The holy grail of toners!

Hello everyone!

Today I want to talk to you about facial toners and tell you about my favorite toner.  So, what is a facial toner?  A toner is an astringent liquid applied to the skin to help eliminate excess oil and bacteria that your everyday cleanser may not have removed completely.

Main benefits of facial toners:

 

• Remove dirt, make-up residue and impurities
• Remove excess oil 
• Refine pores and tighten pores (temporarily)
• Reduce the appearance of fine lines
• Restore natural pH balance
• Improve skin tone

Most dermatologists say that if you cleanse your face regularly twice a day you don’t need to use a toner.  The dermatologist who monitored my acne when I was a teen, never suggested/prescribed any toner either.  Still, I feel that my skin needs that extra cleansing step.

I tried out quite a lot of facial toners, throughout the years.   I’ve been using the same product for a few years now and I just love it!  I feel like I finally found the holy grail of facial toners.

My facial toner of choice is… Distilled Witch Hazel!

Witch hazel (extract) is a natural product obtained from the leaves and bark of the witch hazel shrub (Hamamelis Virginiana).  It has been used medicinally for over 200 years.  Its benefits derive from the high levels of tannin acid it contains.

When distilled and combined with alcohol, the essential oil extracted from the witch hazel shrub makes a soothing astringent.  Witch hazel has disinfectant and anti-oxidant properties.  It reduces irritation and helps to prevent any inflammation from occurring.  It also reduces swelling.

Tips:

• The witch hazel you want to use should have an alcohol base of only 14%.  You can also try an alcohol-free witch hazel toner.
• Witch hazel can also be added to DIY facial masks and toners.
• You can also add a few drops of tea tree oil directly in the witch hazel bottle.  (This makes an amazing acne-fighting toner!)

Distilled witch hazel has long been recommended as an effective and affordable topical remedy for acne.  Nevertheless, it can be used for all skin types.  I highly recommend using witch hazel as a facial toner.  It really works for me and I also convinced my mum to replace her toner with witch hazel and she loves it too.

What is your favorite facial toner?  Have you ever used witch hazel?   Leave a comment and tell me about your experience.   

XOXO

Euphrasie85

Photo from here.