Those of us with sensitive skin are well aware that using the wrong ingredients in our skin care routine can cause major problems for a few days, or even a few weeks. For that reason, we’re almost always on the lookout for ingredients and products that not only won’t harm our skin, but might even help calm it. That’s part of why toner is such an important part of our skin care routine. When made with the right ingredients, it can help soothe the skin, which is why in this article, we’re talking about the best toner for sensitive skin.
IN A NUTSHELL
Main Takeaways: Toner is a highly effective but often overlooked skincare step that can help replenish hydration and soothe sensitive skin. It is not the same as an astringent, which is meant to control excess oil.
Good to Know: Look at the ingredients list on any toner you’re thinking of buying very carefully, as toners can be full of ingredients that can easily irritate the skin, such as alcohol.
Recommended Products: Rose and Shine Rose Water Toner.
What’s Facial Toner?
Generally speaking, toner is a product that has the consistency of water and is usually used to provide extra hydration to the face. Some toners are formulated to rid the skin of any excess dirt and oil; but generally speaking, the function of most toners is to nourish the skin and keep it hydrated and balanced after cleansing. It can help replenish any hydration lost during the cleansing process.
Some toners are formulated for use with a cotton pad or ball, while others like our Rose and Shine rosewater toner, are spritzed on using a pump.
Why Use Facial Toner
There are a number of reasons you should use facial toner, especially if you have sensitive skin. For example, a facial toner will help replenish hydration to the skin after cleansing, keeping your skin balanced. When you are dealing with sensitive skin, look for products and ingredients that will help soothe any irritation and calm your skin. (More on that below.)
Using a facial toner can be wonderfully refreshing. In fact, we recommend keeping your bottle of Rose and Shine in the fridge for a refreshing burst of cool moisture in the summer months!
Ingredients to Avoid for Sensitive Skin
Just as there are some really great ingredients you can look for in a toner, there are some that should definitely be avoided, especially for those with sensitive skin. Here are a few:
- Artificial fragrances - The only scent you’ll experience with our Rose and Shine rosewater toner is the faint scent of roses. Using natural scents is important to us, because artificial fragrances can really irritate the skin, not to mention the sinus system.
- Salicylic acid - Just to be clear: salicylic acid can be downright fantastic when used on the right skin and in the right product. The problem is that it can easily dry sensitive skin out, which makes it work at cross purposes in terms of what a toner is meant to do. If you have oily skin, you might find it helpful; but if you have sensitive skin, stay away from using a salicylic acid toner.
- Benzoyl Peroxide - Again, this is a matter of using the right ingredient for your sensitive skin. If you have oily skin, benzoyl peroxide may work for you as it’s meant to control excess sebum, the oil naturally found in skin; but if you have sensitive skin, this is a real no-no, as benzoyl peroxide will dry out your skin and cause further irritation.
- Artificial Dyes - No matter what type of skin you have, no matter what product you’re using, artificial dye should be a total non-starter in your skin care routine. Many toners in particular use artificial dyes to make them look a little more exciting, but that dye could be seriously damaging to your health. They can not only irritate sensitive skin, they’re even thought to pose a cancer risk; so if your toner is anything other than clear, read the label to make sure you’re not about to spray your face with artificial dyes.
Alcohol in Toner
Another big no-no ingredient in toner is alcohol. If you’re big on reading the ingredients list on cosmetics, you may have noticed that some toners contain it, so why isn’t it good for sensitive skin?
While alcohol can sometimes be used in astringents as a way of controlling excess oil, it’s not something you want in your toner. Toner is meant to hydrate and soothe the skin without stripping it of any natural oils or moisture. Astringent is usually meant to help control excess oil and the alcohol in astringent can easily dry the skin out and irritate sensitive skin. That’s why we’ve made sure not to include it in ours.
Best Ingredients for Sensitive Skin
As you can probably imagine, looking for the right ingredients is the key to making sure you have the right toner for sensitive skin. Here are a few of the ingredients we recommend!
- Water - Yes, believe it or not, this simple ingredient is great for hydrating the skin! If you don’t see it as the first ingredient on your toner’s ingredient label, we recommend looking for a different toner.
- Rose Hydrosol - Rose hydrosol is the aromatic water that remains after steam-distilling of roses. It offers deep hydration properties and is known for its calming and soothing effects on the skin, making it great for sensitive skin.
- Glycerin - This remarkable humectant performs a myriad of functions, but when it comes to its use in toners, it is probably most well known for how well it moisturizes the skin. Add to that glycerin’s ability to create a calming sensation on the skin, and you have an ingredient that is just tailor made for a hydrating toner.
- Vitamin E - Although we haven’t included it in our toner, we give the thumbs up to any toner that uses vitamin E, as it does a remarkable job of adding moisture to the skin. Its gentle nature means it can be used on sensitive skin without worry.
The Best Toner for Sensitive Skin
With all that in mind, you’re probably wondering what the best toner is for sensitive skin. Well, call us bias, but we have a clear favorite! Our Rose and Shine rose water toner contains everything you need and nothing you don’t. With just two nourishing actives–rose water and glycerin–we’ve kept it simple so those with sensitive skin have nothing to worry about.
Not only does rose water naturally hydrate the skin, it helps balance skin’s natural oils so there is no need for alcohol or other potential irritants. It also has antioxidant properties to help protect the skin and can help remove impurities from the skin.
We’ve also included glycerin to moisturize the skin even further and create a calming sensation for your easily irritated skin.
As you can see, sensitive skin can definitely benefit from using a facial toner. With just a few little spritzes, you can vastly improve the quality of your skin without irritating it!
