As millions of cleansers, primers, and moisturizers circulate the beauty industry, it can be challenging to find the right products for your skin type. Personally, I spent years searching for moisturizers before finding the perfect fit. And believe me, nothing says frustration like buying a product that doesn’t deliver results. While experimenting with different moisturizers, I remember feeling like a victim of fraud. I know this sounds extreme, but I legitimately felt like my skincare products were scamming me! Every new item seemed like time and money down the drain.

If you’re also feeling “scammed” by your skincare products and want better results, you might want to consider a skin toner! Everyone knows about cleansing and moisturizing, but what if I told you that there’s a secret to enhancing the effects of your skincare products? Stick around to learn more about toner and how it produces radiant skin. 

What Is Skin Toner? What Is Toner Used For? 

Toner is a fast-absorbing liquid that is infused with a variety of skin-detoxing substances. Now you may be wondering what exactly is the purpose of facial toner? Well, toner has a wide range of benefits: it hydrates your skin, exfoliates your skin, eliminates product buildup, and balances the pH of your skin. But most importantly, toner acts as a safety net for your facial cleanser!

Toner eliminates any oil, dirt, and makeup that manages to outlive your facial cleanser. By further detoxing your skin, toner allows your other products to seep deeper into your pores and work more efficiently. But like most beauty products, finding the right toner for your skin type can be tricky. Luckily for you, this post is here to help! Keep reading to find out what toner is best for your skin type. 

Best Toner For Dry Skin  

Facial Toner hydrates dry skin

Dry skin is usually rough, itchy, and uncomfortable. In some cases, dry skin may have scales or small cracks. The best toner for dry skin is one that contains hydrating properties like aloe and rosewater. These hydrating ingredients are great for healing and nourishing those dry patches. A good toner for dry skin should also be alcohol-free. Generally speaking, everyone should look for an alcohol-free toner, but it’s especially important for people with dry skin! This is because alcohol is harsh on your skin and causes things like dryness and irritation. 

Best Toner For Combination Skin

Combination skin has a unique texture that’s both oily and dry. Inevitably, combination skin calls for a “combination toner” that treats both oiliness and dryness. The key is to treat dry skin and remove excess oil without further dehydrating your skin in the process. To do this, find a toner that’s rich in antioxidants and alpha-hydroxy acids. Salicylic acid is a popular and effective ingredient for reducing oil in combination skin.

Toner for combination skin should also include hydrating and soothing properties to soften the rough patches in your skin. These properties prevent your skin from getting too dry while your pores are detoxing. Witch hazel is great for cleansing the pores without drying out your skin. Next up, let’s discuss a tricky one – the best toners for sensitive skin!  

Best Toner For Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin is easily inflamed and prone to allergic reactions. For this reason, finding an alcohol-free toner is essential for sensitive skin. As we previously mentioned, alcohol is harsh on your skin and causes tightness and/or irritation. Toner for sensitive skin should also be unscented. Many toners are scented for aesthetic purposes which may be harmful to those with sensitive skin. The truth is that fragrances often contain artificial ingredients that cause allergic reactions in sensitive skin. If you’re against an unscented toner, look for a toner with naturally scented anti-inflammatory properties like rose water or chamomile extract. These ingredients smell good, soothe your skin, and neutralize your pH levels. 

Best Toner For Acne Prone Skin

Woman checking skin in the mirror.

Generally speaking, acne-prone skin produces excess sebum that clogs your pores and creates acne. It feels oily and appears shiny. If you have acne-prone skin, look for a pH balancing toner that is alcohol-free. The goal is to remove excess oils from your pores without drying out your skin, as alcohol tends to do. Look for natural exfoliation preservatives like lactic acid to help clear and shrink your pores. Tea tree toner is a popular option for acne-prone skin. This is because it’s alcohol-free, balances your pH levels, and eliminates excess oil and sebum. Additionally, tea tree toner is an anti-inflammatory agent with antimicrobial properties that reduce redness and acne scars. Stick around to learn about the best toners for oily skin and large pores! 

Best Toner For Oily Skin And Large Pores

Oily skin and large pores have a relatively interdependent relationship, making them pretty tough to manage. Larger pores have a higher capacity for oil and sebum which increases their chances of clogging. There is no sure-fire cause of large pores, but they tend to expand when your skin produces too much sebum. Your pores also grow when your skin loses elasticity. The best toner for oily skin and large pores should include ingredients that dynamically target both of these issues.

In other words, your toner should be eliminating oil and sebum while also shrinking your pores and preventing dry skin. Ceramides, salicylic acid, and nicotinic acid are great ingredients to achieve this. Ceramides and salicylic acid are organic compounds that help your skin retain moisture and protect it from toxins. Meanwhile, nicotinic acid is a vitamin B complex that helps with your skin complexion and shrinking your pores. 

Best Toner For Glowing Skin

We all strive to achieve glowing skin. It looks clear, soft, and healthy. The best toner to maintain glowing skin has gentle exfoliating acids and soothing properties. Glycolic acid is a mild exfoliant that works well for glowing skin. Glycolic acid is the smallest water-soluble alpha-hydroxy acid. It exfoliates your skin at the surface level without entering too far into your pores, which is exactly what you need. Additionally, exfoliating with glycolic acid accentuates the glow of your skin! 

Best Toner For Men

Men’s skin may look similar to women’s skin, but there are a variety of hormonal and compositional differences that require alternative skincare approaches. First off, testosterone circulates men’s skin, making it feel rougher and thicker. Also, men have larger pores and more acidic skin than women. This is because men’s sweat generates more lactic acid than women’s sweat. Additionally, lots of men shave their facial hair which results in stressful skin conditions. Shaving can cause ingrown hair follicles, cuts, and irritation at the surface level. So, it makes sense that men and women have different toner needs.

The best face toner for men prevents acne by shrinking and detoxing the pores. It should also manage oil production without drying out your skin. Red macroalgae and salicylic acid are popular ingredients that work well in men’s toner. Red Macroalgae, also known as Rhodophyta, is a type of red algae that balances sebum production and fends away toxins. Salicylic acid is great for unclogging the pores and softening your skin. Lastly, men’s toner should include some anti-inflammatory substances like witch hazel or coconut oil to soothe freshly shaved skin.

DIY Toner Recipe & Guide

DIY Toner.

If you are interested in using a toner but don’t know your exact skin type, play it safe with a natural toner for sensitive skin. Toner for sensitive skin is by far the most versatile for users. Anyone can use a natural toner for sensitive skin without worrying about allergic reactions. This homemade face toner for sensitive skin is super easy to make. It is a green tea toner that only requires three ingredients! The witch hazel in this toner hydrates your skin and unclogs your pores, and the green tea reduces inflammation and improves your skin complexion.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of witch hazel
• 1 bag of green tea
• 3-ounce plastic bottle for storage

Directions

Measure half a cup of water and pour it into a small pot. Wait for the water to boil and then add your teabag. Wait approximately 30 minutes for the teabag to seep into the water and cool down. You can refrigerate the tea for a few minutes to speed up this process. Once the tea cools down, add it to your bottle. Then pour in your witch hazel and shake until mixed. Apply the toner twice a day with a cotton ball and finish with your favorite moisturizer!

Most skin toner isn’t too expensive. A 1oz bottle of toner costs around $8-$10. Therefore, making homemade face toner is not necessarily a cheaper option. But it is a fun way to personalize your toner and tailor it to meet your skin needs. Additionally, making a natural skin toner alleviates the pressure of searching for harmful substances that may be hidden in store-bought products. 

Face Toner Before And After  

As we previously mentioned, facial toner works best as a “safety net” for your facial cleanser. Essentially, your facial cleanser sets the scene for your facial toner to thrive. It opens your pores and removes the surface-level toxins from your face, which gears up the toner for a deep clean. After using toner, your skin will feel lighter, fresher, and smoother. It’s important to acknowledge that moisturizing is not essential after using toner, as using a facial toner will not make your skin dry. We only suggest that you moisturize after using toner because your pores will be open and more susceptible to the product. If you don’t take part in a daily moisturizer, that is totally fine! However, if you do use a daily moisturizer, the toner will increase its benefits.

Conclusion

Using a toner before moisturizing is like preheating your oven before baking a cake. Hear me out – a cake can’t fully cook unless the oven is properly preheated. So, if your cake is undercooked because the oven didn’t heat up, the oven is not the problem – the temperature is. Well, when it comes to faulty skincare products, the problem isn’t always within the product itself. More often than not, the issue pertains to a lack of proper access to your skin. For example, a product cannot fully empty your pores if it doesn’t have complete access to them. Clearly, this is not always the case; sometimes your product just doesn’t work.

Additionally, some products claim to surpass any amount of toxins that are clogging pores. But you would be surprised at how much toner can make an impact on your skin. In the end, using toner won’t transform your skin on its own. However, it can transform the efficiency of your skincare products by providing that extra access!