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By Janet Thompson
If I was stranded on a deserted island and had to choose only one skin care product, it would definitely be toner! I never realized the importance of toner until I became an Esthetician.
My mother always shopped at the big department stores and spent a lot of money on the latest anti-aging creams and fixes. I would listen to the woman behind the counter give my mother the latest pitch for whatever “miracle cream” they were trying to sell that month. I laughed when I saw my first bottle of toner. I always saw toner as just another advertising gimmick and a waste of money – a means for the woman behind the counter to make another sale. What could a product that looked like water in a fancy spray bottle actually do for my skin?
EVERYTHING! In my opinion, it's the most important part of a skin care routine. If you're not using it, you and your skin are certainly missing out. Using toner on a daily basis has several great benefits.
- Toner is an excellent hydrator. Lightly mist it on the skin before applying your moisturizer. This will allow your cream or lotion pull in moisture and hydrate your skin. Hydrated skin plumps up and smooths out the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Hydrated skin is healthy skin.
- Toner is a balancer. It returns your skin to its healthy pH range, after cleansing and throughout the day. The skin's pH is the most important aspect of skin care, especially if you suffer from acne. If your skin is constantly fighting to balance itself, it affects its appearance, texture and CRF (cell renewal factor). It's all about balance!
- Toner removes residual makeup and any soap residue left behind after cleansing, leaving your skin fresh. You would be surprised at how much dirt and grime is left on your skin after cleansing with soap.
- Toner increases the spreading capabilities of other products, decreasing the amounts you actually use, which saves you money.
- Lightly mist toner on your face after you've applied your makeup. It will help blend your foundation, concealer and blush, leaving your skin with a nice healthy, hydrated glow.
All in all, toner is a wonderful product that is missing in most of my clients’ skin care routines. Once you try it, you will find it hard to live without.
When shopping for toner, READ THE INGREDIENTS CAREFULLY. The first four or five ingredients listed are the most important. Toners that contain organic aloe as the first ingredient would be winners on my list. Look for organic ingredients, and natural fruits and fruit acids. Don't use toners that contain ANY isopropyl alcohol. This will dry and irritate your skin.
Janet Thompson is a licensed Esthetician and owner of Spa La Vie Organic Skin Spa, located in Wasco, IL. www.SpaLaVie.info. Janet loves helping people achieve their skin care goals — the natural way.
