Korean toners both soothe and hydrate. You never want to hear "I'm goin' in dry!", whether socially, sexually, or when it comes to skincare. Properly toned skin accepts your upcoming skincare products better.
Toners can help close pores and tighten cell gaps after cleansing, reducing the penetration of impurities and environmental contaminants into the skin. It can even protect and remove chlorine and minerals present in tap water.
Our favorite K-pop idols, such as Taehyung from BTS and Jessica Jung, a former member of Girl's Generation (SNSD), use toners to prepare the skin for absorbing serums and creams that come next in the K-beauty routine. Toners are incredible for adding smoothness and rejuvenation to skin after cleansing.
Amongst the highly-reputable range of affordable clinic-grade cosmetic products, Taehyung is said to use the Pimprove toner and moisturiser for radiant, spot-free skin.
Brightening toners are often infused with skin-brightening ingredients such as papaya extract, ginseng, retinol, or vitamin C. These skin toners help reduce the appearance of dark spots, sun spots, acne scars, and fine lines.
Some toners are humectants, which means they attract moisture. So, if your skin is extremely oily and if you feel your toner provides enough moisture, you can definitely skip the moisturizer.
What is the Best Time to use a Toner? One must use a toner on a regular basis, preferably on a daily basis. Most ideally, a toner should be applied twice a day, once after the cleansing process in the morning and the second time, during the night-time skin care routine after thorough removal of makeup.
In Korea, they refrain from using the word toner. They're often called “refreshers,” “skin softener,” and simply “skin.” I applaud this choice -- the word toner sounds utterly tedious and mundane.
Toning is a key part of your skin care routine that's done after cleansing. While there are many types of toners, Neutrogena Rapid Clear 2-in-1 Fight & Fade toner is a fan-favorite for fighting acne. The toner contains salicylic acid, which is known to help reduce breakouts and fade discoloration caused by breakouts.
Do you need to use a toner? “No, toners are not necessary for skin health, so you don't need to use one” states Dr Sonia Khorana, GP with Special Interest in Dermatology and Cosmetic Doctor. “Toners were previously used to remove whatever was left behind of your make-up and dirt after cleansing and balance skin pH.
You should use toner after washing your face, and before using serum or moisturizer. If you want to go green and skip the cotton pad, you can also put a few drops of toner into the palms of your hands and then press them into your face.
A highly astringent toner will dry out your skin, leaving it feeling tight and irritated. You may even feel a sting when you apply it. Instead, aim for soothing and hydrating ingredients, such as rose water or aloe.
While in skincare, toning is done to keep skin looking its best, a more extreme approach is bleaching which is frowned upon! But both are usually confused for each other. Toning is essentially in place to even out skin tone.
Generally, you should apply toner once in the morning and once at night. In the morning, the toner will help remove any sebum produced during the night and balance your skin's pH.
In fact, if you're suffering from dark spot or acne scars, toners help to reduce the dark spots. Toners have replaced the age-old astringents that were earlier used to remove make-up.
Skincare is More Important than Makeup
Since ancient times, Koreans have only used natural, harsh-free ingredients for their skincare routines: green tea, “snail slime”, bamboo extracts, propolis, and honey are just some examples of the elements they used and have passed through generations.
But what is it exactly? In short, the '7 skin method' is the process of layering three to seven layers of toner or an essence-and-toner-in-one onto your skin immediately after cleansing. As for the name, Koreans call toning and essence products "skin," thus, the seven-skin method was born.