Discover the Right Facial Toner for Your Skin
A facial toner is an essential but often overlooked step in skincare. When building a skincare routine, most people think of cleansers and moisturizers first. But a good toner is the bridge between the two. It refreshes and prepares your skin for hydration and more targeted treatments.
NATUNEO
Ultimate Firming Serum
Content: 1.01 fl.oz. ($178.22 / 1 fl.oz.)
LL REGENERATION
Revitalizing Blossom Dew Gel
Content: 5.07 fl.oz. ($10.26 / 1 fl.oz.)
SYSTEM ABSOLUTE
Firming Beauty Fluid
Content: 1.69 fl.oz. ($59.17 / 1 fl.oz.)
ZZ SENSITIVE
Strengthening Facial Gel
Content: 5.07 fl.oz. ($7.69 / 1 fl.oz.)
ROSE NATURE
Blue Light Protection Spray
Content: 3.38 fl.oz. ($20.12 / 1 fl.oz.)
What Is a Face Toner and How Does It Differ from a Serum?
A face toner is a lightweight, water-based product that helps support your skin's pH levels after cleansing. pH is a measurement of how acidic your skin is on a scale of 0 to 14. A pH below 7 is considered acidic, a pH of 7 is neutral, and anything above is alkaline. Understanding your skin's pH matters because it plays a key role in how balanced and comfortable your skin feels throughout the day.
While a neutral pH might seem ideal, healthy skin typically sits at a pH of around 5. A slightly acidic surface helps your skin maintain its natural oils and supports its protective barrier. Cleansers can sometimes shift your skin toward a more alkaline state, which is why toners often feature naturally acidic ingredients to help bring your skin back into balance.
Depending on the formula, a toner can also help refine the appearance of pores. Because toners are water-based, they deliver an initial layer of hydration before you apply your cream. This helps your moisturizer absorb more effectively.
A face toner may sound similar to a serum, but the two serve different purposes. Toners are used daily to refresh, balance, and hydrate the skin. Serums are applied after your toner and before your moisturizer. They contain concentrated active ingredients that target specific concerns like uneven skin tone or visible signs of aging. Depending on your skin type, both are important steps in a complete skincare routine.
The Benefits of Using a Facial Toner
Here are a few key benefits of incorporating a natural, hydrating toner into your skincare routine:
- Helps remove any remaining impurities left after cleansing
- Prepares the skin for serums and moisturizers
- Delivers added hydration and helps support your skin's natural pH level
- Addresses specific skin needs depending on the ingredients
As part of the ANNEMARIE BÖRLIND 5-step skincare routine, toners fall under the strengthening step. Mild surfactants and plant-based ingredients help even out and refine your skin's texture and tone, while potent botanicals like aloe vera and yarrow prepare your skin for the next steps in your routine.
Finding the Right Natural Face Toner for Your Skin Type
The best toner for your face depends on your skin type and your current concerns. Here's how to match the right facial toner to your needs.
Toner for Oily Skin
The best toner for oily and combination skin is one with purifying or mattifying properties. Look for ingredients like green tea, algae extract, or witch hazel. These botanicals can help minimize the appearance of excess shine and support a more balanced, refreshed complexion.
Toner for Dry Skin
A toner for normal to dry skin should offer smoothing and deeply hydrating benefits that help improve the look of a rough or dry texture. Look for a natural face toner with gentle ingredients like aloe vera or rose extract that won't strip away your skin's natural oils. These botanical ingredients work to ease the feeling of tightness and deliver much-needed moisture.
A hydrating toner to consider is our LL REGENERATION Revitalizing Blossom Dew Gel. This plant-based formula delivers deep hydration to the face, neck, and décolleté. Enriched with the LL Biocomplex, a patented blend of botanical actives, it helps revitalize your skin's natural glow and leaves it feeling dewy and refreshed. It's also the perfect prep step to help your skin absorb the benefits of your following skincare products.
For an extra boost of freshness and everyday environmental protection, try our ROSE NATURE Blue Light Protection Spray. It features our signature rose complex to help shield the look of your skin from blue light exposure, along with olive extract known for its nourishing botanical properties.
Toner for Sensitive Skin
The best toner for sensitive skin is one that's alcohol-free and features calming formulas with ingredients like chamomile or aloe vera.
By adding a gentle, naturally formulated toner to your sensitive skin routine, you give your skin the care it needs while helping it look and feel supple and radiant.
Our ZZ SENSITIVE Strengthening Facial Gel. offers a botanical, vegan formulation designed for reactive skin. It's free from added fragrances and synthetic colorings. Golden orchid extract helps your skin feel fresh and comfortable.
For Anti-Aging
If your skin is showing the first visible signs of aging, hydration and protection are key. While a toner is a great foundation for any routine, anti-aging concerns often call for more targeted care. Fine lines and wrinkles, for example, benefit from formulas that go beyond basic hydration to help improve the appearance of firmness and elasticity and support a more youthful-looking complexion.
That's why, for mature skin, we recommend reaching for a dedicated treatment step that delivers deep hydration and helps your skin look more toned and lifted. Our SYSTEM ABSOLUTE Beauty Fluid is designed to do just that. It helps support the look of firmness and elasticity, giving you visibly smoother, more refined, and radiant skin.
When and How to Apply a Toner
Using a face toner as part of your skincare routine is simple. Apply your facial toner after cleansing, both morning and night. A toner is always used before your serums and cream products to help prepare your skin for the next steps in your routine. This includes your serums, boosters, daily moisturizer, eye cream, and night cream.
The best way to apply toner is to add a few drops to the palm of your hand and gently pat it into your skin. Avoid any downward motions or tugging.
Your Daily Routine with a Skin Toner
Once you've selected the right toner for your skin, the next step is making it part of your daily beauty routine. Here's a simple step-by-step guide to help you get the most out of your natural skin toner:
- Start by cleansing your skin to remove any impurities.
- Pat your face dry and gently tap your preferred toner onto your skin.
- Depending on your skin type, follow up with a serum to address specific concerns like dryness or uneven tone.
- Apply your facial moisturizer of choice.
- Use your preferred eye cream to care for the delicate eye contour area.
In the morning, finish with a layer of SPF protection to help guard against UV rays. In the evening, swap your day cream for a nourishing night cream to support your skin's natural overnight renewal.
Why ANNEMARIE BÖRLIND for Your Facial Toner
Caring for your skin is about more than daily rituals. It's a reflection of what you value. At ANNEMARIE BÖRLIND, our philosophy has always been rooted in the belief that nature holds the key to beautiful skin. That's why we combine the power of botanicals with modern science to create nourishing, high-quality skincare made from carefully selected ingredients.
Our founder, Annemarie Lindner, set the standard for everything we do with one simple principle: "If I can't eat it, I won't put it on my skin." That commitment to clean, consciously crafted formulas is still at the heart of every product we make today.
