Benefits of Using Skin Toner

Over the last two decades, skin care has advanced exponentially. From organic soaps and super charged plant-based creams to anti-aging formulas and botox treatments, women and men alike are paying more attention to the aesthetics and health of their skin than ever before. There are many “layering” routines to keep your skin healthy and part of this regiment includes using a toner.

A toner is usually some kind of liquid skincare product meant to “clean and refresh”. Most toners use astringents such as alcohol or witch hazel which can be abrasive and drying on the skin. At first, when that burning sensation is experienced, these may feel like they are doing something but all that is happening is a reaction to the astringent. Yes, the alcohol may neutralize bacteria but unless more is done your skin could pay the price in cellular inflammation.

These    benefits of using a skin toner go beyond the mainstream, over-the-counter, often toxic products and looks deeper into the mechanics of natural facial skin rejuvenators.

Pick the Right One

There are a variety of significant benefits when choosing the right toner for your skin. The three factors that should be taken into consideration are: PH balance, exfoliation, and hydration. Some products combine these which, if right for you, can be very helpful toward the health and protection of your skin. However, choosing one for a specific job may have beneficial results as well.

Mind Body Green describes some of the top 3 benefits of facial toners:

• Balances pH: “Toners that are intended to balance pH most often lower the pH of the skin,” Marcus explains. See, when your skin’s pH is off, you’re more likely to develop dry, sensitive skin and inflammatory skin conditions like acne. Plus, your skin’s pH contributes to a healthy skin micro-biome. Some toners even include pre- and post-biotics to feed that microbiome even more.
• Exfoliates & purifies: You can also opt for an exfoliating toner with AHAs or BHAs, if you really want to break down buildup. “By helping to eliminate buildup and residue, using a toner can help to prime the skin for the next step in a routine and may help to enhance the penetration of subsequent products,” board-certified dermatologist Marisa Garshick, M.D., FAAD, explains. 
• Hydrates: Finally, some toners solely add a cushion of hydration. Everyone can benefit from focusing on moisture, which is why you can find a plethora of hydrating, antioxidant-rich mists and tonics.

The Many Uses 

Other benefits of using a skin toner is knowing the many uses for varying formulas. One interesting application is a guava toner. Guava is a fruit native to subtropical regions and used in many recipes as one of the most popular fruits on the globe (yet, not so much in the United States). Some recent small studies of guava used as a skin toner have yielded some interesting results as guava being able to work as an anti-sebum (anti-oil) as well as a UV (ultra violet) light protector.

For oily skin, this small study of twenty-five participants by researchers from Thailand and published by the National Library of Medicine found that,

“Guava toner significantly reduced oiliness of forehead [ ] and nose [ ] better than the base toner. The activity on nose was significantly noted [ ] since the 3rd week of application. Anti-sebum guava toner was efficiently evidence approved and suitable for a daily application to improve the efficacy.”

Another study published by Science Direct of guava as a natural sun block stated that,  

• Guava extract synergistically increases synthetic organic sunscreen SPF values.
• Guava extract can significantly reduce the final costs of sunscreen formulation.
• Guava extract minimizes the risk of synthetic photo-protector toxicity.

Expert Advice

According to Rebecca Marcus, M.D., FAAD (Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology ),

“Toners can have many different functions depending on their active ingredients, think of the word toner as an umbrella term encompassing many different, more targeted formulas…Traditionally, toners have been used to remove excess makeup residue and dirt after cleansing,…Toners may be formulated with ingredients that serve to soothe, calm, exfoliate, or fight acne, for example, ”

Adding skin toner to your daily regiment could enhance a variety of healthy responses. Talk to your dermatologist about the benefits of skin toner and how using one may help increase your skin health.

Sources:

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/what-exactly-toner-does-for-your-face-toner-vs-essence

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30964238/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1011134419306815

Photo by RDNE Stock project: https://www.pexels.com/photo/healthy-nature-fashion-love-6724306/