Tipping Thursday: Skincare Part II-Toner

This week is Part II of the skincare tips.  It's on toner.

Some of you might be thinking, toner, what's toner?  No, I'm not talking about what you put in your printer.  This toner goes on your face.

Toner is amazing and does great things for your skin.  It helps restore your skin's natural pH that gets washed away when you clean your face.  Cleanser opens your pores to clean all the impurities out.  But then they stay open.  Anytime you wash your face using water, your pores remain open for 30 minutes after cleansing. letting all the dirt and oils you just washed away back in.  So, what do you do to keep all that junk out?  Toner!  It closes the pores that the cleanser opens when you wash your face.  It also picks up what your cleanser might have left behind.  Not to mention the free radicals in the air that can harm the skin are now able to get into the pores and cause damage if left open.  Who would want that?  If you've got oily skin, stay away from toners with oil in them-just like with your cleansers.  You'll want to use one that has a little bit of alcohol in it.  And this is why-when the alcohol evaporates from your skin, it takes excess oil on your skin with it.  Amazing.  But if you have dry skin, stay away from toners with alcohol, as they will probably dry your skin too much.  You might find that you have to change your toner depending on the time of year it is.  For example, when I was still living in New Mexico, I would switch to an alcohol-free toner in the winter because it gets so dry and cold there that my skin would hurt.  You might need a toner with alcohol in it during the summer months when it's hotter and you're a little more oily.  Now that I'm back in Florida, where it's humid, an alcohol toner is perfect for me all-year-round.  It keeps my skin fresh and clear.  Just listen to your skin.  It should never feel tight or uncomfortable after you have washed and toned and it should never feel sticky or slick.

My favorite toner is, hands down, the Pore Refining Toner by Neutrogena.  I don't have oily skin, but if I didn't use toner, I would.  This keeps it oil-free.  And it's great for sensitive skin types, too.