Who doesn’t want beautiful, glowing skin? Skin cleansers and toners are the first step to getting there. These skincare products are often forgotten amongst the myriad numbers of anti-wrinkle and moisturizing creams and lotions. But they create the canvas on which the rest of your skincare products are applied. They’re worth another look to brighten your skin and bring it to a place of happy health.
What are skin cleansers?
Facial cleansers are fairly self-explanatory. These formulas remove dirt and oils from the skin. However, there’s more variation in their ingredients than you might think. Some cleansers contain soap, which can dry and irritate the skin. Others hydrate or treat acne by breaking down cogs and oils while cleansing.
What are skin toners?
Toners can perform several functions for the skin, depending on the ingredients. Many provide extra moisture that helps retain bonds between the skin cells. When a moisturizer is applied on top of the toner, it locks that moisture into the skin.
Toners also remove any impurities or residue so that the moisturizer can better penetrate the skin. Some toners can help control acne. These toners are a bit harsher, but they cut down on oil production while prepping the skin for moisturizer.
How to Get More Out of Your Skin Cleansers and Toners
You can get more out of your cleansers and toners by knowing how and when to use them. It can also be helpful to know more about yourself to pick the right formula.
Know your skin type
Your skin type makes a big difference in the types of cleansers and toners you use.
- Dry: Dry skin may have dry or rough patches because it has trouble retaining moisture. Hydrating cleansers and toners can prevent over-drying the skin.
- Normal: Normal skin falls between dry and oily. It generally doesn’t have blemishes and has a smooth texture. Normal skin typically does well with most skincare products.
- Oily: Oily skin is prone to breakouts because it produces higher amounts of sebum, the natural oil made by the skin. The pores also tend to be large and the skin visibly shiny.
- Combination: Combination skin has areas that are dry and areas that are oily. The forehead, nose, and chin, for example, are often the oily areas, while the cheeks are dry.
Within each of these types, the skin can also be sensitive, which means it gets easily irritated by skin products. Cleansers and toners made for your specific skin type can help your skin reach its best health.
Know the toner type
- Bracer: Bracers are toners that primarily moisturize the skin. They’re gentle and alcohol-free. They’re best for dry or sensitive skin.
- Tonic: Tonics are slightly stronger than bracers. They may contain alcohol and work well for normal, oily, and combination skin types.
- Astringent: Astringents are the harshest option. These toners typically have alcohol and help break down oils and clogged pores, making them best for oily skin.
Use the same brand
Brands often create products that complement one another. For example, the toners within one brand are designed to provide the right moisture levels for the same brand’s cleansers. Using a single product line can help balance your skin’s PH and moisture levels.
When the product isn’t working for you
You can get more out of your products by recognizing when they aren’t the right product for you. Sometimes switching your skincare products leads to purging, wherein the product causes impurities deep within the skin to come to the surface, resulting in breakouts. Purging isn’t a problem because once the skin gets rid of the impurities, it calms and clears.
What can be a problem is if the products have ingredients that irritate your skin. If after a few weeks, your skin continues to break out or seems irritated, the cleanser or toner may not be the right formula for you.
SkinResourceMD Cleansers and Toners
At SkinResourceMD, we strive to provide gentle skincare products for different skin types. We have two cleansers. Our Deep Cleaning Facial Cleanser is designed for normal to oily skin. It contains tea tree oil, which contains natural antibacterial properties, and willow bark, which contains salicylic acid to help control acne.
SkinResourceMD’s Total Facial Cleansing Gel is a soap-free cleanser that’s gentle enough for sensitive skin and doesn’t strip the skin of its natural oils. Both of our cleansers work beautifully with our Visibly Moist Toner. This toner is designed to gently moisturize with natural sugars and panthenol and lightly scented with lavender and rose essential oils.
