It's morning. You wake up feeling all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. You head to the bathroom and start your skincare ritual by washing your face with a gentle cleanser. Then you follow that with an antioxidant serum, a spot corrector, and a nourishing gel cream. It seems like your skincare routine is all set, right? Kind of.
If you're going straight from cleanser to skincare products, you're missing one crucial step: toner. Toner doesn't get as much love and attention as other skincare staples like serum and moisturizer, but it's just as essential. Intrigued? Keep reading to learn what toner is, its benefits, and how and when to incorporate it into your routine. Your skin will thank you later.
So really, what is toner?
Toner is a skincare product with a water-like consistency that prepares your skin for other skincare products. In the old days, toner was traditionally designed to remove excess oil from the skin, which was helpful for people with acne. However, the toners contained high amounts of alcohol that often resulted in dry skin, so they started to get a bad rap. Lucky for us, toners have gotten a modern-day makeover, and now they're designed to focus on nourishing the skin.
Benefits of using toner
1. It helps your skin better absorb products.
Toner helps balance the skin's pH levels, which primes and prepares your skin to soak up all goodness of the other skincare products in your lineup. Think of your skin as a dry sponge. If you put all your fancy lotions and potions on it, it's not going to do a great job of absorbing them. However, when the sponge is wet, it's much easier to soak up the products. So by merely incorporating toner into your routine, you're upping the performance of all your skincare products. Not too shabby, right?
2. It removes impurities.
No matter how good your cleanser is, it will leave some dirt, oil, makeup, and bacteria behind. That's why toner comes in handy. It helps remove any excess gunk from the skin's surface to ensure it's nice and clean and ready to soak up other products.
3. It hydrates the skin.
While some toners on the market can be very drying, Rael's Daily Zen balancing toner focuses on hydrating the skin. The secret sauce: H30 hyaluronic acid complex that deeply moisturizes the skin.
4. It protects the skin.
While we can't speak for other toners, the Daily Zen toner also helps protect the skin thanks to the Chinaberry extract it contains. Chinaberry extract is a natural antioxidant that helps neutralize free radicals, protects the skin from UV ray damage, and prevents premature signs of aging.
5. It soothes the skin.
Unlike other toners, the Daily Zen doesn't contain any toxic or harsh ingredients that will irritate and inflame the skin or strip away it's protective barrier. It features naturally derived ingredients such as vitamin B5, which soothes the skin and prevents dry, itchy skin.
How and when to use toner
During your skincare ritual, toner should be applied immediately after cleansing your face. Once your face is squeaky clean, saturate a cotton pad with toner and sweep it over your dry face and neck. If you want to be more eco-friendly, you can also use your fingers to tap the toner into your skin gently. Then you can continue the rest of your skincare routine as usual and voila! You're ready to seize the day.