Facial Toners Buying Guide

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Facial Toner  is a secret step to perfect skin. Simply apply in between cleanser and your moisturizer in order to reduce the visibility of large pores, as well as tighten and firm the skin. Not everyone needs to tone their face regularly, but they can be of great help if you use the right product.

Choosing a Toner

  1. The first step is to figure out what type of skin you have-oily, dry, sensitive, acne-prone, or combination. Most toners and astringents  are specially formulated to work best on a specific type of skin.
  2. Do you really need a toner? If your cleanser  and moisturiser  don't seem to be giving you the results you're going for, then consider adding a toner for improvement.
  3. Choose a few different brands and see what you like. Since toners are not a core component to a skin care regiment, but rather an add-on, you don't need to go out and break the bank. Any drug store brand product should work just fine.

More About Toners

Toners have many names. They are often times known as astringents  (which usually contain acne-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid), tonics,  clarifying lotions,  refiners,  and fresheners.  Toners can do three things: exfoliate, moisturise, and control oil. It is important to know what functions you want your toner to accomplish according to your skin type:

  • If you have acne-prone skin, go for an exfoliating toner or astringent with 2% salicylic acid.
  • AHA exfoliating toners are good for dry to normal skin or a combination of both.
  • If you have dry skin, stay away from those toners with menthol, alcohol, or salicylic acid. These will just dry out your skin more. Go for a moisturising toner with a gentle exfoliant.
  • If you suffer from oily skin or just have some oily spots, you will want to get an oil controlling toner. During the summertime, you can go for a moisturising toner, which will allow you to skip moisturiser and therefore prevent your skin from getting oily when you perspire. You can use a sunscreen  over the toner for protection from the sun.
  • Those with sensitive skin should use a calming or soothing toner.

Quick Picks

Here are some quick picks for some of the best rated toners out there. The first row are general use toners and the second row products are more specific to certain skin types.

BioTherm Biosource Softening Tone 

DDF Aloe Toning Complex 

La Prairie Cellular Refining Lotion 

M.D. Formulations Moisture Defence Antioxidant Spray 

ProActiv Revitalizing Toner 

This is great for sensitive, oily, or acne prone skin. Inexpensive and effective.

Contains high levels of alcohol--great for oily skin, but not for acne-prone.

Works for combination, sensitive, and some acne skin.

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