The path to ultimate luminous skin involves following 3 basic yet effective skincare steps: cleansing, toning, and moisturizing. The skin care community swears by this regime, as deep cleansing your face with a face cleanser, using the right toner to maintain your skin’s pH level, and keeping the pores active before applying moisturizer for complete absorption is an ultimate game changer.
But most people skip the second step because they find it unnecessary. This gives rise to the million-dollar question:
ARE TONERS NECESSARY??
Well, skipping toner after cleansing is a sin, according to skincare enthusiasts. No one should undermine the importance of toners.
So let's understand why toner plays a crucial role in your skincare regime and what types of toners are right for your skin.
What is a toner?
A toner is a skin-care product applied after washing the face to remove any residual dirt or impurities while keeping your skin’s PH level optimal. There are different formulations of toners available on the market, but the bottom line is that everyone should use a toner because it is essentially designed to hydrate, exfoliate, and balance your skin’s PH level. Due to its water consistency, a toner can be your go-to product and even replace the need to use a primer before applying your makeup.
Your grandmother’s secret to radiant skin was rose water, which she used to make at home by infusing rose petals in water. However, due to its limited shelf life, it had to be either refrigerated or made very carefully in small amounts. But in today’s busy schedules, it is really difficult to do this cumbersome process at home every few days. Instead, you can use rose hydrosols, which are made in small batches with a steam distillation process traditionally known as Deg Bhapka. Or you can use a toner that bestows your skin with a revitalizing glow, leaving you feeling refreshed and radiant.
Understand Your Skin Type
Before buying any toner, make sure to read the ingredients and find out whether it is suitable for your skin or not. Each skin requires skin care products that cater to its needs. There are many free “Know Your Skin Type.” tests available on the internet to find what your skin type is and what it requires.
Now that you have understood your skin type, let us move on to the next step.
Types of Toners
Water-Based Toners
As the name suggests, water-based toners are consistent with water and contain no astringents or oils. These toners are commonly used as they contain organic and natural ingredients such as Sweet lime, Neem, Aloe Vera, Rosemary, and Rosewater to preserve the pH level of your skin and replenish dehydrated skin. It is a great alternative to alcohol-based toners and is designed to be used by every skin type.
Oil-Based Toners
Oil-based toners contain lactic acid, salicylic acid, and different amounts of oil extracts such as green tea, plant-based camphor, chamomile, sweet lime, etc. to create a formulation that works best for oily skin. Oil-based toners help in closing the pores and controlling the production of oil while keeping the skin fully moisturized or at least, completely prepped for using a moisturizer.
Alcohol-Based Toners
Also called “Original Toners” or astringents, alcohol-based toners are formulated to fight against bacterial impurities on your skin. It is ideal for someone who deals with sensitive or acne-prone skin due to the astringent and other chemicals that help reduce pimples, breakouts, and rashes. However, it is important to note that alcohol-based toners strip your skin of its natural oils and make it dry and itchy if used for a long period of time.
Time to make a decision
Now it is time to set up your three-step skincare regime.
First Step
Use a face cleanser while washing your face in the morning. If you do not know which face cleanser to use, check out our blog, “Which is the Right Face Cleanser for Your Face.” The cleanser will remove dirt, and impurities and give a healthy and clean face. RBN’s natural oil-based cleanser is the perfect pick for every skin type.
Second step
Soak a cotton pad with your toner and gently clean your face with it. You can directly apply the toner on your face with your hands and clean the face in a cyclic motion or may spray the toner on your face to refresh your senses. To beat the summer heat, you can use RBN’s Morning Dew toner to keep your skin hydrated and fresh throughout the day.
Third Step: Apply your favorite moisturizer, followed by RBN’s SPF 35+ sun protection cream in a cool blue shade, and you are ready to rock the day.
Last but not least, always remember that consistency is the key to radiant, glowing and healthy skin. So this basic three-step routine should be followed daily, every morning and at night, before going to bed, for that healthy glow.