TIME TO TONE
The secret weapon to beautiful skin is a facial toner! Using a toner is an excellent step everyone should add to their skincare routine to maintain clear and healthy skin. Toners help remove all excess traces of oils, impurities, dead skin cells, left over makeup, and even residue from your cleanser. A toner will help shrink pores, restore the skin’s PH balance, lock in moisture, reduce breakouts and acne, and refresh your skin.
My Suggestion:
At night cleanse your skin with warm water, this will open your pores and prep the face and decolletage for your toner. Immediately soak a cotton ball with your toner of choice and gently sweep over the skin, making sure to carry it onto your neck and chest. This will help further clean your skin prior to going to bed. Follow up with a light moisturizer and eye cream.
My Current Faves:
During the colder months my skin tends to get more dry. It is then that I use a milder toner with more moisturizing properties. I love the Lancome's Tonique Confort Comforting Rehydrating Toner. The formula is rich with honey and sweet almond extracts that leave my skin feeling super soft and fresh. I purchased my bottle from Ulta Beauty in Maywood for $26.
Clinique’s Clarifying Lotion 2 is a staple that I always have in my medicine cabinet. I keep coming back to this product and totally love it! I have never had a bad reaction to this toner and love the deep exfoliation I get. The main ingredient is witch hazel which is excellent at combating inflammation and reducing redness. My skin always feels refreshed and my pores refined. I purchased this product from Bloomingdale's at The Shops at Riverside for $15.
My newer purchase and the toner I have been using most recently is Thayer’s Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera and Rose Petal. I love that the alcohol-free formula is made with all natural ingredients; rose-petal water, witch hazel, vitamin e, and aloe vera. After each use, my skin feels tight and my pores feel like they’ve shrunk, plus it smells amazing! I purchased this bottle from Fairway Market in Paramus for $6.99.
Tip:
Pour some of your favorite toner into an empty spray bottle and place in the fridge. When the weather gets warmer, spritz on your face and neck as a little refresher to “wake up” your skin.
What is your favorite toner? I'd love to know!
Stay smiling!
Jennifer