Skincare FAQ: Toners? Toners!

You’re browsing through COSRX.com or other online beauty shops, or just walking through the aisle at your local drugstores, and you see so many products that people call “toners.” You’ve seen it, you may already be using it, and you probably heard from many people about how it’s an “essential part of their skincare routines.” But what really is a toner and why should you use it?

What are Toners?

In the old days, toners contained high concentrations of alcohol because the main purpose was to remove oil from skin and make it less oily. So, the old toners were mostly stinging and dehydrating the skin by destroying the skin’s oil and moisture balance. But hey, lots have changed over the past few years.

 Nowdays, toners are water-based cosmetic products (not alcohol!) that help clarify skin and add hydration to skin after cleansing. Different categories of toners contain different acids, glycerin, antioxidants, and/or anti-inflammatories. Because the toners are water-based, it penetrates quickly into skin and delivers hydration from the inside out. Not only that, using a cotton pad or cotton ball to apply toners will help in softening the skin texture by removing dead cells off the skin’s surface. You’ve cleansed skin, filled pores with hydration, removed dead cells – now your skin is ready for other skincare products like serums or moisturizers.

When should I use it?

This is an easy question to answer. The answer is : Right After Cleansing! After you wash your face with a cleanser, wiping your skin with a toner-soaked cotton pad helps in removing any residual impurities left while evening out the skin. Also, the ingredients in toners will soak deep into the skin the best when the skin is wet and prep the skin for the next products applied.

How should I apply toners?

There are many ways to apply toners. You can put some on your hands and tap it directly onto the skin. You can also put some on cotton pads and use it to wipe your face, working outwards. Using cotton pads would be the best for soft exfoliation and to even out the skin tone. If you want to take an extra step, you can try the “7 Skin Method,” a popular Korean skin-care routine in which you apply small amounts of toners in seven layers. This method is perfect for extra hydration during dry seasons.

Which kind of toners should I use?

There are many kinds of toners, each with different benefits. There are two kinds of toners from COSRX – watery liquid type and the toner pads. Liquid type toners are great for multi-use, since you can apply it as liquid and soak cotton pads with it. Toner pads are simple and easy to use because they are pre-soaked with essence and you can use it to easily apply toner and exfoliate at the same time.

*Take a look at the chart and see which product may be the best for you!