Category: Skin

I used toner for years without really questioning whether I needed it. It was simply part of my skincare routine — cleanse, toner, serum, moisturiser.

But as I started paying more attention to my facial redness, I began to wonder whether every step in my routine was actually helping my skin. Toner was one of the first things I questioned.

Do we really need toner after cleansing? And if you have sensitive or redness-prone skin, could this extra step sometimes be doing more harm than good?

What Is Toner Actually For?

Toner has traditionally been used after cleansing to remove any remaining residue and prepare the skin for the next steps in a skincare routine. Older toners were often more astringent and were designed to remove excess oil and leave the skin feeling very clean.

But skincare has changed. Many modern facial cleansers are formulated to cleanse the skin without stripping it, and today’s toners can serve very different purposes. Some focus on hydration, while others contain exfoliating acids or ingredients intended to target specific skin concerns.

This made me question something I had never really thought about before: if my cleanser is already doing its job, what exactly am I asking my toner to do?

Do You Actually Need Toner After Cleansing?

One of the reasons toner became such a familiar step in skincare was the idea that it could help restore the skin after cleansing. Traditional soaps can be alkaline, while the skin naturally maintains a mildly acidic surface.

But many modern facial cleansers are formulated to be much gentler and closer to the skin’s natural pH than traditional soap. If you are already using a gentle, pH-balanced cleanser, adding a toner simply to “rebalance” your skin may not be necessary.

That doesn’t mean toner has no purpose. A hydrating toner may add moisture, while other formulas contain active ingredients for exfoliation or specific skin concerns. But it does mean that toner isn’t an essential step for everyone.

For me, that was an important distinction. I had always treated toner as something that automatically belonged between cleansing and serum, rather than asking whether my skin actually needed it.

What About Sensitive or Redness-Prone Skin?

This is where I started paying much more attention. If your skin is already sensitive or prone to redness, adding more products doesn’t necessarily mean giving your skin more care.

Some toners contain ingredients that may be irritating for sensitive skin, particularly formulas with alcohol, fragrance, astringents or exfoliating acids. Even products marketed as gentle or hydrating may not work equally well for everyone.

I also realised that the toner itself may not be the only thing to consider. How we apply it matters too.

If your skin becomes red easily, repeatedly wiping it with a cotton pad adds another source of friction to a routine that may already include cleansing, drying and applying several other products.

This made me wonder whether, for redness-prone skin, sometimes the gentler approach is simply to do less.

Do You Need a Cotton Pad to Apply Toner?

I had always associated toner with a cotton pad: pour the toner onto the pad and wipe it across the face. I never really questioned whether that step was necessary either.

For sensitive or redness-prone skin, however, the repeated wiping can create unnecessary friction. The pressure may feel very light, but it is still another form of physical contact with skin that may already be easily irritated.

If you enjoy using a hydrating toner and it works well for your skin, a cotton pad isn’t always necessary. You can pour a small amount into clean hands and gently press or pat it onto the skin instead.

This also made me rethink what I was trying to achieve by wiping my face with toner. If I had already cleansed properly, did I really need to “clean” my skin again with a cotton pad?

For sensitive skin, I’m beginning to think that less rubbing and fewer unnecessary steps may sometimes be more useful than adding another product.

So, Should You Stop Using Toner?

Not necessarily. Toner isn’t automatically bad for your skin, and there are plenty of hydrating and soothing formulas that some people enjoy using without any problems.

The bigger question is whether your skin actually benefits from it.

If your toner has a specific purpose, feels comfortable on your skin and doesn’t cause dryness, stinging or increased redness, there may be no reason to stop using it. But if you have sensitive or redness-prone skin, it may be worth questioning whether toner is adding something useful to your routine — or simply adding another opportunity for irritation.

I’ve decided to take toner out of my routine for now and pay attention to what happens to my skin. Rather than assuming that more skincare means better skincare, I want to see whether simplifying my routine makes any difference to my redness.

Sometimes the most useful skincare question may not be “What should I add?” but “Do I actually need this?”

Sources

• American Academy of Dermatology — 7 Rosacea Skin Care Tips Dermatologists Recommend⁠
• Cleveland Clinic — Do You Need a Face Toner?⁠
• PubMed — The Relation of pH and Skin Cleansing⁠

Facial redness and visible capillaries can be surprisingly difficult to treat. Skincare may help calm the skin, but once small blood vessels become visible, topical products often have their limits. That was what led me to look more closely at vascular laser treatments, including Vbeam Perfecta.

What is Vbeam Perfecta

Vbeam Perfecta is a laser treatment mainly used for facial redness and visible blood vessels. Instead of removing or resurfacing the outer layer of the skin, the laser light passes through the skin and targets the blood vessels underneath that are causing the redness.

Because the surface of the skin is not removed, there is usually no open wound or peeling afterward. However, temporary redness, swelling or bruising can occur depending on the treatment settings.

Why Vbeam for Redness and Visible Capillaries?

Redness and visible capillaries are often linked to tiny blood vessels beneath the skin. That is why skincare alone may not be enough. Vbeam targets these blood vessels directly, which is what made me interested in trying it for my persistent redness and visible capillaries.

What Does Vbeam Treatment Feel Like?

For me, the treatment was not particularly painful. The clinic told me that some people do find it painful, but personally, I barely felt any discomfort.

Right after the treatment, my skin looked slightly lighter and I noticed a little swelling. It was subtle enough that other people probably wouldn’t notice it, but I could see it because I know my own face so well.

I usually noticed the result more clearly after about two days. After my first treatment, I wasn’t sure if anything had changed. Even after the second, the difference wasn’t obvious to me until I compared photos. After my third treatment, however, the improvement in my redness and visible capillaries was much more noticeable.

How Many Vbeam Treatments Do You Need?

I don’t think there is one number that works for everyone. I started with a package of three treatments, and after completing all three, I feel that I may need another one or two.

My approach now is to complete a small number of treatments, wait and look carefully at the results, and then decide whether I actually need more. Clinics may recommend a certain number of sessions, but I think it is also important to judge the progress for yourself rather than committing to a large package from the beginning.

Vbeam settings can also be adjusted, so every session may not necessarily feel or look the same. My second treatment seemed gentler than the others, although I can’t know exactly why. This made me realise how important it is to ask about the treatment settings and discuss what is being adjusted from one session to the next.

What Is the Downtime Like?

The treatment itself was very quick — for me, it took less than 10 minutes. The laser was simply passed over the areas that needed treatment.

Immediately afterwards, I had a little swelling, but it was so subtle that I don’t think anyone else would have noticed. I could see it because I know my own face. Swelling can vary from person to person, so this was simply my experience.

I was particularly careful about sun exposure afterwards. I applied sunscreen before leaving the clinic because I wanted to protect the treated skin from the sun. Aftercare instructions can vary, especially when it comes to when you should apply sunscreen or makeup, so it is best to follow the advice given for your own treatment.

What I Would Do Differently

Overall, I’m glad I started with three treatments. What I would do differently is ask more questions about the laser settings at each session.

I simply followed whatever settings were chosen for me, without asking whether the treatment was stronger or gentler than the previous one. Looking back, I wish I had asked what settings were being used and whether anything had been changed from one session to the next. That would have made it much easier to understand my results.

If I continue with another one or two treatments, I’ll pay much more attention to this. I don’t necessarily need another package — I can decide after seeing how my skin responds and book individual sessions if I feel I need them.

My Results After Three Vbeam Treatments

Is Vbeam Worth It for Redness and Visible Capillaries?

For me, yes — but the improvement was gradual rather than dramatic after one treatment. I wasn’t sure I could see much difference after my first session, and even after the second I needed photos to really notice the change. After the third treatment, the improvement became much clearer.

I still don’t think my skin is completely where I want it to be, so I may have another one or two treatments. But this time, I’ll decide session by session, based on what I can actually see rather than deciding on a large number of treatments in advance.

If you’re considering Vbeam, my biggest takeaway is simple: take photos, give your skin time to show the result, and ask about the laser settings at every appointment.