The Indispensability of a Toner

You’ve already got a cleanser, a serum, and a moisturizer with SPF. Do you really need a toner as well? Sorry to add another item to your agenda, but yes, you do need a toner. In fact, a toner is indispensable. It’s step two in your essential four-step regimen. Once you understand how the ideal toner is formulated, what it does, and which ingredients are best for your skin type, you’ll see why regimen step two—your toner—is unskippable.

 

What is a toner?

Let’s start with what a toner is not. It is not the astringent, drying, and stripping agent that you used to pick up at the drugstore when you were fifteen. In the days when toners were mainly designed as a way to remove oil from the skin, they ended up being a bit more like paint thinner, stripping away moisture and healthy lipids along with sebum. Today’s toners balance hydrating and nourishing properties along with astringency in formulas that address all skin types, not just oily or acneic skin.

 

What does a toner do?

A toner makes your pores appear smaller. We all love that.

A toner removes the last traces of dirt, oil, and residue from cleansers or water. Yes, there are minerals in your water that can remain on your skin.

A toner removes dead skin cells to keep pores from getting clogged.

A toner regulates pH balance to keep the skin barrier healthy.

A well-formulated toner will have nourishing and antioxidant ingredients to protect the skin from stress and damage.

The big bonus of a toner is that in clearing away cellular and environmental debris, it paves the way for your corrective serums to be better absorbed into your skin, so you get the maximum benefit of your products.

 

Which toner is right for your skin?

If you have sensitive or rosacea-affected skin:

Skin Nourishing Toner

An ultra-nourishing, ultra-refining, ultra-soothing swipe of antioxidant bliss loaded with cell-renewing ingredients including mandelic acid to target acne, aging and discoloration; botanical elements to clear and calm; and rosehip oil to moisturize and protect against environmental stressors and signs of aging.  

Key ingredients: Niacinamide, mandelic acid, rosehip oil, green tea extract, kiwi fruit extract, honey, white grape pomace extract, zinc ferment/saccharomyces extract, witch hazel

 

If you have normal or dull skin:

Normalizing Tonic

The perfect blend of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and astringent properties to improve any skin type or tone. Glycolic and lactic acids encourage exfoliation and cell renewal. Witch hazel protects, refines, and rejuvenates. A gentle, balancing toner to refresh, renew and refine.

Key ingredients: glycolic acid, lactic acid, witch hazel, urea

 

If you have oily or combination skin:

Normalizing Tonic Forté

An advanced toner with salicylic and citric acids to provide added micro-exfoliation. Removes impurities, refines pores, promotes cell renewal and restores skin’s optimal pH balance. 

Key ingredients: glycolic, witch hazel, lactic acid, salicylic acid, citric acid

 

If you have acne-prone, unevenly pigmented, discolored or aging skin:

Daily Repair Pads

Quick, clarifying repair and rejuvenation in simple, single-use pads. The nourishing and refining blend of anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory ingredients encourages cell renewal, fights signs of aging, promotes healing and brightens skin. Toss them in your gym bag or your travel carry-on for all-in-one skin prep and repair.

Key ingredients: mandelic acid, niacinamide, zinc peptides, lactic acid, salicylic acid, glycine

9% Mandelic Acid 3-In-1 Toner

Naturally brightening, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory mandelic acid, plus healing and refining witch hazel supercharge this advanced formula for targeting acne, aging, and hyperpigmentation. 

Key ingredients: mandelic acid and witch hazel

  

If you have dry, combination, dull, unevenly pigmented or aging skin:

3% Mandelic Acid 3-In-1 Toner

Improve skin tone and texture with micro-exfoliating, hydrating, and nourishing ingredients that promote cell renewal, help fade excess pigment, brighten dull skin, and reduce fine lines.

Key ingredients: mandelic acid, witch hazel, lactic acid, fructose, urea, sodium pca