Monday, January 16, 2017

Toning - Why Skipping This Step Is Doing You More Harm Than Good

Every time I see a new client at my spa, they fill out a detailed consultation form. On this form I ask them to check off all of the products they are using in their current regimen. And you know what one I see skipped the most often? Toner. But why? If I were to ask my clients why they're skipping the toner I would get a range of answers including "it dries out my skin", "I don't see the point of it" and probably a few who just want to cut time or cut costs. But what are the consequences of skipping this step in your skin care regimen? The truth is most people have no idea what a toner even does! It's a common misconception that toners contain alcohol to "dry out" the skin and help prevent breakouts. True, MANY traditional toners did contain alcohol, and this is what they were recommended for in the 80s and 90s. But today's toners are of a different breed and can actually boost the results of your other skincare products. So what IS the purpose of a toner? It's to remove residue from my cleanser, right? Sorry, wrong again... There should be no residue left from your cleanser if you are rinsing properly, so you don't need a toner for this purpose. A soft wash cloth can do that for you.

Here are the THREE benefits to using a toner:

#1. It balances the pH of your skin. Remember in grade 7 science class when we learned about acids and bases and made those volcanoes with baking soda and vinegar? Well our skin, is naturally slightly acidic, and if you remember from science class, water is neutral, and therefore more alkaline than our skin. Have you ever noticed that after you get out of the shower your skin can feel tight? Well it's not dry... I mean you just got out of the shower, right? It's too alkaline. Throw an alkaline cleanser in the mix and you've got some upset skin if you don't do something about it. So what do most of us do? We slap some moisturizer on there. There that should do it, right? Which leads me to #2....

#2. Your moisturizer cannot work effectively if the skin is not balanced. Not only is your moisturizer meant to add hydration to the skin, but it's also meant to help lock in what moisture is already there, but if it's fighting an unbalanced pH, it can't penetrate effectively into the layers of the skin to do it's job. Plus, the added hydration from the toner means that you will need less moisturizer to spread onto the skin, so your products will go further and last longer, actually saving you money!

#3. Toners contain added vitamins and nutrients for the skin, so it's one more step to nourish your skin. Plus, you can even apply it throughout the day and over makeup to give a boost of hydration, refresh skin, and to set your makeup!

So if you've been skipping the toner, it's time to add it back into your routine! Stop by the spa and find out which toner is best for your skin type!