Simple Soothing Facial Toner

The main function of a toner is to cleanse the skin and shrink the appearance of the pores.  There is a danger that if we over cleanse our skin, it can lead to excess oil production and throw the skin out of balance.   For that reason I make moisturising more of a priority and try not to over cleanse and always make sure that if I do use a toner, its mild.

Sensitive skin – a mild toner with virtually no alcohol i.e. rose water, water and humectants* to keep the upper layers of the skin moisturised
Normal/combination skin – a tonic with up to 20% alcohol i.e. orange floral water, water and humectants is recommended
Oily skin – an astringent with 20-60% alcohol i.e. witch hazel, anti-bacterial ingredients i.e. tea tree, water and humectants,

Ingredients

Sodium PCA – Occurs naturally in human skin and is responsible for binding moisture to the cells as it holds several time its weight in water, which makes it an intensive humectants.
Allantoin – soothes skin and promotes cell regeneration
Witch Hazel – astringent, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, repair UV damage
Chamomile – calming, anti-inflammatory & anti-bacterial
Pantolactone, Panthenol, Propylene Glycol & Sorbitol – humectants and skin conditioning agents

Toners
A few decades ago we have the 3 step routine drummed into us
1. Cleanse 2. Tone 3.  Moisturise
This was wonderful for the beauty brands as they were guaranteed a sale of 3 products, and it was hinted that the best result would only come from using products from the same range.  Then over the years combined cleanser & toners were developed and then came the face wipe, which suited us all as it saved so much time, and was so handy, the only negative being potential landfill problems.

Rating

Value for money – +_ £3.00 for a 200 ml bottle available from most druggists and supermarkets and online
Effectiveness – this is very kind to the skin, with the majority of the ingredients being beneficial
Pampering factor – although it is gentler on the skin than most toners, I feel the need to heavily moisturise after applying
Recommended

* Humectants – used in food and cosmetics to keep moisture in.

L'Occitane Ultra Rich Face Cream

L’Occitane Ultra Rich Face Cream

There are many good night creams on the market and I usually consider the pack claims and then check the ingredients to see if they can actually deliver.  I also assess how well it sinks into my skin.

Ingredients of Interest

Shea butter - 2nd ingredient in terms of volume, very rich vegetable fat which is moisturising,  anti-inflammatory, protects against UV rays and is quickly absorbed into the skin

Glycerin - cheap ingredient but effective in keeping in moisture

Sodium PCA - occurs naturally and helps skin keep in moisture

Light Cream, Rich Cream or Serum?

This is recommended for night time use, so its fine to have something heavier on the skin whilst sleeping.  This feels heavy on application, but soon feels lighter as your skin drinks it in.  The pack claims 25% Shea butter, which is quite decent amount of a vegetable oil priced around £5 / kg, also claims 24 hour protection and hydration and the glycerin and Sodium PCA would back up the 24 hour hydration claim.  I find my skin looks plumper (in a nice way) and moisturised the following morning.

   

Skin Affinity

Be wary of products that take a long time to sink into the skin, these tend to contain a lot of silicones which do not really offer any benefit to the skin, they just feel amazing.  Vegetable oils will be highly compabitible with the skin, and therefore get absorbed very quickly, almost like your skin is thirsty and is drinking it in.

  

Rating

Value for money – upper mass market price bracket at £29.50, available in most department stores and L’Occitane stores

Effectiveness – 24 hrs hydration with ingredients to back it up, my skin looks discernably plumped after using

Pampering factor – very high, feels super rich

Highly Reoommended