| As women are experiencing ever increasing demands | | | | cannot be applied to the skin at the same time as a |
| on their time, many have opted out of using a toner | | | | product that is supposed to open and cleanse the |
| in their daily skin care regime and only use cleansing | | | | pores. It just does not work. The whole idea is just |
| and moisturising as the key steps to keeping their | | | | to market a product to time-poor women by telling |
| skin looking healthy, vibrant and young. | | | | them they can combine these to steps and thus |
| This is however a big mistake, as toning is a very | | | | save time. |
| important part of a daily skin care regime. Toning | | | | Unfortunately most women do not fully understand |
| follows the cleansing routine and actually serves | | | | just how their skin care products work. They like |
| some important functions. | | | | them, their skin may even look good and the |
| | | | products therefore appear to be doing their job. In |
| 1. Toning closes the pores of the skin. Once cleansing | | | | reality however, these types of skin care products |
| of the skin has been completed, the pores tend to | | | | are only doing a moderate amount of caring for the |
| be open and therefore slightly enlarged. As a result, | | | | skin and the bulk of the products do very little at all |
| moisture can leave the skin, which in return | | | | except look good on the shelf and cost money. |
| dehydrates the skin. This is not a desired effect on | | | | The three steps in any good daily skin care regime |
| the contrary loss of moisture from the skin is highly | | | | must include cleansing, toning and moisturising. In |
| undesirable. | | | | addition, you should always consider using natural skin |
| 2. Closing of the pores has another benefit. It stops | | | | care products, as there are too many synthetic and |
| dust and other air born particles from settling in the | | | | artificial chemicals in commercially made skin care |
| pores and potentially causing problems. In addition, | | | | products which may actually do you harm. |
| good quality, natural toners are anti-septic and | | | | Let's look at a natural toner and it's ingredients to |
| provides moisture and nutrients to the skin, preparing | | | | understand how they actually work. |
| the skin for the third step in a skin care regime - | | | | The Wild Herb Toner from Wildcrafted Herbal |
| Moisturising. | | | | Products is used for oily skin and has a number of |
| Some skin care companies have tried to eliminate the | | | | specifically chosen ingredients, which include: |
| need for this step combining the cleansing and toning | | | | Rosemary, Witch hazel, Juniper Berry and Peppermint. |
| steps into one step and formulated their cleansers to | | | | These herbs and essential oils are chosen for their |
| include toning functions. | | | | toning and invigorating effects on the skin, while |
| Now think about this for a second and you will realise | | | | Grapefruit, Niaouli and Sweet Orange refresh the skin |
| how ridiculous this concept is. A cleanser is supposed | | | | and combine to maintain normal sebum (oil) secretion. |
| to open the pores and remove dirt and stale natural | | | | As you can see, it is important to understand the |
| oils from the pores and thus cleansing the skin. A | | | | functions a particular product is supposed to have |
| toner, as we discussed above, is designed to close to | | | | and how these functions interact with the other |
| pores... See the contradiction? It cannot possibly | | | | steps in your daily skin care regime. Knowing this you |
| work. | | | | will now probably understand why toning is a |
| Any astringent (substance that closes the pores) | | | | necessary part of your daily skin care regime. |
