From the Guidelines
Astringent toner has therapeutic benefits, particularly for oily or acne-prone skin, as it helps to balance the skin's pH, tighten pores, and remove impurities.
Benefits of Astringent Toner
- Balances the skin's pH
- Tightens pores
- Removes impurities and residue after cleansing
- Delivers active ingredients such as antioxidants, witch hazel, or tea tree oil to reduce inflammation and combat bacteria
Evidence from Studies
While the provided studies do not directly focus on the therapeutic benefits of astringent toner, they do mention the use of astringent properties in various natural products for oral health and skin care. For example, Arimedadi oil, a polyherbal product, has been shown to have astringent, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties, making it useful for patients with stomatitis, glossitis, and gingivitis 1.
Conclusion
Although the evidence is not directly related to astringent toner, it suggests that astringent properties can be beneficial for skin and oral health. Therefore, astringent toner can be a useful addition to a skincare routine, particularly for those with oily or acne-prone skin. However, more direct research on the topic is needed to fully understand its therapeutic benefits.
From the Research
Therapeutic Benefits of Astringent Toner
- Astringent toner has been shown to have therapeutic benefits, including reducing post-exercise perspiration and oiliness of the skin 2, 3.
- The use of guava leaf extract-menthol toner significantly reduced post-exercise perspiration to approximately half of the baseline and placebo use values 2.
- Guava toner also significantly reduced oiliness of the forehead and nose, with the activity on the nose being significantly noted since the 3rd week of application 3.
- Astringency, a sensation associated with phenolic compounds, has been found to have health-promoting effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiaging, and anticancer effects 4.
- Polysaccharides have been found to moderate astringency, making them a potential ingredient for reducing astringency in food and medicine 5.
Mechanisms of Astringency Perception
- Astringency perception involves the activation of G protein-coupled signaling by phenolic compounds, and is a trigeminal sensation 6.
- The material basis of astringency includes flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannin, and other polyphenols components, which are common secondary metabolites of plants 5.
- The perception of astringency can be influenced by various factors, including structure, pH values, ethanol concentrations, and viscosity, which can lower astringency perception and improve the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of astringent phenolic compounds 4.
Potential Applications
- Astringent toner may be useful for improving skin hygiene after a workout, and for reducing oiliness and improving the efficacy of skin care products 2, 3.
- Natural ingredients, including those with astringent properties, may be useful for the treatment of atopic dermatitis, with fewer side effects and lower costs compared to conventional treatments 7.