8 Face Toner Recommendations to Live For

by Wendy Kim on Jan 23, 2018

“7 skin method”, “10 skin method” has been the game changer of our skincare especially last year and now “face toner’ is no longer an unfamiliar term but rather has become an essential for anyone who does skincare. But now I have two questions for you. 1) “Do you know why toner is so important?” 2) “How do you choose your toner?”. Not all face toners are the same and no matter how many times we emphasize it, whenever you use a product that directly touches your skin, 1) know what purpose it serves for the skin, 2) know your skin type & concerns (figure out what care your skin needs) and then 3) choose a product accordingly to choose ‘the one’ that will work perfectly for the skin.

What are the benefits of a Face Toner?

Okay, before I get to share you tips on how to choose the right face toner for your skin type and give product recommendations, let’s be clear on what exactly does it do for our skin? What makes face toner a ‘must’ step in both our morning and night time skincare routine?

1) Preps the skin

Yes, one of the main function of the toner is to prepare your skin to be in the most clean and smooth condition before moving into next skincare steps. We use face toner in the very first step of skincare right after the cleansing step (most of the time) and we usually apply it with cotton pads. Cleansing step will help remove makeup or impurities off from our face but surprisingly, we easily see makeup or dirt stain on the cotton pad at the toner step. Yes, face toners with the help of cotton pads, works to remove any remaining environmental toxins and chemical residues off from the skin. This is crucial because it will help the next skincare products with active ingredients to penetrate better into your skin. I mean..imagine slathering serum and cream onto the skin that still has clogged pores and a layer of dirt?

2) Hydrates the skin

Another main function of a face toner is that it hydrates the skin. Hydrating the skin, no matter how many times we say it, is the key to healthy skin. After the cleansing step, our skin gets easily dry and even sensitive. Face toner helps to provide skin the very first layer of hydration before any other step, making the skin be an effective base for the application of next skincare steps. The level of hydration of course varies according to the face toner but most of it hydrates the skin into the appropriate level. Light, hydrating and layerable are some of the qualifications that makes a great toner.

3) Balances pH level on skin

If you are a skincare guru, you would know the importance of keeping pH balance on the skin and guess what, toner can help you achieve it. Again, this will depend on what face toner you decide you use but many of them work to balance the pH level on the skin after the cleansing step. Considering that balanced pH level on skin will make your skin less prone to infection and excessive sebum production, it only adds another reason to why it is important to never miss this step.

4) Cares for the pores

One of the last benefits that face toner gives to our skin is in pore care. The level of how much pore care it will give depends on the ingredients of the face toner but what it basically does is, as we mentioned above, removing dirt, oil and toxins remaining in the pores and preventing irritation and infections on the skin. As it removes unnecessary waste from the pores, it will keep your skin fresher, cleaner and less oily which can not only help next skincare steps to work effectively but also can prevent troubles and acne.

Toner Recommendation According to Different Skin Types

Now we know what face toner does to our skin, let’s move onto choosing the right one for our skin. There are different types of face toner out there in the market and it can be mainly divided into two: the ‘basic toner’ that serves the function of what I just mentioned above and the ‘functional toner’ that includes ingredients that will even give extra care additional to the basic benefits that a face toner can give.

1) Dry Skin

- Indicator: Your skin feels especially tight & dry after cleansing and easily gets flaky- What to look for in a face toner: If you have dry skin, ‘hydration’ and ‘layerable’ will be the two keywords to consider when choosing a toner. Find a toner that can hydrate the skin without leaving the skin sticky. Texture wise, get hands on the toner that has more viscosity rather than being too watery.- Tips on application: Rather than applying a single layer onto the skin, apply 2-3 or even more layers up to the level where your skin still feels comfortable. So the key would be finding a face toner that has great absorption rate.- Products to try:Basic: [KLAIRS] Supple Preparation Facial Toner- Original price: $21.99 (get it with 10% OFF price now)Functional: [SKIN&LAB] Bio-Activating Essence

2) Oily Skin

- Indicator: Your skin still feels oily even after cleansing & you have large pores- What to look for in a face toner: For oily skin, face toner should not only serve its basic function but additionally serve to remove unnecessary oil off from the face, giving pore care and leaving the skin feeling fresh after use. Find the one that has a light texture (less viscous) and leaves a fresh finish.- Tips on application: Never forget to use a cotton pad when applying the toner. It will help effectively and easily remove unnecessary oil off from the face.- Products to try:Basic: [SKINMISO] Pore Purifying Toner- 

3) Combination Skin

- Indicator: Your cheeks feel dry while your forehead & t-zone still feels oily after cleansing- What to look for in a face toner: Since some part of the skin feels dry and some still feels oily after cleansing, combination skin should pick up a medium face toner that will do general good for the skin. Finding the one that is hydrating but not in a heavy way and finding the one with ingredients like AHA/BHA can be a smart way.- Products to try:Basic: [CHICA Y CHICO] Skin Texture TonerFunctional: [COSRX] AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner

4) Acne / Sensitive Skin

- Indicator: Your skin feels irritated & sensitive after cleansing and have acne or is reactive to certain ingredients- What to look for in a face toner: The trickiest to pick skincare products! ‘Ingredient’ is the number one to consider when choosing a face toner. Avoid ingredients that can irritate your skin and look for face toner that has calming ingredients and that is not too thick. Some of the ingredient recommendation can be: Centella Asiatica and Houttuynia Cordata Extract.- Tips on application: Don’t put too much pressure with a cotton pad when applying the face toner. Using a mist type face toner to spray and gently pad to absorb will be a great way to apply toner without irritation.- Products to try:Basic: [COSRX] Centella Water Alcohol Free Toner- Original price: $16.00 (get it with 10% OFF price now)- For more details: click here8 Different Toners for Different Skin Types!Check out the NEW YEAR, NEW TONER promotion on wishtrend.com!- Period: only available until 5th February (CST)- Benefits: 10% OFF for every toner + 1 FREE [BY WISHTREND] Multi Function Cotton Pads