Here’s a Hydration Tip – Apply a hydrating toner before you moisturize. Toner helps skin absorb more moisturizer. Your skin will stay moisturized longer.
Why is that? Skin is like a sponge. Have you noticed how a wet sponge picks up water so much better than a dry sponge? It’s the same thing with skin. “Wet” your skin first (with toner), and it will draw in more of whatever you put on next. This is also why you should apply skin care products right after cleansing, while your skin is still moist.
So, how exactly does a toner help skin absorb more moisture?
The water-binding ingredients in a hydrating toner, such as hyaluronic acid, not only hydrate skin but also function as a delivery system for other ingredients. Hyaluronic acid expands the volume in the outer layer of skin. Just like a sponge expands after becoming wet. With more volume, more ingredients can be absorbed. By as much as 5-10 times! This is why saturating the skin first (with toner) helps your skin absorb more moisturizer.
Be sure to use a toner that is hydrating, not an astringent (which has drying alcohol). Many of the toners you find in a drugstore (for acne) are astringents.
A hydrating toner usually has at least one of these ingredients: hyaluronic acid (appears as Sodium Hyaluronate on an ingredient list), propylene glycol, butylene glycol, glycerin, or panthenol. These water-binding ingredients are called humectants.
