Toners, despite their iffy reputation, can make a game-changing addition to your skin-care routine if they’re made with the right formula and skin-beneficial approach. Say goodbye to the stripping witch hazel and alcohol-packed toners of the past and look for a formula that’s made with hydrating, balancing, and antioxidant ingredients. 

If you’re already a certified member of the Glow Gang, you may have been using our Watermelon Glow Ultra-Fine Mist as hydrating toner for a while now. You probably also know that just last week, we launched our first-ever dedicated toner product, the Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Toner, which is a liquid leave-on treatment to help boost the health and appearance of your skin. Now that there’s a new kid on the block, you may be wondering, which product should I use for my toner step, and when? Read on for a handy guide to help you decipher when to use the Watermelon Pore-Tight Toner or Watermelon Mist in your routine, based on how your skin is feeling!

Combination Skin

If your skin’s behavior falls smack in the middle of oily, dry, and normal all at the same time, then your skin is combination. This means you can benefit from having two different formulas to help target your skin’s varied needs. The Watermelon Glow Pore-Tight Toner is a great way to treat areas with more oil production or congestion. This is due to the natural BHA in this formula, which can help to unclog pores. For easy application to a specific area like the nose or cheeks only, try soaking a reusable cotton pad in Pore-Tight toner and pressing it into skin. Hydration is an essential step to keep skin balanced, too, so spraying the Water Glow Ultra-Fine Mist in other areas is an easy way to ensure balance.

Dehydrated Skin

Is your skin dehydrated? Dehydrated skin feels tight and dull because it lacks water content, and can be the result of a damaged skin barrier (which can cause trans-epidermal water loss), or a routine that’s just lacking in hydration. The best way to quench your skin is to apply a hydrating toner in several small layers. This is the concept behind the 7 Skin Method, which allows your skin to drink up that hydration little by little. It’s also super customizable, so you can layer more or less depending on how your skin is feeling!

Dry Skin

Dry skin, on the other hand, is skin that’s lacking oil. This can lead to flakiness, texture, and dry patches. The best way to treat dry skin is with a two-fold method of layering hydration with a targeted moisturizing toner. 

Start with the Pore-Tight toner as your toner step. The watermelon and cactus extracts in this formula provide intense hydration to keep your skin plump and bouncy. If you’re dealing with dry flakes, its mix of moisturizing properties combined with gentle PHA can help smooth your skin texture, too. As you go through the rest of your routine, spritz the Watermelon Mist in between each product for extra, long-lasting hydration.

Oily or Congested Skin

If your skin is feeling oily or you see congested areas, you’ll love the gentle acids in this toner formula. It combines PHA, an ultra-gentle surface level exfoliant, with BHA, an oil-soluble exfoliating acid that can actually break up the stuff that clogs your pores (read: sebum, dead skin, makeup, etc.). Apply it as your first leave-on treatment after cleansing, both morning and night. The lightweight hydraters in this toner, watermelon and cactus, infuse your skin with essential hydration, and we also know that hydrated skin is less likely to overproduce oil!

During the daytime, the final step in your routine should always include SPF. Especially if you’re using a product with exfoliants, like the Watermelon Glow Pore-Tight Toner, SPF is essential for protecting your skin. And finally, remember to check in with your skin daily. Customize your toner step to feed your skin what it needs to keep it happy, healthy, and glowing!