Is a toner essential if you use a cleanser?

Aug 22, 2015

Shae-Lynn S.

I was at Sephora buying a Luna mini and the man helping me was trying to explain that cleansing changes the pH of your skin and a toner neutralizes that or I don't even know. Should I be using a toner if I'm using a cleanser and a cleansing tool?

Aug 22, 2015

Cayla S.

I personally don't think a toner is something you NEED.

Aug 22, 2015

Alyx T.

Toners do a lot of things. Some are meant to return the ph balance of the skin, some are to make sure there's no residue of the cleanser left, some are mattifying, some are acne fighting etc. I don't think you NEED a toner, but it can help certain skin problems. I personally use one with seaweed in it to soothe my extremely sensitive skin, and take some of the redness away. But I don't think it's essential unless you have a problem that can be helped by one, and you have to find the right one for that particular problem.

Aug 22, 2015

Livi H.

I haven't used toners for the past 29 years of my life. And I now started to, and I have to tell you that it's helped my skin so much. Cleansing strips away SOME oils on your face since it's suppose to cleanse all the dirt and icky stuff on your face so yes cleansing does somewhat change the ph of your face and the toner helps to balance it back but of course it depends on what toner you use, I suggest using an alcohol free one. I use Thayer's witch hazel toner that I got from whole foods and let me tell you it's amazing! It's gentle enough and since it has witch hazel and aloe it keeps the bacteria in check on your face to prevent acne. During the summer time I don't even need a moisturizer to follow!

Aug 22, 2015

Aurora S.

IMO, no. They were made to just wipe off any excess cleanser that may be left on the skin after washing but cleansers nowadays wash-off a lot better/easier

Aug 22, 2015

Sarah N.

Toners are necessary in my opinion & I tell all of my clients this. Toners 'tone' your skin and restore your skins pH level. Your healthy skin should be between 4.5 and 6.5 & when this is off your skin has to work harder to balance itself and is susceptible to many problems because your skins protective layer (epidermis) is compromised & you can experience anything from premature aging, acne, oiliness or dryness. If you use products that are stripping your skins acid mantle this is the main cause of your pH level rising higher than it should be. Using hot water or being too abrasive to your skin also causes your pH level to be off balance. When your skin is balanced, it's able to protect from environmental factors & free radicals ultimately resulting in healthier skin. Many if not most of my clients skin issues are caused by an imbalanced pH level & never even realized it. I promise you it's worth it, just be cautious because there are a lot of toners on the market that aren't helpful to the skin and contain horrible ingredients.

Aug 22, 2015

Roz X.

Sarah, what is your favorite toner? I always use aloe based toner.

Aug 22, 2015

Ellie K.

To me, a toner is necessary. It gets rid of all the extra cleanser still on your skin.

Aug 22, 2015

katie s.

I personally don't use a toner and I don't think it's necessary.

Aug 22, 2015

Tiia H.

When I started using toner my skin started feeling and looking so much better. So from my perspective I could recommend using it for a healthy, glowy complexion :)

Aug 22, 2015

Hannah K.

In my opinion, no. But I have recently started using one (Liz Earle instant boost skin tonic ) after my cleanser (Liz Earle cleanse and polish) and it has made a difference. My skin was going through a stage where it was very oily but also felt very tight after I cleansed but now I've started using a toner I don't even feel I NEED to moisturise (but I still do) after my cleanser as my skin no longer feels tight or is as oily after cleansing

Aug 22, 2015

Kitty K.

A toner was essentially used back then to help restore the PH balance of your skin.
This was done because cosmetics and cleansers used to alter the skin's PH to a level that wasn't healthy for your skin. Like Sarah mentioned, when your skin is too acidic you risk burns and when it is too alkaline your skin's barrier becomes disrupted and damaged.

Quality cosmetics & skin care are now formulated differently and shouldn't be altering your skin's PH so drastically (Unless it's a chemical peel, which is something different altogether). Unless you use a poorly formulated cleanser there shouldn't be any issues with your skin's PH.

I personally prefer to include a quality toner in my routine when I can. A quality toner typically contains antioxidants, ingredients to help repair and moisturize your skin, and is balanced accordingly and free of solvent alcohols and other irritants.

I double cleanse therefore I don't find that a toner removes any dirt or makeup but a lot of people like to use it for that reason.

Aug 22, 2015

Jana K.

I feel very awkward asking this but I've always wondered. What exactly is a toner? Could somebody please explain them to me? thank you

Aug 22, 2015

Alyx T.

Jana - it's usually a liquid, that you put on a cotton pad and wipe along your face, sometimes it's a spray. Like kitty said, it used to be for bringing the pH balance back to normal and removing any residue of the cleanser, but since skincare has evolved toners do lots of different things now. I personally use the body shops seaweed one, because it soothes my skin. But they can be to help moisturize, disinfectant and fight acne, control oil, brightening effect, fighting wrinkles or age spots, etc.etc.
But like the girls have said, most of them use one but for a specific skin problem, like disinfecting and fighting acne or me soothing my sensitive skin, or like kitty, because it contains skin healthy ingredients like antioxidants.

Aug 23, 2015

Melissa M.

I use alcohol mixed with water as a toner it works just like a toner.

Aug 23, 2015

Sarah N.

Sadly there are still a ton of facial products on the market that do alter your skins pH level, some worse than others. But yes it is possible to develop a skincare routine that is pH balanced by purchasing quality products and using them correctly and being cautious of hot water and anything abrasive. Like Kitty mentioned, there are many different variations of toners that you can purchase depending on your skins needs. I as well use different toners depending on what is beneficial to my skin at the time. If you have a quality pH balanced skincare regimen is it absolutely necessary? No. But many of my clients don't, & it's something they never thought of or realized how off their skins level was. I think it's a good addition to your home care routine despite the products being used.

Aug 23, 2015

Shae-Lynn S.

Thank you for all the responses. Didn't think so many would reply. I think I'll look into getting a toner. I'll have to do a bit of research first. I know the guy showed me a couple of good toners but I know I have to be careful or else my skin will go a bit crazy again. I don't want to invest so much in cleansing only for it to work against my skin just because I didn't use a toner. Thank you again!