You can mist them on, splash them on, pat them on… Toners might be one of the most multi-functional, yet misunderstood elements of skincare. So, how do you know whether you should add one to your routine? Let's find out!
It's well known, especially in the world of K-beauty, toners are designed to enhance the skincare steps you already practice. Today’s toners, while they aren’t meant to replace your cleanser or cream, can help boost the results you want to see. They can increase skin's fullness, maximize hydration and soothe irritation. And they definitely do not have to sting.
Here’s what you can expect when using a toner:
More Hydration
Picture the levels of your skin like a sponge. Which will take up and hold onto more nutrition: A dry sponge or a damp sponge? This is a great way to visualize what happens to your skin.
It’s rarely one miracle product that will transform all of your skin concerns. But, using a toner is a simple but highly effective way to build in extra layers of hydration that the skin can hold onto all day long. You can fine-tune this in applying either several applications of a lightweight toner or just one or two applications of a thicker consistency. Remember, more hydration = more dewy plumpness.
Easy Exfoliation
Post-cleansing and pre-treatment, some toners can provide a boost of exfoliation that can be especially beneficial for dry or sensitive skin. All skin types develop a build-up of dead skin cells and sebum that can clog pores, but not every skin type can regularly handle a chemical exfoliation or even one of the gentler manual ones. Enter exfoliating toners!
Using a toner that you don’t have to wash-off can be a smart way to still accomplish this important process for the skin. Something with white willow bark extract or BHA will continue working as it is absorbed by the skin to dissolve anything your cleanser (or the day) left behind.
Amplified Anti-aging
Toners make great side-kicks to an anti-aging routine. Why? As we’ve previously mentioned, they’re great for keeping the skin hydrated, which helps it to look fuller and aid in wrinkles and fine lines being less noticeable. (Ask yourself, does your skin look older or younger when it’s too dry?) Additionally, by helping rebalance the skin’s pH after cleansing, toners help the skin remain less stressed and irritated by the elements. Keeping inflammation and oxidation down is another way of saying healthy and robust skin… the goal of any good anti-aging routine.
Toners can also enhance anti-aging treatments by priming the skin to better absorb the potent ingredients you’ll layer on next. Back to the sponge analogy: Dye will penetrate a damp sponge more thoroughly than a dry one. You want your skin to get every ounce of the superfood ingredients that you lather onto it, and toners assist in their delivery. They also add in a few premium nutrients of their own. Different toners can include nourishing plant oils, fermented black rice, or even collagen-stimulating mBeta glucan.
So, what say you? With so many different applications, we’re confident that there’s a toner out there for you and your skin. Check out Ohlolly’s full Toner Collection here or reach out to us at hello@ohlolly.com for advice!
