One of the most common questions Dr. Zenovia gets about skincare is whether using a toner is really necessary. Today’s consumers are bombarded with hundreds of product offerings, and it can be tough to figure out what’s really needed to achieve skin health. “Some products help the skin a little, while others help a lot,” Dr. Zenovia shares. But where do toners fall in this picture?  

Is a Toner Necessary?  

The role of a toner is to hydrate the tissue and prep the skin for the application of other topicals. Applying products right after cleansing can cause the topicals to lay on the skin without actually getting absorbed. “An efficacious toner gives you a pH-balanced surface while hydrating the tissue so that your next layered product penetrates better,” says Dr. Zenovia. “Toners, therefore, effectuate your other topicals!” 

Many toners on the market are alcohol-laced astringents which is how they got a bad reputation. However, there are superior formulations on the market- always read ingredient labels and research topicals before purchasing!  

While toner isn’t an absolute necessity (Dr. Zenovia’s top topicals include sunscreen and retinol), they can serve as a great supplemental product for one’s individualized skincare routine.  

Derm-Developed Toner  

Dr. Zenovia’s Vitamin C Brightening Toner is formulated with active Vitamins C and E to help brighten the skin and calm redness. Vitamin C is an extremely unstable molecule. The minute you open the bottle, many Vitamin C topicals oxidize in our oxygenated environment, rendering them ineffective! When creating skincare topicals, the kind of Vitamin C used, and the way it’s packaged and formulated is critical to making it effective so that your skin can reap the full benefits. "The majority of Vitamin C topicals sold on the market just sit on the skin and oxidize upon application," Dr. Zenovia shares.   

For the Dr. Zenovia Skincare Line, our topicals are formulated with tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate a stable form of Vitamin C that is more powerful than L-ascorbic acid. Lipid soluble tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate is an extremely active and absorptive form of Vitamin C. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that is like medicine for the skin,” Dr. Zenovia says. 

In addition to its antioxidant blend, our toner is formulated with Micronutrient Sea Salt to help neutralize pore-clogging impurities while plant-derived Witch Hazel removes excess oil and refines the look of pores. Skin is left feeling replenished, hydrated, and conditioned.