How to Choose the Best Facial Toner for Your Skin

What is a facial toner? How do you choose the best toner for your skin type/skincare routine?

For radiant, healthy-looking skin, it’s not enough to just cleanse your face every day. A much-debated, yet often overlooked step in your skincare routine is using a toner.

These seemingly simple liquids look and feel like water, but for some people, they play an important role in skin health.

Read on to learn about the potential benefits of toners, the different types, and common mistakes to avoid.

The Role of Toner in Skin Care

Using a toner between cleansing and moisturizing can prepare your skin for the next steps in your skincare routine.

While cleansing removes a lot of oil or makeup, using a toner ensures that no residue is left behind.

Once your pores are adequately cleansed, your face can enjoy the benefits of subsequent products like serums, lotions, night creams, and other targeted treatments.

Toners also restore pH levels, which can be disturbed by harsh cleansing products.

Benefits of Toner

According to experts at the Cleveland Clinic, using a toner after cleansing can increase the amount of moisture in the outer layer of the skin, which can improve the absorption of other products.

Some proven benefits of toner include:

Clearer skin: Toner helps remove oil and makeup residue after cleansing.

Extra hydration: Newer generations of toners contain soothing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide to lock in moisture in the skin.

Refine pores: By thoroughly cleansing pores, toners can visibly reduce impurities that cause them to enlarge.

Improve pH: Some toners contain acids like alpha hydroxy, beta hydroxy, lactic acid, and salicylic acid to help restore pH levels.

Different types of toners

Toners come in different formulas to suit different skin types and concerns. Older toners almost always contained alcohol, as they were primarily designed to remove impurities.

Today, alcohol-based toners are less common, although some people with oily or acne-prone skin incorporate them into their daily routine.

Alcohols often dry out the skin and strip it of its natural oils, so these toners are not recommended.

Alcohol-free toners are generally gentler and more hydrating, making them particularly suitable for dry or sensitive skin.

There are also toners that contain active ingredients like glycolic acid or antioxidants to target specific skin care concerns.

There are also hybrid toner-moisturizers. These products support the skin barrier and protect the skin from environmental influences and water loss.

Hyaluronic Acid Lotion

• Locks in moisture and moisturizes the skin

• Protects, repairs, and heals the skin

• Anti-inflammatory ingredients

Regular Price $45

Add to Cart

How to Choose the Right Toner for Your Skin Type

Choosing the right facial toner for your skin type is crucial for achieving the best results. Here are some tips to help you make your choice:

Acne-Prone Skin: If you have oily or acne-prone skin, choose a toner with ingredients like salicylic acid to combat excess oil.

Keep in mind that ingredients like salicylic acid can cause dryness to the skin. So if you have dry skin, choose a gentler solution.

Facial toners with niacinamide can also help reduce acne by reducing inflammation.

Dry Skin: If you have dry skin, choose a toner with hydrating ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid, a powerful humectant that draws moisture into the skin.

Sensitive Skin: If you have sensitive skin, avoid toners with alcohol and opt for products with soothing ingredients, such as chamomile or aloe vera.

Pigmentation: Some facial toners claim to have brightening effects, such as those with antioxidants like vitamin C or retinol.

Incorporate Toner into Your Skincare Routine

Toner is a skincare product that sits between cleansing and moisturizing. After cleansing your face, apply toner with a cotton pad or gently pat it into your skin.

Follow with serum and moisturizer. Using toner twice a day, morning and night, will leave your skin refreshed, balanced, and ready for the full benefits of your other skincare products.

Also, if you’re already using skincare products with the targeted ingredients mentioned above (hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, vitamin C, or retinoids), toner isn’t necessary.

In fact, if these ingredients were used alone, they would likely have a higher concentration, as toners may be too diluted to produce noticeable results.

Foundation Skincare offers a range of dermatological products for a variety of issues, whether you’re battling acne, hyperpigmentation, dry skin, or signs of aging.

The highly concentrated products (20% Vitamin C, 10% Niacinamide, 14% Azelaic Acid) rival prescription products, but are still gentle enough for all skin types and available over the counter.

Products include:

Azelaic Acid 14% Cream: Effective for reducing acne, hyperpigmentation, and enlarged pores

Niacinamide Lotion 10%: Ideal for soothing inflamed skin, preventing breakouts, reducing hyperpigmentation, and slowing signs of aging

Hyaluronic Acid Lotion: Ideal for replenishing hydration

Vitamin C Lotion 20%: Ideal for brightening skin and reducing signs of aging

Night Cream with Granactive Retinoid 2%: Great for reducing fine lines, wrinkles, and loss of elasticity

Explore the entire range here.

Common Mistakes You Should Avoid

If you decide to use a toner, avoid the following mistakes to get the most out of the product:

Don’t use toner too often as this can cause dry skin.

Avoid using facial toners that contain alcohol if you have dry skin.

Pay attention to the ingredients in your facial toner and make sure they are suitable for your skin’s needs.

Avoid using toner on the delicate skin around your eyes, as it requires special care.

If you love using toner and look forward to making it part of your skincare routine, make sure you use a quality product that’s tailored to your skin type and individual needs.

If you’re looking for alternative ways to bridge the gap between key skincare steps like cleansing, moisturizing, and sun protection, FS Journal has more science-backed, dermatologically-informed tips.

DQH Can I use salicylic acid first and then vitamin C? It’s easy to create a skincare routine, but knowing how to use it is another thing entirely. In most cases, if you’re not getting the desired skin results, it could be due to the layering of conflicting ingredients. So, is it possible that salicylic acid and vitamin C are such ingredients? Or are these active ingredients the duo that’s been missing from your skincare routine? If you want answers, stick around because today we are going to explain the benefits of salicylic acid and vitamin C and how they can be used in your daily life. What are the benefits of salicylic acid for skin? Salicylic acid is one of the most commonly used beta hydroxy acids and is favored by many people with oily, acne-prone skin. This acid is derived from willow bark, and unlike its water-soluble relatives (called alpha-hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble, which means it can penetrate deeper into the lower layers of the skin. Once it reaches the lower layers, it can help unclog pores of excess sebum, dirt, bacteria, debris, and impurities. This results in clearer skin tones and greater definition. Not only does salicylic acid benefit the underlying layers, but the outer surface of the skin benefits as well. When applied to the skin, salicylic acid removes the buildup of dead skin cells. This is accomplished by breaking the bonds that hold dead cells to the surface. Over time, this can cause the complexion to look dull and prone to acne, blackheads, and other blemishes. If you’d like to learn more about salicylic acid and how it can improve your skin, check out this dedicated blog post from a beauty insider. What are the benefits of vitamin C for skin? Vitamin C is considered one of the most powerful antioxidants, which means it is very effective at fighting free radicals and preventing them from causing further skin damage. Examples of free radicals include pollution, central heating, UV rays and harsh climate. They attack proteins, fats and cell membranes as soon as they come into contact with the skin, causing signs of premature aging such as fine lines and wrinkles as well as hyperpigmentation, flaky patches of skin and loss of elasticity. Many people usually prefer to use vitamin C in their morning routine as this ingredient gives the complexion a radiant glow. You’ll also find that vitamin C can target areas of hyperpigmentation, plumping the skin and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The thing about vitamin C is that there are a lot of outdated studies going back to the 1950s that describe vitamin C as an unstable skin component. Thanks to improvements in modern technology, this is no longer the case as all products now contain a stable form of vitamin C. Visit The Beauty Insider to learn more about vitamin C. So please check out our blog post. Can I use salicylic acid first and then vitamin C? Yes, you absolutely can. In fact, it’s thought that using salicylic acid before using vitamin C ensures it penetrates faster and works faster. This is an efficient way to utilize two power sources, and the reason has to do with pH. For example, the skin’s natural pH is about 4.7, making it slightly acidic. Salicylic acid and vitamin C are also both acidic, and you’ll find that vitamin C is absorbed quickly into the skin. Therefore, using salicylic acid beforehand can increase the acidity of the skin and allow vitamin C to penetrate into the skin faster. While this is considered an effective way to combine two powerful ingredients, you need to be aware of your skin type and how it reacts to certain active ingredients. Even people with perfect, normal skin can experience skin sensitivity and irritation. Therefore, always consult a doctor or dermatologist before using any new products on your skin. It’s also important to follow skin application rules. In this case, you need to use the product correctly to ensure you get the best results for your skin. If you’re not sure what I mean, the basic rule for skin is to start with the thinnest consistency and work your way up to the thickest consistency. This prevents a barrier from forming on the surface, preventing other active ingredients from penetrating the skin. Can I use salicylic acid at night and vitamin C in the morning? Yes, absolutely, this is considered the most effective way to get returns without any adverse side effects. This is because there is enough time between applications to ensure that the skin’s pH levels return to balance. You’ll also find that Vitamin C is rich in antioxidants and is perfect for use in the morning to ensure your skin is protected and looking its healthiest. Due to the small size of salicylic acid molecules, it is an acid that is able to reach the deepest parts of the skin. While this is effective at keeping skin clear, it also increases the risk of irritation and photosensitivity. Therefore, many people prefer to use powerful BHAs in their evening routine without exposure to UV rays, pollution, or harsh weather. Warning: If you avoid using sunscreen every day, none of these ingredients will do what your skin needs. The combination of chemical peels and powerful ingredients increases the risk of further damage to the skin’s surface. Use SPF 50 every day to keep your skin protected and your lipid barrier healthy, even on cloudy days, keeping your skin in top condition.

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