Beauty Buzz: Why you should you try toner

By Andi Douglas, nwaMotherlode beauty editor and mama of 3

Watch your tone!

Don’t worry, this isn’t another article about how to talk to your kids. That is advice you will never hear from me.

People tend to comment on how refreshing it is that I speak to my children like they are adults. You can often hear me “talking” to my kids from outside of my house. I may not be the best example of “tone” but I have taught them how to humble themselves and apologize for something they said. So there’s that.

One thing I can give some insight on is toner. In my last post I mentioned that primer should be applied after your toner, and I can’t stop thinking about the vagueness of that comment.

Ages ago, someone gave me a toner to use and I wasn’t into it. I always thought it was a type of alcohol rub and would dry out my already parched skin. I know now that I was confusing toner with astringent (used for oily and acne prone skin in small doses) and that by skipping the toner step in my skin care regime, I have been depriving myself of a lot of moisturizing benefits and diminishing the effects of the products I do use. Applied to a clean face, toner helps to prepare the skin for your serum and moisturizer, allowing them to penetrate deeper into the skin, as well as removing any leftover traces of dirt and makeup.

Also, after washing your face, even with a mild soap, your skin has been deprived of some its natural oils and protectants, going into overdrive to correct and replenish itself, it creates an overabundance of oil on your face. Toner helps replenish your skin faster before your oil glands have a chance to panic. Stop spazzing out, oil glands, we got this.

On the flip side, if you have dry skin, many toners have exfoliating properties to help clean away pore clogging dry skin. Toner for everyone!!!

Pretty much every makeup and beauty line has a toner available now, so where do you even start? Think about your skin type and needs and then read as many reviews as you can. Thankfully, most toners are very reasonably priced, so testing out a few options won’t break the bank and you may find that the different formulas suit you better at different times of the year.

If you have oily or acne prone skin, a toner with a mild astringent, like witch hazel, will help balance you out. The highly rated and organic Thayer’s Alcohol Free Rose Petal Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera seems to be the best of both world’s. One reviewer stated that it cleared up her acne and she no longer needs and extra moisturizer.

A repeat product on the “best of” lists is Mario Badescu Glycolic-acid Toner, recommended for exfoliating dry skin and reducing the signs of aging. Mario Badescu has several different toners available for different skin types as well and all receive high praise.

I wanted to include a spray toner as an option, as opposed to traditional toner applied with a cotton pad, because I love the idea of using it as a boost midday. InstaNatural Vitamin C Facial Toner can be used just like any other toner but has the convenience of being sprayed on without completely ruining your makeup if your skin is feeling parched. One specialist pointed out that you should close your eyes before spraying and I thought “duh”, but then I worried that if I didn’t say anything someone could be blinded and I have enough to feel guilty about. So, close your eye before spraying a light mist over your entire face for a refreshing pick me up during the day.

I may not be able to master my tone of voice but I think I am going to ace this simple beauty step.

I was just remembering my first Valentine’s Day as a married woman. I was ill with morning sickness that lasted all day, so I stayed in pajamas that had gotten too small and cooked at home and then made my new hubbie watch The Notebook. It was awesome and I didn’t even have to wear makeup. Beat that for romantic, Hallmark! Wishing you all lots of hearts and flowers, Mamas!

Andi Douglas is a mama of three and loves to play with makeup and other beauty supplies. She likes to try new products and services in the name of beauty editor here at nwaMotherlode.