Astringent | Toner

When looking for an astringent or a toner you may find them being sold as a toning lotion. This can be confusing to some people because they interpret the word "toning" to mean that the lotion to somehow permanently firm up your skin. I can see why the word toning is used in exercise equipment in referring to muscle development. All that an astringent or toner will do is remove oil from your face.

Any time you are sold a cleansing cream more than likely you will be sold an astringent or toner. It is also sometimes recommended to use one after soap and water cleaning in order to restore a mildly acid pH to the skin.

This is one product that you will want to take the time to read the ingredients on the lable. They will be sold under the names astringents, fresheners, clarifying agents, and toners. To make it simple thier are two kinds. Ones that include alcohol as the primary ingredient and those that do not have alcohol.

Now there is know wat around it "Alcohol" is drying to the skin. The products that are for dry skin will have less alcohol and the products that are made for oily skin will have more alcohol. More than likely you will find "SD" on the lable followed by a number. The SD stands for specially denatured and is of the toxic nondrinkable variety.

 

Along with alcohol an other ingredient that you may find is
Alum.
This alum is used to make pores appear smaller or constrict , at least temporarily.

When reading the lable also look for these ingredients that can really be irritating to the skin. Camphor, menthol, sodium borate, eucalytusoil, ect. All of these ingredients tend to give the skin a tingly sensation and makes you thing that the product is really doing something.

Almost all astringents and toners have coal tar colores. Whice is one ingredient that I try to stay away from. If it is up to me I would use Witch Hazel, which is uncolored, either plain or diluted as a toner / astringent. And has been used for a really long time, just ask your Grandma.