Can Toner Cause Acne?

Yes, it can.

If you've recently started using a new toner and noticed an uprising of pimples, it's not just in your head.

But sometimes it's good acne, and sometimes it's bad acne.

Let me explain: there's real breakouts, and then there's skin purging. Those are different, and toner can cause both.

More often than not, though, the right toner will help treat acne.

Keep reading to learn how to tell if it's the toner, your skin type, an actual breakout, or a purge.

Why Toners Might Be Causing Your Breakout

Skin Type Mismatch

Using a toner that's made for a different skin type than your own is one of the most common reasons people experience breakouts with them.

If you have oily or acne-prone skin and use a toner meant for dry skin, it can overload your skin with moisture or emollients.

That can lead to clogged pores, blackheads, inflammatory acne, and a higher likelihood of breakouts on oily skin.

If you have dry or sensitive skin and use a toner for oily skin, it might strip your skin of its natural oils.

This further exacerbates the dryness of the skin, leading to flaking and a compromised skin barrier. A weakened barrier results in sensitivity-related breakouts.

Harsh or Irritating Ingredients

The most common harsh ingredients that may be found in toners are alcohol, synthetic fragrance, and benzoyl peroxide.

Isopropyl alcohol is used in some toner formulations for its astringent and fast-drying properties. It temporarily reduces oil and gives a matte finish, but also has the potential to strip oils and disrupt pH balance.

As a defence mechanism, the skin then overproduces sebum to compensate for these losses.

Many toners have artificial fragrances or texture-enhancing chemicals like parabens and phthalates, which can irritate the skin for people with sensitive or acne-prone skin.

These additives might smell and feel nice, but they can increase the risk of redness, rashes, and breakouts.

Benzoyl peroxide is effective for treating acne, but using it too much or in high amounts through toners can dry out the skin.

It inflames the skin and causes more acne as your skin tries to recover.

Improper Use

There are right and wrong ways to put toners on your face. Who knew it could be so complicated?

Overapplying toners with active or exfoliating ingredients can overwhelm your skin.

It strips your skin and dries it out, which usually comes with the side effect of breakouts.

Toner should be used based on your skin's condition, concerns, and tolerance.

It's best to slowly incorporate toner into your routine, starting with once a week, then every other day, then every day to assess your tolerance.

Layering toner with the wrong products also causes issues.

If you're using a toner with active ingredients, and then other products with the same active ingredients, that leads to overwhelm too.

Using an astringent instead of a true toner can be too harsh for many skin types.

Astringents have stronger formulas that have alcohol or potent actives meant to tighten pores and dry out oil.

That might sound great for dealing with acne, but going overboard with it can wreck your skin barrier.

Lastly, low-quality toner formulations can be a source of problems too.

Products made with cheap, filler ingredients or without proper testing can do more harm than good.

These toners might have hidden irritants or be poorly balanced in pH, making them unfit for regular use.

Ingredients That Help

If your primary skin concern is battling acne, look for these ingredients in your toner:

• Salicylic acid (exfoliating, unclogs pores)
• Tea tree extract (antibacterial and soothing)
• Witch hazel (natural astringent, anti-inflammatory)
• Niacinamide (barrier support, reduces redness)
• Hyaluronic acid (hydrating and oil-balancing)
• Neem leaf extract (healing, antibacterial)
• Glycerol, rose water, aloe vera, colloidal oatmeal (moisturizing, calming)

Skin Purging vs. Breakouts

We mentioned earlier that there’s a difference between purging and a real breakout. Let’s get into that now.

What is Skin Purging?

Skin purging is a temporary reaction that happens when you start using skincare products that speed up cell turnover.

It mostly happens for products with ingredients like retinoids, salicylic acid, glycolic acid, or other exfoliants.

The sped up cell turnover causes underlying congestion of sebum and dead skin cells to rise to the surface faster than usual, leading to sudden acne.

This is why some people feel like they get more acne when they wash their face.

The main difference is that purging is temporary. Once all the congestion is gone, it won't happen again.

Meanwhile, breakouts are persistent and have an underlying cause, such as irritation, hormonal changes, allergic reactions, and more.

Signs of Purging

There are ways to tell if your skin is purging rather than reacting negatively.

When purging, acne shows up where you usually get pimples, and tends to clear faster than typical acne.

There’s also the timing: purging begins shortly after introducing a new product into your routine.

If you haven’t changed anything in your skincare, or if acne appears in new areas, that’s most likely a breakout.

Timeline

Skin purging generally lasts around 4 to 6 weeks.

Keep an eye on your skin during this time and avoid introducing too many new products at once.

If acne persists or worsens beyond this time frame, it might be a bad reaction to the product rather than purging.

What to Do If Your Toner is Causing Acne

If you suspect your toner is causing acne, stop using it immediately.

Give your skin some space to breathe for a few days. Don't introduce anything new, and just keep an eye on it.

Most of the time, removing the irritating product is enough for your skin to calm down.

Before trying out a new toner, always do a patch test.

Apply a small amount of the product behind your ear or on your jawline and wait for one to two days to see if there's any reaction.

This helps you avoid irritation on your whole face.

When choosing a new toner, go for alcohol-free and fragrance-free formulas. Of course, it depends on whether or not your skin can take it, but if you have sensitive or acne-prone skin it's better to be safe than sorry.

Make sure to match the toner you're using to your skin type and concerns.

So, toners for oil control on oily skin, toners for hydration on dry skin, etc.

If breakouts happen despite doing all this, then it might be time to consult a dermatologist.

A professional can help determine what you're really dealing with and how to go about fixing it.

To recap: toners can cause acne, but only if they’re used incorrectly, over applied, or incompatible with your skin.

Make sure to read product labels carefully to choose the best possible product for you.

Remember that not all acne is bad. Sometimes it’s skin purging, but it’s natural all the time. It happens to all of us.

And most importantly, always listen to your skin. If your body is showing you signs that something is wrong, take the steps we went through earlier to see if it has anything to do with your toner.

If you’re looking for a safe toner to use versus acne, consider giving our acne clear toner a shot.