If God had consulted us (mostly ladies) before creating us, we would all have asked for longer eyelashes, fuller pouts, voluminous hair, longer legs and most importantly a skin to die for. In fact, you would have drafted a really long list of specifications: the kind of smile, shape of nose and even the kind of blinking. However, there was no consultation and hence, you are now stuck with that bad skin. No! My bad, not bad: imperfect skin.
But because you always opt for the best, you have invested in an array of beauty products that help you get closer to your dream face. Think about that mascara, powder, foundation, eyelash extensions, lip sticks, lip plumpers and the whole lot of products you use just to get that ideal look. Now, you may have invested this heavily but do you know when and how these products should be used? For instance the toner, do you know when you should apply it? No? Find out here:
Before we dig into the timing, let us first get acquainted with what toners are in the beauty arena.
Toners
This refers to a range of products that are usually applied on the skin in order to close pores and also restore the skin's pH balance. These products will help lock in the skin's natural moisture and prevent the entry of bacteria. If regularly done , the toner will give you an oil free, healthy and glowing face whose elasticity will still be on point. This will keep you looking young and healthy and your chances of wrinkling and breakouts will have been drastically reduced.
Best toner
However, it is important to identify the correct toner for your skin in order to avert undesirable aftermaths like dryness or irritation. You should for instance, avoid the alcohol based ones as they tend to foster dryness and highly impair the skin's ability to repair itself. In addition, you should also steer clear of the perfumed toners because they have been known to cause irritation. Instead, you should go for the water based toners as they contain antioxidants that will not harm your skin in any way. Now that you know what a toner is and the best toner to use, let us now find out when you should apply it.
1. Immediately after washing your face
During washing, your skin is usually stripped off its natural oils and when a harsh cleanser is used, the pH is also altered. Your skin is therefore left in a vulnerable state where breakouts can occur either due to bacteria intrusion or mere dryness. It is at this point that the toner should come in handy in order to help restore your pH and also the size of your pores and hence prevent irritation. As a bonus, the toner will also lock the pores and in so doing ensure that no more moisture is lost. This is why after clearing all the cleanser from your face, you should softly dab, spray or apply (depending on the type) the toner on your face and leave it to dry before you apply anything else. In so doing, you will have prevented any form of infection by hindering the entry of bacteria.
2. After exfoliating
Exfoliation is the process of removing all the dead skin cells from your face in a bid to reduce any darkening. Now, this process usually involves the scrubbing off of the outer layer and opening of pores. After the process, you pores will be left open thus exposing you to the risk of infection from bacteria. However, if you apply a toner immediately after, your pores will be restored to their normal size and any bacteria entry will have been averted. In addition, the toner will help prevent any dryness that can force the skin to produce excess oils hence saving you from any oiliness and breakout troubles. Therefore, it is very important to apply a toner every time you exfoliate. Notice however, that you should not exfoliate too many times-at most three times week-as this may worsen your skin problems.
3. Before applying makeup
Makeup may be a good thing but only when on the surface of your skin. There is a possibility that if these products penetrate your skin, then it may get irritated. This is why it is important to close down all your pores before applying makeup in order to prevent any irritation or infection troubles. Remember to allow the toner to dry off before you apply the makeup.
Conclusion
To most people, the toner is not an essential part of their skin care routines. This is why you probably don't even use it. However, the above discussion should have painted the importance of the toner and when you should use it. Therefore, if you are aiming at a flawless skin, then think about applying a good toner after every washing, exfoliation and before applying makeup.
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