The Difference Between Facial Toners, Cleansers, Moisturizers, and Exfoliants in Anti Aging Creams
There are all different types of anti aging creams, and different creams perform different functions. Here is a breakdown of the 4 most common types and functions of anti aging creams or their ingredients.
Cleansers:
Cleansers in anti-aging creams do just what it sounds like they do – cleanse or clean. They clean off the dirt and make-up and oils and bacteria and anything else that shouldn’t be there off of your face.
Many cleansers out on the market today are simply too harsh on the skin. You don’t need a heavy cleanser on your face like you would on your hands after painting a room in your house. Smooth, supple skin requires gentle treatment. Things like micro-beads and exfoliation, for example, may be good for a now-and-then treatment (like giving your car an oil change) but they’re typically too harsh for most people’s everyday use. Another product that can be harsh on your face are “peels”.
Toners:
There are different kinds of toners in anti aging creams. In general, toners remove any traces of dirt, make-up, oils, bacteria etc. remaining on your face after you’ve used a cleanser (or an anti aging cream with a cleanser in it). Beyond that, toners can serve a variety of other purposes.
Some toners restore the protective acid mantle of your skin that can be removed by harsher cleansers. Some toners balance the pH of your skin.
Moisturizers:
Some anti aging creams contain moisturizers. And some moisturizers are standalone anti aging skin care products. Either way, they serve the same purpose – moisturizing dry skin, and replenishing the oils that can be washed off the skin as a natural consequence of using cleansers and toners. Moisturizing your skin regularly keeps it soft and supple and less likely to develop wrinkles or spots.
Exfoliants:
Exfoliants in anti aging creams remove the outer layer of dead skin cells. Unlike cleansers, toners, and moisturizers which can (and should) be used every day – and in many cases twice a day: once in the morning and once at night – exfoliating is good to do about once every two weeks, and certainly no more than once a week. Dead skin cells are damaged cells and should be removed. But living skin cells still have a job to do and shouldn’t be scrubbed so harshly.
