until recently, I, too, considered toner to be BS. An unnecessary add-on in an already confusing skincare world. Like, no, I don’t need to clean my already clean face with some dribbly fluid, tyvm.
But here’s the thing: Toner—provided you use one that’s alcohol-free and made for your skin type—is actually pretty wonderful. I learned this IRL after finally working one into my routine, just to see, and watching my skin suddenly look really good. Plump, soft, dewy good.
Toner’s genius is that it has a slightly acidic pH, which helps balance your skin’s own hugely important pH—something that can be thrown off by anything from face soap to pollution, says derm Dendy Engelman, MD. “If your skin’s pH is out of whack, it can lead to redness, acne, and…
