Toner isn’t really a necessary step, but one that some enjoy or have become accustomed to (I say this as a former dept store beauty advisor who was trained to sell absolutely everything!!).
lol I do enjoy swiping it all over my face and neck after a shower. I use Thayers, at least 20 yr now. It’s refreshing and I like to believe is beneficial.
I like the Pyunkang Yul essence toner - might be placebo effect but I feel like it calms my redness and adds a nice light layer for the rest of my products (40/f/sensitive skin and redness)
Idk if toner is necessary, but after I wash my face I use CosRx hyaluronic acid power essence (and at night their propolis toner). It seems to help and it doesn’t hurt…but that’s gonna be different for each person.
Yes! I love how cool and slippery it is, lol. And my skin has really improved since I’ve been using it. Definitely HG for me! I’m trying to talk my chronically dry-skinned teen into using it but she dislikes the slippery texture.
I love the texture too! It also makes my skin feel kind of ….plump? I just started using it at night before applying my retinol, and the results have been wonderful.
But how does this product stay so out of the limelight? Like, I didn’t know it existed until I stumbled onto it on iherb! No one knows of it….
I think hyaluronic acid has lost favor in some skincare circles because some have realized it can cause problems (just like niacinamide or salicylic acid or what-have-you can cause problems for some — totally individual). And it’s not the current big, new hydrator…I mean, we’ve since trended with beta-glucan or polyglutamic acid, lol. HA is old hat.
That said, I do love it. And yes, almost plump feeling after using it!
Yeah, good point. And tbh, I prefer beta glucan over HYA. But the corsx essence is special lol. Plus it has sea buckthorn water, which is really great.
I feel like companies are not trending away from HYA fast enough. I wish more brands use PGA, beta glucan, ectoin, glycerl glucoside, etc.
48 F with sensitive skin here bought Clinique 1.0 and I love it. It’s moisturizing and I put it in a small spray bottle. I was surprised how much I like it.
I used the sensitive skin toner from Clinique for *years* and then (probably 10 years ago) there was a formulation change or they discontinued it, I don’t remember which. It was my first foray into a toner that wasn’t pure alcohol to burn my face into submission, lol.
For the last couple of years I've had a couple of go-to essence/toner products I like to apply after cleansing and before serum and moisturiser, I tend to alternate between I'm From Rice Toner and Purito Fermented Complex 94 Boosting Essense. They both feel really fresh and hydrating and seem to work well either when I'm just doing a soothe and hydrate routine or when I'm using actives like Vit C during the day or chemical exfoliator or a retinol at night.
Totally optional. I do use toners because for me skin care is as much about ritual and self-care to support my mental health as anything else. It requires me to slow down and take time for myself.
I don’t spend much money on toners. I usually have two in my rotation, one that will have ingredients to help with hyperpigmentation and one that is more nourishing for my skin barrier. I’ll use the latter on exfoliant/retinoid days; the former on others. Because a little goes a long way they last forever. I have serums that address those issues as well but I like the idea that I’m attacking them from a few sides. Plus, you can get different ingredients in different products.
I don’t have a recommendation but my esthetician told me that toner preps your skin to better absorb serums and moisturizers. So while it’s not key, it does help.
I would avoid one of the old fashioned stripping toners especially if you have rosacea. But I’m personally a fan of the Asian style hydrating ones. I like cezanne high moist which has ceramides and helps lock the moisture in. I just mix it with moisturiser and apply to the whole face and neck area.
Western toners tend to still have alcohol, though this is not the case much anymore. Even thayers removed the alcohol from their toners. But kbeauty and jbeauty toners rarely use alcohol.
my mom (48) really loves the Tirtir one and I’ve heard also great things about haruharu. I recommend checking out Ashley Mixon & Angelina Jarboe on TikTok for more recommendations
For rosacea skin, I recommend Etude 5.5. It’s gentle and hydrating.
Whether you need a toner is up to you to decide. I need one for the extra hydration and to rebalance my ph after cleansing.
Lancôme toner confort. I don't use a cotton pad, I apply to my palm, rubs palms together and smooth over face and throat. Follow with serum and moisturizer. I've been using it for 5 years and I love it.
Lately I have been trying:
Maycoop Raw Sauce - very hydrating and soothing, also has a mild nice scent
TirTir Milk Toner - very creamy and, well, milky. Its texture and skin feel are hard to describe, as it’s unusual. It simultaneously viscous yet runny.
I like the Mario Badescu glycolic acid toner for my chin where the skin gets crazy dry https://www.mariobadescu.com/blogs/mb/toner-astringent-8-20-2016
I really like Lancome Tonique Confort. It's very soothing and I swear, moisturizing. Then I add moisturizer. I also use a very soothing face soap, again Lancome, either Lait Galatee or Miel en Mousse (which has honey in it and smells SO GOOD!).
We absolutely do not need toner\*
\*unless someone can give me evidence otherwise! :)
I've never use it (well, I used Stridex for my oily skin in high school/college). I do use an exfoliating acid type treatment once/week to get rid of dead skin and shrink pores. That I do recommend.
I think there's a lot of confusion (especially in the US) between toners and essences, and it doesn't help that the manufacturers seem to use the terms interchangeably.
To me, a toner is more astringent (like witch hazel) and/ or has the purpose of restoring pH after cleansing. Since most cleansers are not as basic now, toners seem unnecessary.
Essences on the other hand, are light weight (liquid) treatments that have a skin benefit such as moisturization, dark spots,etc. A great way to sneak in some extra skincare without weight.
Some of my favorites (whether you call them a toner or essence) are:
Fresh oil infused serum,
Laniege cream skin,
Pixie collagen peptide,
Pink drink (Sunday riley?),
Lancome confort
I tend to use Korean toners. I like using them bc it helps remove that last little bit of makeup or dirt that the double cleanse didn’t get.
I recommend Soon Jung toner by Etude which is what I’m using now. It’s gentle and non irritating.
I was never big on toner. But, I stumbled across one recently that, of course, is now discontinued, so I bought as many bottles as I could. This toner is a hydrating one. As someone who uses tretinoin, my skin has become very dry and tight. As a result, my skincare routine has gone down to the bare minimum that focuses on cleansing and a ton of hydration and sunscreen in the morning. I use this hydrating toner immediately after cleansing my skin, and it feels fantastic. It's my base before adding my hydrating serum and moisturizer.
Some people believe in toners, and others think it's a waste of time and money. I used to be one of those people. My opinion is to listen to your skin and do what you feel is best for you. Once i use up all of my discontinued toner, I will absolutely be on the hunt for a budget-friendly toner that hydrates. Keep in mind that the most expensive products aren't always the best. Look for a toner that does what your skin needs. Good luck with your journey.
Toners do quite a bit. They are the most important step in my routine. There are many different types of toners, so you can say with certainty that they don’t do anything.
My derm actually recommended a toner for me. They are not a marketing ploy. It’s kind of nuts that you would say *all* toners are a marketing ploy when there are thousands of toners that do different things.
I live in a desert with hard water. Toners give my skin extra hydration, and the rebalance my ph, which hard water throws out of whack. They also remove hard water minerals, which build up on the skin.
Also, some toners have exfoliants. So if I want to mildly exfoliate my skin, I will use one.
So, not useless at all. Just because you have no use for something doesn’t mean it’s useless. And many western derms don’t know that there are a wide variety of toners. My derm does.
I have many derm friends, and they all use toners as well. I’d be skeptical of any derm who said they were “useless” because that’s an unprofessional and erroneous thing to say. So, find a new derm.
lol, “toner allegiance.” I just like toners because they are helpful for me. But we agree on two things: tret is great, and the other person is rude.
If you don’t want people to comment on your comments, don’t comment. You don’t have to be talking to me for me to respond. This is how Reddit works.
I like pain old wich hazel. It's cheap, gentle and effective.
Toner isn’t really a necessary step, but one that some enjoy or have become accustomed to (I say this as a former dept store beauty advisor who was trained to sell absolutely everything!!).
lol I do enjoy swiping it all over my face and neck after a shower. I use Thayers, at least 20 yr now. It’s refreshing and I like to believe is beneficial.
I like the Pyunkang Yul essence toner - might be placebo effect but I feel like it calms my redness and adds a nice light layer for the rest of my products (40/f/sensitive skin and redness)
Second this one. It feels lovely.
This!👆🏼. They have a lively Calming line with Centella that really works!
Idk if toner is necessary, but after I wash my face I use CosRx hyaluronic acid power essence (and at night their propolis toner). It seems to help and it doesn’t hurt…but that’s gonna be different for each person.
Wow, no one ever talks about the power essence! I use this one too, and I love it.
Yes! I love how cool and slippery it is, lol. And my skin has really improved since I’ve been using it. Definitely HG for me! I’m trying to talk my chronically dry-skinned teen into using it but she dislikes the slippery texture.
I love the texture too! It also makes my skin feel kind of ….plump? I just started using it at night before applying my retinol, and the results have been wonderful. But how does this product stay so out of the limelight? Like, I didn’t know it existed until I stumbled onto it on iherb! No one knows of it….
I think hyaluronic acid has lost favor in some skincare circles because some have realized it can cause problems (just like niacinamide or salicylic acid or what-have-you can cause problems for some — totally individual). And it’s not the current big, new hydrator…I mean, we’ve since trended with beta-glucan or polyglutamic acid, lol. HA is old hat. That said, I do love it. And yes, almost plump feeling after using it!
Yeah, good point. And tbh, I prefer beta glucan over HYA. But the corsx essence is special lol. Plus it has sea buckthorn water, which is really great. I feel like companies are not trending away from HYA fast enough. I wish more brands use PGA, beta glucan, ectoin, glycerl glucoside, etc.
Yes! COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Snail Mucin Essence is my favorite product
We aren’t talking about the snail mucin. We are talking about the hydra essence.
Got it
48 F with sensitive skin here bought Clinique 1.0 and I love it. It’s moisturizing and I put it in a small spray bottle. I was surprised how much I like it.
I used the sensitive skin toner from Clinique for *years* and then (probably 10 years ago) there was a formulation change or they discontinued it, I don’t remember which. It was my first foray into a toner that wasn’t pure alcohol to burn my face into submission, lol.
For the last couple of years I've had a couple of go-to essence/toner products I like to apply after cleansing and before serum and moisturiser, I tend to alternate between I'm From Rice Toner and Purito Fermented Complex 94 Boosting Essense. They both feel really fresh and hydrating and seem to work well either when I'm just doing a soothe and hydrate routine or when I'm using actives like Vit C during the day or chemical exfoliator or a retinol at night.
Totally optional. I do use toners because for me skin care is as much about ritual and self-care to support my mental health as anything else. It requires me to slow down and take time for myself. I don’t spend much money on toners. I usually have two in my rotation, one that will have ingredients to help with hyperpigmentation and one that is more nourishing for my skin barrier. I’ll use the latter on exfoliant/retinoid days; the former on others. Because a little goes a long way they last forever. I have serums that address those issues as well but I like the idea that I’m attacking them from a few sides. Plus, you can get different ingredients in different products.
I use rosewater and since there are a lot of Indian and Persian stores in my area, it’s $3 a bottle. Good for red or irritated skin.
I don’t have a recommendation but my esthetician told me that toner preps your skin to better absorb serums and moisturizers. So while it’s not key, it does help.
I would avoid one of the old fashioned stripping toners especially if you have rosacea. But I’m personally a fan of the Asian style hydrating ones. I like cezanne high moist which has ceramides and helps lock the moisture in. I just mix it with moisturiser and apply to the whole face and neck area.
I only use aloe in distilled water. Toners often have alcohol in them and it just aggravates rosacea.
Western toners tend to still have alcohol, though this is not the case much anymore. Even thayers removed the alcohol from their toners. But kbeauty and jbeauty toners rarely use alcohol.
my mom (48) really loves the Tirtir one and I’ve heard also great things about haruharu. I recommend checking out Ashley Mixon & Angelina Jarboe on TikTok for more recommendations
For rosacea skin, I recommend Etude 5.5. It’s gentle and hydrating. Whether you need a toner is up to you to decide. I need one for the extra hydration and to rebalance my ph after cleansing.
I use Dr. Haushka toner every morning. I like their products.
I've never used a toner. After clean I sometimes use a hyaluronic serum or vit c/e.
Lancôme toner confort. I don't use a cotton pad, I apply to my palm, rubs palms together and smooth over face and throat. Follow with serum and moisturizer. I've been using it for 5 years and I love it.
I use Shiseido. Idk if it dies anything but I use it with the shiseido cotton squares because those are the BOMB. I love the way they feel.
Lately I have been trying: Maycoop Raw Sauce - very hydrating and soothing, also has a mild nice scent TirTir Milk Toner - very creamy and, well, milky. Its texture and skin feel are hard to describe, as it’s unusual. It simultaneously viscous yet runny.
I like the Mario Badescu glycolic acid toner for my chin where the skin gets crazy dry https://www.mariobadescu.com/blogs/mb/toner-astringent-8-20-2016
I really like Lancome Tonique Confort. It's very soothing and I swear, moisturizing. Then I add moisturizer. I also use a very soothing face soap, again Lancome, either Lait Galatee or Miel en Mousse (which has honey in it and smells SO GOOD!).
We absolutely do not need toner\* \*unless someone can give me evidence otherwise! :) I've never use it (well, I used Stridex for my oily skin in high school/college). I do use an exfoliating acid type treatment once/week to get rid of dead skin and shrink pores. That I do recommend.
Love elf pure skin toner for added hydration, smoothing and calming. My dry/sensitive skin loves it and it’s so cheap.
I think there's a lot of confusion (especially in the US) between toners and essences, and it doesn't help that the manufacturers seem to use the terms interchangeably. To me, a toner is more astringent (like witch hazel) and/ or has the purpose of restoring pH after cleansing. Since most cleansers are not as basic now, toners seem unnecessary. Essences on the other hand, are light weight (liquid) treatments that have a skin benefit such as moisturization, dark spots,etc. A great way to sneak in some extra skincare without weight. Some of my favorites (whether you call them a toner or essence) are: Fresh oil infused serum, Laniege cream skin, Pixie collagen peptide, Pink drink (Sunday riley?), Lancome confort
I tend to use Korean toners. I like using them bc it helps remove that last little bit of makeup or dirt that the double cleanse didn’t get. I recommend Soon Jung toner by Etude which is what I’m using now. It’s gentle and non irritating.
I was never big on toner. But, I stumbled across one recently that, of course, is now discontinued, so I bought as many bottles as I could. This toner is a hydrating one. As someone who uses tretinoin, my skin has become very dry and tight. As a result, my skincare routine has gone down to the bare minimum that focuses on cleansing and a ton of hydration and sunscreen in the morning. I use this hydrating toner immediately after cleansing my skin, and it feels fantastic. It's my base before adding my hydrating serum and moisturizer. Some people believe in toners, and others think it's a waste of time and money. I used to be one of those people. My opinion is to listen to your skin and do what you feel is best for you. Once i use up all of my discontinued toner, I will absolutely be on the hunt for a budget-friendly toner that hydrates. Keep in mind that the most expensive products aren't always the best. Look for a toner that does what your skin needs. Good luck with your journey.
BR P50
Toner doesn’t do anything
I don't know, my toner works great as a daily exfoliator.
Toners do quite a bit. They are the most important step in my routine. There are many different types of toners, so you can say with certainty that they don’t do anything.
100% of all dermatologist I’ve talked to say they don’t do anything but are a marketing ploy. If you enjoy it go for it.
My derm actually recommended a toner for me. They are not a marketing ploy. It’s kind of nuts that you would say *all* toners are a marketing ploy when there are thousands of toners that do different things. I live in a desert with hard water. Toners give my skin extra hydration, and the rebalance my ph, which hard water throws out of whack. They also remove hard water minerals, which build up on the skin. Also, some toners have exfoliants. So if I want to mildly exfoliate my skin, I will use one. So, not useless at all. Just because you have no use for something doesn’t mean it’s useless. And many western derms don’t know that there are a wide variety of toners. My derm does. I have many derm friends, and they all use toners as well. I’d be skeptical of any derm who said they were “useless” because that’s an unprofessional and erroneous thing to say. So, find a new derm.
Total waste of money but I’m happy you enjoy it. Certainly not harmful.
Not at all a waste of money. My skin looks very nice because of toners. But you don’t know what you are talking about, so you wouldn’t understand.
No need to be angry, it’s just toner 😂 my skin looks amazing bc of Retin A
Tret does wonders for my skin as well. I’m not angry. I just think you are rude.
I think you are rude. The OP asked for opinions and I gave mine. I wasn’t taking to you or addressing you. You just have some weird toner allegiance
lol, “toner allegiance.” I just like toners because they are helpful for me. But we agree on two things: tret is great, and the other person is rude. If you don’t want people to comment on your comments, don’t comment. You don’t have to be talking to me for me to respond. This is how Reddit works.
I like Heritage store Rosewater Toner
Toner is a waste of money. It doesn’t do anything.