Читать книгу The Complete Make-Up and Beauty Book - Leigh Toselli - Страница 18

Not long ago the accepted beauty routine was to cleanse, tone and moisturize. However, with the advent of rinse-off cleansers, separate toners are becoming increasingly old-fashioned. When rich cold creams and milky cleansers were mainstream, a separate toner was essential for removing any greasy residue. However, new formulations are making the need for a toner a rarity rather than the norm.

There are two types of toner. The first, for oily skin, can be formulated with up to 70 per cent alcohol and/or exfoliating salicylic acid; astringents such as witch hazel; solvents such as resorcinol; as well as colourants and fragrances. The second, for normal-to-dry skin, contains no alcohol and no other solvents but it does contain emollients such as allantoin or glycerine, soothing plant extracts and fragrances instead. Ultimately, unless you have a very oily skin or use a cleansing oil, milk or cold cream that does not rinse well, there is little need for either.

Toners can feel very refreshing but they are an alternative to water for removing excess oil. Unlike water, however, they can irritate the skin. Toners, astringents, clarifying lotions, refreshing mists and the like all contain solvents, which essentially dissolve and remove essential lipids from the skin’s surface. If your skin is very dry, these solvents will cause your skin to dehydrate. So use toners cautiously and be guided by the reaction of your skin.