Astringents vs Toners: How They Differ?

My skin becomes dehydrated during the fall and winter months.  So I need to keep it hydrated and moisturized.  What I didn’t realize until I was recently treated to a conditioning True Facial at the Hotel Gansevoort’s Exhale Spa, was that I was contributing to my skin’s dry and flaky state by using a deep cleansing, drugstore astringent.

I’ve been using an astringent since I was an acne-prone teen, and always thought it was a necessary skin care step for cleansing your pores and getting rid of excess dirt before applying a moisturizer.  As I’ve become more beauty savvy, I discovered products that look like astringents called “toners.”

Cranberry Anti-oxidant Toner

Although astringents and toners are essentially the same type of products, an aesthetician recently explained to me that astringents are way too harsh and can strip the skin of its natural PH balance.  On the other hand, a natural toner like Cygalle Healing Spa’s Cranberry Anti-Oxidant Toner contains natural, refreshing ingredients (cranberry juice, Vitamin C, chamomile, plum, and sandalwood) and no alcohol.  Thus, it aims to soothe and hydrate the skin.

Unless I have a major acne flare-up, I’m going to shelve my alcohol-based astringent for a while and use  a natural toner.  

But I’m sure there is a lot more to the Astringent vs. Toner argument, and I would love your feedback.

Image credit: Cygalle Healing Spa, Clean & Clear