Skin care is an essential aspect of many people’s daily routine, and the search for products to help maintain radiant skin is constant. Among the most common products, which are often confused, are toners and essences. Both play key roles in a facial care routine, but their functions and benefits are different.

At Montibello, we explain in more detail the differences between these two products and how to effectively integrate them into your daily routine.

What is a toner?

A toner is a product that is applied after cleansing and before specific treatments such as serums or moisturisers. Its main function is to restore the skin’s pH balance, which can be altered by the use of cleansers. It also prepares the skin to receive subsequent products, helping them to be absorbed more effectively.

Benefits of toner:

• Balances pH: after cleansing the skin, the pH can become more acidic or alkaline, depending on the product used. Toner helps restore its natural balance.
• Minimises pores: many toners have properties that help reduce the appearance of enlarged pores, leaving the skin smoother and more even.
• Removes residue: ensures that no traces of make-up, dirt or cleanser are left behind, providing a deeper cleanse.
• Refreshes the skin: its light formula provides an immediate feeling of freshness, revitalising the skin.

What is an essence?

An essence, on the other hand, is a more concentrated product than a toner. Its main function is to provide deep hydration and prepare the skin to optimally absorb subsequent treatments such as serums and creams. Although light in texture, the essence is formulated with more potent active ingredients that deliver intensive benefits to the skin.

Benefits of the essence:

• Deep hydration: thanks to their more concentrated formula, essences provide intensive hydration that acts on deeper layers of the skin.
• Specific treatments: depending on their formulation, essences can be targeted to treat specific problems such as ageing, lack of radiance or skin repair.
• Preparation for subsequent treatments: like the toner, the essence prepares the skin, but at a deeper level, optimising the effectiveness of the products applied afterwards.

Essences can address a wide range of skin needs, including:

• Anti-ageing: reduce visible signs of ageing, such as wrinkles and loss of firmness.
• Brighteners: they improve the skin’s luminosity, helping to restore the natural glow and even out the tone.
• Repairing: they are ideal for damaged, scarred or blemished skin, as they accelerate the cell regeneration process.

The best essences to incorporate into your routine

If you’re looking to incorporate high-quality products into your routine, Montibello recommends two exceptional essences tailored to different skin needs:

• Renewal Essence: this AHA-rich essence promotes cell renewal, improving the skin’s texture and appearance. It contains 99% ingredients of natural origin, including Hibiscus extract, which renews, retexturises and offers anti-pollution protection.
• Luminous Essence: formulated to brighten and even skin tone, this essence works to restore a natural glow to dull, uneven skin tone. With 95% naturally derived ingredients, it provides visible radiance, leaving the skin more radiant and revitalised.

As you can see, the choice between a toner and an essence depends on your skin’s specific needs. While a toner focuses on balancing the pH and preparing the skin to receive other products, an essence provides intensive hydration and optimises the effectiveness of subsequent treatments.

Incorporating high-quality essences such as Montibello’s Renewal Essence and Luminous Essence into your daily routine can significantly transform the health and appearance of your skin, taking it to a new level of radiance and vitality.