little white truths

At the moment I have five products from The Ordinary in current rotation, and this toner is the one I've been using the longest of those five. 

It was the second product I opened from The Ordinary and I've been using it for perhaps five months now - so I've only got about a third of this huge bottle left and I've been meaning to review it for a while.

Happily I really like it. It's an excellent product that does what it's meant to do and I'm so pleased I found it. Although it's not my Alpha-H Liquid Gold (another glycolic acid based treatment), it still performs well and I'm glad I can now recommend a similar product for those on a budget.

As you may know, earlier in the year I bought a bunch of products from The Ordinary (perhaps ten or twelve) with some Adore Beauty gift vouchers. 

Like many, I'd been desperate to try the brand so I spent one of my vouchers on The Ordinary's products whenever the items I wanted were in stock. And I only spent a few dollars of 'real' money for my troubles because everything is so cheap! Yay to that.

Worth noting is that I've made sure to introduce my products from The Ordinary individually (and the ones I have open aren't designed to do similar things to each other), with a space of a month or two between introducing them. 

I've done this because I've seen a lot of reviews from people who've started using various products at the same time (or who have followed one of The Ordinary's suggested regimens), so I wanted to do something different - just for those who are only interested in a product or two and want to know exactly what each item does when used alone.

The Ordinary claims/product details:

• Glycolic acid is an alpha hydroxyl acid that exfoliates the skin
• This 7% toning solution offers mild exfoliation for improved skin radiance and visible clarity
• The formula also improves the appearance of skin texture with continued use
• Contains a studied Tasmanian Pepperberry derivative to help reduce irritation associated with acid use
• Also contains ginseng root and aloe vera for both visible radiance and soothing benefits
• Contraindications: should not be used on sensitive, peeling or compromised skin; please refer to additional sun protection note and other warnings
• This pH of this formula is approximately 3.6
• To use: ideally use in the PM, no more frequently than once per day; after cleansing, saturate a cotton pad with the formula and sweep across face and neck; avoid the eye contour and contact with eyes; do not rinse off
• RRP $14.50 AUD for 240ml

Verdict

This is an excellent product and I'm pleased to report that it works and does exactly what it's meant to do. I'm also pleased to say that I think it's a lot better than Pixi's Glow Tonic (reviewed here), which is another more affordable option that others rave about but that never worked very well for me. Pixi's version is also more expensive than this one, so if you want to try a glycolic acid but don't want to pay a lot for it, I would definitely pick this one over the Pixi because it's cheaper and more effective - or at least it is for me.

It's a liquid product with a very slight chemical scent that I'm only aware of if I hold the toner up to my nose. You apply it to a cotton pad and run it over your face after cleansing, and it's better to use it in the evenings because your skin regenerates, repairs itself and absorbs skincare more effectively overnight.

When I first introduced this product, I was using it on alternative evenings to my Alpha-H Liquid Gold (reviewed here), just so I could compare them. Then I gave this a break while only using Liquid Gold, and since finishing off my Liquid Gold two months ago, I've been using this every evening.

Although I do find that the Liquid Gold is more effective and my skin prefers it, I still think this is excellent and I really don't think you can beat it for the price.

It does everything you would expect a glycolic acid to do - so it tones, brightens and exfoliates/resurfaces the skin - and my face always looks more awake and feels smoother after I've used it. For me, glycolic acid also has an effect on clarity because it clears gunk from my face and helps keep my pores clean, so a product like this helps minimise the amount of blemishes I get along my jawline.

On the claims: yes it mildly exfoliates; yes it helps with radiance and clarity; and yes it improves the appearance of skin texture. While I wouldn't say that it's soothing, I do think it's been formulated well because it doesn't irritate my sensitive skin and I've experienced no adverse effects when using the product - just the mild tingling (bordering on stinging) that one can normally expect while using an acid like this.

Overall I think this is a fantastic product and you really can't beat the price-point. No it hasn't replaced my Liquid Gold because that's my HG, but I do plan to keep purchasing this one as a budget alternative and I can always use the Liquid Gold less often when I'm using this to help my bottle last longer.

Love. Recommended.