Is Toner Really Necessary??

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Is Toner Necessary?

By Julyne Derrick, About.com

Question: Is Toner Necessary?

Many women assume they need toner. They believe it removes the extra makeup and oils on your skin, while minimizing pores. There are hundreds of toners on the market. Every brand sells it. But is toner really necessary?

Answer: No, unless you have really oily skin. "Toners just add an extra step and expense," said Jeffrey Dover, MD, associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale University School of Medicine in the September, 2006, issue of O, the Oprah Magazine1.

While many people feel toners truly cleanse their faces, removing any excess makeup residue, most beauty editors agree toners are not a "must-have" part of most people's skincare regimen. Since most modern toners aren't as drying as the ones of the past, I believe they aren't harmful to most skin types. However, this is up for debate, as you'll see below.

So who should use toner? People with extremely oily or acne-prone skin and those of us who want extra cleansing after wearing a lot of makeup. If you love your toner and sincerely believe it works, then by all means do not throw it out. What's most important is your own skin's reaction to it, not the hype surrounding toner's necessity in the beauty world.

What the Experts Say

"Today most dermatologists agree toner isn't necessary. Its main purpose is to remove traces of makeup and residual cleanser, but a high-quality cleanser, even a creamy one, should rinse off easily with water alone. Some women like the fact that toner leaves their face tight and smooth. But that taut, tingly sensation actually indicates dryness." -- InStyle's "Getting Gorgeous"2

"Skip the toner. When we say this in the magazine, we always get outraged letters from aestheticians saying skin isn't truly clean until it's been swabbed down. But dermatologists say toner can be overly drying on all but the oiliest skin. If you can't resist the lure of the cotton ball, make sure your bottle is alcohol free." -- Allure's "Confessions of a Beauty Editor" 3

"For many women, toners are the logical next step in a skincare regimen, but I don't buy it. Literally. Whether they are called balancers, clarifying lotions, skin purifiers, or astringents (the strongest ones), toners are a pricey broth of water, color, preservatives, witch hazel, alcohol -- and not much else. In fact, for most women, toners are a redundant product: toners are supposed to remove every last trace of oil, sweat, and makeup from your face -- but so will a good cleanser. A toner will make your pores look smaller by swelling the tissue around the pore, but a moisturizer will do the same thing -- and more." -- "Beauty, the New Basics" by Rona Berg 4

"Often sold as a must-use step, toners are truly optional." -- Bobbi Brown in "Bobbi Brown Beauty"

"Fact: you probably don't need toner. Many skincare companies insist that cleanse/tone/moisturize should be the basic, three-step skincare regime, but we disagree. (And so do some of the world's leading facialist "gurus" including Eve Lom, Amanda Lacey and Janet Filderman.)" -- "Total Beauty" 5by Sarah Stacey and Josephine Fairley

"Beauticians often try to sell us that by using toner during a facial, they're 'closing the pores.' Baloney. Pores aren't elevator doors which can open and shut." -- "Total Beauty" 6by Sarah Stacey and Josephine Fairley

"There's something about toners that people love. Toners are actually relics of the days when most cleansers left a heavy residue on the skin and one needed to remove it by taking this extra step. Today's cleansers pretty much clean up after themselves, so a toner with strong astringent action is unnecessary, in some case, not to mention dehydrating." -- "Age-Less" by Fredric Brandt, MD 7

The Beauty Experts Who Promote Toner

Of all my beauty books, these are three that mention toner as a bonus (still, they don't consider them "must-have"):

"If skin feels too oily or you're wearing a lot of makeup, a toner can clean away anything your cleanser has left behind. The newest formulas are alcohol-free and don't strip skin of its necessary oils." Bobbi Brown in "Bobbi Brown Living Beauty"8

"Irritant-free toners are an excellent skin-care option for all skin types. They are fine as an cleansing step after removing the cleanser. Toners can also soothe skin, lightly moisturize it, and provide some antioxidant and anti-irritant protection." -- "The Beauty Bible" by Paula Begoun9

"A toner is a curious thing ... it's meant to refresh and rejuvenate the skin whenever you feel you need it. It cleans, smooths, acts as an anti-inflammatory, and helps minimize pores while also preventing breakouts. We love it because it gives your skin a boost, good tone and a healthy glow." -- "The Beauty Buyble, The Best Beauty Products 2007" 10by Paula Conway and Maureen Regan

Source

 
Thanks for posting this Kathy
smile.gif
. I am definitley a candidate (sp?) for toner. I have very oily/acne prone skin.

"Pores arent elevator doors that open and shut"....lmao @ that quote...lmao

 
Thanks for this posting this! I always thought that using a toner was a must. I stopped using it just less than a week ago to see what would happen and already, I think my skin is looking better. I still wasn't sure, but reading this made me feel better.

 
thanks !!

i agree toner is optional, i only found an use to it when i had oily skin.

 
Toners or good toners I should say, restore the natural PH level to your skin instantly. The water you wash with raises your PH level because of the minerals in it. It can take several hours for your natural ph to restore, and good toners restore it right away.

Try a natural toner, one you can make to suit your skin needs like this:

4 oz Witch Hazel Hydrosol ( this is witch hazel without alcohol in it)

10 drops of an essential oil like Tea Tree Essential Oil for acne and oily skin or Patchouli essential oil and Carrot seed essential oil to moisturize and help fight wrinkles.

I use the Carrot seed essential oil and it works awesome and doesn't dry my skin.

 
I've tried to get into using toner but found it didn't make a difference to me. Now I see there was a reason. Nice article!

 
thanks for posting both sides of the agrument. great information. i, for one, love my toner.

 
I love my toner also. I would say that it is absoloutley not necessary every day thats for sure

 
I havn't use toner in years even though I have oily face...

My mom does use them a lot, but I think using hydrating gel after cleanser is good enough for me.

 
ive used toner but cant see its doing much for my skin except drying it out.My derm told me it'll just refreshes ur skin,nuthing much u can except from it.

 
I use organic green tea as my toner, I just massage my face with the used tea bag after brewing my tea (I also store the wet tea bags in a zip lock bag and keep them in the fridge for later use). It contains antioxidants and is preservative free + alcohol free, so it's actually very good for your skin and I find that it helps in tightening my pores. I'd never buy any marketed toners though.

 
I didn't start using toner until a few years ago and I think the right one makes a difference especially for oily skin.

 
Thanks for this!! I've been considering adding a toner to my skin care regimen, and reading both sides of the "argument" really helped me decide!

 
I think what works for the individual is what matters. Some find toners beneficial, some do not. I used to use toner when I was in my twenties and early thirties. Now I am 36 and I have gone by this regime for the past year.

1. At night wash with organic facial wash.

2. Rinse with warm water.

3. Exfoliate with damp washcloth on clean skin at least twice weekly.

4. Again rinse with warm water.

5. Rinse with cold water. I like the tingle in my cheeks and it seems to tighten my pores at least it looks that way.

6. Apply thin layer of aloe gel to clean dry face and let it absorb.

7. Apply a combination of warmed organic virgin coconut oil and aloe gel to face and let it soak in.

In the morning

1. Rinse in the shower with warm water right from the sprayer.

2. Finish with a cool and then cold rinse.

3. Finish with the same moisturizer routine as nightime.

Works for me. :)

 

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