Everyday skincare
What do toner, essence and serum each do, and do I need all three?
Written by: Blooming Notes team ·
Reviewed by: Jennifer Tsang
Toner, essence and serum are all thin layers that go on after cleansing and before moisturiser; they differ in how concentrated they are and what they are for. A toner is the lightest, a watery first layer or a wipe with an exfoliating acid, and an essence is a slightly richer hydrating layer. A serum is the most concentrated, made to put one or two ingredients on your skin for a specific change in how it looks. Most people get the most from a serum and a moisturiser; toner and essence are optional, and you do not need all three.
What does toner do?
The word “toner” covers three quite different things, so read the label before deciding whether you need one.
- Hydrating toners are mostly water with ingredients such as glycerin. Pressed into freshly washed skin, they soften how it feels and help the next layer spread. They are handy if your face feels tight after cleansing or you spend long hours in air-conditioning.
- Exfoliating toners contain acids such as glycolic, lactic or salicylic acid. These are an active step: a few evenings a week at most, never twice a day, and not on the same night as retinol.
- Astringent toners list alcohol near the top of the ingredients. They feel cooling and tightening, which is tempting in humid heat, but they can leave skin feeling stripped.
How to use one: a few drops pressed in with your palms for a hydrating toner, or a cotton pad for an exfoliating one. If your cleanser already leaves your skin comfortable, you can skip toner entirely.
Toner vs essence
Essences are usually a little thicker than a hydrating toner, carry more hydrating ingredients, and are patted in rather than wiped. In practice the line is blurry: many hydrating toners and essences are nearly the same thing with different names. Texture and the ingredient list tell you more than the word on the bottle.
If you use both, toner goes first, then essence. If you want only one, an essence or a hydrating toner suits dry skin and air-conditioned days, while oily skin in tropical heat can usually skip both without missing anything.
Serum vs moisturiser
A serum is thin and concentrated. You use two or three drops, and its job is to deliver a particular ingredient. Common examples:
- Niacinamide for shine and the look of pores.
- Vitamin C for a brighter, more even-looking tone.
- Hyaluronic acid for skin that looks plumper and feels more hydrated.
A serum is not made to keep skin comfortable for hours on its own. That is a moisturiser’s job. A moisturiser is thicker and combines ingredients that draw in water with ones that soften the skin and slow water loss from the surface, such as glycerin, plant oils and ceramides.
Can a serum replace your moisturiser? For oily skin in humid weather, a hydrating serum under sunscreen is sometimes enough in the morning. If your skin feels tight within an hour, or looks shiny but feels dry, bring the moisturiser back. Can a moisturiser replace a serum? Yes. If there is nothing specific you want to change, a serum is optional.
The order, the amounts and how many to use
There is no absolute rule, but thinnest to thickest is the safe one: cleanser, toner, essence, serum, moisturiser, then sunscreen in the morning. Rough amounts:
| Layer | How much |
|---|---|
| Toner | A few drops pressed in, or enough to dampen a cotton pad |
| Essence | A few drops |
| Serum | Two or three drops, or a pea-sized amount |
| Moisturiser | A pea-sized to almond-sized amount |
Wait until each layer stops feeling wet before the next. Keep to one or two serums: more than that often leads to pilling and makes it hard to tell which product is doing what. Never use two exfoliating products in one routine, such as an acid toner followed by an acid serum.
How to tell whether a layer earns its place
Give a new serum four to six weeks before you judge it, and change only one thing at a time. To test an existing step, leave it out for a week. If your skin looks and feels the same, you have saved a step. Signs that you are using too much: stinging, pilling, or skin that feels coated rather than comfortable.
What our advisers see
- Try a new serum inside your moisturiser first. If your skin is easily upset, our advisers suggest mixing a few drops of a new active serum, such as vitamin C or an exfoliating one, into your moisturiser for three to five days. If your skin stays comfortable, start using the serum on its own.
- One layer on rushed or touchy days. Short of time, or skin feeling sensitive? Blend your serum and moisturiser in your palm and press them on together. It feels lighter and means less rubbing.
- Choose a moisturiser by how your skin behaves. A watery lotion suits normal to oily skin; a richer one suits skin that runs dry or flushes easily. Very dry skin can mix the two in the palm.
- Spot products go on spots only. A breakout product spread over the whole face is too drying; dab it only where you need it.
- Keep fragranced oils for the evening. Products scented with essential oils are best kept to your night routine, and used now and then rather than every day for months on end.
This week, try
- Read the first few ingredients on your toner. If alcohol is near the top and your skin feels tight, try a week without it.
- If you use toner, essence and serum, drop one for a week and see whether you miss it.
- Use two or three drops of serum, not a palmful.
- Next time you start a new serum, mix a few drops into your moisturiser for the first three to five days.