What is a skin toner?

Find here why you should apply it every day

What does a toner do?

Trust us when we say a toner can work wonders for your skin. It can help to:

Remove any last traces of excess oil, make-up and dirt;

Thoroughly clean and close your pores;

Restore your skin’s natural pH balance;

Prepare your skin to better absorb moisturiser.

The question is, how? This liquid penetrates your skin super fast to remove dead skin cells and provide a quick hit of hydration. Think of it as a prep for your pores, and a primer for the rest of your skincare routine. So, think of toner as a wake-up call for your skin, getting it ready to start the day.

Now you’re clued up on what is skin toner, but when do you use it?

When to use a toner: day and night

Bring a toner into your everyday routine and you’ll be applying it morning and night. At the start of the day, your toner will help to create that naturally healthy base for your make-up. At bedtime, toner plays its part in helping you clean and nourish your skin before shuteye time.

But are you still wondering about where toner actually fits in your skincare regime? It slots right in the middle. If your routine starts with cleanser and ends with moisturiser, then just pop your toner in between the two. Congrats – you’ve just followed a simple 1,2,3 regime!

Repeat after us:

1. Cleanse

2. Tone

3. Moisturise

It’s a tale as old as time, but it’s definitely a good one.

Top tip: Apply your toner within a minute of cleansing, as active ingredients penetrate your skin better when it’s wet.

Now, are you ready to learn how to apply toner? Let’s go.

How to use toner for newbies

One of the beauties of toner is that it’s so quick and easy to use. Simply add a generous amount to a cotton pad, and then wipe in gentle upward movements over your skin. And that’s it! Nice and simple, just how we like it.

What kind of toner should I use?

It’s easy to see why using a facial toner is a no-brainer. But not all toners are created equal. Some of the toners of days gone by were very astringent and drying, as they used to contain high concentrations of alcohol to remove oil. You want to keep your skin’s natural barrier in place and avoid dryness, so opt for an alcohol-free toner.

Our Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner helps remove any alkaline residue after cleansing, leaving your skin feeling refreshed. And it has a special blend of skin-loving ingredients:

Witch Hazel has natural toning abilities to help tighten pores, plus natural astringent capabilities to help firm the skin, minus that horrible, tight, dry feeling.

Chamomile helps soothe and calm skin, with its anti-inflammatory properties.

Allantoin helps support cell regeneration, can soften and protect, and is soothing and non-irritating. It comes from the root of the comfrey plant.

Pro-Vitamin B5 supports healthy-looking skin and is deeply hydrating, thanks to its ability to absorb moisture from the air – now that’s clever.

So that’s what goes in our toner, but what do we leave out? Artificial perfumes, colours, dyes, parabens, harsh chemicals… essentially anything that could upset your skin. 

Now you know why, when and how to use toner, you can add it to your simple skincare routine. Enjoy your newly toned skin!