Hey, watch your tone!
No, we’re not referring to that fierce ‘tude of yours (honey, preserve that and add in a hair flip while you’re at it!). We are talking about your skin, of course! Toners are an essential part of any comprehensive skincare routine. In fact, they can be real game changers, helping to reveal a brighter, tighter, more glowing complexion, sometimes with staggering results. But as is the case with any skin care product, your chosen toner should be formulated for your skin type, particularly if it errs on the side of sensitivity. Further, toners can be especially supportive for those of us with sensitive skin, helping to soothe and protect against nefarious nasties. But which one is right for you? Ah! I totally sense a roundup coming on!
IN A NUTSHELL
Main Takeaways: Toners can be an invaluable tool for all skin types, but this is especially true for those with sensitive skin, who can often benefit from the soothing hydration and extra protection toners can provide.
Good to Know: While some toners can calm even the most temperamental of dermal layers, some formulas surprisingly include irksome ingredients like alcohol or chemical preservatives. So, if you are a member of the sensitive skin club, take extra precaution when choosing one for you and be sure to read your product labels.
Recommended Products: Rose and Shine Rose Water Toner.
Using a Toner for Sensitive Skin
In today’s bustling, busy, often overcomplicated world, simplicity is key. So, it’s really no surprise that applying a toner as part of one’s skincare routine is a step often skipped. If you’ve already washed your face, it’s clean, right? And if you are following up your cleanse with perhaps a serum and a solid moisturizer, you should in theory be providing your skin with key nutrients. So, it is definitely a good question - why tone?
Well, there are a few reasons why toners continue to prove themselves as invaluable tools along the road to healthy, happy skin. Even the most mindful cleanse has the propensity to leave something behind. Bits of dirt, oil, and previously applied product can get trapped in one’s pores and may not always be captured and swept away by a simple cleanse. A toner helps to dissolve these trace impurities for a radical clean. This is especially important for those with sensitive skin, as the health of their complexion often largely depends on their ability to completely rid the skin of contaminants to avoid irritation. But toners do much more than just ensure a good clean. Further, they can be a literal godsend for more sensitive complexions.
Toners help restore a sense of balance when your skin has been thrown off kilter by whichever external (or even internal) factor is determined to disrupt your complexion’s composure. They also provide an extra dose of much needed hydration – yes please! And maybe most importantly, the right toner can often instantly cool and soothe temperamental or aggravated skin. Some are even formulated with more protective ingredients like antioxidants to help stave off environmental stressors and improve the function of one’s skin barrier, proactively preventing the kinds of irritation all too often experienced by those with sensitive skin.
When choosing a toner for your sensitive skin, it is important to select formulas with natural and calming ingredients. Avoid anything marked as an “astringent”, as these toner-esque tonics can strip the skin, rather than restoring it. And as always, read your labels thrice to ensure that you are dodging any sneaky irritants; common ones found in toners include abrasive alcohols (e.g., ethanol, methanol, isopropyl alcohol, etc.), dyes, and synthetic fragrances.
OR you can just breathe easy and choose one of these…
Best Toners for Sensitive Skin
1. Best Overall Toner for Sensitive Skin
Fleur & Bee: Rose and Shine Rose Water Toner
Don’t call us biased!
…Ok, fine; you totally can. But we dare you to find another toner that so effortlessly out-SHINES its peers like our Rose and Shine! A rose may be a rose, may be a rose; but our toner, though humble, is anything but ordinary. With an incredibly short ingredient list that features rose hydrosol and newly added vegan glycerin in a 100% alcohol-free formula, Rose and Shine masterfully balances simplicity with efficacy. Experience super-soothing hydration, delivered in an incomparably refreshing mist that instantly envelopes your skin in a blissful bomb of freshly picked plant power. Fortify your complexion with protective glow-promoting antioxidants, magnetize moisture molecules for sustained hydration, cascade yourself in a garden scented spritz, and bloom right alongside your skin with our newly reformulated Rose and Shine!
2. Best Toner for Irritated Skin
Paula’s Choice: CALM Soothing Toner
If your sensitive skin borders on angry, you’re not alone, nor are you without options. The CALM Redness Relief Toner by Paula’s Choice blends a specialized mix of restorative antioxidants to soothe even the fieriest complexion. Hydrate and nourish your skin with this gentle, milky formula that will have your face achieving Dalai Lama status in no time. And though the ingredients used throughout Paula’s CALM line differ from product to product, we are super stoked to announce that this brilliant formula, designed specifically for normal to dry skin, is 100% vegan and cruelty-free. CALM indeed!
3. Best Toner for Dull Skin
Pacifica: Cosmic Renew AHA and Hemp Resurfacing Tonic
Resurfacing one’s skin can at times be an abrasive process, but that does not mean that those with more delicate complexions must shy away from chasing a brilliant glow. The gentle nature of the Cosmic Renew AHA and Hemp Resurfacing Toner by Pacifica is unmatched. It elicits the help of exceedingly mild fruit based alpha hydroxy acids and soluble sugars to help you ditch dullness, while also imparting anti-inflammatory effects for your sensitive skin. Get Cosmic and shine like a star!
4. Best Bargain Toner for Sensitive Skin
THAYERS: Alcohol-Free Witch Hazel Facial Toner with Aloe Vera
If we’ve gushed about Thayer’s witch hazel toners once, we’ve gushed about them a hundred times. And with so many varieties, there is truly something for everyone. This particular pick is the perfect answer to sensitive skin for its super gentle, non-drying, alcohol free formula. Aloe amps up moisture, while the lack of added fragrance helps you dodge further irritation for a simply soothing tone. The result is balanced, all-day hydration, leaving skin smoother, more resilient, and healthier.
5. Best Splurge Toner for Sensitive Skin
Dermalogica: Ultracalming Mist
While $39 is definitely not unheard of as far as quality skin care pricing goes, Dermalogica’s Ultracalming Mist comes in at more than double the cost of most of our picks. So, while it effortlessly takes the cake in the best splurge category, the value of this featherlight spray cannot be overstated. Built from their exclusive UltraCalming complex, it combines super soothers like oats and aloe to balance moisture, while supporting skin barrier function. This helps to instantly soothe while also proactively protecting against irritants. If you are looking to treat yourself for some skin-related zen, give this winner a whirl.
So, don’t be tone deaf! Listen up and get your sensitive skin a toner tailored for your magnificent mug. Then sit back, relax, and spray your way to the cool, calm, and collected complexion of your dreams!
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