Do you really need to use a toner, clarifier or astringent? Are any of these products really a required part of your personal skin regimen? My answer is: well, it depends…
It depends on why you feel you need to use one of these products – do you feel you need an extra step to help with excess sebum production, or help clear blackheads, or help smooth your skin texture? Or, do you feel you need a little extra boost of moisture, or something to help calm your itchy, sensitive skin?
Astringents were developed back in the days when most of us used bar soaps or Noxzema to cleanse our skin. Bar soaps are so highly alkaline (our skin barrier is actually slightly acidic), astringents were formulated at a low pH to restore the skin’s acid mantle and help prepare the skin for the next treatment product or moisturizer. Now, we have many pH-balanced cleansers to choose from, and if you are already using a pH-balanced cleanser, an astringent (now also known as a toner, clarifier, refiner or freshener) is really an optional step in your skin care regimen.
Toners help remove excess cleanser or residue left after cleansing. Well-formulated toners also contain humectant, anti-oxidant and anti-irritant ingredients, and help soothe sensitive skin. Toners for oily/acne skin used in place of a moisturizer are also an easy step for teens who like to keep a simple skin care routine. The proper way to use a toner is to apply after cleansing, before serum or moisturizer.
Toners for drier/sensitive skin types will contain humectants, which attract moisture to the skin, and other soothing ingredients. Look for ingredients such as butylene glycol, sorbitol, glycerin, bisabolol, azulene, chamomile, cucumber and date fruit extract. Notable toners for drier or sensitive skin types include Epionce Rebalancing Clarifier, Paula’s Choice Moisture Boost Hydrating Toner, and SkinCeuticals Revitalizing Toner.
Toners for oilier skin types may have a temporary tightening effect on pore appearance, and contain ingredients that help control excess sebum production and kill surface microbes. Look for ingredients such as witch hazel, grape seed extract, salicylic acid, willow bark extract, and citrus extracts such as lime, lemon or orange. Notable toners for oilier or acne-prone skin types include Epionce Purifying Lytic Toner, Murad Clarifying Toner, and Paula’s Choice Healthy Skin Refreshing Toner.
Toners that contain ingredients such as glycolic or lactic acid also help to encourage cell turnover (when in a pH of less than 4), and are great for anti-aging and skin smoothing benefits.
To sum it all up, some people, including me, consider toner or clarifier an optional step; others want to have that little extra step to complete their skin regimen. There are days, after I’ve shaved my legs or in the colder winter months, when I need a little extra boost of soothing moisture from Epionce Rebalancing Clarifier (it really helps itchy, dry skin). And there are those “hormonal” days when I need a little spot treatment with Epionce Purifying Lytic Toner. It really depends on you to decide what works best for you!
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