Did you know that skin is naturally acidic? The pH of skin is about 4.5-5.5.

Cleansers *should be* in that pH range. But many aren’t. For example, many bar soaps are at an alkaline pH (where the pH is greater than 7.0). This is the reason you should not use a *body* bar soap on your face. Plus it can strip away too much oil from your face.

[Note: Not all bar soaps are bad for the face. Bars that are specifically made for *facial cleansing* should be ok. Make sure it’s made for the face.]

A toner resets your skin’s pH if it is off balance. This is one good reason to use a toner after cleansing.

But there’s an even more compelling reason. A toner hydrates skin and prepares it for serums and moisturizers, which are absorbed much better with toner.

You can read all about how toners work here: Hydrating Skin, and here: Skin Is Like A Sponge.