The Benefits of Using a Facial Toner

Most of our skin care routines consist of three important products:

• Cleanser
• Moisturizer
• Exfoliator

Very few recognize the importance of a facial toner, and neglect to add it to their skin care routine. Which begs the question: Do you really need a facial toner?

Yes!

Facial toners prevent or reduce some of the most irritating skin problems, such as acne, oiliness and dry skin. It does all this while keeping your pH balanced and detoxing your skin. So if you haven't done so, add a fourth product to your routine: an all natural facial toner.

An important benefit of facial toners is it's ability to balance your skin's pH level, which leads to smooth, revitalized skin. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Our skin is naturally acidic, and ranges between 5 and 6.5. But when we wash our face with soap, the alkaline within the soap disrupts our skin's natural balance. As a result, skin counters by increasing it's oil output- a direct cause of pimples.

Toners work to restore that balance so our skin is neither too dry, nor too oily.

We detox our bodies to rid it of toxins and to stay healthy. So why not detox your skin for the same reasons? Another important use of a facial toners is to detoxify skin. The result is skin that's free of environmental toxins, and radicals that can be found in most cosmetics. Once clear of these radicals, your skin expands with the vitality of youth. This may sound like a gimmick, but it's true. Toners keep your skin healthy, and healthy skin defers wrinkles and retains youth.

Many facial toners on the market claim to be natural, but contain chemicals and harmful astringents. Look at the ingredient list and buy what you know. If you see an ingredient that you don't recognize or you know is harmful, like alcohol, then don't make the purchase. These ingredients defeat the purpose of facial toners and do more harm than good.

Look for natural ingredients like rosewater and essential oils.

And always be selective. Choose the best; your skin deserves it.

Many skin toners work for all skin types, but if you suffer from dry, oily or combination skin, seek out the facial toner that works specifically for that condition. It will target, and reduce your problem in a matter of days, as long as you remember that consistency is key.

If you have normal skin, you know what to do: find the toner best suited for normal skin.

Facial toners work best after you cleanse your face, and before you apply your moisturizer.

• Splash warm water on your face. Wait a few minutes for pores to open.
• Apply cleanser, preferably using a face cleansing brush.
• Pour a moderate amount of toner to a cotton ball and gently apply upwards.
• Wait two minutes for the face toner to dry.
• Moisturize.

This is the perfect routine to remove dirt and oil, unclog pores and hydrate your skin. Do this every night before bed.

If this is your first time reading up on facial toners, you just got a lot of information tossed your way. So what do you take from it? Well, everything. But in a nutshell, remember these facts:

• Your skin needs a certain amount of oil to resist bacteria. But some skin types naturally produce too much oil, a direct cause of acne. Others produce too little (dry skin types), which causes wrinkles.
• For those who have oily or dry skin, your pH level is on the fritz, and needs to be balanced. The range most desired is 4-6.5. If you can't reach this naturally, you can with a facial toner.
• Most natural skin toners have a pH level that's close to 5.5. This is why organic toners with natural ingredients is your best choice. Avoid mass produced brands found at the nearest drug store.
• Used regularly, your toner will clean the skin and prevent acne and wrinkles.