Why Do I Need to Tone My Skin?

Most people have a fairly basic skincare routine which consists namely of cleansing and moisturising once to twice a day. However, there is one vital step missing.  TONING.

I myself have only in the past year or so begun to include this essential step in my daily routine and it's already made a difference to my skin.  

I'm sure you're asking, why is it so important, I never feel as though it really does anything extra?  Well lets start by going through all the various myths and theories shall we?

(1) It removes the last traces of your cleanser

(2) It tightens the skin and closes your pores preparing it for your moisturiser

(3) It removes any last traces of make-up

(4) It helps to bring your skins PH back to neutral after cleansing

Well, (1) was true to an extent at one point in time. In days gone by, cleansers did not contain enough water soluble ingredients thereby leaving the user with a somewhat oily residue on the skin.  The toning step would take care of this issue removing any excess oils on the skin.  Nowadays, most modern cleansers no longer have this problem.

Moving onto (2) again, this has some echoes of truth in it, back in the day most toners were full of alcohol and other astringents.  The alcohol in the toner would leave your skin with the feeling that it was tightening/tingling.  You do need to be cautious with these sorts of toners as they can dry your skin out. I suppose what I'm saying is that toners don't tighten your skin, but can give the illusion that this is the case.

(3) could also be true if your cleanser is not particularly good at removing make-up. To help tackle this problem, I would always recommend removing waterproof make-up with a bi-phase make-up remover before you start cleansing your face.  When in doubt, double cleanse.  If you're still getting make-up residue on your cotton pad after this, then perhaps your cleanser just isn't doing the job!

You'll be pleased to know that (4) is 100% correct, whilst your skin will naturally adjust its PH after cleansing, a toner will help to nudge this along a little bit quicker.  When I went for my first consultation at Murad, they advised that most cleansers are slightly alkaline, as such, a toner will help to neutralise this.

Now we've got the theory out of the way, lets get down to the nitty gritty of why they can help your improve your skincare routine.  Below are some of my favourites.

Many companies such as Murad, Clarins and the like will all have toners which are aimed at addressing different skincare needs.  You can get exfoliating toners (do what they say on the tin) which use acids to help slough away dead skin, hydrating toners which will help to draw moisture to your skin (much like hyaluronic acid) and even toners which are aimed at helping to clarify the skin and keep oil at bay.  It's just a case of finding the right toner for your skincare concern.

Right now I'm loving the Murad Hydrating Toner and have been using this religiously.  It's almost like an extra layer of hydration for my skin and provides a little extra protection from the elements.  In the summer, I keep a bottle in my handbag and spritz on top of my make-up during the day to help give me a dewy glow and refresh my skin.

All in all, I would recommend finding a toner which will slot into your current routine nicely and fits your skins needs. Try to use it religiously for at least 60-days.  If you don't find it's making much of a difference, then maybe it's not something for you.

I hope you've found this post informative/helpful, posts outlining the importance of a good routine have been on my list of things to do for a while now!