All About Toners

• Toners refresh and hydrate your skin after cleansing.

• Choose a toner for your skin type and skin concerns.

• Try the seven skin method for ultimate hydration.

Toning is an important step in your skincare routine, and it is the first leave-on product. This means you use your toner after cleansing (and after exfoliating if you are) and before your actives and/ or moisturiser.

The right toner for your skin should complete a last cleanse of your pores, and restore your skin’s natural pH balance. A lot of cleansers are more alkaline, but your skin has an acidic pH of around 5.5, so it is helpful to restore this after cleansing.

To find the right toner for your skin type, you should know which ingredients to look out for.

Toners for dry and sensitive skin

Those with sensitive skin can benefit from hydrating ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid, as well as products containing vitamin E and aloe.

It’s also a good idea to avoid toners with too much alcohol as this can irritate the skin.

Toners for combination skin

Look for hydrating products that will combat dryness in skin, whilst also helping there be less oil production. Ceramides, green tea and niacinamide help balance skin’s pH levels.

Toners for oily and acne-prone skin

If you have combination skin or are prone to acne, you’ll benefit from using toners containing AHAs - such as glycolic acid or lactic acid, or BHA (salicylic acid).

Targeting your skin concerns with toners

Toners are an important first leave-on step in your routine, and by choosing the right ingredients you can make it the first stage of working on your skincare concerns.

If you’re trying to keep acne at bay, a toner containing AHAs can be useful. Niacinamide can also help to reduce inflammation and and control oil production. Natural ingredients like tea tree and green tea are also antibacterial.

For those looking to get some anti-ageing products into their toning step, hydration is vital. Toners with hyaluronic acid and niacinamide are good bets, as well as AHAs, which can help improve fine lines by making your skin look refreshed.

Layering toners and the seven skin method

The seven skin method is one that originated in Korean skincare, but has grown in popularity. This is because it works as a great way to hydrate skin.

Adding seven layers of toner means your skin can drink up more hydration, giving your skin a healthy glow.

Apply your first layer of toner after cleansing and making sure your face is dry. Then, follow with another layer of toner after patting the first layer into your skin. You can also target any dry areas of your face whilst applying the toner.

You can adjust this method according to your skin’s needs. Some people do the seven skin method every day, whilst others do it once a week, or apply five skins or three. Check how your skin feels each day and what your hydration needs are. You can use seven layers of the same toner or mix them up.

Remember that too much product can be irritating, so be careful not to overload your skin. You can start off with three layers to get your skin used to the toner, and then work up to seven.

Using the right combination of all these techniques, you can make your toning step one that really contributes to solving your skin problems.