Quick Question: Do you use toner?

Photo included because toner is watery? And this fountain at Caserta (near Naples) is cool.

I fully admit that I own and use way too much skincare shit, and that I'm intrigued by what various products might do for me and how they work. One common product that I can't remember ever using, however, is toner. I just don't know what purpose it would serve in my routine.

From what I understand, toner was originally used to counteract the basic pH level of soap. You applied toner with an acidic pH after washing your face to restore the face's natural balance. But since most cleansers today are pH balanced, it seems unnecessary for that purpose. I do use similarly watery or thin products like liquid exfoliants and serums, and there are other things out there such as essences that I haven't yet explored. But toner? I know some of them have beneficial ingredients, but I would just as soon use a serum or moisturizer with those ingredients in it as add an addition step and expense. I suppose if you have oily, not dehydrated skin, you might substitute a lighter toner for a heavier moisturizer.

What about you? Do you use toner? If so, what role does it play in your skincare routine? If not, why not? I'm curious how popular these things actually are, since I see them around but don't hear people talking about them a lot.

Quick question: Do you believe in eye cream?

I've been thinking about eye cream since I saw that Paula's Choice recently started to sell one. I'm seriously side-eyeing that. I've been reading Paula Begoun's recommendations for well over a decade, and one of the things she's always emphasized is that eye creams are a waste of money and a marketing gimmick. That is, they're just moisturizers in a smaller package at a higher price, and your eye skin is made out of the same shit as the rest of your face, even if it's a little thinner, so it doesn't need different ingredients. And now her company is selling eye cream. I understand that she will sometimes change her views with new evidence, as all reasonable people should, but I seriously fucking doubt that there has been any revolutionary evidence showing that eye creams are, it turns out, not just moisturizers in smaller tubes. I think that as her company gets bigger, she's started to let them formulate products based on consumer demand, rather than focusing on educating and not selling products that conflict with the principles she's promoted all along.

For a long time, I was strictly anti-eye cream, for the above reasons. And I still believe those things to be true - all you have to do is compare the ingredients and formulas of various eye creams and moisturizers. I have, however, tended to become more moderate over time, as many of us do. I can imagine some reasons why people might spend extra money for an eye cream. The main reason, other than just being fucking inundated by marketing telling you it's necessary, is that you might have sensitive eyes and want a product that presumably has been formulated to be gentle on the eyes. I think you're still better off just using a gentle moisturizer with good ingredients in it, because it will work just as well and cost you way less. If you think your eye area needs something richer than the rest of your face, there are lots of rich moisturizers out there. I've tried eye creams and didn't notice any different results than what I've got from moisturizers. But it's your call.

I know my opinions are not universal, and I am open to hearing why I'm wrong. So what are your views on this riveting topic? Are you pro- or anti-eye cream? Scam? Or vital element of a skincare routine? Any other beauty conspiracy theories you want to talk about? (We already know what I think about diversion of salon products.)