When people don’t use toner as part of their daily skincare routine, it’s usually because they’re unclear of its purpose. They see it as an unnecessary step in an otherwise well-rounded routine. They wonder, Is using a toner really worth it? And, How much can a toner really do for my skin?
As an esthetician and product formulator with over 30 years of experience, I’m here to tell you that toners are extremely important and can benefit your skin in multiple ways—five ways to be exact. In this post, I’ll discuss the game-changing benefits of toner that will convince you to introduce one into your skincare routine if you haven’t already.
5 Major Benefits of Toner
1. Toners Can Give Your Skin a Drink, Offering Instant Hydration
I always say that skin cells are like fish in that they need water to survive. An easy way to hydrate your skin is through the use of toner. Here’s how I suggest using one: cleanse your skin, apply toner, leave it damp on your skin, then immediately follow up with your next product. Doing this will offer an instant boost of hydration to thirsty skin cells.
Leaving toner damp on your skin before applying your next product is the key. I call this the Golden Minute Rule. It’s the easiest way to get plump, hydrated skin and avoid unnecessary moisture loss.
Just make sure you’re using an alcohol-free toner because, generally speaking, toners that contain alcohol are extremely drying to the skin. (Every single Renée Rouleau toner is alcohol-free and there is one for every skin type. If you don’t know your skin type, you can take the Skin Type Quiz to find out. At the end of it, you’ll get personalized product recommendations.)
Read drinking water won’t hydrate your skin, but these three things will.
2. Toners Can Remove Chlorine and Minerals Found in Tap Water
Chlorine, salts, and minerals are put into tap water to make it safe for drinking and bathing, but they can be very harsh on the skin’s surface layers. You know all that cloudy white stuff that you have to clean off your shower doors? That’s what’s being left behind on your skin after cleansing. Using a toner is like a rinse cycle for your skin after using a cleanser.
Read more about tap water and how it can affect your skin.
3. Toners Can Balance Your Skin’s pH
If you use bar soap or a foaming face wash that’s too strong, it could be drying out your skin due to a high pH. One of the many benefits of toner is that it can help counteract the dryness that occurs. However, I never recommend washing your face with a cleanser that leaves your skin feeling tight and dry. You should only use a gentle, low-foaming, and sulfate-free cleanser.
Read the importance of your skin’s pH level.
4. Toners Often Contains Active Ingredients to Enhance Your Skincare Routine
Toners often contain active ingredients to help calm the skin, control oil production, deliver antioxidant benefits, help combat breakouts, and more. Also, it is thought that moist skin is actually 10 times more permeable than dry skin. This means that by leaving your skin damp after you apply toner, and applying your next product immediately after, you’re allowing active ingredients to penetrate deeper into your skin. This can, in turn, enhance the results of your skincare routine.
Read if you want to improve your skin, use these 20 active ingredients.
5. Toners Can Support Your Moisture Barrier
By supplying your skin with essential hydration and nutrients, you’re supporting its moisture barrier. This is the outermost layer of the skin that provides protection to help retain water and defend against external irritants like bacteria and environmental debris. Think of it as your skin’s personal bodyguard. It keeps the good in and the bad out. It’s made up of lipids (oils) that bind your skin cells together, and when it’s intact, it’s responsible for keeping your skin soft, calm, and healthy-looking.
Read more about the moisture barrier and what to do if it’s damaged.
The Bottom Line
Incorporating toner into your skincare routine is an easy way to give your skin a boost. I recommend that everyone use one, regardless of their skin concerns and goals. As I said before, every single Renée Rouleau toner is alcohol-free and there’s one for every skin type! I know from experience how beneficial they can be, which is why I use toner every single day.
Next, find out whether or not you should avoid alcohol in all skincare products.
Celebrity Esthetician & Skincare Expert
As an esthetician trained in cosmetic chemistry, Renée Rouleau has spent 30 years researching skin, educating her audience, and building an award-winning line of products. Her hands-on experience as an esthetician and trusted skin care expert has created a real-world solution — products that are formulated for nine different types of skin so your face will get exactly what it needs to look and feel its best. Trusted by celebrities, editors, bloggers, and skincare obsessives around the globe, her vast real-world knowledge and constant research are why Marie Claire calls her “the most passionate skin practitioner we know.”