A toner is an intermediary skincare product. It’s not where your routine starts or ends. Because it sits in the middle of the cleanser and the moisturizer, you might feel like it’s not worth paying attention to, or that you can easily breeze through it without much thought.
But just like other products in your skincare routine, your toner will work better if you use it properly. That means choosing the one that suits your skin best, and making sure you apply it mindfully. Here are some reminders when using a face toner.
Test Your Skin
You may need to include a face toner in your online shopping haul to test the different varieties of the product. This is to ensure that you get the one that suits your skin type best. Note that this isn’t just as simple as choosing a product that is labeled the same as your other products. Depending on the formulation, a face toner for dry skin might actually be better for combination skin if it’s from a certain brand. This is why it’s important to test how a toner works on your skin first. Once you’ve determined the variant that works best for your skin, that’s when you proceed to the next step.
Apply Toner After Patting the Skin Dry
First, you need to cleanse your skin. This means using a gentle facial wash and lathering on the product, followed by a rinse. Experts recommend warm water to open up the pores, which will help the cleanser get rid of gunk that might accumulate inside your pores. Once that’s done, pat your face dry with a soft towel. Be careful not to rub the cloth on your skin roughly, so as not to damage or irritate the skin. Now, you’re ready to take your makeup pads, wet it with your toner, and apply on the skin gently. Others recommend a circular, upward motion when applying the toner, and be gentle on your skin when you do so.
Let it Dry on Its Own
After applying the toner, you can move on to the next steps in your skincare, which is essence, serum, or moisturizer, depending on how complicated your routine is. But before proceeding with these steps, you’ll want to let the toner seep into your skin completely. This doesn’t take very long, so don’t worry about the step eating up precious time. You’ll feel a cooling sensation when you apply the toner, and that will gradually subside, signalling that it’s time to move on to the next phase. If you’re applying a face mask, you can do that after the toner as well. Then proceed with the serum and essence, followed by the moisturizer. The key is to go with the lighter products first, and work your way up to the heavier formulations.
Even something as straightforward as a toner needs to be used properly if you want to get the full benefits. Next time you do your skincare routine, especially at night, make sure you’re leaving each product enough room to work their magic on your skin.
