Liquid facial toners are a trusted and time-honored skincare formulation, but the consumer demand for toners has recently heated up. In particular, consumers are seeking out thoroughly modern liquid facial toners that are packed with effective active ingredients, like the workhorse glycolic acid.
“Thanks to its myriad benefits (brightening! Smoothing! Acne-fighting!), glycolic acid has quickly become one of the most highly regarded ingredients in the skin care world,” explains Adeline Duff in Bustle. “Water-light toners are a fuss-free way to incorporate glycolic acid into your skin care routine, because they’ll work nicely alongside just about any other product you layer on top.”
The buzz behind the latest slew of modern, innovative toners is here to stay, thanks largely to the fast, visible results glycolic acid can provide in this unique, liquid format.
Today’s toners
Facial toners are liquid formulations that are used after cleansing and before applying moisturizers. Toners help clean the skin and also prep the face for follow-up products like serums, masks, or hydrating formulations.
“Straddling the line between the cleansing and treatment step in your routine, a toner is a great way to both ensure your complexion is totally clean and give it an extra dose of active ingredients,” writes Melanie Rud in Byrdie.
Once designed to help remove leftover makeup, take down traces of dirt, pollutants, or excess sebum on the skin, or swipe away lingering sunscreen, today’s toners are more focused on delivering active ingredients, like glycolic acid, deep into the skin.
“Toners will not only restore the skin’s pH after cleansing but do so much more, too. They provide similar benefits to your serum because they are infused with similar ingredients,” explains Fiona Embleton in Marie Claire. “Think vitamins, prebiotics, glycolic and hyaluronic acids that can exfoliate, brighten, soothe and hydrate.”
Another function of modern liquid facial toners? Originally formulated with big doses of alcohol to strip the skin of oils, today’s trending toners work hard to avoid drying out the skin. And instead of focusing solely on cleansing the skin, modern toners now target and improve a wide variety of skin issues, including:
- Combating acne
- Boosting hydration levels
- Evening skin tone
- Reducing hyperpigmentation and dark spots
- Delivering anti-aging benefits
Considering the myriad of benefits consumers seek out in liquid toners, one ingredient stands above all else in its ability to effectively deliver visible results: glycolic acid, the apex ingredient for exfoliation.
Glycolic acid toner: the perfect partner for a skincare regime
Dermatologists and skincare experts alike recommend glycolic acid facial toners above others for one key benefit. Glycolic acid offers consumers superior chemical exfoliation, and can most effectively prime the skin to absorb other beneficial products.
Glycolic acid is top-notch at exfoliation, thanks to its small size and weight. As the smallest, most lightweight molecule of the Alpha Hydroxy Acid family, glycolic acid is able to permeate the skin rapidly, then work to dissolve the bonds holding dead skin cells together.
This ability to quickly slough off old, damaged skin cells from the surface of the face makes a liquid glycolic acid toner the perfect product to use before serums, moisturizers, or other skincare treatments. A glycolic acid toner paves the path for maximum absorption of other products, by shedding off dry, damaged skin cells that slow product retention.
In addition to quickly sloughing off older skin cells, glycolic acid also drives new cells to the surface of the skin. Healthy new skin cells are able to effectively retain moisturizing products and other treatments more effectively, ensuring consumers can use less product, but still achieve great results.
Liquid toners in the new decade
Once overlooked, liquid facial toners are now a must-have item for consumers that want to build a highly effective skincare routine. Glycolic acid-based toners can provide the most bang for the buck, thanks to this ingredfient’s ability to exfoliate, even out skin tone, treat acne, reduce fine lines, and drive new skin cells to the surface of the face.
