thayers product out there for you. Trust the red cap. Trust Thayers.