We’ve all heard of the trifecta of skin care: cleanse, tone, moisturise. Each step in this daily skin care routine is important for the health and longevity of our largest organ! But it seems that toning your skin sometimes doesn’t get the recognition it deserves, and is all too easy to skip when you’re tired after a long day. Let’s have a look at why toning your skin is so important…
Toners are designed to restore balance and hydration to your skin after cleansing, but they also carry many other benefits for your skin like minising the appearance of pores, temporarily tightening skin, and naturally removing excess oil and dirt - the kind that some cleansers don’t manage to get to!
The Basics of a Toner
A toner's job is to gently refresh your skin without stripping it of its natural oils and moisture. This means toner won't irritate sensitive skin or cause excessive dryness. Toner also prepares the skin to completely absorb your post-cleansing moisturiser and any other skin treatments that you may apply (like serums).
Toners were originally developed to remove soap scum from the face when lye-based (caustic solution that can cause irritation) soaps combined with water left a sticky residue on the face after cleansing. The alcohol-based toner removed the soap scum eliminating irritation and contributing to cleanser mildness.
There is now a shift towards using only natural, alcohol-free toners because although alcohol does fight bacteria, it also strips the skin of moisture. It will actually dry out your skin, which can make issues like acne, scarring or wrinkles even worse.
When You Should Use a Toner
Toner should be used immediately after cleansing the face - after thorough removal of makeup - during your morning and evening skin care routine. At the start of the day, your toner will help to create that naturally healthy base for your make-up or other skin care products like SPF. At bedtime, toner plays its part in helping you clean and nourish your skin before shuteye time. One of the best ways to apply a toner is to pour some in a clean, dry hand, and then pat all around your face with your other hand.
Benefits of using a skin toner
Anti-aging
Toners can act as an anti-aging product. They play a key role in the prevention of fine lines, improvement of skin turgor, and smoothing of the skin's texture. After cleansing, your skin needs a product that replenishes its surface. A good toner does exactly that and helps your skin look younger, fresher and smoother all day long.
Restores Balance
Natural, water-based toners restore the skin's pH level. The skin's pH plays an important role in overall skin condition. The acid mantle (thin film on the skin's surface composed of lipids from the oil glands mixed with amino acids from sweat) is key to skin's protective barrier. It inhibits the growth of bacteria and restores and maintains the skin's natural flora so it can thrive!
Minimises the Appearance of Pores
Even though toners can't physically change pore size, they are effective at reducing the visibility of your pores. Toners can help close pores and tighten cell gaps after cleansing, reducing the penetration of impurities and environmental contaminants into the skin. They key benefits like exfoliation, which can reduce the appearance of visible pores and speed up the natural exfoliation rate of your skin.
Removes Acne-Causing Dirt and Sebum
Skin toners are an essential product for acne prone skin. These products can help balance your skin, reduce inflammation and reduce pore-clogging dirt, debris, and makeup that your cleanser may be leaving behind. Toners are good preventatives for those occasional bumps and blemishes that pop up, too!
The Next Generation Facial Toner: Hypochlorous (HOCl)
HOCl is a 100% naturally occurring compound that is produced by our white blood cells (immune cells). It is completely biodegradable, eco-friendly and non-toxic. That is why Hypochlorous is the ideal facial toner! And you can find a premium Hypochlorous Solution in SkinSpring’s R³ Hypochlorous Formulation that was engineered to combat skin imbalances and restore dermal function to the all important skin barrier.
How to Tone Your Face Daily Using SkinSpring
STEP 1
Cleanse your skin then apply a heavy mist of SkinSpring and pat dry with face cloth.
STEP 2
Apply a light mist of SkinSpring and allow it to air dry.
STEP 3
Once dry, continue with your normal skin care regime - apply moisturiser, SPF, retinol (depending on the time of the day), serums etc.
STEP 4
Use SkinSpring as a natural facial toner every morning and evening.
Don’t skip toning as a crucial part of your skin care routine. And once you start noticing the revolutionary healing properties of SkinSpring Hypochlorous, you’ll never miss your personal skin treatments again!