EMPTIES | Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Toner

Website description:

A hydrating milky fluid rich in plant oils that comforts dry to very dry skin. This silky toner soothes dry, flaky skin to help revitalize and recover moisture loss while infusing skin’s surface with plant- and vitamin-derived anti-aging and calming antioxidants.

• Extra Sensitive Skin, Redness
• Normal to Dry Skin; Dry/Very Dry Skin
• Replenishes a dull, dry complexion
• Antioxidant-rich plant oils soothe and protect skin
• Milky, hydrating formula
• Use twice daily after cleansing skin

Why is it different?

SKIN RECOVERY Enriched Calming Toner offers an oasis of relief to dry, thirsty skin. This carefully blended formula contains essential ingredients dry skin needs to improve and help defend against dehydration, environmental stress, and aging.

All Paula’s Choice products are 100% fragrance free, clinically proven to be non-irritating, and never tested on animals.

What does it do?

SKIN RECOVERY Enriched Calming Toner is loaded with skin-defending antioxidants, essential lipids, and skin-restoring ingredients that leave your skin feeling silky-smooth and better able to renew the appearance of environmental attack. It delivers key ingredients to help eliminate dry, flaky skin as it hydrates and leaves skin feeling smooth.

Who is it for?

SKIN RECOVERY Enriched Calming Toner is for those with dry to very dry skin who want to increase their skin’s hydration and smoothness while minimizing the appearance of environmental attack.

Product Ingredients:

Water (Aqua), Cyclopentasiloxane (hydration), Butylene Glycol (hydration), Glycereth-26 (hydration/texture-enhancing), Dimethiconol (hydration), Oenothera Biennis Oil (evening primrose oil/non-fragrant oil/antioxidant), Borago Officinalis Seed Oil (borage oil/non-fragrant oil/antioxidant), Sodium Hyaluronate (hydration/skin replenishing), Tocopheryl Acetate (vitamin E/antioxidants), Tocopherol (vitamin E/antioxidants), Ascorbyl Palmitate (vitamin C/antioxidant), Panthenol (skin replenishing), Allantoin (skin-soothing), Glycerin (hydration/skin replenishing), Hydrogenated Lecithin (skin-restoring), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (emollient), Niacinamide (vitamin B3/skin-restoring), Superoxide Dismutase (antioxidant), PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil (emollient), Linoleamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate (stabilizer), Laureth-4 (texture-enhancing), Laureth-23 (texture-enhancing), Disodium EDTA (stabilizer), Sodium Benzoate (preservative), Chlorphenesin (preservative), Phenoxyethanol (preservative), Benzoic Acid (preservative), Sorbic Acid (preservative).

I've used up two Paula's Choice products so far, so it's safe to say I definitely like this brand. PC is mostly known for the Skin Perfecting Fluid (which I will review soon, although I'm not particularly taken with that product).

I liked this toner for the winter when my skin is drier. It has a thicker consistency as described compared to typical toners, and you're supposed to shake it before use. It was not a miracle product but it's definitely one of the better toners I've used. It's great if you have sensitive skin or if your skin's reacting to something.

I think PC products really do work, and they're pretty reasonably priced if you compare them to high end skin care products. I've been trying our her anti-aging moisturizers after using up the Skin Recovery moisturizer (review soon). The most I've taken away from Paula's reviews is that jar moisturizers are not ideal, for sanitary reasons but also because the antioxidants become less effective with exposure to air.

Price

$21 for 6.4 oz (190ml)

This is quite a big bottle, but I guess some drugstore toners are 8 oz

Would I recommend it?

Yes

Would I repurchase?

Maybe! I'm trying out their anti-aging toner right now and the Peter Thomas Roth Hello Kitty balancing toner from Asia.

SKIN | Thayer's Alcohol Free Rose Petal Witch Hazel

Looks like they changed the packaging since I purchased

Pros

Alcohol free

Paraben free

Natural ingredients

Pleasant fragrance

Gentle, not drying

Cons

Doesn't help with pores or oil control

Price

$8+ for 12 oz / 355 mL

Pretty good value, this lasts forever

Verdict

I was introduced to this by my old roommate who said it's moisturizing. Since it is alcohol free with natural ingredients I gave it a try. This is actually my 2nd bottle that I've gone through but I never thought to write a review about it, because it's kind of a just there product. I don't notice a huge difference in my skin when I don't use it, and I am using the remainder of it, now, to be rid of it. When I first began using it, it seemed to help control my oils a bit. 2 bottles later I don't notice a huge difference in my skin, for pores, acne, oil control, or anything. I think the treatments and moisturizer you use matter more.

I do have relatively large pores (if you see any of my foundation reviews, link here) so maybe that's why I don't see a huge difference.

I think if you don't use toner, this could be a nice addition to your skin care, but it's not a necessity other than to make sure you have no traces of oil or makeup left on your skin after washing. In theory toner has long term benefits, perhaps when I start using other ones I'll see a difference.

Repurchase?

No.

Would I recommend it?

Yes. Don't use toners with alcohol!

EMPTIES REVIEW | The Body Shop Tea Tree Toner

You can't tell anymore, but there is usually a white sediment that settles on the bottom (corn starch, I think) that you shake in with the toner to make it more mattifying. This does make my skin matte looking initially but I don't think it helps with oil control.

Contains tea tree oil, witch hazel, lemon tree oil

Pros

Refreshing

Seems to help clean pores

Can be used on bug bites

Cons

Contains alcohol

Kind of drying

Doesn't help with oil control

Price

$14 for 8.4 oz / 250 ml

Verdict

Rating: B

I've had this for a very long time and finally used it up. It's kind of a just there product, not bad but not groundbreaking. I use it on days when I am breaking out or when my skin feels clogged since it feels so refreshing on the skin. I stopped using it for a while to try other things but would keep going back, eventually just to use it up. I used this on mosquito bites on the rare occasion that I had any, and it works really well, my skin barely itched.

Acne wise, it didn't seem to help in particular, but it's an ok product to keep in your skincare routine if you're not using toner. Considering this product has been around for quite some time, it must sell pretty well for the company to keep making it.

Repurchase?

Possibly.

Would I recommend it?

Worth a try but it's not a miracle product

Review: Boots Botanics Rosewater Toner

As you can tell, it has only 5 ingredients, one of the most minimalist skincare products I've used.

Pros

- Not drying

- Refreshing

- Lightly scented (of roses)

- Minimalist ingredients

Cons

- Not readily available in drugstores (yet?)

Value

$6 for 5 oz / 150 ml

Available at Target, possibly Ulta

Verdict

Overall: A

I am pleased to say this is one of the best toners I've tried. Before, I've tried three Neutrogena toners (reviews here: Deep Clean, Alcohol Free [not reviewed yet], Pore Refining), all of which are okay, but nothing to rave about. This toner feels refreshing, doesn't dry my combination skin out, and smells very lightly of roses, as opposed to a heavy fragrance or chemical scent. The main reason I like it is it has only 5 ingredients yet still works well.

Repurchase?

Definitely.

Would I recommend it?

Yes.

Review: The Body Shop Vitamin E Hydrating Toner

Pros

- Alcohol free

- Hydrating

- Contains Vitamin E

- Serum-like texture (con for some)

- Not tested on animals (as with all TBS products)

Cons

- Not as refreshing feeling

Value

$12 for 6.7 oz / 200 ml

Verdict

Overall: B+

For those of us who have used alcohol toners, this doesn't feel quite as refreshing. The texture is also more serum-like than water, which is what most toners seem to be like.

In the winter, I like to use this in the morning to hydrate my skin a bit, esp my cheeks. Right now my skin isn't as oily, but it's still not dry enough that I can skip washing in the morning.

It has a slight fragrance, kind of soap-like but it's very faint.

Repurchase?

Maybe.

Review: Neutrogena Deep Clean Invigorating toner

Hi everyone,

I've done a review of this toner on Youtube over 2 years ago, but I've decided to delete my older videos because I don't like how I talked or looked. So here's the written :)

Pros:

- Tingling sensation on skin

- Feels refreshing

- Cleans well

- Smells fresh

- Not drying

Cons:

- Contains alcohol (con for some people, personally I'm okay with it)

Price: $6-8

Verdict:

After trying two other toners after this, I would have to say this is the best toner I've tried. I highly recommend this if you use toner, but if not you might find this an unnecessary step. Personally, I use toner to clean up any face makeup my cleanser didn't remove completely as well as go over any eye makeup residue (on eyelid, lashlines, etc) (this stings a little if it's the 1st time you do it, but I'm used to it)

Repurchase?
Probably

Review: Neutrogena Pore Refining Toner

Hi everyone,

I have been using this toner for over a year, but I think it's like barely 2/3 done, so toners literally last me forever.

Since I've used it for so long I figure I could do a review on it

Pros:

- Lasts forever, like most toners

- Picks up any excess foundation/concealer that the cleanser didn't manage to remove completely

Cons:

- Doesn't visibly reduce your pores

- Doesn't clean as well as the Deep Clean toner (I like to go over my leftover eyemakeup with leftover toner after using it all over my face)

Verdict:

I actually didn't mean to bash this toner, but coming down to it... I'm just kind of using it to use it up. MichellePhan had suggested this on her blog wayyy back, and I picked it up. I probably wouldn't repurchase since there are so many other toners out there and they last so long. If you have never tried a toner you might find this to diminish your pores, but after trying the Neutrogena Deep Clean toner, this one is just kind of okay.

Repurchase?
Maybe, probably not.

That's it for now. I kind of want to get a lightbox because my pictures seem so awkward, the ones I've been looking at are like $33 on Amazon with free shipping, I think any light box in stores would cost a lot more than that. What do you guys think? I never knew a light box existed before Ekimura showed her cat in it.

Till next time :)