To Tone or not to Tone?

[number1kitty]

Ok million dollar question, To Tone or not to Tone?

I was taught at college to Tone after cleansing to remove any cleanser residue and to close the pores.

Now I only tone if I am doing a microdermabrasion treatment to de grease the skin.

I apply Toner after the facial has ended and after the moisturiser to cool the skin and close the pores.

This has raised a few clients eyebrows recently who also like me have been told, cleanse, TONE, moisturise.

But surely if you tone AFTER cleansing and BEFORE the moisturiser the moisturiser or serums/mask have to work harder.

Some therapists that steam the face, do this AFTER toning which again stands the question why bother?

I have asked several skin care companies now and they seem to think it a bit crazy too, and that its just 'old school'. So am I the only one that does this back to front? Or are there other therapists out there with similar viewpoints?

When I sell skincare I tell them to do it the usual way if they wish as the products I use are based on herbs and plant extracts so the benefits are slightly different from the toner as it isnt astringent.

So your thoughts please???

 

[number1kitty]

Sorry just to add before I get shot down in flames. I spray my toner on after a facial. I dont use cotton wool, so theres no way of removing the moisturiser. Just worth adding incase I am misunderstood.

Kate x

 

[Martin Duffy]

I suppose it depends upon the composition of the toner in question. The jury is still out on the idea of a toner 'closing' a pore, but I reckon it vital in the restoration of pH after cleansing & the removal of excess product, neither of which interferes with absorption of subsequently applied products. I seem to recall a study suggesting that products applied after toner absorb better, something to do with the hydration effect, but again I suppose it depends upon composition.

 

[number1kitty]

This is the thing that bothers me. At college we used witch hazel, rose water and other astringents. Now I beleive astringents dont close pores but instead the cooling action causes reactions. So where as heat opens pores, cold closes them.

So I am trained in about 6 different ranges, all have different views. And as you say all different compositions. I feel its more the cooling effect that has any effect therefore save it to the end to wake the client up, and if true, close the pores.

Apart from the glycolic based cleansers the other ranges I use are more oil based so don't alter the PH level. I know toners are not the same as years ago and have more serum effects these days and some companies making them now obsolete.

Its just got me thinking, is this just a crazy routine thats been passed through the generations or is there a scientific acclaim to it.

It feels like I am the only one doing it this way around.

Kate x

 

[Martin Duffy]

Likewise when I trained it was all astringents, and now every skincare range has their own composition, making it hard to decide. Similarly, as you say many cleansers don't disrupt the acid mantle anymore, so there is less need for something to re-establish the pH, hence why so many of them are now skin-softeners & so forth. I suppose it being a barrier to absorption by subsequent products depends almost entirely on the reputed pore closing ability of toners.

As I massage after the toner to remove excess cleanser, I reckon the friction heat would be enough to re-open them & allow penetration of product. Then of course there is the whole debate about the efficacy of applying masks after saturating the skin with lipids!

 

[Chameleon]

Personally,i would take a toner with me if i was on a desert island....

I feel toner is so important,after all if you are washing with a cleanser and wash it off with water,this can cause dehydration,as the water would cause the skin to be"unstable",so a toner can bring the skin back to the right PH....

Maybe toners for some,see it as a waste of time....but for me i find it fundamental,and completes the cleansing process.....i have seen peoples skin transformand become much more balanced and hydrated from recommending a cleanser and toner alone!

My grandmother was French and she always taught me the mantra to cleanse,tone and moisturise....i think the French practically invented toner....for me it is a synonymous part of skin care.....

 

[weezie]

I tone before moisturising at the end of the facial as the toners I use are treatments in themselves and I don't see the point in toning after cleansing during a facial as they will be removed during the treatment. At home I advise clients to cleanse, tone and moisturise in that order as the toner wants to be absorbed into the skin as a treatment where as a moisturiser although absorbed is also acting as a protective layer, the moisturiser would act as a barrier to the toner if applied first. Also it helps to make sure the client has removed all their make up after the cleanse, during the facial I can be sure it has all been removed with a double cleanse. :hug: