PlanetRx - Learn More - Product Advice - Toners & Astringents

Toning up your skin with toners and astringents

Keeping your facial skin clean is one of the best ways to keep it looking good. The right cleanser can do the trick, and for many people, following this with an appropriate toner or astringent helps ensure spotlessly clean skin with a healthy glow. While toners and astringents can't magically shrink pores or stop facial oil from overproducing, they can help remove leftover traces of soap, makeup, and skin oil, plus dead skin cells that can dull a complexion.

Toners, Astringents, and Such

Toners and astringents whisk away your skin's dead surface cells and any traces of cleansing product or makeup left over from your cleansing regime. Contrary to what manufacturers sometimes claim, toners and astringents don't really close pores, although they do help clean them. If pores seem less apparent after use, it's because the astringent has irritated your skin and caused minor swelling.
If you've cleansed and rinsed well and you have normal skin, chances are you don't really need a toner or astringent. If your skin's on the dry side, be aware that some products can dry it out even more. If oil is your problem, a good toner or astringent can help get rid of whatever's left on the skin surface. But as with cleansers, it can't actually stop your skin from producing oil.
To use, apply to still-damp skin with a clean cotton ball or pad. Rub gently over the face, being careful not to pull on the skin.

Astringents

Astringents pull proteins and irritants out of sweat, blood, and other liquids. This can have a soothing effect on irritated skin and help razor nicks clot faster. They produce a mild tightening effect on the skin but do not shrink pores.

Exfoliants

These acids help gently dissolve the first, outer layers of dead skin and stimulate the production of new layers. They also have good water-binding properties and make great humectants. Exfoliants are generally carboxylic (organic) acids. Some of the more popular acids also have hydroxy groups added, such as alpha-hydroxy acids and beta-hydroxy acids.

Preservatives

Preservatives are added in various products. They prevent the growth of microorganisms and inhibit the degradation of chemicals. Preservatives are often (but not always) the culprit when you have an allergic reaction to a product.

Humectants

Humectants are novel chemicals added to soaps, hair care products, and lotions to help soften the skin and relieve dryness. Unlike emollients, which moisturize by trapping water in the skin, humectants actually attract water to the skin. However, they wash off easily and lack the lasting power of emollients. Your best bet is to get a product with both an emollient and a humectant.

Surfactants

Getting dirt and oil off your skin would be hard without surfactants, which are equally at home in oily or watery substances, or both at once. Surfactants are the sudsy agents in soap that help get skin clean. They also ensure that all the various chemicals in the soap stay mixed together. One part of the surfactant likes to be nestled in oil, while the other part prefers water. Therefore, when you wash the surfactant away with water, the water-like half washes off, dragging along the oil-like half, which brings the dirt with it.

Quaternary ammonium compounds

Quaternary ammonium compounds have a variety of properties, acting as surfactants, disinfectants, preservatives, and emulsifiers.

Ingredient		Description

Astringents
Aluminum acetate	?	An aluminum salt that helps soothe and provide a clean feeling to the skin.
Aluminum sulfate	?	An aluminum salt that helps soothe and make skin feel clean.
Hamamelis water (witch hazel)	?	An extract from hamamelis virginiana that helps soothe skin irritation.
Aluminum chloride hexahydrate	?	An aluminum salt that helps soothe and provide a clean feeling to skin.
Tannic acid	?	Can help soothe skin irritation.
Exfoliants
Ingredient		Description
Butyric acid	?	A beta-hydroxy acid that acts as a mild skin exfoliant.
Benzoic acid	?	A beta-hydroxy acid that is a mild skin exfoliant.
Citric acid	?	This alpha-hydroxy acid is a mild skin exfoliant that lightens freckles and similar pigment blotches, and aids in treating acne. Excess use will dry skin.
Glycolic acid	?	One of the better known and understood alpha-hydroxy acids, it acts as a mild skin exfoliant to lighten freckles and similar pigment blotches, and to treat acne.
Lactic acid	?	A mild skin exfoliant that helps lighten freckles and similar pigment blotches, and treat acne.
Malic acid	?	This alpha-hydroxy acid is a mild skin exfoliant that helps lighten freckles and similar pigment blotches, and treat acne.
Salicylic acid	?	The best known and understood beta-hydroxy acid. It acts as a mild skin exfoliant and is also used to treat acne.
Tartaric acid	?	An alpha-hydroxy acid that acts as a mild skin exfoliant to lighten freckles and similar pigment blotches. It also helps clear acne.
Preservatives
Ingredient		Description
Sorbic acid	?	Used to inhibit the growth of fungi, like mold and yeast.
Chlorhexidine	?	A basic antiseptic, it could cause irritations in some individuals.
Polyquaternium-32	?	Also a quaternary ammonium compound that has antimicrobial activity.
Benzoic acid	?	Effective against microbes.
Methylparaben	?	Widely used with good antimicrobial properties.
Propylparaben	?	Effective against microbes.
Humectants
Ingredient		Description
Organic acids	?	Excellent water-binding agents at concentrations of less than 2%. They are also acid balancers, along with citric acid. At concentrations of 5% to 8%, they are effective skin exfoliants.
Urea	?	An excellent water-binding agent at concentrations of less than 2%. It is also an acid balancer (like citric acid). At concentrations of 5% to 8%, it is an effective skin exfoliant.
Glycerin	?	One of the most effective moisturizers, it attracts and holds water in skin.
Sorbitol	?	One of the most effective moisturizers, it attracts and holds water in skin.
Butylene glycol	?	Attracts and retains water in the skin, but it's not as effective as sorbitol or glycerin.
Polyethylene glycol (PEG)	?	Moisturizes skin, but is not as effective as sorbitol or glycerin. It also can cause skin irritations.
Mucopolysaccarides	?	Also referred to as glycosaminoglycans, these compounds are a combination of protein and polysaccharide. The are excellent humectants.
Sodium PCA	?	Derived from proteins, it's a natural component of the skin.
Surfactants
Ingredient		Description
Sodium lauryl sulfate	?	Relatively strong, it should be avoided by people with sensitive skin or anyone with noticeable irritation.
Sodium laureth sulfate	?	A strong, rich, foaming cleanser that is milder and less drying than other cleansers.
TEA lauryl sulfate	?	A cleansing agent that should be avoided by people with sensitive skin or anyone with noticeable irritations.
Ammonium lauryl sulfate	?	A gentle cleansing agent. It should not be used by people with sensitive skin or anyone with noticeable irritations.
Ammonium laureth sulfate	?	A gentle cleansing agent.
Cocamide (DEA, MEA)	?	A very fatty cleaning agent that is often used as an emulsifier and foam builder.
Cocamidopropyl betaine	?	A very fatty cleaning agent, it's often used as an emulsifying agent and foam builder.
Cococamphodiacetate	?	A very fatty cleaning agent that is often used as an emulsifier and foam builder.
Sodium cocoglyceryl ether sulfonate	?	Acts to emulsify mixtures and produce foam. It is a very fatty cleansing agent.
Sodium lauryl sarcosinate	?	A cleansing agent.
Quaternary Ammonium Compounds
Ingredient		Description
Guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride	?	Helps combine all the various chemicals and acts as a preservative.
Dicetydimonium chloride	?	Helps combine all the various chemicals and acts as a preservative.
Behentrimonium chloride	?	Helps combine all the various chemicals and acts as a preservative.
Behenalkonium chloride	?	Helps combine all the various chemicals and acts as a preservative.
Benzalkonium chloride	?	Helps combine all the various chemicals and acts as a preservative.
Quaternium-18	?	Helps combine all the various chemicals and acts as a preservative.
Stearalkonium chloride	?	Helps combine all the various chemicals and acts as a preservative.
Cetrimonium chloride	?	Helps combine all the various chemicals and acts as a preservative.

Appropriate Uses

Astringent

Cleans the surface of skin and gives it a cool, tingly feeling.

Common Misconceptions

Astringent

Cannot actually shrink pores. The evaporation of the product from the skin may cause minor irritation, causing the skin to swell and making pores appear smaller.

Use Products that are Right for Your Skin

Facial astringents may make your skin dry, itchy, and irritated. The following ingredients may be irritating to dry or sensitive skin:

Acetone
Alcohol
Benzoyl peroxide
Alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids
Eucalyptus
Menthol
Witch hazel

Your Delicate Face Needs Special Care

Avoid toners and astringents if you are allergic to any ingredients in the products.
Do not ingest.
Keep these products out of your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Do not use any product that causes your skin to burn, sting, redden, swell, flake, or break out.
Never use astringents on your eyelids or lips.