People who struggle with acne-prone skin (like myself) are constantly looking for skincare solutions. There isn’t a cleanser, serum, moisturizer, or prescription cream I haven’t tried in an effort to keep blemishes at bay throughout my entire adult life. And despite my decades of research and experience, I recently realized there was one skincare product I hadn’t bothered to use since I was a teenager: a toner.
When I was a teenager in the early aughts, toners were vital, but I fell off my usage as an adult and was curious to see if they have any acne-fighting benefits that would make this product category worth another try. Dr. Divya Shokeen , a board-certified dermatologist at Ocean Skin and Vein Institute in Southern California, told us that toners were once considered necessary because you needed them to remove residue commonly left behind by cleansing bars — but thanks to improvements in skincare formulations, this is no longer the case.
However, acne-prone skin can, in fact, benefit from certain toners. Shokeen explained that “those with acne-prone skin should look for toners that contain ingredients like salicylic acid, which is effective in unclogging pores, glycolic acid, and alpha-hydroxy acids, which can gently exfoliate the skin, or tea tree oil, which has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.” She added that “lactic and mandelic acids can also help to prepare the skin for other skincare products like serums and moisturizers.
” As with all.