What does a face toner do and is it essential to your skincare routine?

All my fellow skincare queens will agree that skincare is a form of self-love. But with the beauty world in a constant state of topsy-turvy, it gets increasingly difficult to know which skincare products and regimes are worth it and which ones are all noise and no effect. For a long time, we were told that the secret to having clear and healthy skin was religiously following three steps—cleanse, tone and moisturise. And while this is still the crux of every skincare routine, things have gotten a tad more complicated. But we aren’t here to talk about a 12-step Korean routine that has more twists and turns than a true-crime docu-series. We’re here to find the answer to a question that has cropped up in all our minds at some point or another—what does a face toner do?

While it’s understandable that cleansing and moisturising are non-negotiable steps, do we still need to tone our faces or has the progress of the skincare world made that step obsolete? This is a product that has even beauty junkies confused. Keep scrolling to get the answer.

What is a face toner?

Toner is a water-based product whose job is to remove leftover makeup, dirt, and oil that your cleanser might’ve skipped. It also helps to close the pores and brighten the skin. Primarily, toners fall into two categories—astringent toners and balancing toners. The former is designed for people with oily, combination, or acne-prone skin and is often formulated with AHAs or BHAs. While balancing toners are gentler on the skin. Their job is to balance the skin’s pH, hydrate, and calm the skin down. 

What does a toner do?

Considering a lot of people used to use normal soap (which has a high alkaline pH that messes with our skin) to cleanse their faces, toners were created to balance the pH of the skin. Back then, they were an essential step, but now, pH-balanced cleansers are readily available. This makes toners a product you can skip in your skincare regimen, but you shouldn’t because they also remove the excess residue that was missed by your cleanser, act as an anti-inflammatory and even help in barrier repair.

Depending on their ingredients, toners offer a myriad of benefits. If the product contains lactic acid or glycolic acid, it can gently exfoliate the skin. If it contains a BHA like salicylic acid, it can deeply cleanse your pores and improve the skin’s texture. And if it contains aloe vera, it can soothe the skin and protect it from potential irritants. And if you’re looking to introduce active ingredients to your skin, toners are a gentle way to do so. You can then gradually build it up to avoid any adverse reactions. 

How to use a toner

Using a toner once a day (either in the morning or the evening) is enough. They should be used immediately after you cleanse your face when your skin is slightly damp. You can either pour some of the product into your clean, dry hands and pat it on your face or use a cotton pad. Follow it up with a moisturiser and sunscreen (if the toner is part of your morning routine).