Frat Party...

Last week I was asked to give a presentation to female students of Emory University. The event was part of history week for Alpha Phi Alpha and was held at their fraternity house on the Emory campus. I was so moved that the boys of the frat house were so thoughtful to do this for the girls. This wasn't your brother's frat house...they had rose petals on the floor and tables, strawberries and a chocolate fountain, a massage therapist, a couple educating on herbal supplements, myself and another woman presenting on skin care. It was a great experience and I thank the boys of Alpha Phi Alpha for letting me be a part of it.

The girls had some great questions about skin care and my favorite was about toner. What is toner and what purpose does it serve? Should I use it every day? Poor toner is the most misunderstood of the beauty and cosmetics industry; the bastard child if you will. Toners are also known by many other names...astringent, mist, tonic, hydrating water, cleansing water, among others. Despite the marketing term chosen to sell them, they do serve a purpose.

I explain it like this...after you cleanse, use a spritz to remove traces of makeup that may be left after the cleansing process. A good toner will also hydrate the skin, reduce sensitivity and restore the pH to the skin after the cleansing process. Not to mention removing mineral deposits or calcium that may be left on the skin from your tap water. I also use it to freshen the skin after my makeup application and throughout the day to hydrate and keep my makeup looking as if I just applied it moments earlier. During the Summer it's great to keep it in the fridge to use after a long walk..not to mention it's so refreshing. Keep it in your gym bag to use after your workout.

I like to think that I take a realistic approach to selling skin care products to my clients. If someone comes in who only uses soap to cleanse the skin, I probably am not going to send them home with a bottle of toner. My main goal is going to be to get them off of bar soap and onto a facial cleanser that is formulated and correct for their skin type. But if a client has a good routine that includes several skin care products and they are looking to perfect it, then I would suggest adding a toner or a mask or eye cream - all products that are often overlooked in skin care.