Facial Toner: What It's Good For + Ingredients For Glowing Skin

Skin care regimens are as personal as they are varied, but there are a few fundamental steps that remain the same. For one, you need to wash your face. And two, you need to hydrate skin. Everything in between? Well, that's where things get interesting. Case in point: toner. 

If you decide to add in a toner, there are seemingly endless choices: meaning the right addition to your regimen really comes down to selecting the right active ingredients for your skin type. (This, of course, could be said of all skin care products.) Keeping your specific skin care goals in mind—be it hydration, exfoliation, brightening, or even barrier support—can help you decide what toner is most appropriate for you. "Some toners are humectants, which bind moisture to the skin. Others are enriched with vitamins and minerals. Some remove drying chlorines and minerals present in tap water," explains board-certified dermatologist Hadley King, M.D. 

And modern toners have the added bonus of purifying gently. Remember the drying, oil-stripping, alcohol-based toners of the past? Those days are gone. These are nondrying, water-based formulas that respect the integrity of the skin barrier and the natural protective oils while infusing purifying botanical extracts, like saponin flower1 or willow bark2, to help clear and refresh skin. 

Having a balanced pH is important because, as Turegano explains, "That slightly acidic state serves almost like a protective shield to various invaders like unwanted bacteria or other microbes and contaminants." She goes on to explain that our skin's slightly acidic nature is integral to maintaining the skin's microbiome—the balance of prebiotics and probiotics on the outermost layer of our skin. (Research shows this to be true, too: For your skin's microflora to properly flourish, your skin's pH should hover around 5.) This acid mantle is essentially like an immune system for the skin, so it is critical to keep it healthy. Maintaining proper pH also ensures that our skin cells are functioning at their optimal levels.

"Unlike the old-school, alcohol-based toners that could be quite drying to the skin, these days they are more often hydrating formulations," explains King. (Yes, even the more "purifying" options are still quite hydrating.) These options are infused with humectants, oils, and other emollients in order to preserve—and promote—the skin's moisture levels. Aloe, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides are some of the hydrating ingredients found in toners that help to hydrate the skin and keep it quenched. 

Turegano explains that toners can help promote the absorption and efficacy of the products that follow it in your skin care regimen. It does so by removing any dirt, grime, or debris that might pose an obstacle to thorough absorption. Secondly, returning the skin to its natural pH optimizes the skin barrier's function, thus enabling it to function efficiently. "[This means the skin] can absorb products more effectively and efficiently, while keeping the bad stuff out," she concludes.

OK, the general rule of thumb is: No alcohol-based toners. Opting for water-based toners helps to ensure that you are not stripping away the skin's protective sebum. But after that, you should think about your overall skin goals and how a toner might fit into those. 

Whether a toner is right for you comes down to your skin care needs and how open you are to adding an additional step. However, if you are willing to give the product a try, you just might be surprised at how it can amplify your other skin care products.