0 
This writeup is more applicable for acne / acne-prone / oily / sensitive skin.
The main 2 reasons why we are encouraged to tone are that toners serve to :
1) remove the impurities that can still be lingering after washing with a cleanser,
2) balance the skin pH.
Below, I’m listing some of the reasons why I ditched the toner and double cleanse instead.
1. Less is More
The lesser ingredients you put on your skin, the lower the chances your skin will react negatively.
I’ve never knew that using the wrong ingredients would lead to oily skin until I was testing different formulations. Even subtle change of preservatives and surfactants (cleansing agents) could lead to change in skin oiliness. All these information are not found in textbooks and were only discovered when I was trying different formulations.
Many years back before I started Skinlycious, I used to use a toner from my aesthetic clinic. I realised that I had increased sensitivity and redness from the toner. And that was after I have finished two bottles. After I stopped toning, my skin was better. Ever since, I’ve not used a toner.
2. Toners do not contain surfactants.
Surfactants are cleansing agents that dislodges oil and dirt, allowing them to be washed away. But not all surfactants are created the same. Some causes increase sensitivity while some can cause the skin to oil up. Toners do not contain surfactants. They do not cleanse as well compared to cleansers. It’s probably more the wiping down with cotton pad that helps to dislodge the stubborn impurities.
3. You would be wiping away beneficial ingredients.
This is applicable for those who are using Skinlycious Calming Cleanser only. In our cleanser, we have lactoserum (a milk protein) and lactic acid (naturally produced within our skin).These two ingredients stays on your skin even after you rinse with water. They are essential to balance your skin pH, preventing acne. When we have skin problems like acne, our skin is alkaline. By using our wash, it helps to balance the skin pH while cleansing gently. Thus, if you use our Anti-acne wash, there’s no extra need for an extra step to tone to balance pH.
4. Double cleanse for thorough removal of impurities
Cleansers have surfactants. They work better as a cleansing step than toners. The usual double cleanse products are either oil-based, milk-based or water-based. For acne and acne-prone skin, it’s best to use micellar cleansing water (now smoothing cleansing gel) as it’s water-based. Choosing the right cleansing water is important too. Some cleansing water/gel makes acne-prone skin more oily.
From my personal experience, after incorporating one extra step of using Skinlycious smoothing cleansing gel in the evening, I had less clogs. Below is my current skin care regimen. On no makeup days, 2 pumps on one cotton pad, swiping front and back, would do the job. With makeup, I usually need 4 pieces of cotton pad to remove my makeup (inclusive of eye makeup) thoroughly.
Conclusion
Try using a cleanser that can remove makeup to double cleanse and see if you achieve a smoother and clearer complexion. Of course, I would highly recommend Skinlycious Smoothing Cleansing Gel as it has been tested on acne and acne-prone skin.
Honestly, the money you spent buying toner could be better spent on anti-aging products or even double dosing on your serums. That would achieve better results. The percentage of active ingredients in toners are usually much lesser than that dosed in serums.
