Do I Really Need Face Toner?

Whether you really need face toner is subjective. While toner is usually treated as optional, having one in your routine can be a game-changer depending on your skin’s needs. Toner can be used to hydrate, restore balance, and provide other skincare benefits, making it great for all skin types when used correctly.

How Often Should I Use Toner?

To enjoy the benefits of face toner, you should use toner once or twice a day, depending on the formula and your skin type. If using an exfoliating toner (with AHA or BHAs) or active toner, then you should only use it one to three times a week, if your skin can tolerate it. Always follow instructions for how to use toner on product packaging.

Can I Use Toner Morning and Night?

You can use toner morning and night, especially if you’re applying a hydrating or balancing formula. Exfoliating or astringent toners should be used more selectively. Exfoliating toners, at least in the beginning, are recommended for use one to three times a week. Astringent toners can be drying so they should be used just once a day or a few times a week.

Can Toner Help With Acne or Breakouts?

Toners can help with acne or breakouts, especially if they contain BHA, witch hazel, or tea tree. One of the benefits of witch hazel as a toner is oil control. BHA is great for clearing congestion, and tea tree has anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. However, for toner to be effective at controlling acne, it should be part of a consistent routine.

Can I Skip Toner If I Use a Serum?

You can skip toner if you use a serum. Nevertheless, it is more beneficial if you use toner before a serum as toner preps the skin for better product absorption. Face toner benefits include getting rid of the makeup, oil, and impurities your cleanser did not remove, balancing the skin, and preparing it for skincare. Serum contains a concentration of actives that address specific skincare concerns.

How Long Should I Wait to Apply Other Skin Care After Applying Toner?

You should wait 15 to 30 seconds or until toner absorbs into your skin before you apply other skin care. After 15 to 30 seconds, your skin will still be damp and thus permeable to skincare such as serum and moisturizer.

TONER 101: WHAT DOES TONER DO FOR YOUR SKIN?

Face Toner 101: What Is Face Toner & What Are the Benefits?

Compared to cleanser, moisturizer, and other skincare, toner doesn’t get a lot of love – but it should! As the #1 toner brand, we know that this skincare step can truly elevate your routine, getting rid of leftover dirt, oil, and makeup, refreshing skin, visually shrinking pores, and more. In other words, there are plenty of face toner benefits to love. This article will go over what those benefits are and how to use toner, suggest toners based on skin type, and explain how to fit toner into your routine.

What Is a Facial Toner?

Facial toner is a lightweight liquid that removes leftover dirt, makeup, or excess oil after cleansing. In the process, it balances and refreshes skin, prepping it for additional skincare.

Toner has gotten a bad rap because of its association with the harsh, alcohol-based toners of the past. Today, many toners are formulated with hydrating ingredients (aloe vera), antioxidants (green tea), and actives (BHA). The benefits of face toner are ever-growing!

What Does a Face Toner Do?

A face toner removes stuff your cleanser didn’t remove, such as makeup, dirt, and other impurities. It leaves your skin refreshed and ready to absorb serums and moisturizers. Toners can also lightly hydrate and soothe skin, which we’ll explain more about next.

Face Toner Benefits

Balances Skin pH After Cleansing

This is one of the most important skin toner benefits. After cleansing, skin pH, which is naturally more acidic, rises and becomes more basic. Toner brings skin pH back down, restoring it to a more optimal (aka slightly more acidic) level. A slightly more acidic skin pH is vital to barrier function as it helps keep moisture in and harmful bacteria out.

Helps Prep and Improve Skin Absorption

This is another biggie among face toner benefits. Face toner primes the skin for serums and moisturizers by giving those products a cleaner surface to lie on and absorb into. Some toners are also formulated to hydrate. Apply toner after cleansing for best results.

Helps Target Specific Skin Concerns

Face toner uses also include treating dryness, dullness, sensitivity, breakouts, or texture. Toners with witch hazel are often used for treating acne, rose water toners are often used for calming, and glycolic acid toners, for bringing out the skin’s glow.

Makes Pores Look Smaller

Some toners shrink the appearance of pores by removing excess oil. The result is smoother, more even texture.

How to Pick a Face Toner

Now that we know what toner does, let’s move on to the fun part: choosing the toner that’s best for you. Here’s what to look for in a toner based on your skin type.

Acne-prone: Select a toner with an active like salicylic acid that’s proven to clear and prevent acne, reduce the appearance of pores, and control oil.

Normal to dry: Seek out hydrating toners with humectants, such as glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or snow mushroom, plus any other ingredients that improve skin barrier function.

Oily to combo: An oil-absorbing formula that visually reduces pore size will be your best friend.

Sensitive: Say no to formulas with alcohol (all Thayers toners are alcohol-free) or fragrance and yes to formulas with soothing ingredients like aloe or witch hazel.

Dull skin: An exfoliating toner will eliminate dead skin cells and clear pores to reveal a gorgeous glow.

Types of Toners and When to Use Each

Hydrating Toners

Hydrating toners, which contain ingredients that promote moisture, are best for dry, dehydrated, or sensitive skin. In the ingredients list, look for humectants like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and aloe vera, which draw moisture to the surface of the skin.

Exfoliating Toners

Oily or acne-prone skin does well with exfoliating toners, which penetrate skin to unclog pores and smooth texture. When using this type of toner, start with applications just two or three times a week to give your skin time to build tolerance.

Soothing/Calming Toners

Ideal for reactive or inflamed skin, these types of toners feature ingredients like chamomile, rose water, oat extract, or cucumber. Notably, they don’t contain harsh ingredients.

Astringent Toners

Super oily or breakout-prone skin can do well with an astringent toner containing witch hazel or salicylic acid. To avoid dryness, try an alcohol-free formula with those ingredients.

How to Use Toner Properly

Application Methods

Toner can be applied in three ways: with a cotton pad, your hands, or a face mist. Here’s a rundown of each method:

Cotton pad
· Prevents mess
· Targeted application, ideal for zoning
· How to use: Apply a few drops to saturate but not entirely soak the cotton pad.
Hands
· Ideal for applying hydrating toners
· Minimal product loss as product goes directly from hands to face
· Can improve absorption if product is gently patted on
· How to use: Apply a few drops to your palm, rub your hands together, and then smooth the product onto your face.
Face mist
· Best for layering as the toner will absorb into the skin immediately
· Great to use when on the go or to refresh skin during the day
· How to use: Spritz onto the face two or three times.

Where Toner Fits Into Your Routine

In a morning skincare routine, toner should be applied after cleanser but before serum and moisturizer. Your AM skincare product order should look like this: Cleanser > Toner > Serum > Moisturizer > SPF.

Layering With Active Ingredients

Toners can be layered with complementary serums. Avoid using strong actives together, such as exfoliating toners and a retinol serum, unless recommended by a derm. Such a pairing could cause irritation.

Face Toner Benefits & Use FAQs

Whether you really need face toner is subjective. While toner is usually treated as optional, having one in your routine can be a game-changer depending on your skin’s needs. Toner can be used to hydrate, restore balance, and provide other skincare benefits, making it great for all skin types when used correctly.
To enjoy the benefits of face toner, you should use toner once or twice a day, depending on the formula and your skin type. If using an exfoliating toner (with AHA or BHAs) or active toner, then you should only use it one to three times a week, if your skin can tolerate it. Always follow instructions for how to use toner on product packaging.
You can use toner morning and night, especially if you’re applying a hydrating or balancing formula. Exfoliating or astringent toners should be used more selectively. Exfoliating toners, at least in the beginning, are recommended for use one to three times a week. Astringent toners can be drying so they should be used just once a day or a few times a week.
Toners can help with acne or breakouts, especially if they contain BHA, witch hazel, or tea tree. One of the benefits of witch hazel as a toner is oil control. BHA is great for clearing congestion, and tea tree has anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. However, for toner to be effective at controlling acne, it should be part of a consistent routine.
You can skip toner if you use a serum. Nevertheless, it is more beneficial if you use toner before a serum as toner preps the skin for better product absorption. Face toner benefits include getting rid of the makeup, oil, and impurities your cleanser did not remove, balancing the skin, and preparing it for skincare. Serum contains a concentration of actives that address specific skincare concerns.
You should wait 15 to 30 seconds or until toner absorbs into your skin before you apply other skin care. After 15 to 30 seconds, your skin will still be damp and thus permeable to skincare such as serum and moisturizer.

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