Of all the skin care product categories, perhaps the most misunderstood are facial mists, toners and essences. What are they, why does my skin need them and where do they fit into my routine? We’re here to clear up the confusion, explain the differences and show why these essentials shouldn’t be missed.
What Is a Toner? | What Is an Essence? | What Is a Bi-Phase Mist | Which Should I Choose? | Best Option by Skin Type
Key Takeaways
- Toners, essences and bi-phase mists each play unique roles. Toners cleanse and balance, essences deeply hydrate and prep and bi-phase mists lock in moisture while protecting skin from environmental stressors.
- Layering products in the right order matters. Start with lighter, water-based formulas, then move to richer creams to maximize absorption, prevent irritation and improve results.
- Choose based on skin type and needs. Dry skin benefits from hydrating mists and toners, oily skin from exfoliating toners and lightweight essences and combination skin from a tailored mix of all three.
Understanding the Basics of a Skin Care Routine
A multi-step skin care routine may be considered a little high maintenance by some, but if the TikTok trends are any indication, the more steps the merrier for the skin care obsessed. There’s a bit of a learning curve when it comes to the art of layering products, but once it’s mastered you’ll wonder how you lived without all of the multiple steps.
Layering skin care products in the right order is important because it ensures that active ingredients are absorbed effectively, leading to better results and preventing issues like clogged pores or skin irritation. By applying products from thinnest to thickest consistency — think lighter, water-based formulas first and working your way to richer, thicker creams — each layer can fully penetrate the skin without being blocked. This technique maximizes the performance of your skin care by delivering targeted treatments and promoting overall skin hydration and radiance.
Whether you’ve bought into the full routine or your skin care regimen skews more simple, including a toner, a face mist, a bi-phase mist or an essence is a step that shouldn’t be skipped.
What Is a Toner?
Perhaps the most well-known of the bunch, toners (also known as toniques or mists) are water-based liquids used after cleansing to remove any residual dirt, oil or other impurities. Their purpose is to condition, hydrate and balance the skin after cleansing and prepare it for the next products. Let’s go a bit deeper:
Provides an extra thorough cleanse: Even after using a cleanser, you might still need to remove any remaining sebum, makeup or dirt, and a toner can help with that. Toners complete the cleansing process by lifting away any last traces of makeup your cleanser failed to remove. If you’ve ever swiped a cotton pad over your cleansed face after removing makeup, you know what we’re talking about. These fast-absorbing liquids remove lingering impurities and replenish the skin with the necessary moisture.
Helps absorb products that follow: By balancing your skin, removing remaining impurities and replenishing the complexion, the toner step preps your skin to absorb the products you apply afterwards. Eminence Organics Lead Skin Care Trainer Natalie Pergar refers to toning as the “conditioning” step of your skin care routine. The right toner balances your complexion and provides a base layer of hydrating foundation to prep your skin for the steps that follow.
Treats concerns: Enriched with ingredients like chamomile, lavender and green tea, toners with natural formulations can also provide nutrients as an additional benefit. For example, many of our toners and mists are blended with fresh fruit juices and extracts that treat concerns from uneven skin tone to dryness, leaving the skin feeling revitalized.
A refreshing pick-me-up: One of the many benefits of a toner is that it can be reapplied throughout the day. After the gym or at the beach on hot day, a quick spritz of toner can cool and refresh the skin while also clearing away impurities. Keeping your toner in the fridge can make that spritz even more refreshing!
What Is an Essence?
An essence is a concentrated liquid product designed to deeply hydrate the skin and prime it for subsequent treatment. It can stand on its own but is often used after a toner and before a serum in a routine. This extra step helps enhance leave-on treatments. An essence also helps support the skin barrier.
As Eminence Organics International Trainer Brian Goodwin tells us, “The easiest way to think of an essence is as a primer that helps all of your other leave-on treatments work better.” Essences are often described as a cross between a toner and serum. These fast-absorbing liquids are slightly more viscous than a toner and contain a high concentration of actives, similar to serums. In a skin care routine, essences help maximize hydration and improve the absorption of subsequent skin care products. Plus, they’re packed with ingredients that plump and rejuvenate the look of skin and protect it against the drying effects of environmental stressors.
What are the benefits of an essence? Glad you asked.
Deep hydration & nourishment: A strong skin barrier is the key to a healthy complexion. When the skin’s moisture barrier is functioning optimally, it works to keep in beneficial hydration and keep out harmful environmental irritants that cause dryness and premature aging. Essences support healthy barrier function by replenishing the skin’s moisture levels and providing long-lasting hydration. Our Kombucha Microbiome Balancing Essence helps restore the look of balanced skin. A blend of pre, pro* and postbiotics works harmoniously to enhance the appearance of luminosity and gently primes the skin ahead of your full skin care ritual.
Protects skin: Essences also contain antioxidant-rich ingredients that fight free radicals and protect skin from the harmful effects of the environment. By reinforcing the skin’s natural resilience, they support a healthier, more youthful-looking complexion.
Preps skin: By enhancing skin health and hydration, essences prime the skin to better absorb subsequent skin care products. When your skin is hydrated, it can more easily soak up the active ingredients in your serums, oils and concentrates. You can apply several layers to maximize absorption and promote a glowing complexion.
What Is a Bi-Phase Mist?
As the name implies, a bi-phase mist provides two types of benefits to the skin. The combination of hydrating water and nourishing oil helps to balance and refresh the complexion. Used as more of a finishing touch within the skin care routine, a bi-phase mist locks in moisture, which makes spritzing it prior to SPF application ideal. Depending on the ingredients, this type of mist can help the skin in a number of ways.
Protects skin: Our new Shiitake & Ashwagandha Bi-Phase Mist is a dual-layer formula that, when emulsified with a good shake, shields skin from drying environmental stressors while restoring hydration with every spritz. If you’re sitting at a screen all day, the Blue Light Complex, which is rich in antioxidants in the form of sunflower sprout and tara plant tannins, helps to protect against the appearance of aging caused by the light emitted from both the sun and electronic devices, including cell phones, televisions and light bulbs.
Adds moisture: A bi-phase mist can be reapplied throughout the day for a refreshing hit of moisture, thanks to the ultra-hydrating snow mushroom and shiitake. Made with vitamin D-rich shiitake extract and ashwagandha, this mist helps the skin feel strengthened while supporting a balanced, hydrated complexion. Because of the dual layers, a bi-phase mist needs a strong shake before application to emulsify the oil and water. A few spritzes prior to applying SPF will lock in moisture.
Toner Vs. Bi-Phase Mist Vs. Essence: Which One Should You Use?
Because they all serve different purposes, deciding which of these skin care options will suit your needs can be difficult. Which is better? The truth is, there’s no wrong answer. Your choice might depend on a few factors, including your specific issues, skin type and preferences, but there are benefits to each of these types of products. Plus, who says you have to pick just one? As with a lot of skin care decisions, short-listing products that complement your skin type is a good place to start.
Choosing Based on Skin Type
Dry Skin: Bi-Phase Mist + Hydrating Toner + Essence
The Shiitake & Ashwagandha Bi-Phase Mist restores hydration and protects the skin barrier. A hydrating toner like the Stone Crop Hydrating Mist increases hydration levels to leave skin looking smooth and moisturized. And the Birch Water Purifying Essence replenishes the skin and restores moisture levels.
Oily Skin: Exfoliating Toner + Lightweight Essence
The delicious-smelling Pineapple Refining Tonique is designed to exfoliate and brighten the look of skin. And the Birch Water Purifying Essence is lightweight and purifies the skin, leaving it toned and tightened while minimizing the visible effect of pollution.
Combination Skin: Exfoliating Mist + Hydrating Toner + Essence
Combination skin can be tricky because what might be just right for one area of the face, could be all wrong for another. This is where multi-pronged approach really shines. An exfoliating mist like the Mangosteen Revitalizing Mist sprayed onto a cotton round and applied to the T-zone can help refine and improve skin tone to minimize the look of pores. And a moisturizing option like the Stone Crop Hydrating Mist on the cheeks will stave off dryness and leave the skin balanced and toned.
Still not sure which elixir to add to your skin care routine? Whether you’re looking to rebalance, refresh or rejuvenate, there is an option that will complement your skin type and needs. Visit your nearest Eminence Organics Spa Partner to find out more.
*Does not contain live probiotic cultures
