What’s the difference between facial toner, serum, ampoule, and essence?

Do you feel like your skin deserves better care? In addition to creams and face masks, start using serums, essences, toners, and ampoules. We’ll tell you what the difference is between these products and you’ll also learn how to use them correctly.

Toner

Toner (also known as facial toner) is used to finish cleansing and refresh the skin. It can rid the skin of impurities that remain after makeup removal—ones that makeup remover or micellar water couldn’t handle. At the same time, toner hydrates and helps balance the skin’s pH.

After you use toner, you can apply other skincare products, most often a face cream. Using a cream is necessary. Toners do hydrate, but only the top layer of the skin and only short-term. They don’t penetrate deeply.

Serum

Serums are great for all skin types, including problematic skin.. They deliver vitamins and antioxidants. They also hydrate and fight wrinkles, spots, or small scars. There are lifting, anti-wrinkle, exfoliating, and rejuvenating serums. You should always choose a serum based on what specifically concerns you. How to use a serum? Usually, it’s enough to apply a few drops of serum and then apply cream to the skin again.

Ampoules

Ampoules are even more concentrated than serums and have a high share of valuable ingredients. That makes them among the fastest and most effective products in cosmetics. They’re used occasionally—for example during periods of stress, at the end of summer, or at the end of winter. The result is immediately and also long-term visible.

Essence

The main advantage of an essence is that the active ingredients it contains penetrate into the deepest layers of the skin. An essence therefore works very effectively and immediately. It provides intense hydration.

Unlike toner, essence is a bit more “creamy,” hydrates the skin, and prepares it to be able to absorb additional nutrients and hydrating ingredients. So first use essence and then, for example, your chosen serum. Facial essence is applied to clean skin, ideally in the morning and evening.

Facial toners, serums, essences, and ampoules can be found HERE