Toners

Toner is the most misunderstood step in a routine, mostly because the word covers three products that do completely different things. Before choosing one, work out which of the three you actually want.

The three kinds

• Exfoliating — contains an acid and removes dead surface cells. The GLYCARIS™ Resurfacing Toner. This is an active, not a step you add for the sake of it, and it is not for every night.
• Hydrating — adds water and humectants to damp skin before your cream. The ROSARIS™ Hydrating Toner. Comfortable daily, and the one that suits most people.
• Purifying — for skin that feels oily or congested by the afternoon. The PURIVA™ Purifying Toner.

What a toner is not for

It is not there to "restore pH" after cleansing — healthy skin does that on its own within an hour, and a cleanser that leaves skin needing rescue is the thing to change. It is also not a second cleanse. If your cotton pad comes away grey, that is your cleanser's job going undone.

Where it goes

Straight after cleansing, on skin still slightly damp, before serums. Press it in with your hands rather than wiping with a pad — you lose less of it and you are not dragging at the skin.