I have a confession. My name is Samantha, I am Stylist’s deputy beauty editor and I have never used a toner. I religiously cleanse twice a day, serum is one of my top five essentials and I wouldn’t contemplate using a moisturiser without an SPF of less than 20. But a toner? Frankly, I can’t be bothered.

What I didn’t know, though, is that 10-15% of make-up remains on the skin after cleansing and as Fiona Brackenbury, Decléor’s head of education and training, warns, “If your skin isn’t totally clean it stops anything you apply next from absorbing effectively.” A toner removes impurities such as residual cleanser and traces of make-up which block pores leading to blackheads. Without it, that £100 moisturiser is unable to fulfil its potential because it hasn’t been able to penetrate your skin properly.

But it isn’t just a lack of toner that can render your cocktail of beauty creams pointless, it’s also the order in which you use them, how long you leave them to penetrate and how you apply them. Last year, women in the UK spent almost £1billion* on skincare. Think about that. It’s an awfully huge figure for a country that is supposed to be in the throes of recession. That means that a lot of you prioritise skincare, choosing to opt for the best serum you can afford. You are committed to your skin.

Make your skincare work even harder