Facial tonic works to balance and hydrate the skin while deeply cleansing pores. It’s a crucial step for any nighttime skincare routine, especially if your goal is to restore the natural skin barrier.

There’s nothing better than feeling fresh in the morning. You have a warm cup of coffee in hand. You’re showered and ready for a skincare routine that energizes you.

Spoiler alert: the best product to refresh your skin is a facial tonic. If you haven’t heard of this product, it’s a second step to your cleansing routine. It detoxes pores, brightens, hydrates, and helps your skin better absorb nutrients from a serum or moisturizer. Trust us, you haven’t felt truly restored until you’ve tried a face tonic.

 

What Is Face Tonic?

A face tonic is the second step in your skincare routine, used after a cleanser. The goal is to restore your skin’s natural pH levels and prep your pores for deeper nourishment, usually from a serum or moisturizer. Use a face tonic if your pores need a gentle detox, to restore your skin barrier, and to get a naturally vibrant glow.

 

What Does a Face Tonic Do?

Facial tonic is the ultimate skincare reset button. While gently cleansing, it works to restore your skin barrier, pH levels, and skin microbiome.

• Balance your pH. Our skin is slightly acidic (around 5.7 on the pH scale). Environmental factors, topical chemicals, and even our hormones can mess with this natural acidity. The ingredients in a face tonic help restore that barrier.

 

• Skin barrier repair. Between its pH-balancing properties and microbiome support, tonic is a critical product for skin barrier repair.

 

• Target specific skin concerns. Tonics go one step further than toners by using herbs and moisturizing ingredients to target acne, sensitivity, and hyperpigmentation.

 

• Address skin texture. With hydrating and pore-tightening ingredients, the right tonic can smooth textured skin.

 

• Better product absorption. People who use a face tonic regularly have better results from other skincare products, like moisturizers and serums.

 

• Light cleanse. If you’re breakout-prone, you want to balance your skin’s natural oils while removing impurities. A tonic is a second-step cleanser that gets deep into your pores for extra support.

 

What’s the Difference Between Face Tonic and Face Toner?

The words tonic and toner are used interchangeably in the beauty space. There are a lot of similarities between the two products, but one key difference could impact which one you pick.

• A toner is made to balance your skin’s pH, provide a deep cleanse, and restore the skin barrier. It’s made with basic ingredients, typically witch hazel or alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs).

 

• Your tonic goes one step further by addressing specific skin concerns with deeply nourishing ingredients. It still uses witch hazel as the base and provides all the same benefits. But it includes hydrating ingredients and herbs that also target acne, mature skin, or sensitivity.

 

How to Use a Facial Tonic

You can apply a tonic both in the morning and at night. If you have to pick, we recommend nighttime application, since this is when you’ll do a deep cleanse followed by nourishing skincare.

• Step 1: Cleanse.

Use your cleanser as normal (we recommend the Seabuckthorn Cleansing Oil or Activated Charcoal Soap). Make sure your cleanser is fully removed before applying more skincare products.

• Step 2: Refresh.

Dab some face tonic on a Reusable Cotton Round or cotton ball. Gently rub the cotton along your face, taking special care around your hairline, T-zone, and other sensitive areas. The tonic dries quickly.

• Step 3: Nourish.

Face tonic preps your pores for better skincare results. Immediately use a serum and lock in the benefits with a nourishing moisturizer.

 

Which Face Tonic Should You Use?

Facial tonics are great for any skin type, since they use targeted ingredients to nourish and reset. Each face tonic is different, and formulas are made to clear, brighten, soothe, or hydrate the skin. First, make note of your skin goals and any other products you use in your routine. Then find which tonic formulas best suit your skin type.

 

Face tonic for acne-prone skin

No matter the root cause of your acne, you need targeted skincare products that balance your pH and microbiome. The right face tonic does this but takes it one step further with an added pore cleanse. You should experience fewer breakouts, fewer scars, and quicker recovery when they do pop up.

Facial Tonic for Acne-Prone Skin

 

Face tonic for hydration

If you live in a dry climate or have mature skin, adding extra moisture to your skincare routine is always a good idea. We use hibiscus, peppermint, geranium, and blue algae to lock natural hydration into tight pores.

Facial Tonic for Hydration

 

Face tonic for sensitive skin

Calming herbs like arnica, calendula, and lavender are centuries-old remedies used to calm skin disruptions. We infuse these herbs in a mixture of witch hazel and aloe vera juice for 30 days, so all their properties are readily available to your skin. Combine your face tonic with Tallow Balm or the Glow Serum for best results.

Face Tonic for Sensitive Skin

 

Face tonic for mature skin

We all need a little brightening, right? Our formula uses lemon peel, lady’s mantle, and yarrow to balance the skin tone, reduce hyperpigmentation, and give you that effortless glow.

 

Face Tonic for Mature Skin

 

If You Feel Like Something’s Missing from Your Skincare Routine, Try Facial Tonic

These days, there’s so much working against our skin. Environmental chemicals, pollution, and poor water quality can clog pores and lead to premature aging. That’s why we all need an effective and targeted skincare routine. The plants and herbs in a facial tonic help reduce exposure to environmental toxins while prepping the skin for cell-powering nutrients.