What is this?

What is 化粧水 ? I've always thought skincare was a 3-step (cleanse, tone, moisturise) process. When I was looking for toner, I was told by the sales assistant that I should use 化粧水 immediately after washing my face, and not toner. I couldn't really understand what the sales assistant was saying. Can anyone help explain the Japanese skincare steps please?

Thanks!

Kesshosui is basically a kind of toner. Toners typically contain alcohol and I believe most types of kesshosui don't- they are more moisturising perhaps.

The shop assistant might have been trying to steer you away from alcohol based toners towards a milder kesshosui.

The three steps are normally: wash, lotion, and emulsion (both lotion and emulsion supplies moisture and other benefits) and the words used are "senganryou" (washing product - be it foam or soap), "keshousui" (clear, watery lotion), and "nyuueki" (less watery, moisturizing emulsion).

If you say toner, that would mean a type of lotion that is more astringent (firm up the skin with alcohol or non-alcohol agent), and some people with somewhat oily skin might use it after the moisturizing lotion, but not everyone does.

If you automatically went for toner, are you used to the Clinique type wash, tone, and moisturize steps? Then other cosmetics shops would have different steps... :)