Toner, eau de soin, essence… Why does our skin love them so much?

Eau de soin, toning solution, toner, essence: how do they differ? And how to add them to our beauty routine?

Eau de soin, toning solution, and toner all refer to the same treatment. What about the essence? It is a different product, a toner-serum hybrid.

Written by LES EXPERTS IOMA

Nowadays, many skincare products are available in liquid form, and they are commonly known as “liquid skincare” or “cosmetic water.” These liquid skincare products are a cosmetic trend that came from Asia several years ago, more precisely from Japan, where water is considered a key element in beauty routines. This type of skincare is based on ancestral beauty rituals of Japanese women, who used to make their own toner from rice powder, a powerful antioxidant rich in vitamin E.

The French “eau de soin” (literally “skincare water,” in other words, a water-based moisturizer), highly concentrated in water and characterized by a lightweight texture, is a real hydration booster for the skin. In addition, it targets and treats certain skin conditions, such as dark spots, and can also have anti-aging, anti-pollution, and anti-blemish properties.

Liquid skincare products: a mine of benefits for our skin

They moisturize, smooth wrinkles and fine lines, have a brightening or exfoliating action, reduce dark spots and, above all, make your complexion glowing and bright.

Eau de soin: an essential step in your beauty routine

It plays an important role in making skincare products more effective. Well-moisturized skin is like a sponge: soft, plump, and capable of absorbing treatments containing high concentrations of active ingredients (notably essences and serums), letting them penetrate deeply.

Eau de soin is the ally of all skin types, as it reduces the appearance of fine dehydration lines and rebalances combination skin that overproduces sebum to protect itself from dehydration. Moreover, it helps restore the skin’s pH balance after cleansing. Cleansing the skin with a high-pH soap or cleanser can be very harsh and leave a tight feeling. A toner prevents this feeling and keeps the skin’s pH level balanced.

It is advised to apply it after washing and cleansing your skin using, for example, a foaming gel to be rinsed off, micellar water (which leaves a surface residue on the skin), cleansing milk, or cleansing oil. Soak a cotton pad or a reusable one or pour a few drops directly into the palm of your hand and gently apply all over your face and neck.

What about the essence?

Essence is a hybrid product, a cross between a toner and a serum.

It generally contains a higher concentration of active ingredients than a toner. With this product, we have already reached the treatment step. We are no longer in the cleansing step, as with a toner. Essence can have moisturizing, anti-aging, and repairing properties or can be designed to target specific skin concerns. In addition, it requires an exact way to be applied. You don’t need to use a cotton pad. Actually, cotton pads are not recommended as the aim here is to let the product penetrate as much as possible, making sure it doesn’t stay on the surface.

Pour a few drops into the palm of your hand and gently press and pat the essence unto your skin. Apply morning and/or evening to clean skin before your serum. If you use a toner, the essence is usually applied after this step.

Focus on cult liquid skincare products by IOMA Paris

A liquid skincare product looks like water, contains a lot of water, but it is not just water! For this product to be effective, it has to contain certain active ingredients and avoid others… Opt for alcohol-free and solvent-free toners, which are irritating and harsh. It is advised to choose products with soothing, moisturizing, and revitalizing active ingredients, toners containing glycerin, acids, antioxidants, and other ingredients helping the cells communicate with each other, such as niacinamide.