Toners, unfortunately, get the short end of the stick in the beauty world.
They’re just, well, toners. No fancy foaming action, no “immediate” remedy promises, just the step post cleansing. Some might even go as far as saying that people spend more time picking their cotton pads (square or round? 50 count or 100 count?) than their toners.
But… can we imagine a life without toners - without the satisfaction of seeing any left over grime on the cotton pad that the toner caught?
On the same note, we understand why toners can sometimes get a bad rep. If they’re too astringent, it feels like you’re swiping plain rubbing alcohol over your face, so we rely on the serums, essences & moisturizers post-toner to revive our skin. When these Aromatica toners appeared at our door front, we absentmindedly grabbed our cotton pads and doused them in product and then quickly noticed a difference.
Instead of tight, over-cleansed skin, these 100% natural toners filled with organic aloe vera extract left our skin supple and refreshed. Obviously, we immediately started hoarding them at our desks, bathrooms & gym lockers.
If toners haven’t made the cut for your daily beauty routine, it might be time to rethink the roster. Toners help balance your skin’s pH levels after cleansing, among other things (preps face for subsequent products, catches any leftover makeup/debris, nourishes skin with good-for-you ingredients).
Our new Aromatica toners help balance our skin when it’s out of whack, returning it to a healthier pH balance, but we’ve been experimenting with some other uses for these amazing smelling toners.
De-Puffing Eye Masks
Long summer days mean we wake up sometimes with unwelcome under-eye bags. For a quick, refreshing eye mask, cut a round cotton pad in half and douse with your toner - it’s even more soothing when the toner has been in the fridge! The cold compress will help reduce swelling, and we always reach for our Orange Blossom Toner for this job because the organic orange oil leaves our skin brighter and smoother. Organic eucalyptus oil and usnea barbata extract also help the aloe vera leaf extract rehydrate tired skin. Now you know our secret to looking all wide eye and bushy-tailed every morning.
Aftershave
Aftershave for women isn’t really a thing, but that doesn’t mean we won’t try to make it a thing! Say ta-ta to ingrown hairs and irritated skin post shave by sweeping a toner over your skin to catch any dead skin cells and prevent minor razor burn. We love the Lavender Relaxing Toner because it not only smells great and catches any leftover residue, but it also soothes our skin. This toner hack is perfect for the sensitive underarms or bikini line!
Powder Cleanser Mix
Powder cleansers are popping up, and instead of mixing the powder with water or oil, try activating it with your toner! The Rosemary Refresh Toner is perfect because the pure rosemary oil leaves your skin feeling clean and revitalized, which is exactly what you want from a cleanser. Plus, a lot of powder cleansers have exfoliant properties and so does toner - they make the perfect pair!
Makeup Remover
If you have any organic cold-pressed extra virgin coconut oil or olive oil sitting around (or any beauty oil like argan), mix the oil and your toner on a cotton pad to create an impromptu makeup remover. Oil has been proven to help dissolve tough, long-wear/waterproof makeup while toner helps to cleanse skin of makeup, dirt and debris (read: no more oily residue). Try this tip with the Lavender Relaxing Toner for its calming benefits for your skin, which is bombarding by stimulants and pollutants all day.
Face Mist
Walk down the travel aisle of your local drugstore, and you’ll see the little empty containers for mists, creams, etc. Pick up a face mist bottle and fill it up with a mix of toner and a diluent like filtered or distilled water (we like the ratio of 2:1 water to toner). We made our face mist with the Orange Blossom Toner because it… we want to say because it has some great skin benefits, and that’s true, but it’s honestly because it smells amazing.
Bonus: mist toner onto makeup brushes and wipe off on a tissue/towel/wet wipe to easily get rid of makeup residue!
You’ll no longer look at toner bottles and ask, “Why are they so big?” Instead, you’ll say, “Ugh, there’s not enough!”
