My Korean care: cleansing pores and eliminating blackheads with Ciracle

What is a facial toner

In any cosmetic procedure, be it cleansing the skin before applying makeup or daily care, it requires toning. The word "tone" itself means leveling, and the derivative "tonic" is a variant with a suffix. The meaning is practically the same, the main differences are the properties.

Facial toner allows you to even out the skin and bring it back to normal. Basically, the toning process is typical for teenage skin. At this stage, it is necessary to narrow the pores and give the face a matte, uniform color.

Why tone your skin?

Many people mistakenly believe that the list of tonic properties includes smoothing wrinkles and completely and quickly eliminating acne. Bielita “Vitex”, EFFACLAR, Avon tonics are capable of:

1. Remove remnants of skin cleansing products after washing and primary care. Foams, gels, and other cleansers are skin irritants. The toner brings the condition of the face back to normal and maintains this condition.
2. Clean thoroughly. After washing, not all products cope with skin secretions, dirt, and narrowing of pores. Tonic is able to complete the procedure.
3. Restore pH balance. Your skin will absorb anti-aging serums, nourishing creams and other products much faster for the final stage of primary care: moisturizing.
4. Narrow pores. An alcohol-based toner for oily skin can tighten pores by preventing clogging and pre-cleansing them. People with dry skin are advised not to use such toners, but to choose more gentle water-based options.

A regular toner does not stretch the skin or moisturize it. It can dry out the subcutaneous layer of the face, causing it to peel. This is very common when using products containing alcohol.

What types of tonics are there? Classification of tonics

If you are familiar with what a tonic can do and want to choose it based on your own preferences, then use the classification:

• Moisturizing. Option for dry and combination skin. In addition to nutritional vitamins, it contains a moisturizing component - glycerin. Gently moisturizing and hiding pores allows you to use the product daily!
• Mattifying. An option for oily skin that contains alcohol with a concentration of no more than 5%. The main task of mattifying toner is to eliminate impurities, provide primary care for oily skin (eliminate shine) and tighten pores. Very often, such tonics are made on the basis of vegetable extracts and teas.
• Exfoliating. Gives your facial skin a refreshed look in just a week! After use, the skin will look clean even without using toner throughout the day. The product for narrowing pores on the face consists of fruit acids. Subcutaneous lumps and inflammations will be eliminated in a few days.
• Anti-aging. Tonic with smoothing components, includes elastin, peptide, and some acids. Made from extracts of medicinal plants or flowers, it has a vitamin complex.

Review of La Roche Posay EFFACLAR K(+) emulsion

It has a corrective and restorative effect, preventing relapses in the form of rashes.
With regular use, acne and loose skin no longer bother you. Active components: Lipo-Hydroxy-Acid (LHA) and vitamin A derivative – Retinol Linoate. They do not cause allergic reactions and are effective against acne. The emulsion is applied 2 times a day: in the evening under moisturizer, and in the morning it can be used as a base for makeup. The manufacturer promises mattifying skin for up to 8 hours.

Effect

According to customer reviews, after regular use there is noticeable cleansing and narrowing of pores, smoothness of the skin, and improved complexion. The product has a light, non-greasy consistency and a pleasant smell, and is easy to apply. The tube has a comfortable sharp spout, which allows you to squeeze out as much cream as you need.

On the official La Roche website the tube is 30 ml. will cost 1044 rubles. Cosmetics belong to the medicinal category, therefore they are available in the pharmacy chain.

Criteria for choosing a tonic

To choose the right tonic for narrowing pores, you need to consider several options:

• Skin type. If you do not want to make a mistake with the choice of product and its properties, decide on the skin on your face. Examine it exclusively, as it is subject to more contamination and has many unprotected, open pores.

How to quickly tighten the pores on your face and find out your skin type? To determine this, just use a cotton pad and any cleanser for sensitive skin. Wet a cotton swab and wipe your face with it, completing the first stage of daily care. After an hour, run your hand over the skin and compare the results:

• If a greasy shine and greasy coating appear on your fingers, then your type is oily skin.
• If there is no plaque, but there is peeling of the skin on the fingers, then it is dry.
• If plaque and peeling are observed, then the skin has a combination type.
• If the skin has nothing in common with the previously presented signs, then the type is normal skin. For her, toning may be an unnecessary process.

• Allergic reaction. Do you have particularly sensitive skin? In this case, add one more criterion to the list.
• What do you want to achieve as a result? Answer this question. There is a huge number of different tonics. Their actions are aimed at getting rid of acne, quickly narrowing pores on the face, as when using alcohol dilutions, etc.

Review of Normaderm Detox from VICHY

Night cream from the French laboratory VICHY. The action is aimed at narrowing pores and eliminating oily shine, the effect is achieved through 2 complexes included in the product.

• "Sebum control". Complex of perlite and absorbent powders. They neutralize excess sebum produced during sleep.
• "Detox". The complex aims to reduce pollutants (bacteria, dead skin cells and free radicals). Consists of Lipo-Hydroxy and salicylic acids and Eperulin.

Effect

The product is suitable for sensitive skin. Regular use at night for 3 weeks reduces the secretion of oily secretions by 3 times.

The cream is light and non-greasy, absorbs quickly. Has a pleasant fresh aroma. Economical consumption - a 40 ml tube lasts for a month. The price of the product fluctuates around 1300 rubles.

How to choose a toner based on your face type? Oily skin

If the experiment ended successfully, and you know what type of skin is typical for you, then choose a tonic. At this point, you can choose a product if your skin has an unpleasant shine and pores clogged with light plaque.

You need such a tonic so that you can answer the question of how to get rid of enlarged pores on your face. This means it should include the following properties:

• Alcohol content. Due to the large amount of subcutaneous fat, your skin will not dry out, and it will be able to remove excess deposits and unpleasant shine.
• Gentle moisturizing. The toner should contain products to lightly moisturize the skin.
• Narrowing of pores. A product for reducing pores on the face is an excellent option to overcome their blockage and stop inflammatory processes. Consider this condition if your skin is oily.

Mask-scrub L'Oreal "Magic of Clay"

It contains three clays and eucalyptus extract. Together, the components cleanse the skin, remove oily shine and restore a healthy complexion. Silicates in kaolin clay fight impurities in enlarged pores. Microelements in ghassoul clay nourish the deep layers of the skin. Montmorillonite clay minerals smooth out unevenness and relieve redness.

What benefits does regular use give?

The manufacturer notes that the packaging is enough for 10 uses.

• Lightly exfoliates and moisturizes the skin.
• The feeling of cleanliness and freshness lasts throughout the day.
• The natural softness of the skin is restored.
• Acne goes away, pores are cleaned, narrowed and become almost invisible on the face.\

Price: from 350 rubles.

Dry and combination skin

The second most common type, in which remnants of dry skin and traces of inflammatory processes could appear on the cotton swab. In general, the cotton pad may be empty.

If you are not sure about the right choice, then run your palm over the skin of your nose, cheeks and forehead. Compare the results with a cotton pad.

Combination skin is a combination of oily and dry skin on different parts of the face, mainly the nose and cheeks. How to use facial toner on dry skin? The steps are the same as previous products. Choose products with these features:

• Built-in humidification. Pay attention to tonics that can moisturize your skin and, if possible, nourish it (vitamin complex). For combination skin, subsequent additional moisturizing with cream may not be required.
• Exfoliation of dead skin. Use a tonic from the “Exfoliating” category. This is the product that will help you quickly get rid of dry skin and inflammatory processes.
• Narrowing of pores. Slightly reducing the enlarged pores on your face will help protect your skin from dirt and environmental smoke waste. Remember that tonic should not contain alcohol! This is an important condition.
• Rejuvenating serum. If you want to prolong the elasticity and freshness of your skin for many years, then take note: use a product with 10-20% serum content. Thus, you will not only additionally moisturize the skin, but also effectively stretch it.

Basic ways to narrow pores

Knowing the cause makes it easier to fix the problem. But in any case, means for narrowing the sebaceous ducts cannot be used if the pores are not cleaned. Only after a thorough cleansing of the face can you begin procedures that narrow the ducts. Some of the main ways to care for problem skin include:

• Regular facial skin care appropriate for your specific skin type.
• Visit to a beauty salon.
• The use of essential oils during cosmetic procedures.
• Using folk recipes
• Use of ready-made cosmetics.

It is worth noting that the best result can be obtained if you combine 2-3 methods at the same time. But this does not mean that it is necessary to immediately “take the bull by the horns” and use all existing methods of combating enlarged pores at once.

First of all, it is advisable to be examined in a medical institution and, if necessary, undergo a course of treatment. If there is no need for medical procedures, you should contact a cosmetologist who will give professional advice on solving the problem in a beauty salon or at home.

Naturally, in a beauty salon the result will not take long to arrive. After all, modern cosmetologists have high-quality equipment and the latest technologies at their disposal. However, not every woman can afford visiting beauty salons.

Treatment of enlarged pores with traditional methods also bears fruit, but it will take a lot of time to achieve results. At the same time, a self-prepared product for narrowing pores is cheaper and environmentally friendly. Particularly effective home remedies for tightening pores are essential oils:

• Bergamot.
• Geraniums.
• Juniper.
• Cypress.
• Lavender.
• Ylang-ylang.
• Lemon.
• Rosemary.

Essential oils for cleansing treatments

Essential oils are widely used in a number of cosmetic procedures for cleansing and narrowing ducts at home:

• For facial cleansing as part of steam baths.

Under the influence of steam baths, the pores open, the upper layer of the epidermis softens, the fatty secretions of the sebaceous glands melt, which has a beneficial effect on cleansing the pores.

For a steam bath, add 2 drops of any of the three essential oils mentioned above to 1 liter of boiling water. Tilt your face over the container with the resulting hot solution, covering your head with a towel. The duration of the procedure is 10 minutes.

• For warming compresses.

Steam baths are not suitable for everyone. This is especially true for those with skin with dilated blood vessels on the face. In this case, baths can replace warming compresses.

To prepare a compress, add a few drops of any of the listed essential oils to warm water and moisten a cotton cloth in the resulting solution, wring it out and keep it on your face for 10 minutes. Do not allow the compress to cool completely by re-wetting the napkin in the warm solution.

• Combined use of esters with scrubs.

After steaming procedures, final cleaning of the pores from impurities and dead layers of epithelium is necessary. Scrubs are used for this. As such a remedy at home, coffee grounds are used, which are mixed with cinnamon and cream, or with sour cream and any of the effective essential oils. This self-prepared scrub can be used 2 times a week.

Essential oils in the fight against dilated ducts

After deep cleaning, it is necessary to carry out a series of pore-tightening procedures using effective essential oils:

• Contains masks.

Masks using essential oils are used not only to cleanse and narrow the sebaceous ducts, but also to nourish the skin. To prepare such masks, white or blue clay, egg white, starch, honey, and grated apple are used as a base.

To enhance the effect, add a few drops of lemon juice and one drop each of juniper and cypress essential oils to these components. Mix all ingredients, apply to cleansed skin and keep on face for 10 minutes, then rinse gently with warm water. To eliminate the tight feeling, apply a nourishing cream to your face. It is recommended to do this mask no more than once a week.

• Contains pore-tightening lotions.

These lotions are easy to make yourself. This home remedy is used not only to narrow the ducts, but also has a bactericidal effect, excellently cleansing the skin of impurities and excess sebum. To prepare the lotion you will need: distilled water - 1 glass, 1 drop of geranium oil and 3 drops each of lavender, bergamot, juniper and lemon oils. Combine all ingredients, mix thoroughly and seal tightly in a dark bottle. Leave the prepared product to infuse for a day in a cool place.

The prepared lotion is used after washing for daily facial skin care.

• As part of homemade decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs.

They are used for both external and internal use. Warm compresses based on decoctions and infusions of chamomile and calendula perfectly tighten the pores on the face. To achieve greater effect, you can add a couple of drops of any essential oil to herbal infusions.

• An effective remedy is ice cubes made from decoctions of medicinal herbs.

Daily rubbing with ice along the massage lines on the face helps tighten pores and tones the skin.

Tonic for normal skin: what and how?

A tonic for already moisturized and nourished skin, with almost no inflammatory processes, should be a daily care product. If you want to keep your skin almost perfect, then pay attention to the following criteria:

• Care. If you are a makeup lover, then choose a toner with basic care. It should not only moisturize the skin, but also tighten the pores.
• How to get rid of enlarged pores on the face? Use a toner that can hide pores and reduce their size. This will help eliminate inflammatory processes and prevent the appearance of pimples and blackheads.
• Removing residual contaminants. All your emphasis should be on cleansing. You should not use toners containing alcohol, they dry out normal skin.

Lithophytomask Beauty Secret No. 6, narrowing pores

Minerals (natural zeolite, kaolin, sodium alginate) brighten and tighten pores. Eliminate lumpiness and other skin irregularities, remove dead cells. The skin receives a slight lifting effect, is nourished with the necessary active components of extracts of rye, wheat, oat bran, St. John's wort leaves, coltsfoot, etc.

Constant correct use of the mask normalizes sebum production. Therefore, over time, the oily sheen disappears, the rate of pore clogging decreases, and inflammation goes away. The skin becomes matte and pleasant to the touch.

• Mattifies the skin.
• Tightens pores.
• Restores hydrobalance, removes oily shine.
• Evens out skin tone.
• Fights inflammation.

Price: from 516 rubles.

Tonic for narrowing pores, reviews and basic options

If you don’t know which product is best for you and what you should choose, you can use basic products that are very popular among users:

• Yves Rocher. Suitable for girls with dry skin. Judging by the reviews, the toner gently moisturizes the skin with ash juice.
• La Roche-Posay. Suitable for toning skin tone, smoothing and soothing. The composition includes thermal water, there are options with extracts.
• Lumene. Tonic for dry and particularly sensitive skin. Easily moisturizes without requiring the application of a special cream, evens out the tone. Tonic is similar to a quickly absorbed serum; there are special options with a rejuvenating effect.

How to use facial toner? Correct application

To apply toner, do the following:

1. Cleanse your skin. To apply tonic, your facial skin must be cleansed. Remove all the brightest stains and carry out primary care.
2. Take a cotton pad and soak it in the product you are using. Apply the tonic to the skin using smoothing movements, pressing slightly. Move from the center to the periphery.
3. Follow this procedure: start from the middle of the cheeks, then move smoothly to the ears. Then engage the middle of the forehead and move towards the eyelids. From the nose you can reach one line to the chin.

Is it possible to make a toner yourself?

It’s quite possible to make your own unique tonic. Use the following recipes:

1. Parsley remedy. A pore tightening toner that has a pleasant aroma. Finely chop the parsley and fill it with hot water, rain or filtered. Leave for 3 days and after the expiration of time, apply with a cotton pad.
2. Salt tonic. Great for all skin types, except particularly sensitive ones. Has an exfoliating effect. Add 1-2 tablespoons per glass of distilled or boiled water. There is no need to insist on dilution; use immediately. Salt tonic has an anti-inflammatory effect and tightens pores.
3. Mint tonic. Has an anti-aging effect, the best tonic for oily skin. Grind dry mint leaves, add 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and add water. If you have dry skin, you can omit the vinegar. Instead, use more purified water.