Why using a face toner?
Dermatologists and estheticians have gone back and forth on whether swabbing our face with a toner-soaked cotton ball is harmful or helpful to skin health. The latter, it seems.
However, both dermatologists and beauticians have agreed that tonic lotions with alcohol are an essential step against acne-causing bacteria, but they are also a double-edged sword. Although alcohol kills bacteria, it dehydrates the skin and destroys its natural protective barrier. And a very dry and unprotected skin is a skin on which irritations will reappear even more habitually, experts say.
This is why some dermatologists say that toner is not necessary, but there is an important distinction: not all tonic lotions contain alcohol, the harmful compound in this type of product.
A rigorous skin care routine, inspired by Korean beauty rituals (K-beauty) consists of double cleansing, exfoliation, toning, application of serums-treatment, use of eye cream, skin hydration and application of products with SPF. A good toner is a good fit for such a complex skin care routine.
Tonic lotions nourish and purify the skin
Alcohol-free tonic lotions are rich in ingredients that moisturize the skin, such as seaweed extract, mineral water, amino acids, hyaluronic acid, natural oils. But can you remove the bacteria that cause acne with an alcohol-free product? Sure! There are many other gentle ways to fight pimples, and alcohol-free tonic lotions contain active extracts such as propolis or chamomile, known as natural antibacterial substances.
Good toners do not change the pH of the skin
The moisturizing ingredients mentioned above are also important because they restore the skin’s natural pH, amounting to about 5.5. Impurities on the skin, sebum, makeup and alcohol can change this value. Gentle toners have a pH between 5.0 and 5.5, and by applying them directly on the skin, it helps to regain its natural balance.
Skin toning supports the absorption of other skin treatments
Think of your skin as a sponge: it’s harder to rehydrate it when it’s dry than when it’s already a little damp. In other words, serums and treatment creams will be absorbed more deeply when a tonic lotion is applied beforehand, than when the skin is dry. When you have dry and unclean skin, serums, masks and moisturizing lotions will remain on top of a layer of dead skin. Alcohol dries the skin even more, which makes this problem worse, but when the skin is hydrated and with a balanced pH after applying a good toner, other active ingredients penetrate the skin more easily.
