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.

Should you use apple cider vinegar as toner? (Help me out, here!)

This is a tough one to answer! When I google "apple cider vinegar toner," I get a lot of hits from bullshit websites lauding it for getting rid of toxins and being natural - the same sources that are going to tell you to use coconut oil as sunscreen or ingest essential oils. (Do not do either of those things, please.) Lots of people apparently think you should put apple cider vinegar on your face, but not many (any?) of them can provide an explanation of why, or at least one that isn't full of shit. "It's good for your pores/acne/balance/wrinkles/glow/dark spots/fish scales." Okay, but why?

Here is a post that talks about some of the potential dangers of using ACV on your face, including chemical burns (warning: graphic injury photos). ACV has some anti-bacterial properties, so maybe that could help with acne. But there is also good bacteria on your skin, so you don't want to annihilate it all. I'm guessing that back when people used harsh, alkaline soaps, an acidic toner like this could help to restore the pH balance of your skin. Using something overly basic (in pH terms) on your skin could also make it more prone to breeding bad bacteria, which the ACV might then kill. Maybe? But most cleansers now have a gentle pH, so that's not particularly necessary. And the pH is too high for ACV to be an effective exfoliant.

I'm not going to tell you not to use ACV on your face, so long as you are careful and dilute it well with water. I also can't recommend it, though, because I have found absolutely no evidence as to how it might be beneficial. When I google "apple cider vinegar toner science" most of the results include some variation of: "while no scientific research verifies these claims . . ." or, "I don't need scientific evidence to know it works, because . . ." Uh huh.

(ACV might be good for your hair, though.  Or maybe not. That's a whole other thing, anyway. Also, you can use it to make a safe mask if you mix it with clay with a higher pH.)

Anyone have an better information to share on the topic? I mean something other than anecdotal stuff. My usual sources are coming up dry.

My Not-Cheap Favorites (and How to Avoid Paying Full Price for Them, If At All Possible)

See my cheap favorites here.

Okay, I confess, not every makeup/skin care product I use is super cheap. Sometimes I manage to get something fancy for a good price. Other times I haven't found a cheap option that I like as much as the pricier one. I feel like it occasionally makes financial sense to pay the extra $5-10 when you know something is just right, rather than to experiment with a bunch of cheaper options and end up spending more in the process. Your threshold and mine for what is a reasonable price to pay to avoid gambling on something new will differ. For example, I know there are other gel moisturizers that might substitute for the Paula's Choice one I've listed below. For $17 (on sale), I'll just buy the Paula's Choice version, because I love it. If it cost $20+, I would probably look around for a substitute.

I'm linking to all of these products and giving you their regular price, but honestly, I don't think I have ever bought one of them for full price. If I have tips for finding these for cheaper, I've included them below.

The Balm Stainiac in Beauty Queen, $17

This stain has an awesome gel formula, so it doesn't bleed all over the fucking place like Benefit Benetint. That means I can actually use it to outline my lips and then fill them in.  It can be used for cheeks too, but I tend not to use it that way. On my lips it leaves a nice, deep pink stain. Sometimes I wear it under another lip color so that when that inevitably wears off, I'll be left with this. It also feels somehow really soft and luxurious to apply. I know that sounds weird, but I like it. 

I got this for free using my Birchbox points, so if you have any of those saved up, this would be a good choice. At the time I'm writing this, it's $14 on Amazon, which is a little better, at least.

Clean Up: My Skincare Routine

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
By no means do I have perfect skin, but I’ve settled on a routine that keeps things under control most of the time. Some of the things I use are really cheap as fuck, others aren’t, but nothing is expensive as fuck. Note that I have oily skin that’s prone to breakouts and blackheads, but not extreme acne. So if you have a similar skin type, you might want to try some of this out. It might not work for you, but it works for me.