The Benefits of Cleansing & Toning

In my opinion, you can buy all the make up in the world, but if you don't have a skincare routine, any make up that you apply just won't look as good as it could.

I come across so many customers with problem skin who just don't understand the purpose of cleansing and toning, but wonder why their skin is the way it is.




The Benefits of Cleansing

Clean away the day:

It's dirty out there and our faces are exposed to all that dirt, pollution and bacteria. It's transferred every time we touch our face (every 3 minutes) after holding rails, handling money or opening doors for example.
Not removing all this in the evening can cause spots, impurities and premature ageing. Even if you don't wear make up, you should still cleanse before going to sleep.

Let your skin breathe whilst you sleep:

At night our skin cell renewal is at its highest. Do you ever wake up feeling abnormally oily on the T-Zone? This is because your skin has been working hard over night to repair itself. You need to help it out by removing the day and traces of make up. Otherwise you pores will be blocked and you will develop spots and an uneven skin tone.

Prepare your skin for skincare products and make up:

Before you reapply any other skincare products or make up on your skin in the morning, cleanse away the build up of dead skin cells, sebum and sweat that has accumulated over night. Your skincare products will work better, your make up will sit better and your skin will feel more comfortable throughout the day.

Oh and if you are going to use cleansing wipes, check that they do not contain alcohol which will dry and dehydrate your skin. Ideally, use a gentle foaming cleanser or milk cleanser with a dampened, 100% cotton pad. Cotton pads are more gentle especially when damp. You will also find you don't need to use as much milk cleanser as it won't absorb into the pad as much as it does when the pad is dry.

Large, non-fleecing, 100% Cotton Pads

Foaming Cleanser

Milk Cleanser

The Benefits of Toning

Remove traces of your cleanser:

In my opinion, cleansing and toning go together. Think of it as a washing machine cycle. Your machine washes your clothes with a detergent, then it rinses them to get the detergent out and prepares your clothes for spinning. You could use this analogy to describe cleansing and toning. 

Do you notice that when toning the skin with a cotton pad, the pad turns out dirty even after you have cleansed? This is because toners are more astringent. Cleansers are designed to move make up and toners are designed to remove the last traces of your cleanser and clean deeper into your pores.

Rebalance your skin:

Most toners are formulated with a PH balance between 5 and 6.5. Our skin's natural PH balance is around 5.5. A good toner will rebalance your skin of it's natural oils after you have used hard water with your foaming cleanser. 

Tackle any dehydration:

Toners contain water to re-hydrate the skin. Some good toners will also contain Glycerin, a popular skincare ingredient which helps the skin to hold onto moisture throughout the day.

Prepare the skin for serum or moisturiser:

Toning the skin will cleanse and clarify your pores. Some toners are designed to be purifying and will be non-comedogenic (they will not clog your pores), or moisturising (closes pores with nourishment). Either way, toning will help carry the benefits of your serum or moisturiser deeper into the skin.

Apply a toner with a dampened cotton pad - again it will be more gentle. Some toners are great to hydrate the skin during the day as they come in a spray or atomiser format. This is ideal if you feel dehydrated during the day.

My Cleansing & Toning Routine:

Morning: I use a  foaming cleanser. I like to feeling of water in the morning to wake me up! I use a purifying toner on a dampened cotton pad.
Evening: I always remove my make up using a bi-phase eye make up remover and a milk cleanser with a dampened cotton pad. I use a moisturising toner.

I wasn't always this good, but I often suffer from dehydration and I use a good skincare range with good ingredients that I want to see working. Over time, I have seen the difference in the condition of my skin.
In the morning my skin is soft and in the evening it feels clean.


Ultimately, we all suffer from dehydration, or impurities from time to time, cleanse and tone twice a day, every day and your skin will feel and look better for it!

The question now I guess is what are the best cleansers and toners to use. In my opinion it's all about matching the right products to your skin type and understanding what ingredients do and that is another post!

I would just say that in regards to toners, I would recommend one that is alcohol-free, especially if you have a dry or sensitive skin and prone to dehydration. Long-term alcohol is drying and will strip the skin of it's natural oils.

To understand your skin type, cleanse and tone then leave your skin for about 10 minutes to rebalance. Feel and look at your skin for typical skin type characteristics. If your skin feels uncomfortably dry and tight, it is very likely that the products you are using are not formulated for your skin type.