Toner, or To - no thanks

The age of toners for the face seem to have hit a boom with the release of Clinique’s 3 step programme. Usually at this point, I would begin to slate marketing and social popularity for the nonsense of these systems, but at this time, even dermatologists were recommending nothing but the Cleanse, Tone, Moisturise routine, as serums hadn’t been created.

If you wanted results you would go to their clinic for peels and lifts.

In this day and age, those style cleansers are complete nonsense. What is it you think your toner is doing for you? What do you want it to do?

As I discussed in my cleansing post, if you are not removing your make up or rubbish from the day effectively with your cleanser, there is no hope for you. No amount of wiping your face with cotton wool soaked in alcohol will change this.

In my opinion, the only valid ingredient in a toner is an acid.

This is the point where people become scared, but acids are a true godsend.

Imagine an old garden bench with flaking paint. Would you paint over the top without sanding it down? If you would then you need a trip to DIY school.

Acids resurface the skin by breaking down the bonds between skin cells, allowing them to be lifted from the surface of the skin.

There are many different acids available on the high street and the difference between them, is molecule size. Molecule size determines how far into the skin the acid can penetrate.

To get maximum results you want a range of sizes to act on all the outer layers of the skin.

You can begin this process through your toner.

I will list below some of the toners used by people I’ve spoken to about this. I will break down why they are, mostly, pointless.

Product	Relevant Ingredients	Why it’s useless
Vichy Purete Thermale Perfecting Toner	Aqua,PEG-8,Glycerin,PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil,Disodium EDTA,Copper Sulfate,Myrtrimonium Bromide,Parfum	Look at the ingredients, it is basically water, oil and perfume. With some glycerin which, yes, will attract and retain water in the skin, but this ingredient will likely also be in your moisturiser and EDTA which may bind certain “impurities” such as chlorine, but that’s about it. VERDICT: POINTLESS
Darphin Refreshing Toner	Water, Pentylene Glycol, (Banana) Flower Extract, (Fig) Fruit Extract,Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Butylene Glycol,Sodium Pca, Citric Acid, Disodium Edta, Sodium Citrate,Potassium Sorbate, Chlorphenesin, Fragrance,Butylphenyl, Methylpropional, Limonene, Citronellol	Again, water is the main ingredient. The selling point of this product is the banana and fig flower extracts. Why? Who knows. Oh, and added fragrance even though it has these flower extracts. Literally nothing useful in here and its £23 a bottle! VERDICT: POINTLESS and EXPENSIVE
Lancôme Tonique Confort	Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane,Yeast Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cyclodextrin, Sodium Hyaluronate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil,Triethanolamine, Mel (Honey), Mannitol, Isopropyl Palmitate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer,Disodium Succinate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Protein,	So…water, yes, it’s the main ingredient in most things. Glycerin, as mentioned with the Vichy, this will draw moisture to the skin, but you would do this so much better with serums or moisturisers. Same with the sodium hyaluronate (hyaluronic acid). Again, castor oil, a nightmare for anyone with any risk of clogged pores, and honey which I suppose has an antibacterial element but not in this concentration. Again, this is £23 VERDICT: POINTLESS and EXPENSIVE
Simple Kind To Skin Soothing Facial Toner	Aqua, Sorbitol, Sodium PCA, Allantoin, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate Methylparaben, Propylene Glycol, Hamamelis Virginiana Distillate, 2 Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben.	Firstly, sorbitol will give the product that nice cooling effect on the skin, but at the sacrifice of drying it the hell out. Next: Parabens, parabens and more parabens. This is supposed to be soothing yet is rammed with these? It also has a foaming agent (Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate). VERDICT: JUST NO.
On the other end of the spectrum are the “clarifying toners” which are even worse, as they target people with problematic skin. The above ones are useless, yes, but they are targeted at people with slightly dry or normal skin, so adding such a product at least would do no harm (except to your wallet) except for the simple version
Eucerin Dermo purifyer Toner	Aqua, Alcohol Denat, Butylene Glycol, Poloxamer 124, Lactic Acid, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Glyceryl Caprylate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum,	Second ingredient, alcohol. Because apparently acne prone skin, which is, by definition, extremely sensitive to any disturbances of the outer layer, needs something to IRRITATE THE HELL OUT OF IT. Not. Similarly for the added perfume. Lactic acid, this is about the only helpful ingredient here but will be counteracted by all the drying factors. They have added castor oil to try and counteract this. Castor oil. In a product for oily skin. Wonderful VERDICT: RUN
Clarins Toning Lotion with Iris, for Combo or Oily Skin	Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Propylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Oleth-20, Sodium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Parfum/Fragrance, Sodium Citrate, Panthenol, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Water, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Iris Florentina Root Extract, Glucose, Crataegus Monogina Fruit Extract, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Zinc Sulfate, Sorbic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate, Silica, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Hydroxycitronellal, Benzyl Benzoate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Yellow 5, Blue 1	Aloe, points for this as it is indeed calming, but is it necessary? Will it help with oil? No. Next, at least with the other products the fragrance as at the end of the list, this one is right up there. This one also has colourings just for fun. As well as lovely parabens and witch hazel to ensure your skin is irritated to the max. It does have some retinyl palmitate but so low down the list it will have little to no benefit. Especially considering you are about to follow with a serum and/or moisturiser which will dilute it further. VERDICT: I’LL STOP NOW

So now you know what NOT to look for and now list my favourites. 

They are all acid based bar one.

Acids are great and not something to be feared. Here is a quick breakdown so you know what you are looking for

The only really helpful Beta Hydroxy acid in terms of skin care is salicylic acid. The difference between the 2 being that alpha hydroxy’s are water soluble and beta hydroxys are oil soluble. This means that beta hydroxy acids (BHA’s) are able to penetrate into the hair follicle (otherwise known as the “pore” and clear out the sticky cells which are stuck inside said pore.

Therefore, unless you do not suffer from clogged pores at all (perhaps you are supermodel and thus could give me some of your money?) then a combination of AHA’s and BHA’s in their various forms is what you are looking for.

Product	Relevant Ingredients	Why I love it
NIP + FAB GLYCOLIC FIX EXTREME NIGHT PADS https://www.lookfantastic.com/nip-fab-glycolic-fix-extreme-night-pads-60-pads/11457541.html	Aqua (Water/Eau), Glycolic Acid, Triethanolamine, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Niacinamide, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Mandelic Acid, Panthenol, Salicylic Acid, Lactic Acid, Limonene, Parfum (Fragrance), Benzyl Benzoate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Geraniol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citral, Linalool.	I prefer these over the daily ones as 5% glycolic is not an “extreme” amount regardless of what the packaging says. I feel you are better off using these every other night then a lesser amount daily. There are also a combination of acids – both beta and alpha Bad points – alcohol and fragrance. However even on my extremely reactive skin they do not cause a problem. I think because they are in such a low percentage and buffered by the hyaluronic acid and glycerin.
PIXI Glow Peel Pads https://www.cultbeauty.co.uk/pixi-glow-peel-pads.html The solution also comes in nottle form so you can use your own cotton wool PIXI Glow tonic http://www.marksandspencer.com/glow-tonic-250ml/p/p22424632	Water, Glycolic Acid, Aminomethyl Propanol, Glycerin, Rosa Damascena Flower Extract, Polysorbate 20, SD Alcohol 40-B, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Water, Phenoxyethanol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Arginine, Tocopherol, Sodium Hydroxide, Propanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Lactic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Benzoic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Chloride.	Again, this contains a range of acids – glycolic acid at a whopping 20% which means results will be speedy. However there is aloe and glycerine to counteract, and the benefit of no added fragrance as well as some retinol in there for added youth boosting! Yes there is alcohol but again, I do not find these irritating.
DR. DENNIS GROSS SKINCARE Alpha Beta Peel Extra Strength Formula https://www.cultbeauty.co.uk/dr-dennis-gross-skincare-alpha-beta-peel-extra-strength-formula.html	Purified Water, Alcohol Denat., Glycolic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Leaf Extract, Salicylic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Lactic Acid, Mandelic Acid, Malic Acid, Citric Acid, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Menthyl Lactate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Soy Isoflavones, Copper PCA, Zinc PCA, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance (Parfum), Sodium Benzoate	These are strong enough to need 2 pads, one to peel, one to neutralise A mixture of 5 different acids Annoyingly, they do contain fragrance, however, if you are using these, you mean business because they are STRONG so a little fragrance will do no harm
La Roche-Posay Serozinc Spray https://www.escentual.com/la-roche-posay/larocheposay141/	Water, Zinc chloride, zinc sulphate	Zinc chloride is an astringent which means it is great for use when you are hot and sweaty and the pores are liable for bacteria to penetrate the pores, it is also good at reducing oil. Zinc sulphate is great for healing I use this on holiday and after the gym following the shower on the body, although it could be used on the face. It has been one of the few things that helped my body acne. Great for men as it comes in a spray bottle and helps with spots caused by sweat, hair removal etc.