Liz DeSousa / Byrdie
In This Article
If you remember the 1990s, chances are you’re familiar withastringents.
Thealcohol-based, ultra-potent formulas were practically a teenage prerequisite, ostensibly keeping breakouts at bay.
Even now, some devotees swear by astringents, particularly for tightening pores and sopping up excess oil.
Liz DeSousa / Byrdie
Meet the Experts
What Are Astringents?
Both experts agree astringents benefit those with oily oracne-prone skinthe most.
Those with sensitive or dry skin may find astringents too aggressive.
Astringents vs. Toners
Colloquially, “astringent” and “toner” tend to be used interchangeably.
In reality,they’re slightly different.
Whereas astringents are specifically meant to cleanse and tighten the pores, toners can have a range of benefits.
Given their wide-reaching benefits,tonersare more universal than astringentsanyone can benefit from a toner.
It just comes down to finding the right formula.
What Are the Benefits of Astringents?
As we mentioned before, astringents have a few key benefits.
Hirsch tells us they can also cause severe dryness and irritation, especially if they contain alcohol.
In general, alcohol-based astringents are particularly risky.
But even non-alcohol-based ones can wreak potential havoc on the skin.
For those with acne, strong astringents may even further irritate breakouts, particularly if the skin is dry.
This can lead to peeling, additional redness, and inflammation, LoGerfo warns.
Those withsensitiveor excessively dry skin should also proceed with caution.
From there, you’ve got the option to pull back or ramp up frequency as needed.
In that vein, astringents aren’t for everyone.
Just be sure to start slow and pay attention to your skin’s cues.
