It was around the age of ten when my mother insisted I take part in the world of skincare. I wasn’t sure why this was necessary, since my skin was peachy perfect at that time. Nevertheless she assured me that I would thank her later for the fabulous skin I would possess in the future.

And soon there I was – sat under an avalanche of distressed cotton balls, muttering my new mantra, the essential two steps of skincare; moisturising and cleansing.

There is however the forgotten third step of skincare – toning.

To be honest with you I’ve always skipped out this step, since I’ve never really known what exactly toning was for!

So what is toner?

It’s definitely not something you put in your printer (well there is that kind of toner) but what I’m talking about is a liquid lotion used on the face to cleanse the skin and shrink the pores.

In most cases, toner is applied after cleansing of the skin and applied via a cotton wool (soaked in the toner solution.)

My Experience with toner

On the rare occasion that I have tried toner, I’ve found it sometimes stung and at other times, incredibly drying. Doing a little bit of research, I’ve found the it’s probably all down to the ingredients of the toner. A high number of toners consist of alcohol and antiseptic liquids which are drying to the skin. It’s perfect for oily skins but if you have combination skin like mine (dry on the cheeks, oily on the t zone) then it’s not going to work as effectively as it should.

So if you’re skin is like mine then the best way to use toner is to only apply it in the areas that need it.

So when it all boils down to it; should I use toner?

On my travels, I have asked many a beauty expert that very question, “Of course!” they say, however always remember that they more often than not, have a product range to sell, and that includes toner.

There is no denying it, a splash of toner in the morning is a wonderful refreshing way to start the day, but the truth of the matter is – toning is not essential. In fact for oilier skinned ladies, using toner could effectively worsen your skin condition, as taking away oil from the skin may trigger even more oil production.

The Verdict

Is there much point in buying yet another product that is supposed to remove the dirt and grime from your skin? My thoughts on the matter – your best bet is to invest in a better cleanser!

Tags: Beauty, Beauty Tips, skin, skin care, toner

This entry was posted on Friday, February 1st, 2008 at 9:54 am and is filed under Beauty, Beauty Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.