WHAT I USE… TONERS
WHEN YOU GET PAID TO TEST BEAUTY PRODUCTS FOR A LIVING, WHAT DO YOU ACTUALLY PAY TO USE? ELLE’S BEAUTY DIRECTOR KatyYoung COMES CLEAN
Our Beauty Director’s guide to a new generation of gentle, hydrating, glow-giving toners
Did anyone really have a clue what all that toning was about back in the Nineties? Short of removing the last residue of foundation my cleanser had failed to shift, I was never really sure. Plus, given that toners of the Nineties were mostly made from alcohol, the idea of subjecting my then juicy skin to ‘water’ that would (ironically) leach out my own supplies always seemed a little counterintuitive to me. Those formulas were pointless at best, harsh and stripping at worst.
But 3O years can do a lot to a product. Today, toners – or ‘essences’, ‘lotions’ or ‘solutions’ – are no longer the third wheel in a good skincare regime. Far from it: they are the resurfacing, collagen-boosting, acne-reducing, glow-getting and treatment-boosting wonders of our time.
The most basic job a toner has is to balance skin, gently nudging your face back to a 5.5 pH where it can begin to protect itself again after all that double cleansing, which can send skin into oil-producing overdrive. You’ll know you’re prone to this if you’re left with that taut feeling after cleansing. Sound familiar? Look for chamomile and plant-based tinctures that are both alcohol-free and suitable for sensitive types, and steer clear of acids.
Unless, that is, you want a little resurfacing. Not as brutal as it sounds, the modest alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) includes lactic (milk), glycolic (sugarcane) or malic (fruit) acid. It breaks down bonds between cells, gently nibbling away at the dulling top layer to reveal the fresh, dewy skin that was hiding underneath all the time.
While these liquid exfoliants may trigger a mild tingling sensation at first, keep calm and carry on, as daily use trains your skin to regulate cell turnover, hold onto moisture and stimulate collagen.
A salicylic acid however – being a ‘beta’ hydroxy acid (BHA), which has a slightly smaller molecular size – is able to go far deeper into any plugged pores for a nice deep clean, making it a good – and, by the way, very gentle – choice for acne or blackhead sufferers. Most will be labelled ‘salicylic’ on the front of the bottle, or on the ingredients list on the back. A lot of die-hard toner fans will also swear by their daily dose for hydrating or softening powers. Look out for formulas that contain hyaluronic acid, as well as aloe, glycerin and even algae extract, which will help your face to retain moisture like a sponge.
My favourite toners, however, are those that prep your skin beautifully, setting the scene for any product layered over them. These toners enable active ingredients to penetrate the skin, rather than just redundantly sit on top. Tinctures that use polyhydroxy acids (PHAs), the even more gentle exfoliating cousin of AHAs, are your best bet here. Genuine beauty bargains are rare, but with its ability to supercharge skincare so that it does more, and you use less of it, this kind of toner is definitely one of them. I’m by no means a moneysaving expert, but if I could encourage you to invest wisely in your skincare regime, it would probably start here.
“TODAY, TONERS ARE NO LONGER THE THIRD WHEEL IN A SKINCARE REGIME. THEY’RE THE GLOWGETTING WONDERS OF OUR TIME ”