What does toner do for your face?

In its simplest form, toner is a liquid moisturiser. The watery substance is jam-packed with goodness, making it a bit of a superfood for your skin. Like water, toner contains Oxygen and Hydrogen (but a lot more), as well as important vitamins, acids (like Salicylic Acid and Niacinamide), antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. When all these ingredients are combined, they work wonders to make your skin look its best.

Although the name suggests its main job is to tone your skin, toner can do much more than that. When used regularly, toner is great for keeping your skin hydrated, clearing out and tightening pores, rebalancing pH levels, and washing away excess oils. And if your favourite toner has anti-inflammatory qualities, it’ll help reduce redness caused by acne or blemishes, too. 

By toning your skin before you exfoliate or apply a treatment, you’re introducing additional nourishment and vitamins, for longer-lasting results. The following is recommended to give your skin everything it needs.
 
·          Make sure you remove any makeup before starting to cleanse your face
 
·          Apply toner
 
·          Exfoliate (no more than two to three times per week) and rinse
 
·          Apply treatment, if you’re using one

·          Moisturise and leave to soak in



Do you wash toner off?

There is no need to rinse toner off of your face, instead you can let it sink in and allow skin to absorb its nourishing ingredients.

To start your toner ritual, put a few drops on two cotton pads. You can always add a little bit more if needed, but there’s no need to soak. For best results, lightly dab and gently massage the skin instead of swiping or tugging.
 
1. Wash your face with a cleanser and remove any makeup
 
2. Start by dabbing the pads under the chin, and gently moving up the face, through the temples and towards the forehead, lightly applying pressure as you go

3. Move towards the centre of your brows, continuing light pats and massages down either side of the nose, and outwards, under the eyes and along your cheekbones

4.  Be careful not to get too close to the lips or eyelids, which can be more delicate
5. Continue a second round on areas where you’d likely find extra dead skin cells, like common wrinkles areas – either side of the eyes, under brows, and on the forehead

6.  Give the toner a couple of minutes to soak in and do its job before you move on to the next stage of your skincare routine. There’s no need to rinse or wash toner off your face.

Although toner affords your skin an extra degree of love and care, it’s not an absolute necessity. But all skin types are different. If you’d like to tighten your pores, or you’ve noticed that your face becomes quite oily (which is very common, especially for teens going through puberty), introducing toner to your routine could be a rewarding experiment.

If you often find yourself with frustrating bouts of acne or breakouts and want some gentle relief, take a look at NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Toner, which includes clever ingredients to keep blemishes at bay, including Niacinamide and Salicylic Acid. 

NIVEA offers a range of toners, to suit different tastes and skin types. Whether you’d like something that has an uplifting scent attached to it, like the NIVEA Rose Care 2-in-1 Cleanser & Toner with Organic Rose Water, or you’re looking for a double-action cleanser, combing toner and milk, like the NIVEA 2-in-1 Cleanser & Toner, you’re in the right place.