The Double Toner

Since Caroline Hirons (aka The Skin Care Goddess) spoke about doubling up on the toner front, everyone has been going a little crazy for acidic exfoliating toners. Which does sound a little extreme, but they are not as lethal as they sound.

The reasoning behind double toning is to take away a little something and add a little something. The exfoliating toner comes first and is used to lower you skin's pH levels and to smooth and prep the skin for the coming stages. For the second toner, Caroline recommends a hydrating one - specifically La Roche-Posay's Serozinc. This is used to draw moisture to the top layers of the skin, so that you have a perfect base to continue your routine.

Now for the exfoliating toner, there are three that were spoke about. I went for the mid-price range option which is the Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner, which comes in a 125ml bottle for £25. I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I first began using this - would it tingle, would it burn, would I be left red-faced? None of the above, is the answer! You simply pop a small amount on a cotton pad, sweep over your skin and your done. It actually feels quite soothing and I wasn't left with a tingling sensation or any redness, which is always a plus! As I mentioned before, it is suggested that the second be one of the hydrating variety. But being an oily skinned girl, with some dry patches I swapped this for a balancing toner in the form of the Origins United State Balancing Tonic. More refreshing, than soothing but it does the job and it does it well! My only gripe with this product is the over-powering scent, which doesn't linger but is definitely noticeable when you open the bottle.

I have been a 'Double Toner' now, for a few weeks, and the difference in the appearance of my skin is amazing. It is looking much more plump and brighter and my troublesome oily/dry patches have come together to give me pretty normal skin - no more mid-day makeup top-up for me! I should mention that I only double tone in the evening, the mornings are just for the balancing toner.

Will you be joining the Double Toner club, or are you already a member?