Sat 21 Feb 2009
Ask mL: What does a toner really do?
Posted by MollyLoretta under Ask ML
[3] Comments
(Please send any questions to molly.loretta@gmail.com! I will answer them in a timely fashion, and most of them will be post them in order to help you, and my other readers!)
Dear mL:
What is the purpose of a toner, what does it really do?
This is an excellent question that has perplexed many people for ages. I don’t know how many times I’ve gone to a salon to be told after a facial that I need to use a toner, yet very rarely would a cosmetologist or esthetician actually tell me what the purpose of a toner was.
Really, a toner is supposed to help reduce your pH. After cleansing, your face’s pH is higher than it normally is (it is regularly a 4.5-5.5 on a pH scale, which goes from 1 to 14). The heat and cleansing agents are what causes the pH to raise, and the toner helps to safely get back to that proper setting on the scale; allowing skin to reduce pH on it’s own can at times cause your skin to be dehydrated (not dry).
I’ve researched many toner ingredients and am incredibly disappointed — so many contain skin irritating ingredients that it’s nauseating — no wonder my face would always be red after toning! A main toning ingredient is witch hazel, you can pick up a bottle of witch hazel at your local super market or Wal-Mart or Target easily — I was using this alone for quite some time (it doesn’t irritate too many people, and if my sensitive skin can handle it I think it’s safe to say most others can too!). It’s very affordable, easy to transport, and comes in a big plastic bottle that lasts for ages. It’s also nice that it helps as an antibacterial to kill acne causing bacteria. Woo!
If you’re willing to shell out a little more money, the only toner I’ve ever found that has a ton of skin soothing agents and moisture binding agents in it is Bioelement’s Calmitude Hydrating Solution (I love Bioelements, so you’ll hear me rave about them a lot in regards to skincare, they’ve literally saved my skin!). Bioelements is a line created by leading estheticians, and this particular product is directed at those with sensitive skin. I believe that we should all treat our skin as though it’s sensitive, just because it’s easier to care for, and to keep it from getting too many chemicals on it.
I hope that answers some questions, I know that toning has been an age old question. If there are any others, don’t forget to e-mail me! I would love to research and help you all out.
I’m also cynical about toners- I’ve come to believe that unless the toner has some benefit that I am not getting via my other skin care products, it’s probably not worth the extra step and money. I do like the glycolic acid toner from Mario Badescu. It’s alcohol free, has soothing ingredients, and only has 2% glycolic acid, which is great because my skin is way too sensitive to use a glycolic creme or serum (they can be 10% or higher- ouch!) Hope this helps those looking for good anti-aging products for sensitive skin.
Reply
MollyLoretta Reply:
February 22nd, 2009 at 4:32 am
@Jessica, I like them just to help reduce the pH. I have pretty dry skin (especially in the winter), and without a good one my skin goes CRAZY. The Bioelements one is a miracle worker — it’s evened out my skintone, and it also helps to build a barrier to protect your skin against the elements (climate, free radical damage, etc). The moisturizer that goes with it is also a dream <333 The nice thing about Bioelements is al their products contain great ingredients to prevent against free radical damage, so they all have at least some anti-aging properties, and they’re all really nice for sensitive skin. It’s really the ONLY line I’ve had any real success with. Otherwise after a week everything else I’ve tried my poor sensitive skin is raw and red and blotchy. It’s pretty awful.
Nobody should EVER use a 10% glycolic cream or serum on a regular basis — they are intended for infrequent use (maybe once every one or two weeks). That high of a potency can really affect skin negatively; just as getting a glycolic acid peel will if your esthetician or dermatologist doesn’t bother giving you small doses of it to apply on your skin for the first couple of days prior to (to keep the peel which has a higher potency from being so irritable). 2% glycolic or salicylic acid is great to use on a regular basis — not only is it antibacterial, it’s also a natural exfolliant typically derived from plant extracts. Honestly, I can’t believe they even sell them to consumers with that high of a potency just because not everyone will know how to use it properly. Which is sad, companies should think more about the average consumer that probably doesn’t have a good idea on what’s good for their skin, not everyone is going to have someone there to do an analysis prior to them buying a product…. Okay, I’m just going to stop my rant on that, I could go on for hours and at 5:30 AM, I probably shouldn’t!
Reply
what are the dangers if the concentration is larger than 10%? for the acid i mean
Reply