Tips from the Team | Is toner necessary? Or is it just old school?

Growing up I always remember being told to ”cleanse, tone and moisturise” my skin as these were the three basic daily steps to keeping your skin clean and healthy. Of course, knowledge on skincare and products have evolved over the years like many things, for example, SPF is a must and you can’t beat a good exfoliation, and a detoxing mask! These days, with the abundance of products in the market to potentially add to a routine, it can be overwhelming. So is a Toner necessary? Or is it simply, just old school?

What exactly is a Toner and do I really need one? 

I think for many of us a toner correlates memories of adolescent spots and dowsing cotton pads with exceptional high alcohol astringents, leaving the feel and smell of what one can recall similar to nail polish remover. Poor skin! So I guess no wonder many associate a toner as something targeted towards a more acne, oily prone skin. Truth being that those alcohol-based toners are too drying, even for those with oily skin and strip the skin leaving it dehydrated and irritated.  

I think the best way to think of a Toner, is the second step of cleansing. A good toner that’s right for your skin, like our Wideye Toners which are alcohol free btw! help to remove any left over makeup traces, excess oils, dead skin cells that may remain after washing, and help balance the skins PH level.

In the south, many cities, are indefinitely ill-fated with hard water, leaving not only your kitchen utensils fighting the limescale losing battle, but the excess of minerals in hard water can also damage the protective layer on your skin,  leaving the skin dehydrated, dry and fragile, affecting the skins natural PH level. The skin has a thin, protective layer on its surface, called the acid mantle, which has a naturally ideal pH value of 4–6. The PH scale ranging from 1-14, 1 being most acidic, 7 being neutral and anything above 12 containing the most alkaline. 

Now we are clear on why toner can be a great addition to your routine, here is a quick run through of the toners we offer at Wideye. Our toners not only help balance the skins PH level, they tackle different skin care needs whether it’s dry, dehydrated, sensitive, combination, or normal skins. They leave the skin hydrated, soothed and refreshed.

We have 5 to choose from;

Balancing Toner for Combination skin. Pure Rose water, the ultimate calming toner, perfect for reddened, dry and damaged skin. 

Naked Toner for sensitive skin. Super gentle aloe vera rich toner to soothe, refresh and rehydrate your skin.

Rehydrating Toner for dehydrated or dry skin calming and naturally antibacterial with Lavender. Great for Hydration in winter or summer when our skin takes additional stresses. 

Skin Fuel Toner  for Mature skin. With Hydrolysed Marine collagen, antioxidants and Aloe vera all for hydration, skin tone, vitality firming and elasticity.

Rehab Toner for  anything from normal to oily skin. Refreshing zesty detoxing toner. Grapefruit is a natural stimulating astringent, brightening skins complexion and tighten the pores.

If you have any specific questions with regards to what toner may be best suited for you, remember you can always book a free online skin care consultation with us here!

Written by Brighton store manager Allessia Mancini.