Before people became more mindful of their skincare habits, many relied solely on soap bars and facial washes to clean their skin. Some even thought that toners are unnecessary and that they don’t really do anything aside from making your skin feel unnecessarily dry. These days, however, skin toners have become an essential component of an average skincare kit. What makes today’s toner’s so important, and how can it improve your skin?
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Toners Help Hydrate
Remember what we said about old toners causing the ski to dry up? That’s because toners from back then contain alcohol. Alcohol is effective at getting rid of bacteria in the skin, but it also tends to strip off moisture from the skin’s surface, causing more problems in the process. Today’s toners have essential oils and other ingredients that help lock in moisture and keep the skin hydrated.
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Toners Help Clean Up
Here’s one important role that hasn’t changed for toners ever since they were developed. Toners are used after the initial cleansing to make sure that dead skin cells, makeup residue, and other debris are completely removed from your skin. This prepares your skin for the next part of your regular skin care routine. Although alcohol-free, a great skin toner still has natural astringents that can clean dirt and kill germs without drying the skin.
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Toners Protect pH Balance
One of the most important parts of the skin is a thin layer of sebum, lactic acid, and amino acids on the surface. This invisible layer is known as the acid mantle and it acts as a protective coating by dealing with viruses, bacteria, and other contaminants that might penetrate the skin. In order to function properly, this acid layer must have a pH level of 4.5 to 6.2, but different factors such as frequent cleaning (or lack of it) can cause the pH level to rise, causing an imbalance and compromising that layer of protection. A good toner has a pH level of 5.5 or slightly lower to compensate for the raised pH after a thorough washing.
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Toners Prevent Oxidation
High levels of free radicals in your body can cause the cells to suffer from the effects of oxidation. One of the effects of oxidation is skin aging. Fortunately, the best toners are packed with antioxidants that help slow down the effects of oxidation and prevent signs of aging from showing up too soon. Furthermore, antioxidants found in skin toners can speed up the skin’s ability to repair damaged skin tissues — an important factor when preventing scarring from wounds.
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Toners Provide Nourishment
Who says your skin can only get nourishment from nourishing creams and lotions? The best skin toners are packed with vitamins and minerals that are essential for keeping the skin looking healthy and fresh. Just like antioxidants, vitamin A, B, C, and E are also essential in preventing the effects of aging and speeding up the healing of damaged skin cells.
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Toners are Good for Therapy
Many toners today include essential oils for either extra natural fragrance or to provide a soothing effect when applied on the skin. For example, toners with chamomile extract are great for soothing the itching sensation from insect bites and allergies, while toners with fragrant oils such as lavender can be used to provide a relaxing, therapeutic sensation.
You can go to any store that sells cosmetics and you can expect at least half a dozen toners most of the time. You only have to narrow down your options and pick a toner based on your skin’s needs. This says a lot about the versatility of toners and importance of having a toner as part of your skincare kit.